This is an automated archive.
The original was posted on /r/steamdeck by /u/darkknight1812 on 2023-08-18 07:25:56+00:00.
I have seen quite a few posts about using sunshine/moonshine for streaming, but one of the problems I have with that method of streaming is using the steam controller config for games without gamepad support (if someone has had success, please let me know). I have used the Steam Controller many years and I have made configurations for games without gamepad support (i.e. Guild Wars 2). I like to use Steam Remote Play (the "Stream" button in game mode") so I can use my configurations. However, I found out real quick that there are issues with artifacts (especially at the edges), lag, and stutter when using remote play in game mode.
After some investigation, I noticed that in game mode, the Steam Deck uses a hardware decoding method called "vaapi tiled hardware decoding", but in desktop mode and the steam link flatpack, the deck uses "vaapi drm hardware decoding" (). The streaming using the drm method is so much better than the tiled method, but I am not able to easily use my controller configurations again.
After turning hardware decoding on the steam deck in game mode (ensure HEVC is off too), I was able to produce a smooth streaming experience similar (if not better) to moonshine. I am also able to use my custom controller configurations without any issues. The battery life suffers slightly, but not as much as I was expecting (maybe 30 minutes less).