Another experimental build - Bluetooth keyboards, mice and gamepads

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matherp
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Joined: 11/12/2012
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Posts: 11635
Posted: 11:52am 21 May 2026      

PicoMiteBTH.zip

Requirement Pico2-W or Pico Plus 2W (tested)

This is a standard PicoMite build, no VGA/HDMI/WEB support, except that is has Bluetooth LE support for various devices. I have tested using an Android app proxiOS which emulates keyboard and mouse and gamepad and all work properly.
It should work on any reasonably modern bluetooth keyboard  - must be Bluetooth LE and not Bluetooth Classic.

Please give it a go and report successes and failures
PhenixRising
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Joined: 07/11/2023
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 1999
Posted: 01:54pm 21 May 2026      

  matherp said  PicoMiteBTH.zip

Requirement Pico2-W or Pico Plus 2W (tested)

This is a standard PicoMite build, no VGA/HDMI/WEB support, except that is has Bluetooth LE support for various devices. I have tested using an Android app proxiOS which emulates keyboard and mouse and gamepad and all work properly.
It should work on any reasonably modern bluetooth keyboard  - must be Bluetooth LE and not Bluetooth Classic.

Please give it a go and report successes and failures


Cheers for the heads-up re: Android app proxiOS. Bit unusual that the Shift keys latch, like a Caps-lock but no big deal.

Edit: Oh, in the Trackpad screen, I can select my regular Android KB...Better  
Edited 2026-05-22 00:03 by PhenixRising
matherp
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Posted: 07:29am 22 May 2026      

Anybody had a play?
Peter63
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Joined: 28/07/2017
Location: Sweden
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Posted: 08:04am 22 May 2026      

will get back when I have tested further...
Edited 2026-05-22 18:16 by Peter63
Peter63
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Posted: 08:31am 22 May 2026      

Now I have tested this keyboard, and it works OK







/Peter63
mozzie
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Joined: 15/06/2020
Location: Australia
Posts: 403
Posted: 08:42am 22 May 2026      

G'day Peter,
The only Pico device missing from my collection is a 2W of any flavor, got a couple on order and am looking forward to giving this a try when they arrive. If there is a possibility of getting it working on a Pico-1W I have a couple of them (somewhere)

Is there a plan to implement this in the HDMI/VGA firmware in the future or is this always going to be stand alone?

Can you also confirm you read my post in the RC thread regarding a possible bug in the I2C system?

Also still waiting for my "mate"   to return my CNC driver system to do some further testing of the stepper system, he borrowed mine "for a couple of days" 3 weeks ago now. And they wonder why I get grumpy.....

Regards, Lyle.
matherp
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Posted: 09:19am 22 May 2026      

Peter
Does the trackpad and game controls on that keyboard work?. You can use the device(mouse and device(gamepad functions to test them.
Edited 2026-05-22 19:19 by matherp
PhenixRising
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Posted: 09:44am 22 May 2026      

My to-do list is looking a bit scary....grows every day.

I really like the look of that Mini Keyboard  
Peter63
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Joined: 28/07/2017
Location: Sweden
Posts: 199
Posted: 02:48pm 22 May 2026      

a few more tests I did on the mini keyboard







I can't get the trackpad to work, nor the mouse buttons.

/Peter63
homa

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Joined: 05/11/2021
Location: Germany
Posts: 651
Posted: 03:38pm 22 May 2026      

Hi Peter,

Are you planning a command or function that regularly updates a list of detected Bluetooth devices (MAC address) in an array, along with their RSSI values? Something like a Bluetooth beacon scanner? That would be absolutely brilliant on a Pico with web support!

Matthias
Peter63
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Joined: 28/07/2017
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Posted: 07:11am 23 May 2026      

Hello, Peter
I thought I would try this mouse.











I don't really know how to test this, what device number does a BT mouse get?

/Peter63
matherp
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Posted: 07:12am 23 May 2026      

  Quote  what device number does a BT mouse get?

It will always get 2 unless already occupied, Keyboard 1, mouse 2, gamepad 3
Peter63
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Joined: 28/07/2017
Location: Sweden
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Posted: 07:41am 23 May 2026      



Tested the mouse with this program:
xold=DEVICE(mouse 2,X)
yold=DEVICE(mouse 2,Y)
Do
x=DEVICE(mouse 2,X)
y=DEVICE(mouse 2,Y)
b=DEVICE(mouse 2,L)
r=DEVICE(mouse 2,R)
m=DEVICE(mouse 2,M)
d=DEVICE(mouse 2,D)
If x<>xold Or y<>yold Then Print "X";x;:xold=x: Print " Y";y:yold=y
If b Then Print "Left mouse button":Pause 200
If r Then Print "Right mouse button":Pause 200
If m Then Print "Middle mouse button":Pause 200
If d Then Print "Double click of the left mouse button":Pause 200
Loop
End

, and it works.  

The middle button was the one that did not work on this mouse.

/Peter63
Peter63
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Joined: 28/07/2017
Location: Sweden
Posts: 199
Posted: 09:31am 23 May 2026      



I tested the mini keyboard again. Wanted to see if the trackpad worked, and sure enough it worked. Used the same program that I used when I tested the mouse.

/Peter63
matherp
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Posted: 02:58pm 03 Jun 2026      

Just tested with this :



and it works nicely
Peter63
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Location: Sweden
Posts: 199
Posted: 02:19am 04 Jun 2026      

I have tested version RC15 on the original Pico 2W, works fine.



Also tested on Pimoroni Pico LiPo 2 XLW, but does not work.



> option list
PicoMiteBTH MMBasic RP2350B V6.03.00RC15
OPTION FLASH SIZE 16777216
OPTION COLOURCODE ON
OPTION KEYBOARD US
OPTION PICO OFF
OPTION CPUSPEED (KHz) 200000

Both were completely new, before loading RC15

/Peter63
mozzie
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Joined: 15/06/2020
Location: Australia
Posts: 403
Posted: 04:07pm 15 Jun 2026      

G'day,
Results of some testing for reference. Original RP Pico2W.
Keyboards listed as BlueTooth 4 or 5 seem to work fine, BlueTooth 3 (only one sample) does not.

Generic "Bewinner" 7-8" bluetooth keyboard, usually comes in "leather" folder for tablet.
Works well, big enough to type on, no backlight.



Generic "Micro" bluetooth keyboard. Do yourself a favour and spend a bit more on the Rii 518bt.
Works, too small for easy typing, has backlight.



Rii I4 dual mode keyboard / trackpad.
Works well, too small for easy typing, trackpad works, has backlight.



Rii RT518S dual mode keyboard / trackpad. Be careful, the K18 looks identical but is 2.4Ghz only.
Works well, big enough to type on, trackpad works, has backlight.



Rii 518BT keyboard.
Works well, key shape makes it fairly good to type on despite tiny size, has backlight.



The Rii keyboards are a bit more expensive than the generic stuff but seem to be pretty consistant. I have a few others and they survive abuse in the workshop quite well.
Only things that fail to work are the scroll wheel / scroll function and the CAPS LOCK LED.

Thanks again to Peter for implementing this, could prove to be very handy.

Regards, Lyle.
mozzie
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Joined: 15/06/2020
Location: Australia
Posts: 403
Posted: 04:13pm 15 Jun 2026      

And those that didn't work:

Generic "Magnetic Bluetooth keyboard / touchpad", this shows as "BlueTooth 3"



And be wary of these, no function keys could make life difficult.



Regards, Lyle.
Peter63
Senior Member

Joined: 28/07/2017
Location: Sweden
Posts: 199
Posted: 07:44am 25 Jun 2026      

Tested version: PicoMiteBTH MMBasic RP2350B V6.03.00RC24

Just letting you know that my little mini keyboard (BT) works on version RC24
Using-board: Pimoroni Pico LiPo 2 XLW (PIM776)

> option list
PicoMiteBTH MMBasic RP2350B V6.03.00RC24
OPTION FLASH SIZE 16777216
OPTION COLOURCODE ON
OPTION KEYBOARD US
OPTION HEARTBEAT OFF
OPTION PICO OFF
OPTION CPUSPEED (KHz) 200000
> Bluetooth Keyboard Connected




 /Peter63