PC gaming in living room

[TotalWarFan]

Would it be possible to connect a gaming pc to a large tv(46inch)? Would the resolution be fine and text readable? If I decided to do this I would use a lapdesk to hold the kb&m. Also what about a 32inch 720p tv? Would it be worth it to play games on that?

 

[Tweak155]

Should be ok. Won't be as clear as a monitor, but usable.

 

[Red Storm]

I personally couldn't do it on a 720P monitor, that would look bad to me. 1080P no problem.

 

[TotalWarFan]

I'm looking into getting a gaming pc for Rome 2 and I would like to play from a couch. So if I decide to play on the 32 720p you think I should definitely upgrade to a 1080p?

 

[Red Storm]

Well go ahead and connect your computer to your TV now and see what's it like. Try playing one of the older Total War games and see if you like it.

 

[Craig234]

See what resolution the tv can handle - that'll decided whether you are ok with it.

Some tv's support 1920x1080 which is great.

 

[Imaginer]

I have done this for years since 1080p was an option on TVs. I use a wireless keyboard and a Logitech m570 trackball to not worry about surfaces for mouse sliding and a more carpal tunnel relieving pointing device for gaming.

 

[Red Hawk]

Yes, it's definitely possible. If you use Steam you may want to try out "Big Picture Mode", which is aimed at users who are on big screen television sets. I personally couldn't trade playing on a high resolution monitor for playing on a larger 720p television, though.

 

[TotalWarFan]

Well go ahead and connect your computer to your TV now and see what's it like. Try playing one of the older Total War games and see if you like it.

I would try that but I stopped pc gaming a couple years ago and want to get back into it now and play total war again. Just wanted to make sure I could play on a HDTV before I start the build.

 

[Imaginer]

I would try that but I stopped pc gaming a couple years ago and want to get back into it now and play total war again. Just wanted to make sure I could play on a HDTV before I start the build.

Playing an RTS, make sure your intended seating distance allows for adequate viewing of the game UI's text. I had trouble with Anno 2070 at 1080p for this reason and the game doesn't scale that element individually. My current living room has my couch at 12 feet away from a 56 inch set at the time I tried Anno on the TV screen.

If you could experiment on your current computer's HDMI out (hopefully a laptop, perhaps with some adapters if you don't have it native) you can see if that is something you will be interested in.

 

[Dankk]

I would try that but I stopped pc gaming a couple years ago and want to get back into it now and play total war again. Just wanted to make sure I could play on a HDTV before I start the build.

If you have a laptop, or any other PC that you can hook up to your HDTV, try it just to see how it feels. It can be another Total War game, or any game at all.

Keep in mind that most PC games are designed with very small text/fonts, and small, nuanced interfaces. They assume you are sitting at a desk in front of a computer monitor, and not on a living room couch with a TV across the room. If you're sitting more than a few feet in front of your TV, you may find yourself squinting pretty hard.

If you find yourself uncomfortable using your PC on the living room television, then you're certainly not going to be comfortable playing Total War. A 46" TV at 1080p should be fine as long as you're sitting close enough. A 32" TV at 720p I think is really pushing it, but try anyway.

 

[OVerLoRDI]

Only thing you run into on TVs, that can really ruin gaming, is input lag. Some TVs do post processing on the images which result in input lag.

 

[marcplante]

I run my driving sim (GTR2) on my 50" Panny Plasma (720P 1080i) with logitech wheel and pedals, and it works pretty well. I played a little BF2 on it, and it was OK, though I suspect a 1080p screen would be pretty decent. So, it sort of depends on the games you want to play.

 

[Bricked]

Would it be possible to connect a gaming pc to a large tv(46inch)? Would the resolution be fine and text readable? If I decided to do this I would use a lapdesk to hold the kb&m. Also what about a 32inch 720p tv? Would it be worth it to play games on that?

Both are definitely possible. Readable text would depend, I think.

I used to game with a 32" 720p TV as my primary monitor and it worked just fine. I first used an Apex TV which was crap; I switched to a Samsung and it was just like having a computer monitor at 720p. I didn't experience any noticeable input lag with either unit. I eventually switched back to a proper monitor because I didn't have enough room to put a good distance between me and the TV and I wanted better resolution.

In my experience with using 50"+ TVs, you might have to sit closer than normal in order to read text at 1080p.

Keep in mind that most PC games are designed with very small text/fonts, and small, nuanced interfaces. They assume you are sitting at a desk in front of a computer monitor, and not on a living room couch with a TV across the room. If you're sitting more than a few feet in front of your TV, you may find yourself squinting pretty hard.

Pretty much that, yeah.

 

[Alamat]

Using a 32" Panasonic 1080p LCD for 2 years now and everything is fine and dandy. BF3, SC2, D3, etc run fine with a 560Ti. Oh and I sit about arms length from it.

 

[EDUSAN]

how long can a wireless mouse/keyboard work? im planning on doing this but that is my main concern.

i have a wall in between the pc and the tv and like 3 meters

 

[Imaginer]

how long can a wireless mouse/keyboard work? im planning on doing this but that is my main concern.

i have a wall in between the pc and the tv and like 3 meters

It has been several months I have my trackball and k520 last during moderate use since the last battery change. Battery life is quite good.

If your PC is behind a closet, you may want to consider a cord extending the receiver.

 

[Red Storm]

how long can a wireless mouse/keyboard work? im planning on doing this but that is my main concern.

i have a wall in between the pc and the tv and like 3 meters

Depends on the KB/M in question, but typically they last a good while. Worst case you get some rechargeable batteries and you're good to go. Wireless has the potential for slight input lag, but that won't matter as much for games like Total War.

 

[silverpig]

how long can a wireless mouse/keyboard work? im planning on doing this but that is my main concern.

i have a wall in between the pc and the tv and like 3 meters

I use a 40" LCD that I sit about 6-8 feet from. The PC is about 3-4 feet to the side of the tv. I have a bluetooth keyboard and mouse and they work fine.

Bluetooth usually gets you at least 20 feet. Mine is worse, but that's because it's a hackintosh.

 

[SlitheryDee]

I do all my gaming in the living room. My HTPC is my general purpose entertainment machine. I use a wireless xbox360 controller on some games, and I bought one of those rolling laptop carts with a Logitech Dinovo Edge keyboard and a Logitech MX Air mouse for games that need a keyboard and mouse. I also have a decent office-style chair in the corner of the living room that I can roll out if I need to sit closer to the TV. Speaking of which, my TV is a Panasonic 50" 1080p plasma, and it looks glorious on all my games. I can't say what a smaller TV running at less than 1080p would look like. It would probably be fine though.

You're almost certainly going to want to sit closer than the couch with a TV that size, unless your living room is very small. I didn't have any luck as far as keyboard and mouse range without spending a lot of money. The Dinovo edge and MX Air will work anywhere in my living room, but both of them together probably cost me in the neighborhood of $350. The mouse will probably go 3 days on a charge, while the keyboard will go a couple of months. You might as well go ahead and spend the money on the keyboard and mouse or you'll probably just end up going through a bunch of stuff with poor range. I highly recommend the rolling cart approach. That way you can roll it out of the way when you aren't using it. This is the one I have.

http://www.amazon.com/Altra-9234096-...ds=laptop+cart

 

[EDUSAN]

sorry i asked the wrong question...

i didnt mean to ask about the battery but about how long (as of distance) will the keyboard/mouse work from the pc to the couch

i wish there could be a way of testing it without having to actually buy it

 

[Aikouka]

Logitech has been pushing their old G700 mice out the door to make room for the newer G700s, but if the Anandtech review is anything, the G700s has the exact same internals as the G700 unlike the G500, which received a sensor and switch upgrade. So, if you need a decent wireless gaming mouse for a modest price, that might be a good option.

EDIT:

sorry i asked the wrong question...

i didnt mean to ask about the battery but about how long (as of distance) will the keyboard/mouse work from the pc to the couch

i wish there could be a way of testing it without having to actually buy it

Some of the biggest problems that I've found are things in the way. The fact that I don't have a back on my entertainment center (it's an open, metal frame design) helps with my signal. I sit about 12' away.

 

[shortylickens]

I dont know about living room but one day when I'm rich and shameless I'd like a mini theater in my house with an overhead projector and blacked out windows.
I'd set up a little cockpit, flight controls, and game the fuck out of that place.

 

[Dumac]

I use a 47" 1080p tv and it works great. I use a controller for some games, though.

 

[Jesusthewererabbit]

I've had good luck with the Logitech unifying mice and keyboards, up to twenty feet away. Not that you can actually do anything from that far, I just know they work. Some of the older stuff crapped out at about 8 feet. I use a 42" LG LCD tv, and sit around ten feet away. Works great, but text can be a little on the small side sometimes.