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Hardware Recommendations for Remote (Distant) Monitors/Workstations?

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Hi all! 

 

I'm super new to Unraid, but I am SO EXCITED about the prospect of setting up a bitchin' home server. I'll keep the build details to a separate thread, but here's the quick gist. Looking to build a machine that will serve 2-3 direct passthrough VMs as workstations to be used for gaming and everyday usage that will be fairly distant from the server room in the house.

 

Mix of Win10 and Mac VMs...May try SteamOS but it seems disappointing. Also going to use the Unraid server for server-y stuff (Plex Docker, etc.). 

 

I'm looking for a hardware (cable?) recommendation as to how to best and/or most elegantly support the remote workstations. House is fully wired with Cat6A that leads to the patch panel in the server room. I'd like to be able to support 4K @ 60 Hz for gaming on those remote workstations (basically just a monitor/keyboard/mouse that is getting GPU and USB controller passthrough). The amazing benefit to having VMs distributed via physical ethernet would be the ability to just re-patch an ethernet in the patch panel, pick up the monitor, and move to a new room (LAN gaming, baybee!). 

 

What are my options?

 

I'm thinking HDMI over Ethernet, very long HDMI cables, USB over Ethernet, or some kind of software solution (parsec?) but I worry about latency. 

 

I've looked into HDMI extenders over Ethernet and they seem ok, but I've only found ONE that does full 4K@60 Hz with 4:4:4 Chroma support. (The reason for that requirement is that looking at performance demos of 4:2:0, it just looks like the text gets really hard to read - no ideal for daily PC usage. ) Here's the ONE model of HDMI Extender over Ethernet that I found: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07HH1212W/?coliid=I2SMO4LQBJ8HVA&colid=O97AEQGK09X&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

These remote workstations also need USB peripherals (Keyboard/Mouse/USB Gaming Headset) so something like this might be more appropriate: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07N2M5YYR/?coliid=I1E9N9GW7F9GAA&colid=O97AEQGK09X&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it . The only issue is that this model only supports 4K@30Hz, though it would be nice to have a combo device. 

 

Should I just pull long HDMI cables and figure out separate USB? Is it worth it to get the combo HDMI/USB hub to only run one receiver per VM workstation? 

 

Has anyone else tried something crazy like this before? A bit inspired by Linus Tech Tips and his home setup replacing a bunch of different machines with Unraid VMs and being able to use different VMs as he sees fit! I just love the idea of being able to use any VM on any monitor just by moving a patch cable (or VNC). 

 

Thanks and appreciate the noob support! 

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