Mystery Bluetooth(?) Keyboard - Identification? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Deodand2014
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 18, 2017, 04:24:46 am
content: I picked up this bluetooth(?) keyboard at an opshop today. There is no maker/model information on the front/back. Power is via a micro-usb cable and there is apparently no internal battery.The only indicator is a red led to indicate the keyboard has power and a blue led to indicate the bluetooth is active.Can anyone help with an identification.

author: jpc
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 18, 2017, 04:34:32 am
content: Might help a bit if the top image was in focus.

author: Deodand2014
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 18, 2017, 06:27:50 am
content: I've taken a clearer shot and attached it.

author: Mr. Scram
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 18, 2017, 06:42:17 am
content: Does your computer show any make or model in the device manager when you turn on Bluetooth or plug it in via USB?

author: jpc
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 18, 2017, 06:59:26 am
content: Cheers and also what Mr Scram said. Also, I notice it looks as if it has an on off switch and possibly a Bluetooth connect switch perhaps next to it. Are you sure there isn't a battery and maybe it is dead. At least worth a look as I have a number of similar looking BT keyboards and everyone has a battery, even the cheapest. After all, if you have to connect a USB connector to supply it with power, why bother with BT when you can just use the USB connection for data.

author: rdl
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 18, 2017, 07:14:27 am
content: It's really hard to tell from the photos, but it looks to me like it's actually inside some kind of form-fitting cover.

author: Gregg
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 18, 2017, 10:56:56 pm
content: I bought one for my wife about 4 years ago that looks identical. Along with the keyboard was a fold over outer cover with 4 corner loops that fit her tablet. This one also doesn't have any identifying marks on it but it does have an internal battery. If you weren't on the other side of the globe, I'd give it to you along with the crappy Winbook tablet.

author: Deodand2014
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 20, 2017, 07:13:38 am
content: I tried plugging it into the laptop (after discovering that despite the laptop having a bluetooth logo on it, it does not have bluetooth installed (Going to have to get a dongle of the right kind...) and it did not show up as a USB Keyboard. After that I tried pairing it with my phone but could not seem to get it to pair.The behavior when applying power is that the red 'power indicator' comes on, flickers and then goes 'steady' however it is definitely not holding any kind of charge.I've rephotographed the front of the keyboard and taken a picture from the side showing the micro usb connector.There does not seem to be any easy way inside the keyboard without getting destructive, which I do not want to do.

author: jpc
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 20, 2017, 07:54:21 am
content: It might be a peculiar Android USB keyboard that will only work through an OTG cable, I've come across the odd no-name like that in the past. Otherwise maybe you've just been unlucky and picked up a dud.

author: Deodand2014
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 23, 2017, 01:38:21 am
content: I just tested this keyboard with a machine I knew had bluetooth installed and it did not pick up the keyboard at all, I think this might be a candidate for a teardown.

author: amyk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 23, 2017, 02:15:53 am
content: It appears to be (fake?) leather stitched together. In that case it should be possible to open non-destructively, although you will need to sew it back together if you wish to reassemble it afterwards.

author: Gregg
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 23, 2017, 03:50:38 am
content: I just tried to get my wife's identical keyboard to work with my desktop PC. I have a Bluetooth dongle that I use for headphones. I did get the dongle software to recognize the keyboard but I couldn't type anything with it... It does however work with the POS Winbook tablet.There is definitely a battery in the keyboard and pressing the Bluetooth button causes the blue LED to flash as it searches for pairing.Maybe your battery is so far gone that it drains the voltage to the point that the Bluetooth won't function.