In-Home Streaming could be the feature most likely to kick-off SteamOS adoption. This functionality brings existing PCs to televisions without requiring the user to actually bring the box to their living room. Likewise, to justify purchasing a SteamOS behemoth, it seems likely to me that Valve will allow streaming back to Steam client from Steam Machines.
Video Credit: Devin Watson (Youtube)
Obviously the catalog of Windows games is the most obvious usage for In-Home Streaming but, in some years, maintaining just one high-end computer might dominate.
We will soon find out more about how it works. Valve has just allowed the first wave of development partners (and apparently many others) to the In-Home Streaming closed beta. Youtube videos are already beginning to leak out, or not-leak out depending on the NDA if one exists, which show it in action. The video, embedded above, is of a Lenovo T410 with an Intel Core i5 and integrated graphics streaming DayZ over Wireless-G. It looks pretty good at, they claim, without any noticeable lag.
The floodgates are open. Now, we wait with our umbrellas.
This, if works as intented,
This, if works as intented, will make this #1. To be able to use a desktop or laptop that is several years old and play modern games such as Battlefield 4. All these games would see an increase as more and more people would be able to play them. Plus not having to worry, will my $400 build work, can I play, will it play,…. *crosses fingure* I look forward to this…
This already doesn’t work as
This already doesn’t work as intended, This still requires a PC that can send the video to the steam machine/tv etc. Your thinking like the PS4 streaming where they, on their end, do the crunching of data then send it to you I think, this is not like that, so no a old computer wont be any good unless you are just going to receive the data of another computer in your house that can handle it. If thats what you meant then disregard this.
This is pretty freakin
This is pretty freakin badass.
The first thing PCPer should
The first thing PCPer should do when they get a crack at it is frame rate this thing. Over ‘Wireless-G’ It’s probably running at 30FPS – that’s pretty much all anyone gets in DayZ though…
Over ethernet I imagine it could be quite compelling though, the NVIDIA Shield now delivers 1080p60 in some games over ethernet.
I’m interested to see what kind of devices they come out with, if they could come up with a cheap Chromecast like dongle that works with their Steam controller that would be cool. Unfortunately it’s far more likely to be another box you sit below your TV (probably Tegra, a la NVIDIA Shield).
Actually, that’s the thing
Actually, that's the thing with SteamOS: who is stopping you?
Sure, the minimum requirements are currently difficult to stick into a Raspberry Pi or Chromecast form factor but it probably could be done and, if not, will be possible soon. When it is, I am sure someone will "Yolo" and make it.
I just hope it works well
I just hope it works well through a virtual machine. I’d really like to be able to hook up my wife’s mac laptop with VMWare without having to buy extra hardware.
Hey guys I was invited to
Hey guys I was invited to beta test steams In Home streaming and its very cool I can’t tell you how nice it is to be able to play all my game in practically in room in my house its freaking awesome!! I Also figured out a was to use In home streaming with non steam applications and games here is a video I made showing what I did to make it work. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PhhzK-1E49o