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Gaming system with laptop as monitor/keyboard

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Homebuilt system Authority
Gaming Expert

There's no easy way to do that. While it might be possible, it would involve a fair amount of modding, and it's unlikely to be worth the time invested in it.
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Homebuilt system Authority
Gaming Expert

The sound isn't the problem. Well, not any more than the rest of it. The problem is that laptops rarely have inputs for external devices (like a graphics card to send images to the screen), and have even fewer outputs for their built-in components, like the keyboard.

What you would need to do is somehow mod the keyboard's output into a USB or PS/2 connector and run that to the new build's case. Then you would need to run the video display from the computer to the laptop and find some way to hack the current input, assuming that you've got a discrete video card on the laptop. If your laptop uses integrated graphics, it would be even more difficult.

Good 1080p monitors can be had for between $150-200, and keyboards start at about $10. The work required for modding it isn't that extreme...if you already know how to do it. If you don't know how to do the modding, I'd guess you're looking at 10+ hours to get it figured out.

I don't know which one or if there is one that would work well for this but if you found a remote desktop style program that was optimized for video and / or game playback you could connect to the desktop over LAN.

remote desktop would not work as the refresh rate is not high enough.

as far as I know, you cant use a laptop as a monitor or keyboard because there are no outputs for those devices

it is much easier just to get a semi-decent monitor and a small table to put in front of your chair...or if you have a tv in the same room as your la-z-boy, then you could hook your comp up to that for a monitor
Homebuilt system Authority
Gaming Expert

The long and short of it is that unless you already have the know-how, for most people, it's not worth the time investment to figure it out. You'd be better off buying a monitor and a keyboard.

If you're really strapped for cash, you might try getting a monitor on ebay or craigslist.
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