10-15-2026, 08:04 AM
(07-19-2024, 08:02 AM)Peter Gamma Wrote: Why to be smart if Bluetooth works?
I thought that the Rii mini 4 with 2.4 Ghz dongle would be the ultimate solution to solve the Pinephone keyboard problem. After a sleepless night in which I tested 6 cheap Aliexpress docks in all configuration with usb keyboard and mouse, none of the worked. Some time ago, one of them worked with usb keyboard and mouse, but I could not reproduce it. I thought a Rii mini 4 with 2.4 Ghz dongle would eventually the solution for the Pinephone keyboard problem together with the docking sation:
https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=19350
But in the morning I decided not to buy any further Pinephone accessoires for a Pinephone I never use and put on the screed and take it down again for some tests.
In the afternoon, I thought, why not to try the Rii 4 over Bluetooth? Reports of Zebulon Walton about a Bluetooth mini keyboard where horrible:
https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?...316&page=2
Now i paired the Rii 4 mini over Bluetooth to my Pinephone with postmarketOS. There where no disconnection issues during 3 min tests as where reported with other Bluetooth keyboards:
https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=13835
Keys, touchpad and scrollweel worked. One user reported to have issues with connecting a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse at the same time. Only one device worked, either keyboard and mouse. Other reported that Bluetooth keyboard and mouse work with Logitech devices:
https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?...316&page=3
But Logitech has not mini keyboards. The Rii mini 4 is a mini keyboard with dual mode BLE and 2.4 Ghz dongle. I did not get to work the 2.4 Ghz dongle, but the keyboard with touchpad.
The Rii 4 over Bluetooth is the best experience for a Pinephone keyboard for me personally to this date. It is available and worked for 3 min. reliably. And it has also a layout with many keys, similar to the Pinephone keyboard which makes it a great device. The keyboard is not much bigger than the Pinephone, and fit’s in a pocket.
It’s great that Bluetooth worked better than the USB docks you tried. Sometimes the simplest solution turns out to be the best one. The Rii mini 4 sounds like a good option for the PinePhone, especially because it’s small and easy to carry around. I’d be interested to know if it continues to work reliably after longer use.
