Gents and the odd lady,
I need some help. A year ago I was forced into buying a nice desk for my PC so it looked reasonable in our kitchen/dining room open area thing.
I bought a nice chrome and glass corner desk, something not dissimilar to this (http://cn1.kaboodle.com/hi/img/2/0/0/104/6/AAAAAgXjU5cAAAAAAQRv6Q.jpg), all was well..
Then we bought a bloody great big solid oak dining table. It arrives tomorrow and it will evict me from my corner. My options are the bedroom - no hope, she'll nag the back teeth out of me, or something subtle and put away-able in the dining room. I was thinking of putting the entire PC under the stairs and running a small connection box to the wall (which is in the dining room), then just plugging the monitor into that and sitting at the table with a wireless connection for mouse and keyboard.
So the question......does wireless work for games. I assume there's no option for a wireless monitor connection.
What about a remote power switch.
Any other ways I could subtly mount a PC so it could site in the same room?
There's no room for other furniture and I don't want to have to rewire my entire house.
Thoughts/
Wireless works "ok" for games. If it's "just" moving to under the stairs I'd try and get the cable in there. It'll be hidden when it's in place, you can make your own cables to avoid needing to drill large holes, just put the connector on afterwards.
The Easy bit is the keyboard and mouse. Run a long USB cable from the computer to a usb hub, and plug in as normal. As for turning the thing on, I think the power switch is a "Push to make" so I can't see why you couldn't just cut into the wires and extend them to your new location with a length of speaker wire, and a cheap push switch.
I don't know of any such "Wireless monitor" thing. Could use a tv out into a tv sender, and then play on your tv, or get something to convert back to a dvi/dsub connection.
Easiest way I can think of keeping the computer in place would be to remover the desk. Wall mount the monitor. Fit a folding table. Or maybe a fold down "Shelf" for keyboard and mouse. And put the computer right in the corner. If I was doing it I'd do a half arsed job and make a right mess, but if you thought it through I guess it could be made quite neat.
wireless works perfectly fine for games. I've been using wireless for the last three years.
You're not some uber gamer so that millionth of a micro second isn't going to matter much.
about the wireless / wired part, gaming wise there isnt any noticeable difference if you got some proper gear..
You can get a wireless signal box for your monitor, but tbh, they are rubbish..
The only concern i would have is the distance for the wireless devices to the PC, if it is quite far away, you may glitch from time to time, personally I would consider getting yourself a laptop (either that or a PC / Monitor combi).
BigFatCat put me onto the following after problems with wireless signal.
http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/MSI-Mega-ePower85-Duo-Kit-Homeplug
Absolutely brilliant, easy to set up, all my wireless worries are behind me, as not one disco since fitting. 40 sovs guv. Plug into router -into mains - out of mains into ethernet connection. All leads supplied.:D
Only issue i know with Lameducks system, the system only works within the same fuse curcuit..
For example, i got 3 fuse curcuits in my appartment, one of livingroom, one for bedroom, and one for the office, so if i wanted to use such a system id only be able to utilies the outlets in that room.. but then again, i got a weird appartment :)
Wireless works for mouse and keyboard but then there is the monitor, and there is also always the range.
I assume you don't have much free space, so how about modding the comp ? or just hide it behind or under something.
Or drill a hole into the wall and let the "box" to be in the other room while the monitor is attached to the wall and all the needed cables are going through the wall.
I just have to say it.... Link (http://www.apple.com/imac/features/)
Quote from: Lexander;257564I just have to say it.... Link (http://www.apple.com/imac/features/)
I hate to say it, but in this case a mac is NOT a silly option. 99% of the time I would have dimissed it straight away, but it's just so compact, and can run windows now too.
I dunno how much you use the PC, but if it was me the keyboard etc would end up sitting on the desk 24/7 - and you'd get tired of moving the stuff, imho. This also goes for getting a gaming laptop...
If, however, the dining table is the only way to go, then I would go for a mini PC arrangement, instead of a laptop, the real gaming laptops are too expensive and, well duh, not as upgradeable, and mount this PC in the room.
I would not go for the really small variants of ATX (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mini-ITX) PCs either since their performance is not for gaming, but maybe miniATX with a small cabinet and mount the thing on the bottom side of the table, with a shelve for keyboard and mouse. If the table is up against the wall, then it would be even better, as it could be perm. plugged in... if not, you need to solve the power cable problem.
You could also let it be visible, the PC, and throw your parts into a good-looking cabinet with a miniATX form factor mobo (http://cn1.kaboodle.com/hi/img/2/0/0/b8/b/AAAAAhC3YxwAAAAAALi1rQ.jpg), and make it part of the environment...
Wireless: I agree with the others, wireless will work fine. The gf and I do wireless on our laptops and I can also game from mine fine. Differences you might experience could be less bandwidth when transferring data between PCs and possibly a slightly higher ping. The most important aspect is ensuring that the stuff is set up in a fast, reliable and secure fashion but once that is done, you should be fine.
Imho the biggest problem is not the internet, that would be a seating arrangement that you would not have to move around to much, nor get annoyed with because you are not seated properly for long stretches of gaming etc...n But cool to have the cold beers to close to the PC :D
I guess I need to post a picture of my predicament.
Watch in excited awe as I post pictures of my house. Watch this space.
Quote from: delanvital;257606Wireless: I agree with the others, wireless will work fine. The gf and I do wireless on our laptops and I can also game from mine fine. Differences you might experience could be less bandwidth when transferring data between PCs and possibly a slightly higher ping. The most important aspect is ensuring that the stuff is set up in a fast, reliable and secure fashion but once that is done, you should be fine.
Well if he buys some new gear, you can get wireless with a 300Mbit bandwith now, exactly what im using atm...
Probably the best solution (if you can afford it) is to buy a gaming capable laptop :D
Compact
Can use it anywhere in the house (at the new dining room table, on the bed etc)
No more need for a desk anyway, just plonk it on the dining room table when dinner is done :D
Quote from: kregoron;257639Well if he buys some new gear, you can get wireless with a 300Mbit bandwith now, exactly what im using atm...
I am also using 300Mbit (11n draft 2). However, for some odd reason the wireless does not utilize the internet connection as good (although only 2Mbit, and even at 100% signal qualities and various tuned settings for speed) as when on cable. I stream rented movies a lot, and once in a while it just drops in performance for a couple of seconds, making that impossible to do, even with maximum video buffer... and with cable it runs full net capacity... I think it is an environment-related issue.
So, panic over, we have a friggin great big table in my study/kitchen, but with some jiggery pokery my PC is staying put, albeit on what I've promised will remain a spotless glass desk.
So to stick with my promise, here's a picture. Guess the location right and I'll send you a prize, genuinely.
Twickers?
Quote from: Benny;257749So to stick with my promise, here's a picture. Guess the location right and I'll send you a prize, genuinely.
The last LAN?
Sheepy's living room?
Quote from: Benny;257475There's no room for other furniture and I don't want to have to rewire my entire house.
Thoughts/
Immediate thought is to rewire her chair to the mains socket.....job done!!:woot2::woot2::D
Someone is close and given the response we can guess who. If you can name the actual bar the prize is yours. I'll need you to PM your address.
Hmmm....now in amongst all this junk, which post it shall I send you?
Quote from: Benny;257874Someone is close and given the response we can guess who.
Must be me, so in order to be more precise:
It is Sheepy's living room, and it is the bar by the TV (not the one by the sideboard) :)
Quote from: Benny;257874Someone is close and given the response we can guess who. If you can name the actual bar the prize is yours. I'll need you to PM your address.
Hmmm....now in amongst all this junk, which post it shall I send you?
I wouldn't know which bar it is at Twickers as one normally stays in one's box and doesn't mix with the hoi polloi :flirty:.
PEN
Quote from: Penfold;257885I wouldn't know which bar it is at Twickers as one normally stays in one's box and doesn't mix with the hoi polloi :flirty:.
PEN
How odd, I'm normally out of my box when I go there.
/boom boom.
Chariots of Fire Bar at Twickenham? Incidentally Guinness Premiership Final tickets are only £13 if you buy them this month from ticketmaster