Heh.
Heh.
Now we're talking. So it works ok? I mean, how do you position the keyboard and mouse on your lap? My gripe with this awkward position is that my wrists begin to hurt a little, dunno why. That's why a controller seems so handy.... heard about controller companion? ;P
I didn't test it but it seems kinda viable.

Legs elevated up, the keyboard (K360) just resting on top of my legs, and the mouse I am using against the flat arm rest of the couch (or a firm pillow beside me would do fine too). I've played Team Fortress 2 matches with this setup fine.

The only problem is that sometimes my lower back may start aching, maybe it is arched wrong while I sit on the couch, and I tend not to move either while I am positioned there which probably makes it even worse... An extra pillow behind my back may help, or sitting in a more upright position, maybe even using that coffee table you see in the photo as a desk.

What I'd really want to do though was to buy a separate comfy TV chair like <span class="bold">this</span> or something similar.

One thing I don't do on that setup is exactly playing gamepad games, as I don't have a wireless gamepad and the wired gamepad doesn't have long enough cord from the laptop (near the TV) to the couch. Same thing with any games which I'd like to play with a flightstick. So, currently I play pretty much only mouse+keyboard PC games on that setup.

The reason i haven't bought a wireless gamepad (yet) is because Logitech's wireless F710 gamepad doesn't support the same Logitech Nano receiver as my Logitech mouse and keyboard do, so in practice it would reserve yet another USB port on the laptop. I don't like that, I once asked Logitech whether they are coming with a Nano-receiver compatible version of F710 or similar, but apparently they were not for some reason.

Not sure if there are wireless PC gamepads that use Bluetooth instead? That would also solve the USB port problem.

As for the question what kind of PC to use for that purpose (desktop PC, HTPC, a laptop...), to me that seems irrelevant as long as you are able to keep the PC near the TV (with a long HDMI cable, maybe 5 meters is the max?), and use wireless controllers (mouse, keyboard, gamepad, trackball, whatever...).

I use laptops just because I like the ability to easily move them around the house from room to room, or even take with me outside the house. Sometimes I have the laptop in the living room, sometimes in the bedroom, sometimes in the office room, sometimes at our summer cottage...

By using an Acer 32" 4K monitor (which for a desktop monitor is a big screen) with a Logitech [url=http://www.amazon.com/Logitech-910-001799-M570-Wireless-Trackball/dp/B0043T7FXE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1456928026&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=logitech+m570]M570 & while sitting in a [url=http://www.amazon.com/2xhome-Professional-Comfortable-Adjustable-Conference/dp/B00UXRSDF4/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1456929486&amp;sr=8-3&amp;keywords=padded+office+chair]comfortable office chair.

Neat. What about some couch gaming with that monitor?

I don't feel the need to relocate to the couch when I can sit in my "comfortable office chair".

EDIT: Double post

hey you asked
i am still primarily a console gamer

Can't say I don't use a comfy chair for gaming. It's just that.. chairs like these are so, so much better than office chairs ;P
I actually tried to play consoles plugged to a monitor once. Kinda unfamiliar... but using something like that XFPS deal wasn't bad at all. In fact, I dislike fps games but ended up killing tons of folks, something I would't deliver with a gamepad, so double standards eh? :P

For you I don't doubt it, but I don't game while in a reclining positing. I can't, I've tried it. When I tried playing while sitting in a recliner I ended up instinctively sitting up and forward, defeating the purpose of sitting in a recliner; I need to have my center of gravity in a certain position. Believe me, I'm much more comfortable gaming while sitting in my padded office chair.

I agree. A good laptop with a closed lid, next to the tv. Powerful enough, it kinda kills the purpose of an htpc and whatsoever.
But what bothers me is the fact that inevitably you'll end up using your lap for gaming (mouse + kb) and that's a pain ;P
Gaming demands legs flexed and all, dude! :)

Agree! :)

Hey, I've seen those things on sale. Can you use that for extended periods of time? Do you think it works fine for books and for writing?

I have a USB extension cable. It is about 2m long and it was cheap. It could solve your problem.

I´m moving my body even when sitting in an office chair :P
And yes, I steer my body sideways when playing racing games.
The greater the focus, the greater the space between my back and the back of the chair.

I have my PC hooked to my TV via HDMI cable and just use my 360 pad for gaming on it. I'm actually considering getting Steam controller for turn-based games focused on mouse control like Darkest Dungeon - then again, generally speaking, games designed specifically for mouse and keyboard are a bit better enjoyed with your face shoved into the screen

Yeah I have the legs flexed on the couch while sitting there, but as said sometimes I apparently sit with my lower back arched so that after while it may start hurting, or at least I feel a bit uncomfortable. Sometimes I then just sit up with my legs crossed instead.

I don't really have a problem using the wireless keyboard from the sofa, it works fine when it is resting on my lap and I feel pretty relaxed. Maybe the only problem then is that I tend to move less (because that would move the keyboard too on my lap), which might make parts of the body numb, or make my back hurt. That is something that using a mere gamepad probably alleviates, it is easier to move around your body with that in your hands, than with a keyboard on your lap.

It is pretty good, kind of a portable desk that you can keep on your lap pretty comfortably, as the lower part is soft (padded), and still offering an even and firm surface for whatever you want to use it for. Note though that the black top (desk) part is not completely smooth but there is some "jagginess", maybe to keep stuff from gliding on it. Just in case if you want to put a single sheet of paper on it and write to it, you might need some extra sheets below it to make it smooth enough for writing

A few times I felt it was pressing my flexed legs a bit too much for my liking, making them a bit numb, but I think that was more related to the weight of the laptop than that "lap desk".