CosmicQueso
Member
That settles it.
Steamception HTPC build will be happening.
This. This is the start of something beautiful.
Steamception HTPC build will be happening.
This. This is the start of something beautiful.
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Hey Guest. Check out your NeoGAF Wrapped 2025 results here!
Steam's Big Picture Mode beta starts Monday Sep 10th [out now]
- Thread starter LiK
- Start date
Yeah you have to set your TV as the "primary" monitor for games to go to it.
Thanks! So is there something that lets me set a hotkey to auto switch them based on when certain things are launched?
RoadHazard
Gold Member
Seriously, am I the only one with this issue (the categories going off the screen)?
Also, zooming with the right analog stick in the browser is pretty damn wonky, especially if you've already zoomed in using Y.
Also, zooming with the right analog stick in the browser is pretty damn wonky, especially if you've already zoomed in using Y.
That's too perfect. I only wish Steam didn't have to be the active window in order to trigger it. Really neat touch, though.
Will rapidly become unacceptable for people wanting a quiet PC under their TV if it's running fans at high speed just idling on a Menu.
I'm not having this issue. Resolution? Is your TV overscanning?
The VRAM usage does sound crazy high. I'm in the dark ages with my 20-year old graphics card, a lowly 1GB 5850. 
If the VRAM goes away when you launch a game it might be okay.
Regarding the guide button and GFWL, I'm actually impressed Valve tested that situation. And by that I mean I assume they would have done a special case for it, since otherwise pressing it twice would presumably just make the Steam overlay steal both presses (or pass on both presses to the application).
Or maybe it works that way for all games that use the guide button...though I'm not sure if there ARE games outside of GFWL that use it.
If the VRAM goes away when you launch a game it might be okay.Regarding the guide button and GFWL, I'm actually impressed Valve tested that situation. And by that I mean I assume they would have done a special case for it, since otherwise pressing it twice would presumably just make the Steam overlay steal both presses (or pass on both presses to the application).
Or maybe it works that way for all games that use the guide button...though I'm not sure if there ARE games outside of GFWL that use it.
Does your TV have overscan? Kind of looks like that's the issue there.
At least for the 600 series Nvidia cards, it's not enough to get the fan off 30 percent default. And the default is incredibly quiet on the non-reference cards.
jim-jam bongs
Member
my poor XBMC install is going to get really jealous
Cjdamon042
Member
I like how you make music when using the keyboard xD
lowrider007
Licorice-flavoured booze?
This would be good.
No d-pad support :-(, other than that really slick experience so far.
If you have an ati card you can set pre-sets which change with the press of whatever keyboard keys you want or a double click on a shortcut. I assume Nvidia has something similar. So far though I don't know of a way to automate the whole thing so one key press or opening of an application switches the monitors, Steam big picture, audio etc. I guess if you only have two audio inputs the audio won't be an issue because Windows will switch when one becomes deactivated. My problem is I have 3 audio inputs so it doesn't know how to deal with that.
RoadHazard
Gold Member
Screenshot?
And no. My TV is not overscanning. I'm not even running this on my TV right now, I'm running it on my laptop screen. And even if I was, could you please explain how a screenshot taken on my PC could possibly show my TV overscanning? A screenshot shows what the computer is rendering; the screen ultimately showing the result is completely irrelevant.
Haha, again, no. I can't believe people keep suggesting this. Come on, use your brains here people. This is a screenshot, not a photo of my screen.
TouchMyBox
Member
I'm hoping the plan for the near-future is to make "Community" in BPM not shitty. I want a really cool greenlight interface.
Zuhzuhzombie!!
Member
What's really gonna be funny is when Valve release the Steam STB with "Steam STB certified games" that work on the hardware and Steam is the only storefront allowed on the device.
Pressing the guide button might do it automatically from what people are saying. Or you can have a startup shortcut with "-bigpicture" I believe.
"C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\Steam.exe" -bigpicture
Oh, I didn't know if steam has a built in screen thing.
Anyways, my list drops down, not up. Did you try quitting steam and restarting? Seems like it's a little bug on your end.
Hellsing321
Member
Haven't updated yet but does anyone know if its possible to get BPM to automatically display on a second monitor when it starts up? I use my HDTV as an extended desktop and would prefer to have steam switch over to the HDTV whenever I hit the BPM button.
Solo Act
Member
This thing is awesome. I genuinely feel like I just got a new console and I've been on Steam for years. I have a question though. Would it be possible to do something to have Steam start in BP mode on computer startup? Like, I log into Windows, Steam goes right into BP mode like it's an Xbox going to the dashboard on startup. Is that kind of thing possible?
RoadHazard
Gold Member
My computer has a built-in "screen thing", it's called the PrtScr button. (Steam has one as well, F12, but it only works within games.)
But ok, thanks! That confirms it's just a bug affecting me for whatever reason. Restarting doesn't help.
I use Windows 8 so looks like the ATI control panel isn't out yet or something. I have a HD 4850 and I think they're abandoning support for that card (even though I can still max out pretty much everything, lol).
I just tried out CS:GO and it's awesome. I noticed that it resets the display settings, including advanced options, when you switch between monitors, which is kind of a pain.
Skyfireblaze
Member
Alright alright I'm no fan of fullscreen UIs but for a beta this is seriously very impressed, I'm amazed! 
Here is a quick run-down from me!
Things I like:
- The navigation is intuitive as it can be
- The text-input is amazing
- The browser navigation works well
- It's very fast and has the most important things ready
- Launching it with the HOME button even if Steam is minimized to the tray and Firefox is in focus
- Opening the overlay up with the HOME button
Bugs I encountered:
- Playing a Youtube video doesn't mute the ambient sounds
Personal wishes and dislikes:
- While the UI is slick and well designed it's way to dark and gloomy for my personal taste so I hope for extensive skin-support
- Make the right-stick adjust the pointer in the browser, so you use the left-stick to move the "canvas" like you do right now and you can just move the pointer with the right one to make fast, small adjustments
- Allow custom images for games in BPM mode
- Give the option to run BPM in a smaller, borderless window, yes I know this kind of defeats the purpose of BPM but I don't like fullscreen UIs though I still prefer BPM to the regular Steam UI and having the option for monitor users can't harm
Also am I the only one who thinks that the BPM start-animation has a similar feel like the Dreamcast one?
Here is a quick run-down from me!Things I like:
- The navigation is intuitive as it can be
- The text-input is amazing
- The browser navigation works well
- It's very fast and has the most important things ready
- Launching it with the HOME button even if Steam is minimized to the tray and Firefox is in focus
- Opening the overlay up with the HOME button
Bugs I encountered:
- Playing a Youtube video doesn't mute the ambient sounds
Personal wishes and dislikes:
- While the UI is slick and well designed it's way to dark and gloomy for my personal taste so I hope for extensive skin-support
- Make the right-stick adjust the pointer in the browser, so you use the left-stick to move the "canvas" like you do right now and you can just move the pointer with the right one to make fast, small adjustments
- Allow custom images for games in BPM mode
- Give the option to run BPM in a smaller, borderless window, yes I know this kind of defeats the purpose of BPM but I don't like fullscreen UIs though I still prefer BPM to the regular Steam UI and having the option for monitor users can't harm
Also am I the only one who thinks that the BPM start-animation has a similar feel like the Dreamcast one?
Dreamcast 2 made by Valve and SEGA! Just kidding 
RaySpencer
Member
So sad I can't use BPM and play darksiders 2, I get like 2fps for some reason
aw yea, posting in OP cuz so sexy
Haunted
Member
remove that very last bit and we've got a "Steam. believe." .gif winner right here.
add steam shortcut to c:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\
[this will launch it for ALL users]
Only native XInput controllers are supported now.* I guess your controller isn't one of those.
I'm hoping for DirectInput support in the future.
*although some people got PS3 controllers working through MotionInJoy
Paddling Ghost
Neo Member
Here's a youtube for the animation as well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeCMRBz6SJg
yea, can you crop out the end bit?
Hawk269
Member
The whole web-browswer thing is pretty lame if you ask me. It is cool if this was a console, but we are talking a PC. I already surf the web with my PC on my HDTV. All I do is set the text font to medium and/or high (cant remember which I use) and just use IE9 to surf the web, youtube, gooogle etc.
The Web-Browser built into Steam is not very good imho and not needed at all since your PC is alraedy capable of going to the web. I have been doing almost all my Web Surfing from my Rig since my Laptop took a shit and had no issues. Using the one within Steam seems like a major back-step for web browsing. It is clunky, the zoom is pretty screwed up (they should have a setting options where you can set he zoom level at start up).
But regardless of how good/bad the browser is...Why did they even take the time to do this? It is a PC or is this just part of the software that will go into a steambox system?
The Web-Browser built into Steam is not very good imho and not needed at all since your PC is alraedy capable of going to the web. I have been doing almost all my Web Surfing from my Rig since my Laptop took a shit and had no issues. Using the one within Steam seems like a major back-step for web browsing. It is clunky, the zoom is pretty screwed up (they should have a setting options where you can set he zoom level at start up).
But regardless of how good/bad the browser is...Why did they even take the time to do this? It is a PC or is this just part of the software that will go into a steambox system?
jediyoshi
Member
There is a 360 emulator for other gamepads that should probably work
http://code.google.com/p/x360ce/
Metalmurphy
Member
Why on earth did they decide using the analogue instead of the dpad for menu navigation? oO
Haunted
Member
Yeah, custom grid icons and d-pad navigation* are the two big ones for now.
*already fixed 40 minutes later!
Had this problem the very first time trying it. Restarting it fixed it and hasn't had a problem since then.Anytime I set it to big picture mode, Steam goes transparent. I click anything, the screen goes black, I click again, it freezes.
*already fixed 40 minutes later!
Browser is accessible directly from the game overlay, so it will be useful for some.