It’s still cheaper than a “normal” TV + Roku or whatever.

I mean, the goal here is to stop being so inundated with ads. There is a cost associated. The cost can be in a more expensive TV, privacy nightmares, or a cheap TV with a cheap setup.

A $200 setup sounds ace to me and perfectly feasible. You could probably lower than by using a Raspberry Pi setup instead. A “decent” TV is going to run into the $400 range once you get 55” or larger, and your laptop/Pi setup can be used on any TV for as long as you want.

Heck, it doesn’t even need to be a new-to-you laptop. I’ve repurposed my last 3 computers to do just this; I was buying a new desktop or laptop anyway, so the old one became my streaming device.