A Lesson on How to Game on your Couch and/or Bed

[OrbitalshocK]

hey guys,

i want this to be an eventual sticky or atleast a well-visited thread.

I am going to be documenting this adventure step-by-step and wanted to get some opinions on which hardware to choose and see if anyone had any great ideas. I will more than likely create a second post in the future with loads of images and less interruption between posts and do it all on one or two posts so i can better show the reader what i have done.

PLEASE, if you can think of anything else i could use in this project...tell me!

SO! on to the discussion.

i will be making a monitor and/or keyboard tray/arm for using on my couch and bed.

Requirements:
must be modifiable (to fit the design of the rest of the room)
OR
must be concealable (for example, folding out of sight between the couch and one of the end tables or out of sight from the door to the bedroom but still viewable once you're on my side of the bed)

must meet the approval of my wife ( see #1 & #2)

must be sturdy; a man should never have flimsy hardware.


What i've thought of so far:

a hospital-stype overbed table, such as this: http://amzn.to/1qbGPPk

• i couldmake a tabletop and finish it to match the rest of the room
  i could replace the top with a small metal plate
  i would purchase a seperate monitor arm and/or keyboard arm to fasten to the tabletop
  Pros: Super easy, only a custom tabletop. least amount of time invested in project.
  Cons: would have to purchase a table that can hold atleast 100lbs($170+) and a keyboard/monitor arm(most arms i've found that are for a kb AND monitor are $200+); am now in the range of buying a custom made or niche-market product that i've yet to find

Idea number 2:
taking a risk on aliexpress; i know a FEW people who've had good enough experiences with the obvious drawback...shipping time. It seems aliexpress guarantees the certified stores on their site.

this is what i was looking at:
http://bit.ly/1ot90Ij
i would buy two of these, as they're 30% off if you buy two.

• 
  i would powdercoat this, and that's about it.
  this would be even more easy to impliment but because of shipping time is 2nd on the list of time invested ( i count the massive amounts of stress about whether or not it's actually made of plastic and jello as 'time invested')
  Pros: plug and play, except paint. Likely nothing like this for sale in the US unless i pay $600+ as it's definitely a Niche item.
  Cons: i think these are obvious..no feedback/info known about this product, could be of low build quality etc.

any other ideas for what i could use?

 

[Alec Mowat]

Just use Steam's streaming service and stream to a laptop.

 

[OrbitalshocK]

Just use Steam's streaming service and stream to a laptop.

thanks for the reply! i thought about this, as we have two laptops....but i absolutely hate laptops.

i prefer spending 500-800 on a pc and having it run any game for years on ultra. I can't justify spending 2,000 on a laptop. and i also take work home...ALOT. screen space is an issue while working so that's another reason it's not the best option. i want this to be something truly custom made for my exact needs. i have knocked over my drink twice this week (new couch, new height. damn those memory reflexes). That means i could use a router to cut a whole in my new mount to fit a cup inside of securely! just an example of the different things i could do in this project.


NOTE: i should have mentioned this earlier. My inspiration is from a lot of the 'for computing' tables i've seen recently such as the paradise desk. i want something inspiring; for ze couch.

 

[Alec Mowat]

Just use Steam's streaming service and stream to a laptop.

thanks for the reply! i thought about this, as we have two laptops....but i absolutely hate laptops.

i prefer spending 500-800 on a pc and having it run any game for years on ultra. I can't justify spending 2,000 on a laptop. and i also take work home...ALOT. screen space is an issue while working so that's another reason it's not the best option. i want this to be something truly custom made for my exact needs. i have knocked over my drink twice this week (new couch, new height. damn those memory reflexes). That means i could use a router to cut a whole in my new mount to fit a cup inside of securely! just an example of the different things i could do in this project.


NOTE: i should have mentioned this earlier. My inspiration is from a lot of the 'for computing' tables i've seen recently such as the paradise desk. i want something inspiring; for ze couch.

You can stream from a gaming PC to a laptop, that's the purpose.

You can have a $200 laptop and run your games at 1080p. Steam streaming can run the hardware in another room and display it, over the network, on your laptop or a MicroATX build rather easily. You could have a small MicroATX rig on your TV and stream with a wireless mouse/keyboard.

 

[ewok93]

You essentially use the laptop for I/O, not computing power. It does have some flaws, but they're generally not noticeable.

 

[Beezy]

You essentially use the laptop for I/O, not computing power. It does have some flaws, but they're generally not noticeable.

so a laptop + ssd would be ideal?

 

[Alec Mowat]

You essentially use the laptop for I/O, not computing power. It does have some flaws, but they're generally not noticeable.

so a laptop + ssd would be ideal?

Other than boottimes, SSD would have no impact on Steam Streaming. All you need is a good network setup.

 

[ssddx]

while i do not game on the bed... you could always use a setup similar to what i use and just use a wireless kb+m provided you already have a tv in your room to sit farther away. (link in my signature)

the only issue i would have with streaming via steam or other service is that there is some lag introduced. while on a perfect network it may be minimal it is still going to be more lag than you would have if you were using the device directly.

if you liked the whole "bring the pc and monitor closer to you" idea then i would use a microatx gaming pc box (perhaps something like a coolermaster elite 130 case). this would have to be on some sort of cart or cabinet with wheels (perhaps lockable). i suppose you could use a hospital style tray table or similar height adjustable tilt adjustable table but it may be awkward from some positions.

a board which you sit on your lap or across chair armrests and wireless kb+m would be easier to work as you may have ergonomic issues with a kb tray and various positions.

if you have some woodworking tools you could make something out of wood (either a lapboard or cart) or if you have any metalworking tools you could perhaps modifty a metal frame desk/rolling tray table into something that would work better.

---

additional ideas:

monitor mount+ kb+m tray
http://www.ergomart.com/images/monitor-arms-with-keyboard-trays/monitor-arm-keyboard-tray-TRS7000-black-product.jpg

kb tray, could be seperate from and seperately adjustable to a monitor mount
http://www.ergomart.com/images/keyboard-trays/adjustable-keyboard-trays/TRS7000AKP-keyboard-tray-on-arm-product.jpg

perhaps undermount a keyboard tray to a rolling desk you make
http://ergonomics.ucr.edu/images/Grand%20Stands%20Mongoose%20Arm%2074000-356.jpg

kb+m bed tray
http://www.completecareshop.co.uk/products/large/Wooden%20Bed%20Table.jpg

table for kb with mounting option for monitor arm and/or speakers and can add something for a computer case underneath.
http://img.medicalexpo.com/images_me/photo-m/height-adjustable-over-bed-tables-casters-79160-2998937.jpg

possible idea for kb+m bed rest
http://thumbs3.ebaystatic.com/d/l225/m/mcoiacNPPgA0XieF8cjvHRQ.jpg

what i meant by lap desk
http://www.levimage.com/IMAGE/Web/Product/Furniture/Desks/FA3045_deLAPDSK_CH_m1.jpg

computer in bed ideas. to be used not as a laptop desk of course
http://ergonomenon.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/02/ergoquest.jpg

cushioned tabletop for sofa gaming
http://www.pcper.com/files/review/2013-04-11/couch1.png