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[ashecitism]

beta update

Reversed a previous change that would prefer QuickSync hardware encoding if an Intel GPU is available, even when a game is running on a different GPU

For some reason, hardware decoding looks pretty bad for me with lots of macroblocking. I have a gtx 780 and I stream to my Surface Pro 1 by the way. Switching to software makes everything look really good with no obvious drop in streaming performance.

there's been a bandwidth cap error with HW acceleration

http://steamcommunity.com/groups/homestream/discussions/0/483367798501608669/#c483367798514203363

https://www.reddit.com/r/Steam_Link/comments/3pj3ts/uncapping_the_30_megabit_bandwidth/cw7a30c

 

[ss_lemonade]

beta update





there's been a bandwidth cap error with HW acceleration

http://steamcommunity.com/groups/homestream/discussions/0/483367798501608669/#c483367798514203363

https://www.reddit.com/r/Steam_Link/comments/3pj3ts/uncapping_the_30_megabit_bandwidth/cw7a30c

Interesting. That explains why I was seeing a 30mb estimated bandwidth stat. Has this been the case though for a while now, because even before hardware decoding would always produce more artifacts and just in general look worse

 

[Russ T]

While testing mine, I was getting the same slow encode error. I was testing in Bioshock Infinite. Now my TV is older 720p and the monitor is 1080p and I had already set the stream to 720p. So I changed the game settings to 720p as well, that rectified the issue. I'm surmising that pushing your card to the edge doesn't leave enough free room for it to encode for steam link so you need to turn the settings down. Just a guess, but that's what I figure. It has not come back since doing that in that game. Other games, less graphic intense don't seem to care.

Yeah, that's what I was afraid of, and I might expect it for a game like Bioshock Infinite, but Life Is Strange is by no means a powerhouse of a game!

You're probably right, though. ):

I'll try messing with resolutions some more later today. My TV is 1080p, so it'll be sad to have to drop resolution, but if it gives me a smooth framerate, it'll be worth it to me. ):

 

[Teggy]

Apologies if I'm missing something elsewhere in the thread...

I just got my link today. I have 2x Gtx 780s and an i5 4460. I have both my pc and the link directly plugged into the router. My pc is outputting 60fps+, but the tv output looks like 30fps.

Are there specific settings I should be using to improve this? Maybe I misunderstood but I was under the impression that the steam link can output 60fps.

 

[Chaser324]

I just got my link today. I have 2x Gtx 780s and an i5 4460. I have both my pc and the link directly plugged into the router. My pc is outputting 60fps+, but the tv output looks like 30fps.

I know at one point there was a bug with SLI setups where only half of the frames would be sent. I'm not sure if that's been patched yet or if there are any workarounds. Try searching the official Steam Link forums for mentions of SLI.

 

[The Shadow]

there's been a bandwidth cap error with HW acceleration

http://steamcommunity.com/groups/homestream/discussions/0/483367798501608669/#c483367798514203363

https://www.reddit.com/r/Steam_Link/comments/3pj3ts/uncapping_the_30_megabit_bandwidth/cw7a30c

Has this existed for a while? That would explain why I get stuttering and crappy IQ when I use HQ.

Everything seems fine when it's off.

 

[Teggy]

I know at one point there was a bug with SLI setups where only half of the frames would be sent. I'm not sure if that's been patched yet or if there are any workarounds. Try searching the official Steam Link forums for mentions of SLI.

I see the threads you're referring to. I'll have to do some testing.

EDIT: I turned off SLI and it definitely made a big difference. Except for Witcher 3 - that game seems to have problems for some reason. Framerate stays low and it even looks blocky.

 

[baconcow]

Since the other night (I may have updated my nVidia video drivers), I have not had any game running smoothly, with or without SLI on, with or without hardware encoding and decoding on. It is pretty bad. Running Skyrim is a mess even with software encoding/decoding. I was getting nearly flawless Divinity: Original Sin - Enhanced Edition, the other day. Now, it flickers on fullscreen, runs horribly (says 60 fps, but it an absolute slideshow at times), even on widescreen and "fake fullscreen". Maybe I will rollback to the previous video card, but this is an unreal change. I have had odd freezing on screens, green lines on the top, fuzzy entire screens where the stream would die, and many more issues. Trying the Beta Client for Steam didn't help, either.

I don't want to give up on this device, despite being able to currently run an HDMI cable from 4 feet away (I am testing this for when my computer is further away). I also like the convenience of sitting down with my controller and just playing.

I determined a solution to my washed out video. I had my Panasonic plasma HDTV on full RGB (0-255) and it was washed out. Turning it back to standard, fixed that. However, in games, the colours are still a bit off, especially blues and greens in trees, grass, and water.

I hope to see more fixes coming soon, as the device is not playable at the moment.

 

[ashecitism]

beta update

Reduced CPU usage of the streaming client software
Added workarounds for some multi-monitor issues with NVFBC capture mode
Fixed low resolution due to Windows display-scaling settings in NVFBC capture mode

 

[mbmonk]

I have been converted to the ways of in home streaming. I recently got a wireless 360 controller & adapter and used a laptop to stream to my living room TV. Wow. When I am using the controller the input lag isn't noticeable. I have really enjoyed playing MGS5, Rage and Alan Wake. The PC is really so flexable in it's experiences. I can have my SC2, CS:GO experiences with m&k, and also have my comfy couch controller experiences.

I hope they get the issues with the Link ironed out so I can purchase it once I get the funds.

 

[Teggy]

Does the Steam Link automatically use beta updates?

 

[The Shadow]

Couple questions,

1) Is it possible to re-direct the audio stream so that it comes out through the Host? I have an Xbox One controller that I have to plug into the host (client is Win7) which works fine, but I'd like to use the audio-out jack on the joystick as well. This doesn't seem possible as the audio stream comes out of the client.

2) The host and client are connected via a wired gigabit network switch. Host is a i5 with an R9 290 card, client is a Core 2 Quad Q6600 with a Radeon 5450 HD. Is it at all possible to get 1080p 60fps with this setup? What settings or changes would I need to make?

Currently if I enable HW decoding on either the client or host or both, there are huge stutters in the stream. If I disable HW decoding and encoding, the stream is much smoother, but there's a noticeable lag between controller input and action on-screen. It's possible to play this way, but the lag is noticeable and I'd like to reduce this if possible.

Oddly, SW encoding and decoding is only smoother with 3D games. I tried playing Mercenary Kings, a 2D action game, and it was the opposite, where HW encoding and decoding made for a much smoother stream (with some small pausing), and software encoding and decoding was noticeably choppy.

3) is the Steam Stream Link capable of 1080p 60fps streams?

 

[Shoogoo]

I suppose streaming wirelessly is not recommended?

 

[ashecitism]

beta update

Fixed incorrect display cropping on Linux clients when hardware accelerated decoding is enabled
Fixed a potential cause of black screens when hosting games on a computer with multiple GPUs

 

[deleted]

I played two hours of Pillars with the Link and the Controller yesterday.

I'm surprised how well it works! The official bindings work pretty well and the Pause/Unpause/Autopause mechanics lead to good control and you can adjust the text to be big enough to enjoy it on the big screen.

 

[The Elite]

Will running a Steam Link through an HDMI switch introduce any extra lag?

 

[deleted]

Will running a Steam Link through an HDMI switch introduce any extra lag?

Depends on the switch I guess - I have it set up through my amp and it doesn't - at least not noticable. For the record, I notice if I'm gaming on a LG or Sony TV. LG always has a little extra layer of lag.

 

[TurboCooler]

Hello,

Due to a bit of surgery, I will be on bed rest for a week during thanksgiving week.

I have a PC with a i7/GTX 970 connected to my Gigabit LAN. I will be in my bedroom which only has wireless but I tested tonight and I can get 40mbits consistently

All I was hoping to do was play Pillars of Eternity and Buldar's Gate 2 (a game I never played)

Two questions:

1) Will I strictly need the Steam Controller?
2) Will this setup be enough for an RPG?

Thanks

 

[deleted]

Hello,

Due to a bit of surgery, I will be on bed rest for a week during thanksgiving week.

I have a PC with a i7/GTX 970 connected to my Gigabit LAN. I will be in my bedroom which only has wireless but I tested tonight and I can get 40mbits consistently

All I was hoping to do was play Pillars of Eternity and Buldar's Gate 2 (a game I never played)

Two questions:

1) Will I strictly need the Steam Controller?
2) Will this setup be enough for an RPG?

Thanks

Steam Controller with Pillars feels very nice. I can't imagine it plays nearly as well with a 360 controller. You need the mouse to play. With a big font it is very playable on the big screen though.

 

[ashecitism]

beta update

Fixed Steam client hang after ending a streaming session
Fixed incorrect or delayed Steam Controller haptic feedback when streaming
Fixed Read Only Memories and other games not recognizing Steam Controllers as gamepads when streaming

 

[kn0wsk1lls]

so i'm considering getting one of these, but not sure if it will work well for me. my only option would be through wireless. all i have is this ubee router from bright house. it says it supports 802.11 b/g. dont know to much about this stuff, just want to be able to play on my big screen in living room. would this be a good investment or just stick to pc gaming in my room?

 

[ashecitism]

new stable build is out, includes previous beta updates: http://store.steampowered.com/news/19185/

Reduced CPU usage of the streaming client software
Enabled hardware encoding by default, please report issues on the bug forum
Added workarounds for some multi-monitor issues with NVFBC capture mode
Updated AMD hardware encoding SDK for improved Win8+ performance
Improved performance and fixed garbled picture with AMD hardware encoding
Improved performance of some video capture methods for windowed games
Disabled some incompatible capture methods if AMD Crossfire is detected
Improved support for rotated (portrait-mode) monitors
Changed desktop mode to capture one monitor at a time and follow the mouse across monitors
Fixed incorrect display cropping on Linux clients when hardware accelerated decoding is enabled
Fixed a potential cause of black screens when hosting games on a computer with multiple GPUs
Fixed low resolution due to Windows display-scaling settings in NVFBC capture mode
Fixed bugs with streaming multiple-monitor desktops on Windows 8 and higher
Fixed incorrect mouse coordinates in some situations with Windows 8.1 and Windows 10
Fixed a crash if the user exits Steam while a streaming session is still active
Fixed some causes of audio stutter when streaming at high bitrate
Fixed always-black video on some multi-GPU, multi-monitor systems
Fixed issues with Toki Tori 2 and several other games which rely on VSync for animation timing
Fixed crashes on systems with certain AMD video drivers
Fixed low capture resolution when running games on a high-DPI monitor
Fixed mouse cursor position when text scaling is enabled on the host computer
Fixed mouse clipping issue with fullscreen games

 

[SMattera]

so i'm considering getting one of these, but not sure if it will work well for me. my only option would be through wireless. all i have is this ubee router from bright house. it says it supports 802.11 b/g. dont know to much about this stuff, just want to be able to play on my big screen in living room. would this be a good investment or just stick to pc gaming in my room?

I don't know that router in particular, but as a rule of thumb, routers you get from cable companies suck. I wouldn't try it unless you're prepared to invest in a new router if it doesn't work.

My Link is being prepared for shipment. I have a pretty good router (Apple Airport Extreme) and it's positioned in the center of my home. I'm going to try going from my wireless desktop (which has a PCi-e dual band N card) to the Link which will be hard wired.

 

[Crackbone]

The Link has become a much better device with all of these updates.

I had all sorts of audio drops and other nonsense when I first received it but now it's flawless.

I'm on wifi (a/c)on both the client and the PC and I have no issues at all.

 

[deleted]

Looks like there still isn't a official fix for the 30mbps bug.

Since the most recent update, unchecking and rechecking the Hardware Decoding box makes my screen weird out. I get glitches all over the screen, even in menu.

 

[The Bad Guy]

The Link has become a much better device with all of these updates.

I had all sorts of audio drops and other nonsense when I first received it but now it's flawless.

I'm on wifi (a/c)on both the client and the PC and I have no issues at all.

That good to hear that the experience is improving. But i guess everybody experiences is a bit different. Looking forward to picking it up on Tuesday

 

[Yaari]

Question. It mostly applies to my X1 streaming but that topic is dead, I'm sure it can be answered here too. How essential is a gigabit connection for streaming?

I bought a new router and I just wasn't getting a gigabit connection on my cable. I bought a new router and the dumbest thing was that I wanted to save a few bucks on a ethernet cable (This is some shitty 8$ cable from China) Turns out the damn thing can't go past 100mbps. Bleh.

Is this a huge bottleneck? I'm going to guess it is. Now replacing a cable would not be an issue but we already hid the thing away against the side of the wall.

 

[Hasney]

Question. It mostly applies to my X1 streaming but that topic is dead, I'm sure it can be answered here too. How essential is a gigabit connection for streaming?

I bought a new router and I just wasn't getting a gigabit connection on my cable. I bought a new router and the dumbest thing was that I wanted to save a few bucks on a ethernet cable (This is some shitty 8$ cable from China) Turns out the damn thing can't go past 100mbps. Bleh.

Is this a huge bottleneck? I'm going to guess it is. Now replacing a cable would not be an issue but we already hid the thing away against the side of the wall.

Shouldn't be an issue, Steam Streaming doesn't saturate 100mbps at 1080p.

 

[Yaari]

Shouldn't be an issue, Steam Streaming doesn't saturate 100mbps at 1080p.

I see. So it would give me no increase of performance at all? I really thought it would ruin the entire setup. It really is a 5$ cable from China.

I hope I can get Steam streaming going soon so I can see the maximum amount of speed I can get through it. I was reading that 100mbps connection actually has to be divided by 10 to get the actual max transfer speed.

Whatever, I really don't know too much about the subject. Thanks for the help.

 

[Hasney]

I see. So it would give me no increase of performance at all? I really thought it would ruin the entire setup. It really is a 5$ cable from China.

I hope I can get Steam streaming going soon so I can see the maximum amount of speed I can get through it. I was reading that 100mbps connection actually has to be divided by 10 to get the actual max transfer speed.

Whatever, I really don't know too much about the subject. Thanks for the help.

My laptop only has a 100mbit port and it's smoooottthhhh Don't know how the XB1 stuff performs though, this is all just based on Steam.

 

[Yaari]

My laptop only has a 100mbit port and it's smoooottthhhh Don't know how the XB1 stuff performs though, this is all just based on Steam.

Yeah I was reading it has caps even worse than the 30mbps one Steam is on now. I'm going to mess around with Steam streaming a little over the weekend. should be fun.

 

[Nexus Zero]

The performance is now pretty good with Wifi, but even at best quality the image is pretty muddy. I think it'll be going on eBay soon.

 

[SMattera]

Question. It mostly applies to my X1 streaming but that topic is dead, I'm sure it can be answered here too. How essential is a gigabit connection for streaming?

I bought a new router and I just wasn't getting a gigabit connection on my cable. I bought a new router and the dumbest thing was that I wanted to save a few bucks on a ethernet cable (This is some shitty 8$ cable from China) Turns out the damn thing can't go past 100mbps. Bleh.

Is this a huge bottleneck? I'm going to guess it is. Now replacing a cable would not be an issue but we already hid the thing away against the side of the wall.

You can literally buy a Cat 7 cable that handles 10Gigs for $6 on Amazon.

As always, never buy cables in store.

 

[kn0wsk1lls]

I don't know that router in particular, but as a rule of thumb, routers you get from cable companies suck. I wouldn't try it unless you're prepared to invest in a new router if it doesn't work.

My Link is being prepared for shipment. I have a pretty good router (Apple Airport Extreme) and it's positioned in the center of my home. I'm going to try going from my wireless desktop (which has a PCi-e dual band N card) to the Link which will be hard wired.

thanks for the input, would this be more sufficient?

 

[SMattera]

thanks for the input, would this be more sufficient?

Yeah, probably.

 

[Gumbie]

Now that people have had these for a few weeks...what's the verdict on image quality? I use the in home streaming to my laptop pretty regularly on a wired connection and it's hit or miss. I was hoping since this was a dedicated Valve device with specialized code in it that it would be significantly better than using a random laptop.

 

[B4s5C]

You can literally buy a Cat 7 cable that handles 10Gigs for $6 on Amazon.

As always, never buy cables in store.

Would 100 feet of Cat 6 work well enough for streaming? I don't mind spending the extra money for Cat 7 but if the performance is negligible than I won't waste the money.

 

[kn0wsk1lls]

Yeah, probably.

cool, my pc runs everything pretty good. almost two years old, but still goes hard haha. i'll see whats up.

 

[Krakn3Dfx]

Anyone order a Link from Amazon and have gotten any shipping information as far as a date?

 

[electroflame]

Got my Link today (ordered via Steam early last month).

Initial impressions are very good.

Pros:
Easy to set up
Stream quality is really, really good (1080p, locked 60fps)
No need to log in to your account again (that one-time PIN is really handy!)
Wireless 360 controller support worked very well
No perceivable latency issues

Cons:
No power button
Turning the Link on with a wireless 360 controller doesn't work

Honestly, one of the things I was most pleasantly surprised about was the box/packaging. I mean, it's nothing revolutionary, but it had simple, attractive packaging that (I'd imagine) would look nice on a store shelf.

Overall, I'm very impressed for $50, and the experience is much nicer than what I was using before (an old Mac Mini).

 

[Pewpewlazors99]

So I got a link for the future because currently my setup allows me to just run cables from my PC to my TV. My current setup with the link is using CAT 6 cables, running from my TV, to my modem, to my computer which is roughly a 10 feet distance.

I have seen no latency or notice any change in graphics when playing a steam game. But when viewing a webpage, or playing a browser game its extremely laggy. Not sure if it was just the game I was trying it out with or what but it was unplayable. Also to note, playing youtube videos, or watching netflix did seem to work perfectly. I also only tried using an Xbox one controller, and it had to be wired, once I get my dongle I'll give that a shot.

All in all, I'm satisfied, and now can clean up some cables in my living room and instead using the link.

 

[SMattera]

So, does the Link just stay on and run all the time? Like the Roku or the Apple TV?

 

[Reluctant-Hero]

Do I bed to pig in my Steam controller wireless dongle into the Link? For some reason I thought the Link had its own built-n receiver.

 

[Barzul]

Anyone with experience with both the Link and the Nvidia streaming option, which has been better so far?

 

[KneehighPark]

Do I bed to pig in my Steam controller wireless dongle into the Link? For some reason I thought the Link had its own built-n receiver.

I'm guessing you meant "do I need to plug in"? And no, the Link has a built in receiver. I originally had the dongle plugged into the Link but I have since removed it and the controller still works

 

[Jedi2016]

Do I bed to pig in my Steam controller...

Sorry, I had to.. lol.

 

[electroflame]

So, does the Link just stay on and run all the time? Like the Roku or the Apple TV?

You can turn it off, and it boots up pretty quickly (in ~5-10 seconds).

Turning it back on is a bit of an issue if you don't have a Steam Controller, as other wireless controllers don't seem to wake it up (although this may be a bug that can/will be fixed).

The only way to force it to turn on (that I've found) is to either unplug and then plug in either the power or HDMI cable, which is kind of crappy. No power button is a pretty dumb oversight, and my main (probably only) complaint with it. If Valve fixes the wireless controller issue, it won't be a huge problem, but as it stands right now it's less than ideal.

However, if you want to just leave it on you can totally do that. It seems content to just sit there waiting for you to pick up and play.

 

[codswallop]

It should be possible to send a wake on LAN request to turn it back on, right? There are apps for Android (and probably iOS, never had cause to look), which means you could at least turn it back on from the couch.

Really hope this thing is available in Australia soon...

Anyone tried it with powerline/ethernet over power? Moving soon and this may be my best option.

 

[ashecitism]

beta update

Reduced CPU usage and improved frame rate of AMD hardware accelerated video encoding on some systems
Significantly improved frame rates in DX10 and DX11 games when NVIDIA SLI is enabled
Improved streaming gamepad compatibility with The Beginner's Guide and other games

 

[SZips]

You can turn it off, and it boots up pretty quickly (in ~5-10 seconds).

Turning it back on is a bit of an issue if you don't have a Steam Controller, as other wireless controllers don't seem to wake it up (although this may be a bug that can/will be fixed).

The only way to force it to turn on (that I've found) is to either unplug and then plug in either the power or HDMI cable, which is kind of crappy. No power button is a pretty dumb oversight, and my main (probably only) complaint with it. If Valve fixes the wireless controller issue, it won't be a huge problem, but as it stands right now it's less than ideal.

However, if you want to just leave it on you can totally do that. It seems content to just sit there waiting for you to pick up and play.

I just turned my Link on with a spare wireless DualShock 4 that I synced up with the Link a couple of days ago.

The catch now is that the controller seems to not stay synced after managing to turn the Link on. It will very briefly connect and get to the main menu then immediately go back to the "hey, connect a controller" screen. It is also very possible that I need to charge the controller itself since it was sitting unused for weeks.