Smallest wired keyboard

[diegzumillo]

Hey everyone,

I have been looking for a small keyboard for a tiny pocket computer but all I can find are bluetooth keyboards.They are super tiny and perfect but bluetooth means hassle of setting up your OS, sync with it at boot, carry its own battery etc. It's not ideal. If anything goes wrong and you have to redo something you'll have to get home and plug a usb keyboard to it because keyboards are kind of important to solving any problems in linux.

Anyway, this is the smallest wired keyboard I found: https://www.amazon.com/Super-Mini-USB-K ... B000BSLU28

I kinda like it. But decided to ask here if anyone found any alternatives.

I also considered using a teensy to make my own keyboard, but using the hardware of one of these bluetooth micro keyboards. The keys are all done and even partially wired already, I'd just have to finish the wiring by connecting with the teensy. This all sounds complicated and I rather not do that though.

[PiGraham]

Ben Heck on YouTube mentioned a miniature wireless keyboard worked on USB.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29Xb_pIYje4

[diegzumillo]

Thanks for that! I suspected a lot of these wireless might also work as a wired version and the manufacturer didn't bother to advertise it as a feature. This would be the easiest solution.

Now to find out which does that. Unfortunately they don't say what's the model of the one they showed.

[PiGraham]

I have one that looks the same:

It has a part number SW-51007
http://zoweetek.com/product-item/wirele ... -zw-51007/

I think it was called an RII something.

It doesn't seem to work as a USB keyboard though.

[Idahowalker]

I have been using this one for 2 months:

2.4Ghz Mini Wireless Backlit USB Keyboard and Mouse with 5.5 Inch Full Screen Touchpad by Dupad Story,Rechargeable Qwerty Keyboard Remote for PC, Android Box, Computer,Windows,Raspberry Pi, XBOX

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07 ... UTF8&psc=1

[diegzumillo]

I have one that looks the same:

It has a part number SW-51007
http://zoweetek.com/product-item/wirele ... -zw-51007/

I think it was called an RII something.

It doesn't seem to work as a USB keyboard though.

It does look like the one on Ben Heck's video. I just bought a very similar one. These cheap hardware products are continuously tweaked and rereleased and reusing hardware from other products so it's a gamble. I'm crossing my fingers for mine to work.

I asked the same question on the amazon page of a bunch of similar products. People rarely reply to these questions though.

So frustrating for this to be so hard to find. It's so simple: Wired. USB. Small. There's nothing more to it. And you find every possible combination of features except for that.

[rpiMike]

https://www.adafruit.com/product/857

[hippy]

Those Rii keyboards are pretty compact. Another option is a PS2 or XBOX controller keypad or chatpad. I believe they are fairly easy to use with serial but don't quote me on that. There are wireless versions available too though not sure of compatibility -

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com ... L1002_.jpg

[diegzumillo]

For reference. The best by far I found has been discontinued by the manufacturer:

http://usb.brando.com/prod_detail.php?prod_id=00666

Look at this thing! it's perfect! All the right keys a normal keyboard needs, has the size of a small smartphone and, of course, with a normal USB connection. No bluetooth, no internal battery. sigh. Oh well.

[PhatFil]

not small in use but you can roll it up to stash in a pocket..


https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Adroit- ... autifyAB=0

[Gavinmc42]

I have had half keyboards for years. USB and PS2 versions
Things like this,
http://matias.ca/halfkeyboard/
http://www.nanopac.com/Half%20Keyboard.htm

Good for wrist mounted wearables.
Until the Pi's came along never had a PC small enough
Most of my other small ones at home are the silicone rubber roll ups, I get the ones without the numbers pads if I can.

Even at work I use compact keyboards A4Tech KLS-5
One for Windows box, one for Linux box, one for Pi's and a spare
Never even use the special hot keys.

For some reason my Bluetooth ones are even smaller but they don't feel as good..

[k-pi]

Check out the CiT KB-738 - https://www.amazon.co.uk/CiT-KB-738-Pre ... B007XAKNB6

[sdjf]

I have one of those old Brandos and also am looking for something that small that is wired. The USB port on mine has gotten loose so it is hard to keep it connected. Log fill up with disconnects/reconnects/unable to enumerate device. and typing is hard because of unreliable connection that fades in and out.

There may be something on ebay now - but have to check it out further.

One thing I discovered when searching is you can find wired tablet keyboards - I just am not happy with the footprints of their cases.

We need to get somebody to make something truly tiny, it is pretty disgusting that the smallest wired keyboarda are called mini and still over 8 inches!

[DarkPlatinum]

Then they would need to shrink your fingersize

[hippy]

The X Box chatpad keyboards I mentioned earlier are just 4 by 1.7 inches, about 10 x 4 cm, when removed from their housing.

Since mentioning those I have used the wired versions with microcontrollers and they should be just as easy to use with a Pi using nothing more than 3V3, 0V and UART connections. Someone, though I forget who, has already written some Pi drivers.

Add a USB capable micro and it should be possible to create a very small USB keyboard, even a wireless keyboard if one wanted that. Best thing is they only cost a few pennies and are easy to repurpose.

They are pretty good quality and easy to use despite their relatively small size.

[PiGraham]

I was curious. I found this info on using with Arduino on serial.
http://cliffle.com/project/chatpad/arduino/
Apologies if this is duplicating info already posted.

A USB to serial adaptor (potentially built into a USB cable) could make an easy way to connect it.

[sowbug]

I noticed this "dual-mode" compact keyboard on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DC2TKGM/ I haven't ordered it, but it does explicitly list both USB and Bluetooth connectivity modes, and it is very small, especially when folded. Many Amazon reviews excitedly talk about the multi-color backlighting, but that appears to be for a completely different model, not this one.

I'm not sure what the difference is between the triple-mode version that adds USB-C. As far as I can tell, it simply includes another cable. Not sure that's worth the extra $6, especially to the Raspberry Pi community that won't have a need for USB-C.

If anyone picks one up, please let us know how it is.

[HermannSW]

I use two "wireless keyboard with USB dongle", so because of the USB dongle it works as simple without config issues as a wired keyboard.
It has a touchpad included, and does cost 5$ only: viewtopic.php?t=221573#p1359185
It is roughly the size of 7" display: viewtopic.php?t=142658#p1336515
With micro USB converter cable this keyboard can be used with Pi Zero[W] as well.
USB is no problem for Raspberries. I am working on using USB keyboards for ESPs as well: https://www.esp32.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=7069#p36115