Can the Steam Deck/Machine also be used for streaming?

Submitted ⁨⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago⁩ by ⁨kapulsa@feddit.org⁩ to ⁨steamdeck@sopuli.xyz⁩

I’m looking for a combination of gaming and streaming on a smart TV. Because I don’t want the smart TV to connect to the internet and show ads or use AI companions, I’m looking for alternatives. Since small PCs are a good alternative to streaming boxes, I’m wondering, whether SteamOS can also do that? Or is it better to have two separate devices?

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BlackEco@lemmy.blackeco.com ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
If your only streaming “service” is Jellyfin, there is Switchfin, a client that was originally developed for rooted Nintendo Switch that has a pretty good controller-first interface. And once added in Steam, using it is pretty straightforward.

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Dunstabzugshaubitze@feddit.org ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
you can add various shortcuts of a browser pointing to a streaming service to your library, but depending on the service you might not be able to watch in HD.

a seperate android box would probably be the more comfortable option to access streaming services.

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- kapulsa@feddit.org ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  Thanks! My personal use case would mostly be YouTube (with adblock, maybe in browser or in separate app), some German TV stations, and some stuff from an external drive.
  
  Maybe I’ll try it with SteamOS first and get a separate box if it’s not sufficient. But the question could also be relevant to other people with other needs, too.
  
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  - TropicalDingdong@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    I added fire fox as a separate non steam app and it works fine, browser extensions and all.
    
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  - LeFrog@discuss.tchncs.de ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    There is also Televideo that you can use from Desktop Mode or directlty feom Steam after adding it to steam
    
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  - Dunstabzugshaubitze@feddit.org ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    in that case the browser short cuts should work fine, atleast ard and zdf don’t care about your os and browser, just configure the shortcuts so it launches in full screen and setup a controller profile to use it a controller as mouse and a way to bring up the virtual keyboard.
    
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dil@piefed.zip ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
If you use stremio + debrid yes

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- Psythik@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  This is the way.
  
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artyom@piefed.social ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
Yes and no. Steam Deck runs Linux and no streaming services make apps for Linux. You can run them in the browser but now you’ve got a KBM experience and you’re going to be limited to 720p.

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- sampao@lemmy.ml ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  You can also look into stremio. It has a flatpak
  
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- IceFoxX@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  Kodi etc.
  
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- kapulsa@feddit.org ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  Shouldn’t that also apply to Kodi (on Linux systems) and LibreElec?
  
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  - artyom@piefed.social ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    Shouldn’t what apply?
    
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  - ZoteTheMighty@lemmy.zip ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    Only for streaming. For local files through Kodi, you can get full resolution.
    
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aaravchen@lemmy.zip ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
If you mean standard streaming apps the answer is “sort of”. You can run them in a browser with significantly reduced quality, but that’s it. All the streaming services now require Widevine certification (Android) or the Apple equivalent and might list in the locked down Roku store. They themselves do not support anything better than minimally OK anywhere else.

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- Nalivai@lemmy.world ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  
  significantly reduced quality
  
  Is it that significant?
  
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  - hereiamagain@sh.itjust.works ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    4k to 720p is what I’d call a significant reduction.
    
    help.netflix.com/en/node/30081
    
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  - aaravchen@lemmy.zip ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    It depends how much you like 720 video with stero audio. You might get lucky and get 1080 video. I personally pay for and actively use the 4K Dolby Vision video with surround sound, but that’s actively blocked by the streaming services in a browser, even though I can stream it in a browser from my Jellyfin instance while traveling to another country on hotel WiFi without much of a problem.
    
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  - okr765@lemmy.okr765.com ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
    When plugged into a TV, yes.
    
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trevor@lemmy.blahaj.zone ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
Yes. I use SteamOS and Bazzite (I have multiple TVs with different computers for thus) as my sole streaming interfaces.

https://flathub.org/en/apps/com.github.iwalton3.jellyfin-media-player

https://github.com/aarron-lee/crunchyroll-linux

[github.com/aarron-lee/StreamingServiceLauncher](Multi-launcher for proprietary crap like Netflix, Hulu, etc.)

https://github.com/shy1132/VacuumTube

Just add those as “non-steam games” and you’re mostly good to go. For some apps, like Jellyfin, you need to enable keyboard navigation (a.k.a. “gamepad controls”)
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Mynameisallen@lemmy.zip ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
I mean if you’re willing to do keyboard and mouse, Kodi, Stremio, and Jellyfin all run great and would be lovely alternatives

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mushroomman_toad@lemmy.dbzer0.com ⁨2⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
I wonder if the work on waydroid for the steam frame will translate into being able to easily run Android apps like SmartTube from big picture mode.

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Xkok@midwest.social ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
I run my deck in desktop mode 90% of the time. You can intall the browser of your choice and stream. Netflix, hulu, disney, amazon, youtube all work normally. I recommend a wireless keyboard and mouse so you can run it from the comfort of your couch. You also need a dock to comnect the deck to the tv via hdmi but those are pretty plug and play.

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- Joelk111@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
  The Steam Controller is going to be an amazing way to navigate a desktop environment via the couch. I’m honestly as excited for it as the other hardware. The track pads are amazing.
  
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DarkAri@lemmy.blahaj.zone ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
I bought a little Bluetooth keyboard for my deck and I use it with my living room TV. It is okay. Pretty powerful for a streaming box. You can also stream games from another PC if you are inclined.

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BananaTrifleViolin@piefed.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
Yes but I wouldn’t recommend a Deck for streaming. The interface is geared for “on the go”. It’s great for gaming on the TV but it is a little clunky for streaming. You can open a browser and use that for streaming but it’s best done in Desktop mode. You can actually add Chrome as a custom “game” in Gamescope mode and set it up to launch a website like Netflix but I find it a little unreliable on filling the screen in that mode.

I do have a mini PC that I use for both gaming and streaming, and it works well. You can get something more powerful than the SteamDeck (as it doesn’t need a screen nor to be mobile), and put pretty much any desktop on there. I personally use KDE with a remote keyboard and mouse, but if you want prefer a full screen interface, then probably Kodi is your best bet. For streaming you can add a Browser Launcher plugin to launch Firefox or Chrome, so you can run Netflix etc. But a mouse & keyboard is still probably needed as an interface.

HDR viewing is an issue on Linux devices currently though. It’s improving but can be hit and miss depending on hardware and software.

There are also other TV interfaces coming - like KDE Plasma’s Bigscreen; but it’s got a way to go as it’s only recently been resurrected.

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TachyonTele@piefed.social ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
I have firefox installed on my deck, and added to my library as a non steam game. Then just use the browser as normal.

There are grid, logo, and hero images you can use to make it look fitting for your library at SteamGridDB.com

I’m like 50/50 using a wireless mouse, and using my controller for the browser. They both work fine.

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IceFoxX@lemmy.world ⁨3⁩ ⁨weeks⁩ ago
Let’s take raspberry as an example. You would install a suitable OS for multimedia on it. You would place it behind your TV and connect it via HDMI. For convenience, you would not disconnect the raspi but consider it as one setup. So you can also do it with a Steam Deck (you just have to remember that it is immutable before making any changes), but is that what you want?

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