I also do the laptop on the TV thing. I just leave an HDMI cable hooked up to my receiver with the other end loose behind my 360, and when I want to do something with a PC on the TV I set the laptop under the TV, hook up the HDMI cable, and go.
I'm moving next week, and for the time being my office has to be in the basement where we'll be putting the 55" Samsung. I'm wondering how people set up for mouse/keyboard control. When I've tried it before, I put them on the coffee table, but that was awkward. I'm thinking maybe getting one of those Sumo bean bag chairs, sitting about 4-5 feet away so text is not too small and maybe a lapboard to hold the keyboard, but it still sounds clumsy.
If you wanna use a 360 pad on a PC game, go check out JoyToKey. It's shareware, so free unless you want to pay for it. Serengeti posted about it over here.
I've put it to use in Voxatron and Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. In PoP, the controller just wouldn't respond fully when holding up on the analog stick to run, so I would only walk. JoyToKey fixed that.
I found this program to function quite well. Anyone looking to use a gamepad on PC gaming should keep it in mind.
If you can swing it, a small keyboard, mouse, and a lap desk does it for me. The wireless Microsoft Arc keyboard is what I use. It's got no numpad, but the keys are pretty much full-size. Couple that with a wireless mouse, and you're good.
I got a Logitech K750 specifically to avoid messing with batteries and charging and whatever else.
I'll be doing this for Skyrim on Friday. I spent so many hours on 360 for Oblivion, I can't imagine playing in a chair all night. Video card with an HDMI out, 42" Samsung 720p, wired 360 controller, and a wireless Logitech keyboard. I'll boot it with a wired mouse, and then sit on my rear for a good ten hours.
I don't think there's that much to it, really, any more. Just find a way to get a mouse closer to you. Those blue laser ones might even work on your couch's upholstry.
I don't know if Vega is still interested in knowing, but I have multiple input devices (mice, trackball, graphics tablet) all hooked to the same machine running all at the same time. Windows can cope as long as you don't try to actually use more than one of each kind at the same time. You should be okay with that hub setup.
Even then, it doesn't kill things. It just looks like your mouse cursor is haunted or something while they're both moving and it kind of freaks out, then whichever one is still moving when you stop the one grabs control and yanks it over that way.
And it is hilarious. For the person messing with the other.
I sometimes do this in our master bedroom (kicking back on the bed on a bunch of pillows is about as good as a couch) with my laptop. Mine requires a weird DisplayPort-to-HDMI cable, but it works like a charm, and the wireless 360 dongle works perfectly with most games. I played through most of The Witcher 2 this way.
Those blue laser ones might even work on your couch's upholstry.
My wife has an old MS laser mouse and uses it on one of the couch cushions with her laptop.
According to sources, the company has been working on a hardware spec and associated software which would make up the backbone of a "Steam Box." The actual devices may be made by a variety of partners, and the software would be readily available to any company that wants to get in the game.
Apparently meetings were held during CES to demo a hand-built version of the device to potential partners. We're told that the basic specs of the Steam Box include a Core i7 CPU, 8GB of RAM, and an NVIDIA GPU. The devices will be able to run any standard PC titles, and will also allow for rival gaming services (like EA's Origin) to be loaded up.
It sounds like the anti-console console.
Finally! YES! I've been waiting for a development of this nature for the longest, longest time.
Logitech Anywhere....you can use your mouse on glass even. Have one myself.
Just what I was thinking about.
Update: I had the PC in the living room on at least 3 seperate occaisions since I was here last. My 720p LCD just wasn't cutting it for me, so here I am back upstairs in the office. I would get a better TV, but I'd rather get a third monitor. So... there you have it.
However, my buddy is 30+ levels deep on multiple toons in The Old Republic. His 1080p 52" LED in his basement is GORGEOUS and the only monitor he has.
That would certainly explain why the "Big Picture" mode they were touting at last year's GDC got stuck in Valve Time.
It's really strange how Valve has been pushing and prodding gaming on the PC lately for almost a decade far more than Microsoft has.
Additionally, we're told that the kind of biometrics Valve uses in game testing will somehow be incorporated into these devices. Sources of ours say that the realtime biometric feedback in games will be a sea-change for users. To put it more succinctly, the sentiment we've heard is: "You won't ever look back." These biometric devices could come in the form of a bracelet, or be part of the standard controller.
I have a gaming PC hooked my to my 55" tv via HDMI, which I game on from ~5' away. With a wireless combo trackpad/keyboard and a wired 360 controller, it's a fantastic way to play any controller-enabled game.
For strategy titles, things where I want a mouse, or anything with small text, my desktop setup is preferable, but for Skyrim, Deus Ex, etc.? It's a great arrangement. HDMI out from the Radeon 6850 handles both audio and 5.1 surround seamlessly.
I have a similar setup I've started using recently. So far the only thing that hurts it is games like Mass Effect 3 that just don't bother with controller support, but thankfully that's not a normal thing at this point. 6 of the last 7 games I've bought have pretty much perfect support for the 360 controller on the PC.
Resurrect again! I'm in the process of (finally) replacing my PC, and am moving the old one next to the couch. So what are people using for mouse/keyboard control these days? I have a couch that you basically sink in to, so using a mouse on it could be tricky. My plan is to run a wired 360 controller for most games, really to make my PC a 1080p console, so fine-tuned mouse/keyboard support while being super handy to have, is not exactly crucial. Added challenge. I have 160 bucks in Best Buy credit, and I need a wired 360 controller with part of it, so my budget is around 100 bucks.
A Logitech all-in-one keyboard/touchpad, and a wired 360 controller. Don't spend $60 on it; they go for $41 new on Amazon.
PC can't use wireless ones without a dongle that apparently burns out fairly quick.
Which logitech all in one? The one with that funky touchpad on the right?
I have had the 360 wireless PC adapter since it launched and I have never had a problem. I have the Logitech all in one (K400 I think) and the enclosure is cheap with a lot of flex. It works fine, but I don't think it would last very long being tossed about.
My wireless dongle burned out just a couple of weeks ago, after less than a year of use. It's become an indispensable utility, though, so I will end up replacing it.
same here.. I still have an original "white" dongle.. which is now very grey.. still going strong... I also have a couple of the newer black dongles which by all accounts are also going strong.
My dongle died after less than a year too. Now I just use a wired controller. For living room gaming, I ran a USB extension cable around the edge of the room to the couch, and plugged in a small USB hub. Now wired/wireless doesn't matter much.
For keyboard/mouse, I use the Microsoft Arc wireless keyboard, and an old wireless Logitech mouse on a Logitech lapboard. The keyboard's nice because it's small, but they keys are normal-sized. The mouse is getting old and the battery sometimes doesn't charge so well, so when it dies, I just grab my wired mouse from the desk and use that instead.
It's amazing how good many games look running on your TV in full resolution. Mass Effect 3 at 46" is mind-boggling.
I'd recommend looking at rigid mouse pads for couch PC use. I recently upgraded my somewhat worn Ratpad with a Steelseries 4.
Another option is a mouse that'll handle any surface, like the Logitech Anywhere.
Or, a regular mousepad atop any fairly rigid surface (thin board, book, cardboard).
It looks silly, but it works really well, is small enough to not be obnoxious to use from the lap/couch, and it isn't terribly expensive.