Bluetooth Adapter for Keyboard and Mouse: Compatibility

Bluetooth Adapter for Keyboard and Mouse: Compatibility

Note: the connectivity issue previously reported with MacOS Catalina has been fixed in MacOS 10.15.6 and up.

Each USB device is uniquely identified by a Vendor ID (VID) and a Product ID (PID). VIDs are assigned by USB Implementation Forum (usb.org) and PIDs are assigned internally by a company. You can find out the IDs of a product through Device Manager in Windows, as in the following picture.

The officially assigned VID of Handheld Scientific is 30A9, and the product ID of BT-500 is 0001. In this page we are going to use VID/PID to uniquely identify each product in concern.

Low end rubber dome keyboards

Most rubber dome keyboards will work. Those include IBM (Lenovo), Microsoft, Dell, Apple (all models), Belkin, BenQ, BTC, Corair (Raptor), Fellows, GigaWave, Goldtouch, Logitech, Manhattan, SIIT, Skiller, and many others, with or without a built-in hub.

Customizable or Specialty Keyboards

• X-Keys from PI Engineering: the adapter is completely compatible with the full range of X-keys products. See video Bluetooth for X-keys, courtesy of PI Engineering.
• Makey Makey (Connect the World to your Computer): the adapter is tested to work with Makey Makey board. Video
• OrbiTouch: tested to work. Video.

High end mechanical keyboards (we really have ALL those in our lab to test)

• Happy Hacking Professional 2 (0853:0100)
• DAS keyboard Model S (built-in hub but not connected internally. 04D9:2013)
• DAS keyboard 4 Pro (built-in hub, with volume knob. 24F0:0140)
• Ducky One (04D9:0201)
• Realforce UB104 (0853:011B)
• Input club K-type (1C11:B04D)
• KB Paradise V80 TKL (04D9:0129)
• Kinesis Advantage 2 (29EA:0102)
• MagicForce 68 (04D9:0024)
• MagicForce 82 (04D9:A0F8)
• Max Nighthawk Pro X (195D:2047)
• Varmilo VA68M V2 (04D9:A0D1)
• Vortex Pok3r (04D9:0207, Video)
• Unicomp Classic (17F6:0862)
• Glorious Modular Mech GMMK-TKL-RGB (0C45:652F)
• G.Skill Ripjaws KM570 RGB (28DA:1301)
• Corsair: Strafe (1B1C:1B15), K63 Gaming (1B1C:1B40), K40 (1B1C:1B0E), K70 (1B1C:1B13)
• Logitech G910 (046D:C32B)
• TADA 68 (FEED:1203)
• Filco Majestouch-2 (04D9:4545)
• XMIT Hall Effect (0C45:7908)
• WASD V2 87-key (04D9:A0D1)
• Klictro Chameleon RGB (195D:2047)
• Razer BlackWidow Ultimate 2016 (1532:0214)
• Razer BlackWidow Chroma V2 (1532:0209)
• Azio MK Retro Typewriter Style (04D9:A0F8)
• Obins Anne Pro CK101 (0483:5710)
• Steelseries APEX M800 (1038:1600)
• GoFreeTech KrBn RGB (258A:1006)
• Red Dragon K561 (0C45:5104)
• Massdrop ALT (04D8:eed2, Video)
• Massdrop CTRL (04d8:eed3)
• Wooting One (In digital profile, with XInput Disabled. 03EB:FF01)
• Keyboard.io (1209:2301. Works with original firmware. Video)
• Ultimate Hacking Keyboard. Mouse mode also works (since firmware 5.3.4). (1D50:6122. Video)
• Massdrop/OLKB Planck (FEED:6060, REV 5 with Atmel processor).
• Glorious GMMK Pro 75% (320F:5044)
• CLEAVE (Truly Ergonomic): confirmed to work by a user. Thanks Denis.
• OLKB Planck (FEED:6060, REV 6.1 with STM processor): NOT working
• Logitech G13 Gaming Keyboard (reported not working)
• Cooler Master Masterkeys Pro M (reported not working)
• Ducky One 2 Mini (not working)
• R-Go Split Break Ergonomic keyboard (not working due to two built-in hubs)

QMK based keyboards

Quite a number of mechanical keyboards are based on the QMK firmware. Those include the Planck, Preonic, ErgoDox EZ, Clueboard, Gergo and Atreus. The Adapter works with most of them with normal settings. However, there could be potential issues with certain settings, as explained below.

The first issue is related to the tap/hold feature of QMK. Normally when a key is pressed, a key-down event is sent. When a key is released, a key-up event is sent. If a key-down event is missed, the keystroke is lost. If the key-up event is missed, the OS thinks the key is still being held, resulting in repeating keystrokes, also called sticky key. For normal usage the keys are pressed and released by human, therefore there is gap between the events. With QMK, a key can be set up to generate different key code based on how long it is held, the so-call tap or hold. To achieve such function, the key-down event is not sent when the key is pressed, since QMK does not know what to send at this point. It is sent when the key is released, followed immediately by the key-up event. Those two events are sent back to back without delay. The adapter may fail to process the key-up event, resulting in sticky key.

The second issue is easier to understand. QMK can be configured to generate multiple keystrokes upon one key press, such as with macros. There is little gap between the key events sent to the adapter, resulting in either lost keystrokes or sticky keys.

This link may be useful: https://github.com/qmk/qmk_firmware/issues/11539

So avoid those types of settings, or if you know enough about QMK, add delay between the key events. The following online key testing program can be helpful in debugging: Keyboard Event Viewer, Javascript Key Event Tester, Keyboard Tester, QMK Tester.

2.4G keyboards, Mice or combo

The following 2.4G wireless adapters have been tested to work. If the dongle works then all keyboards/mice connected to that dongle will also work. The performance may vary since signal has to travel through two wireless connections.

• Microsoft Sculpt (045e:07a5)
• Microsoft All-in-one (045e:0800)
• LogiTech Unifying Adapter
• Rii i25A Wireless Keyboard + Fly Mouse
• Corsair K63 Wireless (reported not working)

PS2 to USB Adapters

All PS2 to USB adapter we have tested will work, as shown in the following pictures.

• Belkin
• Blue two port dongle
• Radio Shack cable
• Y-key from PI Engineering

Below picture shows all the PS2 adapters that we have tested working.

Magnetic Strip Readers (Credit Card Readers)

This is just a partial list. Some readers can be set as either HID mode or keyboard mode. You will need to set them to keyboard mode. You may also need to use the output throttling feature to slow down the data rate when using Bluetooth.

•     Magtek (S/N 21040140, 21073062).
•     ID Tech MSR
•     ID Innovations VMU-B2-6
•      MSR90 (no brand)

RFID Readers

The following RFID readers have been tested:

•     Mini RFID Reader
•     Full size RFID Reader. There are many of those RFID readers, for either 125KHz or 13.56MHz. We have several of those and all of them do work.

Barcode Readers

They have to be set to keyboard mode (instead of HID mode). Output throttling may need to be enabled to use via Bluetooth.

•     MicroScan FIS-HS41X 2D scanner
•     YHD-8200
• Several similar ones (we possess and tested about 10 of those)

Foot Pedals

The following foot pedals have been tested:

•       PC Sense Yellow Foot Pedal (single or double)
•       Simple USB Foot Pedal
•      Kinesis Savant Elite FS30AJ-USB (works after programming as keyboard output)
•         Triple USB Foot Pedal
•     Infinity Foot Pedal 2 (Currently not working but fixable. Write to us if you really need this to work)

Volume Controller Knobs

There are 6 actions associated with a knob: turn clockwise, turn counterclockwise, press, turn clockwise while press, and turn counterclockwise while press. Some controllers can be configured to output any key on those 6 actions, making them very useful in other applications such as page turning and channel selection, in addition to controlling volume (video).

•    AIMOS USB Multimedia Controller (configurable)
•   DROK Volume Controller (configurable)
•    LITROK Volume Contr0ller
•    Yeeco Volume Controller
•        MLEEDA Volume Controller (vid=1234, pid=5678. Does not work)

Other USB devices

•     USB Keyboard Module: this sub $2 module is a complete 104-key keyboard solution, probably used in many cheap rubber dome keyboards. Ask us how to get a free module with your purchase of an Adapter.
•     X-Arcade Game Controller (just a keyboard/mouse combo not a true game controller)
•        Flirc (USB Universal Remote Control Receiver): Infrared remote control to USB dongle.
• U-hid USB board
•   Big Enter Button. Soft and can be punched. It generates the Enter key.
•  Wireless Presenters: most of those are 2.4G wireless (not Bluetooth) with a USB dongle to be inserted to a laptop. They do work with our Adapter so you can use the with tablets and smartphones where a USB port is not avilable)
• Boards based on Teensy: Teensy boards are based on Ateml MCUs. All versions of the boards do work. Some QMK keyboards are based on Teency. Look at the QMK section above.
• YubiKey security token
• Boards based on Arduino (have not been confirmed)

USB Mice

Most mice should work. Too many to list. We have tested more than 200 mice in our lab.

 

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