Remote display and input help

Does anyone have any experience with remote displays, and inputs.

What I’m trying to accomplish. I’d like to set up a remote screen and inputs for my desktop pc. The pc is located in my study, and I’d like to be able to view and use it on a tv display in my garage. I’d like to have a keyboard, mouse and display in the garage, so that only on pc is used for both. I know the typical way would be to run wires, but that isn’t a feasible option in this case. I know they have wireless hdmi transmitters and receivers, however they are pricey and don’t solve my input problems.

I was wondering if anybody had any ideas about using arduino’s to create a all in one receiver/ transmitter. I would need about 65 feet of through wall transmission. Or other solutions. I’m not sure if this is a feasible feat, but was hoping for some insights and suggestions.

I think the easiest way to do it would be to just set up a raspberry pi with keyboard, mouse, and display and just remote desktop to your main PC. It wouldn’t be too tricky to set it up to just launch a remote desktop client on boot, so it’d act like a remote console appliance.

You could also do wireless video and wireless USB, but I suspect it would be a lot more money than a pi to get a reliable setup.

edit: 5 minutes of Googling suggests you’d be looking at a ballpark of $200 for a wireless HDMI extender and $300-$400 for a wireless USB host/device extender pair. That’s approaching the cost of another whole PC for your garage.

I do agree with your google results, and that price tag is what I’m trying to avoid. The raspberry pi idea, that seems more like what I’m after, although I have no idea how to set that up, or the cost. If I remember correctly, the pi unit isn’t that expensive. I will say if it helps, I’m not restricted to hdmi video. I just assumed that was the easier interface. I could easily use vga as well.

Also, I’m trying to avoid a second pc. I would like to keep everything running from one pc, to minimize file locations, and software licenses. I do run a few programs that are limited on licenses, between my pc and laptop, they are used up.

Have you considered the screen sharing technology that AppleTv uses. I don’t know what that entails but you can watch a movie on your phone and see it on your TV.

The magic of wifi.

I know nothing how it works.

There IS some latency issues.

Just a thought. May move you forward but could also be a dead end.

This would be perfect for a linux users’ group meeting, if we were still having in person meetings!

There are a zillion Pi “getting started” documents floating around. Buy a pi 4 with 2GB or 4GB of RAM. You’ll need a case, USB keyboard, USB mouse, and a mini-to-regular HDMI cable. This is another PC, but you’d just be using it as a remote control. Follow the instructions to boot it to a linux desktop, and then set up remote desktop on your PC (server) and the pi (client). Windows and Mac both have remote desktop servers built-in these days.

The only customization that might be nice would be scripting it to automatically launch remote desktop when you turn it on, but that’s just window dressing. manually clicking the remote desktop client, then clicking full-screen wouldn’t be that troublesome.

An option I just saw is the “Pi 400” which is a keyboard with a raspberry pi built into it.

Getting a “complete kit” is probably a good deal if you don’t have all the bits and bobs (extra usb keyboard and mouse, cables, power supply) laying around your place.

Personally and maybe I’m off base here, but I would use either a small stick computer or use an old desktop/laptop something cheap that can run an OS then just use teamviewer or Microsoft RDC to connect to the computer you want to connect to. Providing you have Wi-Fi in the garage. I know this goes against what you said with 1 pc but the pc in the garage would just be for connecting to the other remotely wouldn’t need much power.