Peter Gamma (Physiologist & Director) Meditation Research Institute Switzerland (MRIS)

PinePhone with external keyboard, mouse and HDMI monitor

Last Updated on June 15, 2022 by pg@petergamma.org

Whe tested two thirt party usb-c adapters for the PinePhone.

  1. Aliexpress Adapter:

https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=16799

2. Gembird USB Typ-C

https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=16815

Keyboard and mouse worked on two adapters, HDMI did not work on both adapters, charge during use worked only on one adapter.

Workaround to have a keyboard & mouse & HDMI (when HDMI over adapter does not work):

1. Use a thirt party usb-c adapter for keyboard and mouse

2. establish a VNC server connection from PinePhone to PC

https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=16775

Alternative vor HDMI:

1. buy a Chromecast WIFI to HDMI stick

2. Install Chrome webbrowser

https://forum.pine64.org/showthread.php?tid=13116

3. Chrome webbrowser has an option to mirror the desktop (we tested this option only on Windows 10)

Whe hat some connection problems with our thirt party usb-c connectors. Mouse and keyboard worked for the PinePhone. But we do not trust small usb-c connectors. We experienced too many problems with Android phones and these connectors.

We prefer a setup with a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse from a manufacturer which offers Linux drivers:

And we do not trust usb-c to hdmi adapters either as reliable devices. In the Pine64 forum, there are many reports of users which had problems with usb-c to HDMI connectors, and adventures how to solve this. If an old chrome cast stick is available, this eventually would be better, which can mirror the phone screen with the aid of the chrome browser.

Even better than a chrome stick is a Miracast stick, which has an open standard, as compared to Googles solution. But we do not know how good Linux support for Miracast sticks currently is.