Anyone PC game on their TV from couch?

[Red Squirrel]

A thread in peripherals gave me a realization, I've been trying to get a PC/Linux setup with a KVM switch working properly for a while, KVM switches are all junk and just can't get it to work properly. They lose USB, or video is flaky etc... DVI/USB ones seem to be rare and expensive too.

Then it made me realize, since the Windows machine is going to be mostly for gaming anyway, why not just set it up on my 55" TV! :awe:

Just wondering if anyone does this, and is it great, or is it awkward to play games like a FPS on a TV? It being further away, and such is what I'm thinking may make it awkward. Then again, this is how console games are played. I could maybe even try to adapt certain games to use a controller. UT3 on a TV? Hell yeah, this sounds awesome. Minecraft on a TV? Not so sure about that, but I can't see why not.

Just curious if anyone has done this switch and if they like it, or prefer to stick to sitting at a PC. In my case it's all, or nothing though, since I would not have another windows machine to play on. 4K TVs seem to be coming out before 4K monitors too, so if ever I decide to upgrade, I could jump right into 4k PC gaming. That could be fun. 3D even, maybe? Not sure if any games actually support that.

I'd probably build a solid TV tray type table to put the keyboard/mouse on if I played from the couch. What about wired/vs wireless for gaming? That's not a HUGE issue though, if wired is really better I'd just put a USB hub on the tray and run a cable to the PC. Otherwise I'd just go wireless for mouse/keyboard.

 

[crazzy.heartz]

it's lots of fun playing on Led TV with controller.

played racing, RPG, fighting games via x box controller and StarCraft / total war type games with KB/mouse..

its awesome to play left 4 dead on TV screen with split screen mode / 2 players.. one using KB & other using controller..

a lot of games have split screen mode on PC..

also, Samsung LEDs have a dvi PC mode (it's an HDMI input at the back) that has no input lag / process ing.. TV becomes a giant monitor that actually looks better as it's an SPva panel.

 

[Nograts]

The only game I ever tried to play from PC to TV (using a single HDMI cable) was Civ IV, but the TV stretched it and cut off the edges so that only lasted about 3 minutes.

I would imagine if you were sitting on the couch you'd want to lay down, at which point a controller is about your only option for FPS games, at which point you might as well just play on a console

 

[Stringjam]

I've played almost all my games on my 55" LED. (HDMI cable run).

I either use a wireless mouse/kb or a controller.

I think it's great. It's not what I would do for MP FPS, but for single-player anything I think it works just fine. Sometimes my wife likes to watch me play, so I just duplicate the desktop to the TV.

I have a little padded table that sits on my legs for the KB/M, so I can kick my feet up or do whatever.

FWIW, the resolution is the same if you're at 1080. If your TV is cutting stuff off it's because you have it set wrong. Make sure you have scaling off on that HDMI input and are using "pixel-to-pixel" native resolution (different TV mfg. call it different things).

 

[cytoSiN]

Gaming from the couch with a 360 controller was awesome with all kinds of games, including Tomb Raider (2013), AC Black Flag, Super Meat Boy, Rogue Legacy, Street Fighter IV Alpha, etc. The only things that would probably be tough would be FPS (I prefer KBM) and RPGs with tiny menus and bars (again where I prefer KBM).

 

[sxr7171]

Yes, my PC is my console. I use only 360 controllers. You need a keyboard/mouse to navigate things to start games and the Lenovo N5901 makes that easy.

 

[EDUSAN]

yes, my pc is my console

i have my pc in my bedroom and i got a hdmi cable from the pc to the tv in the living room. And i've got a wireless keyboard and mouse and 2 xbox360 controllers.

I play everything as if it was a console, both k/m games and gamepad games. I only go to the pc for things in which i really need to be quick and have good mouse accuracy like... LoL or a fastpaced mp fps

 

[dud]

Sure, many times but remeber that a 55" TV at 10 feet can look a lot smaller than a 27" at 3 feet. The main difference is what you are sitting on.

 

[sweenish]

The only game I ever tried to play from PC to TV (using a single HDMI cable) was Civ IV, but the TV stretched it and cut off the edges so that only lasted about 3 minutes.

I would imagine if you were sitting on the couch you'd want to lay down, at which point a controller is about your only option for FPS games, at which point you might as well just play on a console

Those are borked TV settings. Easy enough to fix.

 

[Kalmah]

I have a gaming rig sitting under my living room tv right now. For my mouse and keyboard setup, I use something kind of like this. http://www.monoprice.com/Product?seq=1&kpid=9943&format=2&p_id=9943&CAWELAID=1664745958&CAGPSPN=pla%26catargetid=320013720000066114%26cadevice=c&gclid=Cj0KEQiAu_GmBRDhtK-kzqKcuJwBEiQAJvB8n_tknXXdZPVKxCLsygPdLUK1Z4gi4PQ4q-_nbGDtMXgaAgk38P8HAQ I just sit the wireless keyboard right on there and I use a wireless trackball mouse on the mousepad. It actually does a decent job. I use it for FPS as well.. I try to avoid the overly competitive FPS in the living room when I can because of the trackball. Unless you can find a better mousepad setup...

I also use a couple of xbox360 controllers for batman games, GTA games, racing games, etc... I plan on grabbing a steering wheel eventually. The trackball mouse works great with games like Teamfortress, Borderlands, SPAZ, Skyrim...

I stream Netflix, spotify, and pandora on it.

I built the machine in this case which I'm quite happy with. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811163257

I don't use cable tv or satellite or anything, so it gives the tv in the livingroom a purpose. We can throw dvd into it, play games, stream movies, music, surf the internet or whatever.

 

[cbrunny]

I play on my tv all the time. More often than on the actual computer monitor actually. I have a 104" projected 1080p screen that I play on with a Xbox One controller with my PC. I also use steam in home streaming to stream to my upstairs tv when I don't feel like hanging out in the basement, basically the same thing. Works really well.

I don't play FPS though, and there are games where it makes more sense to have an actual monitor. TV is not a complete solution on its own but it is an excellent complement to a monitor.

 

[WiseUp216]

I do. I haven't owned a computer monitor in years.

 

[Termie]

Gaming from the couch with a 360 controller was awesome with all kinds of games, including Tomb Raider (2013), AC Black Flag, Super Meat Boy, Rogue Legacy, Street Fighter IV Alpha, etc. The only things that would probably be tough would be FPS (I prefer KBM) and RPGs with tiny menus and bars (again where I prefer KBM).

This totally, except it still IS awesome!

I played through all of Tomb Raider and the Batman games on a TV and I wouldn't have done it in any other way. And I'm now going through Alan Wake.

For third person games, it's typically superior to use a controller than a KB/M, and using a controller while sitting up close to a monitor just isn't ideal. In a first-person shooter, you're very much focused on the center of the screen (the aiming reticle), while in most other games, you have to (or want to) look around quite a bit more, and don't need to focus your sight (or your aim) as much right down the middle. That's where a controller is superior to a mouse, and sitting further from the screen is advantageous.

For that reason, I split my games about evenly between my TV/couch setup and my gaming setup. Some are loaded on one system, some are on the other.

 

[Josh123]

Yup, after seeing how crappy Shadows of Mordor was on my Xbox 360 I went online and picked it up through Steam and moved my PC to my living room. Looks so much better and load times are much quicker with the SSD.

I've also played Lego Marvel and Borderlands 2 but playing with a controller for a FPS makes me want to stab myself.

 

[cytoSiN]

This totally, except it still IS awesome!

I played through all of Tomb Raider and the Batman games on a TV and I wouldn't have done it in any other way. And I'm now going through Alan Wake.

For third person games, it's typically superior to use a controller than a KB/M, and using a controller while sitting up close to a monitor just isn't ideal. In a first-person shooter, you're very much focused on the center of the screen (the aiming reticle), while in most other games, you have to (or want to) look around quite a bit more, and don't need to focus your sight (or your aim) as much right down the middle. That's where a controller is superior to a mouse, and sitting further from the screen is advantageous.

For that reason, I split my games about evenly between my TV/couch setup and my gaming setup. Some are loaded on one system, some are on the other.

True, I used the wrong tense. Couch gaming IS awesome. Tomb Raider was amazing on 55" screen with 360 controller. Just talking about it makes me want to play again.

 

[rumpleforeskin]

I have got an Intel NUC as a HTPC connected to my main TV, I would love to be able to get SteamOS working as a live USB stick so I can plug it in and use SteamStreaming.

With a couple of USB xbox controllers in the NUC and the hard work being done by my main PC in the office it would be a great setup when I fancy some console style gaming.

 

[Termie]

I have got an Intel NUC as a HTPC connected to my main TV, I would love to be able to get SteamOS working as a live USB stick so I can plug it in and use SteamStreaming.

With a couple of USB xbox controllers in the NUC and the hard work being done by my main PC in the office it would be a great setup when I fancy some console style gaming.

You don't need SteamOS to do this. Steam will stream any game that's available on another PC on your network as long as it's on and Steam is running.

 

[ThinClient]

I sit in a big arse comfy leather chair about 8 feet from a 40" HDTV that's hooked to my computer. I don't own any other television and I don't switch inputs away from my PC. I do everything on this.

 

[tential]

I sit in a big arse comfy leather chair about 8 feet from a 40" HDTV that's hooked to my computer. I don't own any other television and I don't switch inputs away from my PC. I do everything on this.

Same. Except I use a W1070 Projector (Only 80" screen though) and I still have "another tv" which is a 70 inch LED.

I usually keep it on PC for both but I had a Wii U for a bit. When I purchase mine soon (hopefully), it'll probably be a top used input.

 

[SLU Aequitas]

Just migrated to a 65" Samsung 4k HU8850...it's purty. Use it with controller-friendly games from my office/computer area --> HDMI via atlona hdbaset --> Basement Denon AVR x3100w --> HDMI via atlona hdbaset --> HU8550.

Control is done via wireless 360 controller and that wireless Lenovo kb+m thing. Does 4K with 7.2 but I know it's not doing 4:4:4 even though all the individual components are capable of it.

Still do FPS/MP on the 27" monitor though

 

[TeknoBug]

Yes sometimes, Assetto Corsa looks and plays beautifully on my 48" TV.

 

[Super56K]

I play PC games on my 60" TV with a wired 360 controller more than I do from the desk. In fact, when I rebuilt my gaming PC November 2013, I used it for months stuffed behind an end table, connected only to my TV before finally getting a new monitor, some cable hiders, and 25' cables to move it to my desk on the other side of the room. Gaming is still mostly done on the TV, but not all PC games are controller compatible.

 

[Termie]

Just migrated to a 65" Samsung 4k HU8850...it's purty. Use it with controller-friendly games from my office/computer area --> HDMI via atlona hdbaset --> Basement Denon AVR x3100w --> HDMI via atlona hdbaset --> HU8550.

Control is done via wireless 360 controller and that wireless Lenovo kb+m thing. Does 4K with 7.2 but I know it's not doing 4:4:4 even though all the individual components are capable of it.

Still do FPS/MP on the 27" monitor though

Are you using your I/O devices on a different floor of your house than the PC? I didn't think that was possible.

And is your 780 Ti the video card you're using? It's not 4:4:4 capable, which is why I ask.

 

[BurnItDwn]

I game from a recliner sometimes in my home theater. I use a Model M keyboard and a mediocre USB mouse. I have the keyboard plugged in to a USB to PS2 converter, and I have USB extension cords for both the mouse and the keyboard so they can comfortably reach. Works very well. 106 inch screen, 5.1 sound, I can stream through steam from my i5/R290 box, or I can play nativly on the R6870 with phenom 2 HTPC. for low resolutions, like 1080p, the 6870 works quite well.

 

[norseamd]

Nope. Play my computer on my 42" Sharp LED TV from my bed.