Best way to PC game on the couch?

[Midnight822]

Hey all, so I'm wanting some advice on the best way to play my gaming PC from the comfort of my couch. My PC sits at a desk that is on the same wall as my main TV, just separated by about 10-15 feet. So I've been considering exactly how I should set up for couch gaming. So far, the only 2 options I've thought of are:

- Run an HDMI cord from the computer over to the TV, using the TV as a 3rd monitor and playing games off of that. I'm only hesitant here because I'm not sure how the sound situation is going to work, and if I'm going to have to keep changing my sound profile between my normal work monitors and my TV when I go to game. I'm also a bit concerned about the distance of a wireless controller all the way from my couch over to where my PC is resting with a wireless dongle.

OR

- Buy a Steam Link. My concern here is that I've heard there's some slight latency issues that can affect any competitive, fast-paced games.

Can anyone running a similar setup chime in here? Perhaps there's a better way to do this that I haven't yet considered?

 

[renigadecrew]

Hey all, so I'm wanting some advice on the best way to play my gaming PC from the comfort of my couch. My PC sits at a desk that is on the same wall as my main TV, just separated by about 10-15 feet. So I've been considering exactly how I should set up for couch gaming. So far, the only 2 options I've thought of are:

- Run an HDMI cord from the computer over to the TV, using the TV as a 3rd monitor and playing games off of that. I'm only hesitant here because I'm not sure how the sound situation is going to work, and if I'm going to have to keep changing my sound profile between my normal work monitors and my TV when I go to game. I'm also a bit concerned about the distance of a wireless controller all the way from my couch over to where my PC is resting with a wireless dongle.

OR

- Buy a Steam Link. My concern here is that I've heard there's some slight latency issues that can affect any competitive, fast-paced games.

Can anyone running a similar setup chime in here? Perhaps there's a better way to do this that I haven't yet considered?

I would do the hdmi method

Then with audio

1) Navigate to recording devices in sound properties
2) Click on the "Stereo Mix" option
3) Goto the listen tab
4) Check listen to this device and on the dropdown below select the hdmi output port

 

[joesavy86]

I have 3 monitors, a 46" Sony TV hooked up, and HDMI cables everywhere.
Actually, adapters and cables everywhere, lol.
...and it works gooood.
What graphics card do you have?

My config: I5 3570k, Radeon 7870
Yes, it's a bit dated now.

If you have anything near or better than that you should be gold.

My problem with the Steamlink or any similar device is that you're completely reliant on your network.
In my experience Wifi will tend to fluctuate very regularly.
Hooking up via cat5/6 would be better, but the HDMI connection will still run much more smoothly.

Go with the HDMI connection.

 

[Midnight822]

I have 3 monitors, a 46" Sony TV hooked up, and HDMI cables everywhere.
Actually, adapters and cables everywhere, lol.
...and it works gooood.
What graphics card do you have?

My config: I5 3570k, Radeon 7870
Yes, it's a bit dated now.

If you have anything near or better than that you should be gold.

My problem with the Steamlink or any similar device is that you're completely reliant on your network.
In my experience Wifi will tend to fluctuate very regularly.
Hooking up via cat5/6 would be better, but the HDMI connection will still run much more smoothly.

Go with the HDMI connection.

I'm waiting on the new cards to drop for prices to come down, but it'll be a newer card so I'm not too worried about having hookup issues. Although I am preparing to buy adapters due to all the DisplayPorts that seem to come standard on GPUs.

Smooth gameplay is definitely the top priority, after spending so much on a quality computer I think it ought to be as well. Do you swap out your sound profiles everytime you go to game on the TV and come back to your monitors?

Aside from that, I use a soundbar for my TV, and I'm already kind of trying to figure out in my head how I'm going to alter the hookups in order to make everything fit. 😛 I'm thinking of selling my PS4, so that'll free up a HDMI connection on that in the meantime.