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keyboard cord too short!

J

JimmyDreams

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Jul 24, 2007
296
0
Hi folks...

I just received and set up my new iMac 24" and lemme just say the screen is...well....HUGE!! (it's great)

BUT....I have the wired keyboard and the keyboard cable is too short for where I want the keyboard to go. It's only about 1-2 feet short....so it's not like I want to stretch it across the room or anything!!

I checked the apple store but they apparently don't have any white extension cables. Any suggestions?? (don't say wireless because I want the USB ports and I also don't want the 3-5 week wait!!)

Thanks...

JimmyD
:apple::apple::apple::apple:
 
You should be able to get USB extension cables at most any electronics retailer... I don't know if using an extension would cause problems with the keyboard due to the distance, but I've used them on about anything you can think of that's USB and haven't run into any issues. Except that USB rocket launcher toy; haven't gotten one of them yet. :D
 
KatmanDu said:
You should be able to get USB extension cables at most any electronics retailer... I don't know if using an extension would cause problems with the keyboard due to the distance, but I've used them on about anything you can think of that's USB and haven't run into any issues. Except that USB rocket launcher toy; haven't gotten one of them yet. :D
Click to expand...

most flash drives come with a extension cable?

can u measure how long the keyboard cable is? from keyboard to usb?
 
It is. That's why I use USB Hub (Kensington 4-Port), acts like an Extender.

The Mighty Mouse is even shorter. I gave it to my brother with my old 17" 2.0GHz iMac and it just made it.
 
7on said:
Don't the keyboards come with extenders anymore?
Click to expand...
The iMac does not include an extender for the keyboard. I had the same problem as the OP so I went down to Fry's. They had several USB extensions available in white and black. I grabbed a 6 foot white one for $9.99. It works great and solved my short keyboard cord problem. Be advised most consumer electronics retailers seem to charge exorbitant prices for cables. I searched several stores including Office Max, Office Depot, Best Buy, and Circuit City and they all averaged $25-$30 for the same cable. Fry's is always more reasonable on computer accessories and has a greater selection.

HTH
 
It is weird that the iMac doesn't include the usb extender.

I bought the new keyboard separately and it included an extender.
 
I forgot to mention this is why I picked up the Bluetooth Keyboard (my brother is using it now) when I had the 17".

I wanted the New BT but Yorkdale won't be getting them in until September.
 
I picked up an extension at Staples but I got a black one. Why would you want white that will clash with the grey? I think black is the accessory color for the new imacs. Thats why I got a MX Revolution.
 
docprego said:
The iMac does not include an extender for the keyboard. I had the same problem as the OP so I went down to Fry's. They had several USB extensions available in white and black. I grabbed a 6 foot white one for $9.99. It works great and solved my short keyboard cord problem. Be advised most consumer electronics retailers seem to charge exorbitant prices for cables. I searched several stores including Office Max, Office Depot, Best Buy, and Circuit City and they all averaged $25-$30 for the same cable. Fry's is always more reasonable on computer accessories and has a greater selection.

HTH
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info. As I see it, I can either go to the Apple store and complain that the replacement keyboard comes with an extension and that they ought to give me one for free OR go to Frys.

Frys is a 15 minute drive, the Apple store is 40 minutes plus parking nightmares. I think I'll pay a visit to Frys and not worry about it.:D

JimmyD
:apple::apple::apple::apple:
 
vansouza said:
Why would Apple put an extender in the separate sale box, which they do cause I got one; and not put an extender in the iMax box... makes very little to no sense... :confused:
Click to expand...

Because they don't know what you are going to use the separately-bought keyboard for--could be a Mac Pro, could be an iMac, could be whatever, and they can't be certain whether the standard cable is long enough. But when you get an iMac and the keyboard comes included, it's pretty certain that you're going to be using it on an iMac. And since the cable is long enough for 99% of people who use an iMac, they probably don't see any reason (nor do I) to include an extension cable ... and if you really need one, you can buy one. :)
 
RMo said:
Because they don't know what you are going to use the separately-bought keyboard for--could be a Mac Pro, could be an iMac, could be whatever, and they can't be certain whether the standard cable is long enough. But when you get an iMac and the keyboard comes included, it's pretty certain that you're going to be using it on an iMac. And since the cable is long enough for 99% of people who use an iMac, they probably don't see any reason (nor do I) to include an extension cable ... and if you really need one, you can buy one. :)
Click to expand...

Well, therein lies part of the problem! A 24" iMac display needs to be sitting at the back edge of the desk or else you wind up feeling like you're sitting in the very front row at the movies!!

The cord on the supplied keyboard won't let you push the display back to a (IMO) reasonable distance. If you push the display back, the keyboard winds up being about a foot further away from you than is comfortable.

My iMac is on a regular size office desk which has a slide-out keyboard ledge underneath. I need the extension so the keyboard can be on the keyboard ledge with the cable going under the desktop, and come at the iMac from the BACK of the desk. No biggie....I just didn't know if Apple was using some kind of proprietary cable . Apparently they don't, so I'll just get a white extension USB cable and go from there.

JimmyD
:apple::apple::apple::apple:
 
I guess Apple didn't want users to have this set up... j/k LOL

imackeyboard_4_20070807.jpg
 
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