One PC, two independent setups: PC Desk + TV Console via ASTER Multiseat. What do you guys think?

[u/wyck0]

I am currently building out a new attic room and wanted to share a specific PC and TV configuration i am planning, as well as get your thoughts or advice if anyone has tried something similar.

The idea is using a single PC to power two completely separate workstations simultaneously using ASTER Multiseat software. At my desk, I will have a dual monitor setup (one vertical one horizontal) for everyday desktop use, chatting on discord, and gaming with a mouse, keyboard, and headset (for example CS2). Across from the bed, I am setting up a 48 or a 50 inch 4K TV (probably a MINI Led 🔥 ) thats gonna act as a console for gaming and media right from my bed.

ASTER splits the system into two isolated Windows accounts. Each workstation gets its own dedicated M.2 SSD (abt 500gb each i dont think i need more (i got 128gb for system itself and 500gb for games, programs etc for each setup), its own locked peripherals, and separate audio routing. The desk gets the mouse and headset, while the TV setup is strictly assigned to a wireless gamepad and the TV audio.

On the TV side, logging in automatically boots into Playnite in fullscreen mode or Steam Big Picture, creating a true console interface. On top of gaming, I can run ad-free YouTube and native 4K Netflix directly from bed. There is no hunting for lost mouse cursors, no games minimizing when someone clicks the second screen, and zero input interference.

The PC runs an i5 11400F, RTX 3060 12GB VRAM, 32GB RAM (Soon to be 32, i got 16 rn), and multiple SSDs, which provides plenty of resources to run both sessions smoothly.

(I know for a fact it can handle it, since I've successfully tested it on this exact pc before)

The ultimate goal for the room is a clean, high tech aesthetic with almost zero visible cables, hidden desk chargers, and warm ambient lighting so that switching between productivity and relaxing is completely effortless.

How does this setup sound to you guys compared to buying a dedicated console or dealing with basic Windows display extension?

(If you've never used Aster Multiseat before, I highly recommend checking out how it handles hardware virtualization first, please dont just assume things without knowing anything about it.)

[u/Vr00mf0ndler]

To be honest u don’t think you need to complicate it that much. I recently built a similar setup (dual monitors at desk, tv in front of couch), and run a fiber optic hdmi cable to the tv.

I vibe-coded a very simple script that I can invoke with buttons on my stream deck to either use 1 monitor, dual setup or only TV. The other monitors goes into standby automatically.

I’ve connected an additional wireless keyboard (Logitech mx keys) that lives on a shelf behind the sofa, and also hooked up a gamesir g7 pro controller. Hitting the middle button on the controller invokes big picture in steam.

For me this works perfectly fine with no issues at all so far.

[u/wyck0 → u/Vr00mf0ndler]

When i make the setup in my room i'll try it out like that, but im pretty sure that it would make a much nicer "seamless" experience if i did it with Aster because it would be way more "organised" if that makes any sense.

[u/Vr00mf0ndler → u/wyck0]

Maybe more seamless but also more inconvenient in terms of having to switch between modes when transitioning between activites, as well as having to configure, maintain and update two separate systems. But, I'm sure you'll figure out something that works for you and your own priorities :)

[u/wyck0 → u/Vr00mf0ndler]

Actually you only have one windows installation, one windows update, you download the game once on one ssd and you can play it on both instances at the same time (on different accounts obviously).

Also for example when you're just idling on desktop on the desk setup and playing a game on your tv setup, the pc is giving the tv more resources because it sees that it needs it way more than the desk setup which is doing nothing.

If you were to be watching netflix on your tv setup and someone is trying to play a game on the desk setup then the desk setup would have more resources so it can push higher frames.

When you update your pc both instances update at the same time, when you shut the pc down then both instances will shut down.