Home Gaming Steam in-home streaming available to all

Steam in-home streaming available to all

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inhomestreaming

I was in the Steam in-home streaming beta, and it was like a glimpse in to the future. Naturally, it had mixed results and is entirely dependent on your home network, but i was able to stream my steam games from my desktop, to my underpowered laptop connected to my TV, and have it all be rather playable. It’s now out of beta, so you all get to try it too!

Valve announced the news yesterday, saying that they’ve opened the gates to all and sundry..

In-Home Streaming, a new feature of Steam, is now released to all users. Players who have multiple computers at home can immediately take advantage of the new feature. When you log into Steam on two computers on the same network, they automatically connect, allowing you to remotely install, launch, and play games as though you were sitting at the remote PC.

Steam In-Home Streaming allows you to play your PC games on lower-end computers such as a laptop or home theater PC, or a computer running another operating system such as OS X, SteamOS, or Linux.

When you play a game using In-Home Streaming, video and audio are sent through your home network from your high-end gaming PC to another device in your home. From here, your keyboard, mouse, and controller input is sent back to the remote computer.

So yes, it’s windows only at the moment, but it’ll be coming to everything else later – including that Steam-powered set-top boxes that nobody really has any faith in.

Here’s how to set it up – and it’s easy peasy.

  1. Log into Steam on your Windows* PC
  2. Log into Steam on another computer on the same network
  3. Visit your Steam library to start streaming between them
  4. Enjoy the magic.

You can even stream non Steam games, but that’s not officially supported. Those sporting a PlayStation 4 and a Vita already know that this sort of thing can work rather well, though it is of course all rather situation dependent. If you have a laptop lying about, or a weaker HTPC under your TV, give it a whirl.

Last Updated: May 22, 2014

95 Comments

  1. Admiral Chief in Space

    May 22, 2014 at 07:47

    Ahhhhh, glorious!

    Good Guy Steam 🙂

    Kinda makes the SteamMachine obsolete now eh?

    Reply

    • Jedi JJ

      May 22, 2014 at 09:02

      Steam Machine? Is that like a gaming Clothes Iron?
      Pah!

      Reply

  2. Admiral Chief in Space

    May 22, 2014 at 07:58

    Wish I had that controller to test out though :/

    Reply

    • Hammersteyn

      May 22, 2014 at 08:14

      Lemme know if you do get one and when you play LFD2. Wanna see how you snipe me then.

      Reply

      • Admiral Chief in Space

        May 22, 2014 at 08:16

        Hahaha, still think it will be easier than a normal controller

        Reply

    • Jedi JJ

      May 22, 2014 at 09:02

      Just gave away one of my old ones. Plus, you know, you’re all the way over there in no-man’s land. 😉

      Reply

      • Admiral Chief in Space

        May 22, 2014 at 09:19

        No, was referring to the Steam Controller, the one with the touch tab things

        Reply

        • Jedi JJ

          May 22, 2014 at 09:21

          Oh. Yes. Would love to have one, but that thing’s going to be pricey, no doubt.
          On a side note. Have you done the family sharing of your Steam Library? My gf and I are doing it. Works like a charm.

          Reply

          • Admiral Chief in Space

            May 22, 2014 at 09:24

            Not yet, no, still ALL BY MYYYYYSEEEEEELLLLLLF

          • Jedi JJ

            May 22, 2014 at 09:25

            LOL
            She’s giving New Vegas a try now. Seems to love it so far. Will probably buy it for her sometime, then all her saves just transfers over to her own game. Pretty darn cool.

          • Admiral Chief in Space

            May 22, 2014 at 09:26

            Yeah, I wanna play hardcore mode on that, but I sunk over 100 hrs into that, not yet in the mood to replay again

          • Jedi JJ

            May 22, 2014 at 09:28

            I get that. Want to give it another playthrough myself sometime too, but not yet feeling it.

          • Admiral Chief in Space

            May 22, 2014 at 09:33

            ALMOST started jamming Skyrim again last night, but I want to start new game with the extra DLC (still need to buy that….)

          • Jedi JJ

            May 22, 2014 at 09:36

            Yes. Dude. Get the DLC first. Dawnguard adds gargoyles. And Don’t even get me started on Solstheim. Very much worth it. Put another 80hrs into it recently and still going.

          • Alien Emperor Trevor

            May 22, 2014 at 09:36

            Wait until the next sale & get the Legendary Edition. Did that over xmas & it was cheaper to get it than the DLCs separately.

          • Admiral Chief in Space

            May 22, 2014 at 09:37

            Indeed, that’s the plan

  3. RinceofFuturePast

    May 22, 2014 at 08:06

    Nice idea. Who would use it though? Thought the main thing PC Masterbaters made was they get to sit right in front of their PC with their superior FPS mouse? Why would you want to sit playing on a lower spec computer?

    Reply

    • Hammersteyn

      May 22, 2014 at 08:13

      LOL Masterbaters, maybe to be skelm? If wife or spouse rages over their game time they can slip into the loo with their laptop for a bit of DOTA and to um………masteryouknow

      Reply

      • RinceofFuturePast

        May 22, 2014 at 08:16

        Really not sure 🙂 Thought if you wanted to do this you bought a console…

        Reply

        • Admiral Chief in Space

          May 22, 2014 at 08:17

          That is just the point, if you were so inclined to park on the couch then you would be able to do so, not having to buy a silly console additionally.

          Reply

          • RinceofFuturePast

            May 22, 2014 at 08:19

            Which is why I ask, because when the stupid argument about PC vs Console comes up, all the PC Masterbaters say they can do this already.

          • Admiral Chief in Space

            May 22, 2014 at 08:32

            Ummm, because its already possible? Not sure what you are trying to say here dude

          • RinceofFuturePast

            May 22, 2014 at 08:34

            That is what I am saying, it is already possible. However, now people are saying ‘now we don’t need consoles’. Nothing has changed, but they act as if this now bridges a huge gap that the PC had, which it doesn’t.

          • Admiral Chief in Space

            May 22, 2014 at 08:36

            I think you misunderstand, yes it was possible, but now its even easier to do so!

          • RinceofFuturePast

            May 22, 2014 at 08:37

            I get that. It’s the ‘oh the novelty’ that I am commenting on. My brother has been doing this for the last 2 years 😛

          • Admiral Chief in Space

            May 22, 2014 at 08:37

            Still, it’s quite cool for them doing this, seeing as Steam is free and all 😛

          • RinceofFuturePast

            May 22, 2014 at 08:38

            Yeah. And when MS offered this to us console players, we laughed our arses off. Fuck surface 🙂

          • Admiral Chief in Space

            May 22, 2014 at 08:42

            [points at my posterior]
            I GOT YOUR “SURFACE” RIGHT HERE MS

          • Weanerdog

            May 22, 2014 at 10:07

            It means that now if you are inclined towards the PC route you could now also enjoy the ideology of the console when the mood takes you.

          • Jedi JJ

            May 22, 2014 at 09:06

            We can do so much more than just this. Though I’m sure Trevor has already shown you more than you can handle.

    • Mossel

      May 22, 2014 at 08:19

      Because sometimes, just sometimes, we would like to sit in the living room with your big ass tv and jam a game with a controller without actually buying a console. That is if your pc isn’t already in the living room.

      Reply

      • RinceofFuturePast

        May 22, 2014 at 08:21

        I get that, but for the past few years when console people have said this is why we like consoles PC people reply with ‘we can do that too!’

        Reply

        • Hammersteyn

          May 22, 2014 at 08:25

          I remember this, Steam big picture was it? Also fly you fool. The masterapes are after you.
          http://d24w6bsrhbeh9d.cloudfront.net/photo/anYZxon_460sa.gif

          Reply

        • Mossel

          May 22, 2014 at 08:25

          Indeed and now it has been made easier! You can leave your gaming pc in your study and when you feel like playing in the living room you can simply stream it. That’s all there really is to it. But I’m not sure if I will ever use it, I tend to like sitting in my little corner playing games where no one can disturb me. #foreversp

          Reply

          • RinceofFuturePast

            May 22, 2014 at 08:26

            lol. No, I totally get what you are saying which is why I was asking. I can’t imagine Trevor wanting to play in his living room when he can in his cave.

          • Mossel

            May 22, 2014 at 08:29

            But for certains games it will actually be cool. I might use it with Rocksmith, sounds like it could be fun!

          • RinceofFuturePast

            May 22, 2014 at 08:30

            Not GTAV? Too soon? 0-O

          • Mossel

            May 22, 2014 at 08:33

            pfff, everyone knows GTA IV was the best!

          • Admiral Chief in Space

            May 22, 2014 at 08:34

            I’ll let you know, once I play it from the backlog 😛

          • Mossel

            May 22, 2014 at 08:35

            lol I only downloaded it last week! Also still need to play it. I was just trolling or crying or whatever.

          • Admiral Chief in Space

            May 22, 2014 at 08:36

            Yeah, I need to finish Diablo 3 RoS and then pick one from the backlog, and I think I need to play either Blood Dragon or BSI

          • Mossel

            May 22, 2014 at 08:40

            BSI!! Do it.

          • RinceofFuturePast

            May 22, 2014 at 08:40

            Blood Dragon! You will not be disappointed!

          • RinceofFuturePast

            May 22, 2014 at 08:39

            hehe

          • Jedi JJ

            May 22, 2014 at 09:10

            Sleeping Dogs works fine for me.

          • RinceofFuturePast

            May 22, 2014 at 09:16

            Awesome game.

          • Jedi JJ

            May 22, 2014 at 09:18

            Want to give it another playthrough sometime actually.

          • Alien Emperor Trevor

            May 22, 2014 at 08:52

            I can imagine it. It’s horrible. Back to the happy place!

          • RinceofFuturePast

            May 22, 2014 at 08:52

            HAHAHA! 🙂

        • Jedi JJ

          May 22, 2014 at 09:09

          I think it’s a convenience thing. This just makes it much easier and more accessible to those pc gamers that felt it too much effort to go through the trouble to set it up themselves. Since I’ve moved I haven’t bothered to get mine up again, but with this I will probably.

          Reply

    • Kyratic

      May 22, 2014 at 08:24

      Any self respecting member of the master race, already has a pc wired up to their TV. We log on to it once every now and then to remind ourselves of what its like to be a dirty console peasant.

      Reply

      • RinceofFuturePast

        May 22, 2014 at 08:24

        Yeah, so valve is offering the PC Masterbaters something that they’ve been able to do, with ‘effort’ and now it’s easier, it’s suddenly a thing! I LULZ

        Reply

        • Kyratic

          May 22, 2014 at 08:27

          So valve is trying to unify the two races? bring consoles and PC’s together? oh god, what happens when the peons realize that their consoles are computers too…

          Reply

          • RinceofFuturePast

            May 22, 2014 at 08:28

            Madness! Next you’ll be saying that PC Masterbaters will get games the same time as dirty peasant console players!

          • Hammersteyn

            May 22, 2014 at 08:50

            Plus games like RDR from Rocsktar will get to PC within four weeks from releasing on console not four years.

          • RinceofFuturePast

            May 22, 2014 at 08:52

            Well, one hopes. I don’t think it’s just a matter of the coding to port that holds it up. Think it’s licences and that oft player ‘piracy’ card that also gets in the way.

        • Weanerdog

          May 22, 2014 at 10:08

          But now you can actually play games on a mac.

          Reply

          • RinceofFuturePast

            May 22, 2014 at 10:12

            Shhh, don’t let Zoe hear!

      • Hammersteyn

        May 22, 2014 at 08:27

        I like being called dirty, I’m such a dirty,dirty peasant

        Reply

        • Alien Emperor Trevor

          May 22, 2014 at 08:50

          In need of a spanking? Wait, what? Nothing to see here. Move along.

          Reply

          • RinceofFuturePast

            May 22, 2014 at 08:51

            There you are. Was getting worried, the @Admiral_Chief:disqus wanted me to call you too 0-O

          • Hammersteyn

            May 22, 2014 at 09:10

            Hahahaha

          • Jedi JJ

            May 22, 2014 at 09:12

            *silently steps away*

      • Mossel

        May 22, 2014 at 08:32

        I connected my pc to my tv the other day. After about 30min I unplugged it! Dunno if my tv just sucks, but everything looked horrible! I should buy a better GPU! O_O

        Reply

        • Kyratic

          May 22, 2014 at 08:36

          Even if your resolution is the same on both its going to look a lot worse on a tv unless you stand fairly far back. Even good TV’s display quality is meh compared to a mid range monitor.

          Reply

          • Mossel

            May 22, 2014 at 08:43

            So here’s a question: What looks better? A high end gaming pc connected to a tv or a console on the exact same tv?

          • Alex Hicks

            May 22, 2014 at 09:30

            I can answer that – A console looks fine on a TV. That’s how the output was designed. On a high end PC, the game is coded to output to a monitor with all that entails.

            HDMI has narrowed the gap; but not closed it; and a digital output is capable of producing more.

            That said – I have an ancient netbook with a crappy 10″ display (max 800×600 res) hooked up to my TV and the on board card is capable of pushing out 1080p through the PC monitor out. Plays my movie library just great via XBMC. My main PC can also connect to my TV (this time via HDMI); but I need a magnifying glass to view the desktop icons.

    • Skyblue

      May 22, 2014 at 08:43

      The lower spec PC doesn’t do any of the grunt work as your primary still does that. It’s the same principle as the Wii U controllers and works very well. I can stream top end games all cranked up like Skyrim to my laptop and they work perfectly. It essentially turns your Steam library into a console format for games that you use a controller with and want to play in your lounge.
      I’ve tested with wired connections and Wi-fi and both work extremely well.

      Reply

      • Admiral Chief in Space

        May 22, 2014 at 08:44

        Is there a big difference on the WiFi vs wired?

        Reply

        • Skyblue

          May 22, 2014 at 08:46

          Only when the kids are busy on their phones :-p
          Wi-fi works perfectly but obviously you need the limited bandwidth totally free or you will experience stuttering.

          Reply

          • RinceofFuturePast

            May 22, 2014 at 08:48

            Was just going to ask. No dropping or anything? And I do think this is a cool feature.

          • Skyblue

            May 22, 2014 at 08:52

            I haven’t experienced any dropping on wi-fi, only stuttering every time Dropbox feels like syncing. I was very impressed with the results as there is hardly any input lag.
            Now if Steam will let me loan my games to my friends, it will be the perfect platform.

          • RinceofFuturePast

            May 22, 2014 at 08:53

            I thought you could do this already?

          • Skyblue

            May 22, 2014 at 08:55

            In a fashion. They can log in and access your games but they can’t play any of your games if you’re playing a game on Steam apparently. I’ve only just set this up for my boys so I’ll know more after testing it out for a bit.

            EDIT” it’s the Steam Family setting

          • RinceofFuturePast

            May 22, 2014 at 08:56

            Ah. Was going to say, cus when the vitriol over the Xbox One not allowing you to do this I didn’t see PC plods raging too.

          • Skyblue

            May 22, 2014 at 08:59

            Very different markets. Consoles are regarded as family entertainment whereas PC’s predominantly have a single owner/user.

          • RinceofFuturePast

            May 22, 2014 at 09:06

            Totally agree 🙂

    • Weanerdog

      May 22, 2014 at 10:05

      The idea will only work if the steam controller is all that and a bag of chips, in which case I can sit in my lounge* and play a new a glorious RTS* on my 65 Inch 4k TV* while it streams seamlessly from my uber gaming rig*

      *These items still need to be purchased

      Reply

    • Uberutang

      May 22, 2014 at 12:04

      Well previously you had to move a hdmi cable to a tv port to do this. Now you just click on a button. So this just makes gaming games on your tv easier than before. draadloos.

      Reply

    • R4ziel

      May 22, 2014 at 15:03

      Well its not all about playing with your high end gear that is the appeal here. I like to watch Dota games live, and the laptop connected to my PC that serves as a Media centre is not nearly powerful enough to actually run Dota, so im restricted to twitch streaming which is not always the best video quality, not close to actually being in dota.
      So now I can easily use the laptop to stream from my gaming PC to the tv, without requiring extra HDMI cables and such.
      If you wanted to play games that arent hardcore FPS and you can do that while relaxing a bit, then why not?

      Reply

      • RinceofFuturePast

        May 22, 2014 at 15:09

        Now THAT is a very good point and I think you are the first to bring that up!

        Reply

  4. Hammersteyn

    May 22, 2014 at 08:15

    Nice to see Steam evolving their services constantly.

    Reply

    • Admiral Chief in Space

      May 22, 2014 at 08:33

      Aye

      Reply

  5. Umar_Zero

    May 22, 2014 at 08:27

    Pretty cool. Wouldn’t mind streaming Goat Stimulator on my Atom netbook

    Reply

    • Admiral Chief in Space

      May 22, 2014 at 08:33

      LOLZ

      Reply

  6. Galbedir

    May 22, 2014 at 08:27

    Tested this out last night, its glorious! My PC sits in my room, doing its awesome thing, and I have my lower range laptop connected to my huge TV with controller and wireless keyboard and mouse…my i3 with onboard graphics card ran some pretty awesome looking games…I’d use this mainly for some Street fighter/Mortal Kombat multiplayer in the lounge when friends come over.

    Reply

    • Exalted Overlord Geoffrey Tim

      May 22, 2014 at 08:49

      the input lag for fighters/shooters can be iffy, unless you have your network really well tuned.

      Reply

      • Alex Hicks

        May 22, 2014 at 09:36

        Be interested in this element of it. Precision gaming, like what is required for shooters, could be hamstrung by even a minuscule input lag.

        My wired network runs via CAT6 cable from my PC to a gigabit switch directly along a CAT5e to my laptop next to the TV. The router is connected to the same switch, but by a longer length of CAT5e. I should be able to push 100 Mbps through there easily enough, right?

        Reply

        • Admiral Chief in Space

          May 22, 2014 at 09:37

          Depends where the router is located, if its gigabit between PC and LT, you should get more

          Reply

          • Alex Hicks

            May 22, 2014 at 09:45

            Yeah, for some reason the connection between PC and LT should be capable for Gbps; but can’t seem to sustain it. I suspect that the connection between router and PC will determine online ping etc; but shouldn’t affect Steam’s streaming service.

          • Admiral Chief in Space

            May 22, 2014 at 10:03

            Well, if you have 100mb internet (which I highly doubt 🙂 then it won’t really matter

  7. Arianna Nora

    May 22, 2014 at 10:04

    my hot favorite is http://bit.ly/Sd4eos

    The Xbox One, The PlayStation 4. who wants to play

    Reply

  8. Arianna Nora

    May 22, 2014 at 10:31

    The hotest and latest technology according to movies…http://bit.ly/1gmoBKz

    Reply

  9. DrKiller

    May 22, 2014 at 12:07

    I wonder what the chances are to get SteamOS on the Xbox… hmmm…

    Reply

  10. KB

    May 22, 2014 at 15:24

    Any guys playing in the Hearthbattles tourney tonight??? Come on Lazygamer (I think it was Gavin)… Maybe you should let the Asian try… ;p

    Reply

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