PC gaming from your sofa

[SlickShoes]

What do you use as a mouse mat? I know there are other folk here with a PC hooked up to a TV.

I have a Logitech Wireless Keyboard that is great, I have a rollerball wireless mouse by logitech too, it's a good mouse but recently I have noticed when using it for long sessions of gaming my hand ends up like a claw and cramps a bit. So I was thinking of getting a good wireless mouse, my problem is that my mouse hand is at a lumpy area of the couch with no arm rest at my right, so what can I buy to rest a mouse on that doesn't take up lots of space?

 

[moosEh]

PaulH uses his pc as a mousemat. Its all up to personal preference and what you have available. When I used to use my pc on my bed I used to use a book.

 

[vanthus]

I just use a plate coaster from the dining table,some surfaces are better than others of course,the one I use is a kind of leathery/rubber sort of material.

 

[Grimezy]

I gave this a go for a bit and wasn't massively keen. I would have the mouse beside me on the chair (not on an arm) and it was quite an awkward position as my hand was quite low and was practically parallel with my body. Why didn't I put it on an arm you ask? Well the chair in the room I used didn't have one...

I think Steaky posted something the other day on another thread for a laptop desk thing which could suit your needs. It was basically a tray that could fit a full sized laptop on with a pull out bit on the side for the mousemat. You could just rest the keyboard where the laptop is meant to be.

Alternatively you can buy mousemates designed for armchairs which have a hard flat surface on one side and an almost beanbag type surface on the bottom which is meant to rest comfortably on the arm of the chair.

I gave up looking for a suitable option for my needs and used a xbox controller for anything I could. Now I'm at a normal desk setup

Edit: Thread about lapdesk: https://www.pcspecialist.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?24690-Lapdesk&highlight=lapdesk - Just had a look at the netbook/laptop tray. Looks like it can only support up to a 15 inch laptop and is about 36cm in length so you may need a tenkeyless keyboard to fit onto it xD

 

[DeadEyeDuk]

I once tried to use my girlfriend's leg as she was sitting right next to me...like right where the mouse would go. Personally I thought it was quite a reasonable compromise.

...

...

...she didn't

 

[Grimezy]

I once tried to use my girlfriend's leg as she was sitting right next to me...like right where the mouse would go. Personally I thought it was quite a reasonable compromise.

...

...

...she didn't

My girlfriend used to volunteer to do this... Until she'd start moving all over the place trying to get into a comfortable cuddling position which would completely ruin my setup and she'd keep leaning on my mouse arm. Many deaths were caused because of her -.-

 

[SlickShoes]

Cheers guys I will have a look in to these options apart from the girlfriend one, I don't think my wife would let me get a girlfriend as a mouse mat!

The lapdesk thing looks alright, the beanbaggy thing sounds doable, I will give them a go! My current mouse is great but I don't want to end up with a claw hand in a few years! Sadly no room for a full desk set up! The kayboard I have is smaller size one but does still fit a numpad so the laptop tray thing may be the best option!

 

[SlickShoes]

So far the best advice seems to be make something myself or take a risk on a lapdesk thing so my plan is to try this set up.

My keyboard is compact : http://www.logitech.com/en-gb/product/keyboard-k360?crid=1114

Put it on this: http://www.argos.co.uk/static/Produ...ext>LAPTOP+TRAY.htm#pdpFullProductInformation

Add a Razer Sphex stick thing mouse surface to it, and buy a good wireless gaming mouse.

My small keyboard should leave enough space for the mouse and that lap desk thing at least looks slightly comfortable and not expensive.

The only other good ones I have seen are ones people have just made themselves by getting a bit wood, covering it with leatherette or something else to avoid slipping and then using that.

 

[tom_gr7]

Before I had a desk I have to use a class coffee table... wasn't very comfortable...

But now I cant do without my Mouse+mat+kb...

The Mat is quite rigid. So it is quite useful when suing a laptop on the sofa arm or whatever.

I would though, make sure the mat matches the design of the mouse. I have another mat that is just awful and its very pleasant to use even with a two decent razer mice.

Picture paints a thousand words so

 

[keynes]

But now I cant do without my Mouse+mat+kb...

Until BF 4 is released

 

[SlickShoes]

Has anyone tried one of these: http://slouchmat.co.uk/products.htm

 

[Grimezy]

Has anyone tried one of these: http://slouchmat.co.uk/products.htm

That's what I meant about the hard surfaced one with the bean bag type bottom! I couldn't remember for the life of me what they were called. They look okay and they are created for the purpose of being on an armchair... Not sure how well it would stay level though and doesn't look like a huge amount of surface area to move your mouse around on.

 

[SlickShoes]

That's what I meant about the hard surfaced one with the bean bag type bottom! I couldn't remember for the life of me what they were called. They look okay and they are created for the purpose of being on an armchair... Not sure how well it would stay level though and doesn't look like a huge amount of surface area to move your mouse around on.

Yeah, my big problem here is all the things that look decent are not in shops so I can't try any of them before buying them. I think it may be best to source some wood and try to make something myself. That's the one bad thing about the internet I want to try these before I buy them!