Using gaming PC also as Media PC?

Randomface74

Randomface74

Randomface74

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I currently have 2 PCs in my living room. One is my current Gaming PC, the other is my previous gaming PC re-purposed as a Media PC.

I often have both PCs turned on. This question is how it might be more efficient if I could get rid of the Media PC - and use the Gaming PC for both tasks.

Input: If I plug my wireless keyboard and mouse receiver into my Gaming PC, that'll give me two sets of keyboards and mice on my Gaming PC. I'll be able to do some things from the sofa, like pause/resume playback, but won't be able to read the text on my monitors from the sofa. I can live with that.

Video: If I take the TV's HDMI out of the Media PC, and plug it into the Gaming PC, that'll give me the TV as extra monitor on my Gaming PC.

Audio: This is the bit I'm not sure of. Currently I'm using HDMI audio straight through the TV's built-in speakers (I'm happy with the audio quality). I won't want all my Gaming PC audio coming through my TV though - I use PC speakers sometimes - and I use headphones sometimes.

Is there a way to send audio over HDMI only for windows on the TV?

Or some other way of achieving the same result?
 
If you have a smart TV, you have no need to do any of these things... add your smart tv to your Wi-Fi network and set up a home group on your pc and make all media on your pc available to be accessed by your homegroup.
You can play any media that is on your pc straight through your tv just by using the tv remote control.
This is what I do. My gf watches movies or listens to music while I'm gaming all the time. Really easy to set up with and you don't need to worry about wires.
 
You could but is it loud? That's why I have two computers, a quiet HTPC with just a case fan, GPU and CPU passive. And the gamimg PC has multiple case fans, CPU fan, GPU fans.

If you buy a AVR they have headphone amps, so any source connected to the AVR will output audio. If you are happy with TV speakers, you really need to go and have a listen. TV speakers are utter ***** and I bet you'll buy speakers ASAP. Even £50 speakers will trounce TV speakers
 
Both my PCs are basically silent, so that's not an issue at all.

The objective is to figure out how the Gaming PC could also fulfil Media PC duties (specifically how to deal with the audio).
 
Bug One said:
Get an android box (s905 or 912 based) to handle the media and TV, and leave the PC for gaming and work.
Click to expand...

yeah. Do that. £60 gets you a octo-core media player.

Using a PC as a HTPC front end can be a hassle, you would also need IR receiver. Can get them to work but it takes time and patience to get it working.

Media streamer will do all that, and with Kodi front end, a lot easier and neater.
 
hornetstinger said:
Take it from someone who HAS a HTPC but does not use it for the front end. It's used for storage only, and usual desktop, internet use. But for video/audio, get a media box.
Click to expand...
No a media box isn't going to work. Please stop derailing my thread.

Donny84 said:
What do you mean by playback options?
Click to expand...
I literally mean "anything I can play on a PC". Common examples:
- Anything in a web browser, e.g. Twitch, YouTube, ParliamentLive.tv
- Anything in VLC
 
I dont think you can set up a separate 2nd audio from a single pc so that you could listen to your games from your headset while listening to movies etc through a 2nd device (your tv) without doing what's already been suggested above.
Not unless there is some program out there that I haven't heard of.
 
billysielu said:
Some progress:
Noticed in VLC you can select Audio Device.
No idea if it works or how well.
Click to expand...

Yeah you can change output

Are you going to go into settings everytime you do that?

No, just buy a AVR, route audio and video (HDMI) from your sources into the AVR. Connect headphones to your AVR. Turn down the crap speakers in the TV . Buy speakers, connect them to the AVR.

Job done.
 
billysielu said:
Some progress:
Noticed in VLC you can select Audio Device.
No idea if it works or how well.
Click to expand...
Yeh I thought about this since i do it with skype and discord so that chat audio goes through my headset instead of speakers. But I'm pretty sure you wouldn't be able to do that with your internet browser. And does it show your tv speakers as an output in VLC?
 
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