Impossible to sleep powerbook with wireless kb/mouse?

[rvance]

I have my 12" RevB powerbook hooked up to an external display (20" aluminum). I also have an Apple wireless kb/mouse. At the end of the day, I want to put my powerbook to sleep and turn off the wireless kb/mouse...but the problem is that I need to turn off the wireless kb/mouse AFTER I sleep the computer, and for some reason, turning the wireless kb/mouse off WAKES the computer from sleep (I think it wakes up to tell me that I've lost the bluetooth connection...duh). This is annoying -- I always end up having to sleep the computer _again_ using the powerbook keyboard.

Is there a way around this (other than setting my computer to sleep automatically after some time, which I'd prefer not to have to do)?

Thanks in advance
(Apologies if this has been brought up before -- I tried to search the forums and couldn't find this exact problem).

 

[belcorriko]

Re: Insomniac PowerBook

When you turn off the mouse or keyboard, it sends a signal to the computer via bluetooth telling the computer that the device has been turned off. The computer, since it was sleeping, registers this command no differently than if the computer were sleeping and you hit keys on the keyboard or clicked the button on the mouse. My suggestion is to turn off the keyboard and mouse, THEN close the lid, or use the trackpad to go to the apple menu -> sleep.

 

[robbieduncan]

I have the same problem with my Mini. Unfortunatly as there is no lid I can't use the above solution. Anyone else with any ideas?

 

[abhishekit]

I have the same problem with my Mini. Unfortunatly as there is no lid I can't use the above solution. Anyone else with any ideas?

If you goto system pref-bluetooth-settings, there is a check box for 'allow bluetooth devices to wake up computer'. Did you try checking it off?

 

[Bear]

If you goto system pref-bluetooth-settings, there is a check box for 'allow bluetooth devices to wake up computer'. Did you try checking it off?

Not a good idea on the Mini if the person doesn't have a regular keyboard and mouse.

 

[mkrishnan]

Also, as another suggestion, why not let the mouse and keyboard go to sleep instead of turning them off? Are you concerned about battery consumption? It doesn't seem like they're too high consumption in sleep mode....

 

[robbieduncan]

Also, as another suggestion, why not let the mouse and keyboard go to sleep instead of turning them off? Are you concerned about battery consumption? It doesn't seem like they're too high consumption in sleep mode....

That was my solution. As I am now using the Mini as a DVR I don't really want it to sleep anyways so I just power off the keyboard and mouse.

 

[mkrishnan]

As I am now using the Mini as a DVR...

Is that working out well for you? I have a ReplayTV networked in my house, so I don't need one for such a thing, but I'm just curious.

 

[robbieduncan]

Is that working out well for you? I have a ReplayTV networked in my house, so I don't need one for such a thing, but I'm just curious.

Not too badly. I'm using an Elgato EyeTV to record digital terestrial TV in the UK. The reception is mostly good and the scheduling etc seems to work well. The only major downside I can see is that there is no support for digital teletext (and therefore for the interactive stuff). Still it's nice to have TV/DVR/DVD player and a full computer available.

 

[rvance]

Hi, thanks for the responses everyone.

My suggestion is to turn off the keyboard and mouse, THEN close the lid, or use the trackpad to go to the apple menu -> sleep.

The problem with this suggestion is that I am running the powerbook in lid-closed mode (I am using an external display). So the lid is already closed. It's kind of annoying to have to open the lid, sleep the computer again, and then close the lid...this is what I am doing, but I was hoping there was a way to avoid this little procedure.

In reply to abhishekit, I have checked the box to allow bluetooth devices to wake the computer -- because I do in fact want to be able to use my bluetooth kb/mouse to wake the computer. (and to sleep it too!)

In reply to mkrishnan, I guess the reason I want to turn off the bluetooth mouse/kb is to conserve battery power. I know that the bluetooth devices go into a sleep mode, but I wasn't sure how much battery that conserves (since there is obviously constant checking for the device).

I didn't realize that this was a problem with the minis too. Kind of a surprising non-elegant conundrum from apple. 😕

 

[hcuar]

It doesn't really seem like a problem what so ever... The solution is not to turn off the keyboard and mouse. I'm sure Apple figured a little less battery life isn't that big of a deal. Buy a set of rechargable batteries and don't worry about loosing battery life.

 

[Westside guy]

It doesn't really seem like a problem what so ever... The solution is not to turn off the keyboard and mouse. I'm sure Apple figured a little less battery life isn't that big of a deal. Buy a set of rechargable batteries and don't worry about loosing battery life.

If you don't turn them off, their occasional BT polling will wake the computer up. I've run into this with my MS BT mouse.

 

[mkrishnan]

In reply to mkrishnan, I guess the reason I want to turn off the bluetooth mouse/kb is to conserve battery power. I know that the bluetooth devices go into a sleep mode, but I wasn't sure how much battery that conserves (since there is obviously constant checking for the device).

How exactly does it work? My impression is that the mouse doesn't really poll anything when it's sleeping -- the powerbook consumes some energy, receiving BT signals to see if anything wants to wake it up. But the mouse turns its sensor off, and it doesn't do anything unless it's actually moved. So the only power the mouse consumes is the power used for the motion sensor -- not for the BT x-mitter itself.

Has anyone seen the problem Westside Guy describes with Apple's mouse or kb? I have not. That seems quite strange that it would randomly wake the computer if it is not moved or interacted with. 🙁

 

[rvance]

Thanks again for all the comments.

It doesn't really seem like a problem what so ever... The solution is not to turn off the keyboard and mouse. I'm sure Apple figured a little less battery life isn't that big of a deal. Buy a set of rechargable batteries and don't worry about loosing battery life.

I guess this is the "solution". However, Apple does recommend that you turn off the bluetooth mouse/kb if they aren't going to be used for a few days...

"Short-term storage
If you're not going to use the keyboard for a few days, or if you are going to be travelling with your keyboard, turn it off to save battery power."

Any experience with battery life with Apple BT mouse/kb if they are just left 'on'?

 

[Monk Edsel]

I never turn my mouse or keyboard off. I have had both for about two months, using the Energizer e2 lithium batteries that came with them. The keyboard still has 4 of 5 bars of energy left. The mouse finally died last night. (And it does warn you it's about to die BTW)

I can understand wanting to save battery life, but, considering the amount of money spent on, say, the mouse alone, a few dollars spent on batteries is a drop in the bucket, and much easier than the hassle you are going through just to put your computer to sleep. The mouse and keyboard do go into a dormant, energy conserving state after 10 minutes of disuse anyway, if I recall correctly. Also a ritual of shutting the mouse and keyboard off and on is very inelegant to me personally. I like the idea that they are at the ready at all times, waiting to be used.

Also my keyboard and mouse never have awakened my computer from sleep by polling. It only wakes up when I tell it to.

 

[rvance]

I never turn my mouse or keyboard off. I have had both for about two months, using the Energizer e2 lithium batteries that came with them. The keyboard still has 4 of 5 bars of energy left. The mouse finally died last night. (And it does warn you it's about to die BTW)

That sounds very similar to the battery life I experienced when I routinely turn them off if I won't be using them for a couple of days...so there doesn't seem to be much advantage to following Apple's recommended procedure on this one. Good to know.