I have a 32-inch 4K monitor in my living room and would like to use it as both a smart TV and a gaming display. My PC is roughly 12 meters away in a straight line, or 20–30 meters away if I route cables through the wall. I already have Ethernet runs between the living room, bedroom, and my Sagemcom modem-router, and I'm willing to install another cable if needed. My budget is under €100. I'm considering either a 4K KVM combined with a streaming device, or a way to run a smart-TV operating system and stream the PC to the monitor. What hardware and setup would give me the best results for the lowest cost?
2 Answers
The cheapest practical setup is an Android TV box connected to the monitor by HDMI and to your network with Ethernet. A Xiaomi TV Box S (2nd Gen), or a similar Android TV device with Ethernet support, can run streaming apps and Moonlight. Install Sunshine on the gaming PC, Moonlight on the box, and connect both through your router using wired Ethernet. You probably don’t need a KVM. This should fit under €100 if you choose the box and any required USB Ethernet adapter carefully. Streaming will still add some latency, so it’s fine for most games but not as good as a direct video connection.
For the best gaming response, run a long active HDMI or DisplayPort cable directly from the PC to the monitor instead of streaming the video. Ethernet carries network data, not the monitor signal, so it won’t replace the display cable. Add a powered USB extension or an active USB-over-Cat6 extender for the keyboard, mouse, and controller. A long HDMI/DP cable plus a USB extension may stay within €100, depending on the required length. You can add a cheap streaming stick separately for TV apps, but it won’t provide the same gaming setup as Moonlight.
A 20–30 meter passive cable can be unreliable at 4K, especially at high refresh rates. Look for an active or optical HDMI/DisplayPort cable rated for the resolution and refresh rate you actually plan to use.
The exact model matters because some inexpensive TV boxes only have Wi-Fi or slow Ethernet. If the box lacks a network port, use a compatible USB Ethernet adapter and check that Android supports it.