Have Lot's Of Questions About Media PC Set Up

[brchcar1445]

I hope this is in the right place, I apologize if it is not. I couldn't find anyone one place that matched all my questions. Here is my dilemma...

My goal is to use my PC I have currently as a media PC in my living room. I want to use a 30 foot HDMI cable so that I can still have my computer monitor set up in my computer room. At first I thought this was going to be fairly easy, then all kinds of potential problems and questions started popping up. Let me start with my rig.

I have two of these guys which should allow me to have dual monitors (Computer monitor and TV) - HIS H695F2G2M Radeon HD 6950 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card with Eyefinity

Intel Core i5-2500K Sandy Bridge 3.3GHz (3.7GHz Turbo Boost) LGA 1155 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 3000 BX80623I52500K

MSI P67A-GD55 (B3) LGA 1155 Intel P67 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard

G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 8GB

Ok here are my questions.

First off and probably most important, can I use the PC in my living room to watch media or browse while also using the PC in my computer room?

Along the same lines, I want to use a PC Media remote control in my living room and a regular keyboard and mouse in my computer room. How would I accomplish this?

I am sure there are other things I have not even thought about yet. If someone has gone through this kind of a set up or could shed light on other possible solutions, I am all ears. Thank you, I really appreciate everyone's help!

 

[WR2]

I have two of these guys which should allow me to have dual monitors (Computer monitor and TV) - HIS H695F2G2M Radeon HD 6950 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card with Eyefinity

Intel Core i5-2500K Sandy Bridge 3.3GHz (3.7GHz Turbo Boost) LGA 1155 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor Intel HD Graphics 3000 BX80623I52500K

Definitely not a media PC.

 

[WR2]

My goal is to use my PC I have currently as a media PC in my living room.

I want to use a 30 foot HDMI cable so that I can still have my computer monitor set up in my computer room.

If I'm reading this right you really mean:
"My goal is to use my PC I have currently as a media PC in my living room but with the computer 30ft away in my computer room. To do that I plan to use a 30ft HDMI cable."
Checking around it looks like people recommend a high quality HDMI cable for 30ft runs. Several sources indicated that a 30ft cable would work for what you want.

First off and probably most important, can I use the PC in my living room to watch media or browse while also using the PC in my computer room?
Should be able to do that.

Along the same lines, I want to use a PC Media remote control in my living room and a regular keyboard and mouse in my computer room. How would I accomplish this?The Media Controller would need to have a powerful enough radio transmitter to reach 30ft (and through a wall?).

Using a media controller AND a keyboard/mouse at the same time (1 person watching TV / 1 person on the PC is a problem. And that problem, I don't see any way around it.

 

[brchcar1445]

Your right, my original intentions were not to run it as a media PC, it was more for gaming. But I am trying to save on my cable bill and use my PC as a media PC. I am wide open to suggestions, what can I get or do to this PC to make it more media friendly? I have a blu ray player and surround sound in my living room already, so I don't need any of that. I just need something that will play digital media.

I am actually planning on moving the PC to my living room and using a shorter HDMI cable to hook up my TV. The quality on my TV is more important than the monitor in the computer room. I am going to run my 30 foot cable to the monitor in the computer room.

With the Media remote and the keyboard and mouse, would using either or just display on both the monitor and the TV at the same time? I'm not sure how that would work.

Thank you for your patience, I am by no means a computer wiz. This was my first by myself computer build and had no intentions of using it for a media PC originally. But I would like to know what I need to do to get it there. Thank you!

 

[WR2]

With the Media remote and the keyboard and mouse, would using either or just display on both the monitor and the TV at the same time? I'm not sure how that would work.

The Media controller is doing the same job as the keyboard/mouse (with a few more specialized controls.) So without a media controller you would be using your keyboard and mouse to do the same things on the PC, regardless if you're watching the TV or monitor. How would the PC know the difference between keyboard/mouse and media controller inputs? I think you'd have to use a 'only 1 at a time' policy with the Media controller and keyboard/PC.

Having PC in living room with short HDMI cable run to TV is best option for highest quality TV performance.

But with the monitor, keyboard/mouse in the computer room - now you need more than just HDMI cable.

 

[billove42]

If someone has gone through this kind of a set up or could shed light on other possible solutions, I am all ears. Thank you, I really appreciate everyone's help!

Another possible solution would be to use an Xbox as a Media Center Extender and hook it up to your PC over your home network (wired or wireless). You can set up all your videos/music/pictures so they can play through the Xbox. You can find other Media Center Extenders besides the Xbox if you do not want a gaming console.

 

[brchcar1445]

That is an interesting solution. If you go this route does the xbox have any restrictions? Can it literally play anything the PC is playing? Or does it have file type restrictions?