Question about HDMI in home streaming versus steam link

[klepp0906]

So.... ive loved, yet dealt with and waited for a means of 4k streaming to come along from the steam side. (apart from buying a new tv to replace my 6000 sony anytime soon).

I'm now down to two options, a shield tv which is undoubtedly close to suffering the same fate as the link, as from what i understand theyre already deprecating models - or using steam in home streaming i think its called? to go from my pc straight to my display.

I didnt know this existed, but apparently hdmi to ethernet converters exist? When i purchased my house, it was forclosed and half finished, and I was blessed with having most of the necessary walls either in need of replacement, or wide open. I took the opportunity to wire my entire house to all rooms with cat 6. This is all tied together with a managed switch in my basement.

Im unsure how these converters work, or if it would be practical, but I know running an hdmi cord from my pc upstairs all the way downstairs is not, as i cannot open up the walls again :P

Is doing an hdmi to ethernet converter > wall jack > router > wall jack > converter > hdmi to display a thing/possible?

[_I_]

no, they use cat5e+ cables to send the hdmi signal on ethernet cables
most are limited to 1080p
good ones also take 5-12v, and can transmit ir signal back to the source device

source device -> hdmi -> transmitter -> 1 or 2 cat5e+ cables -> receiver -> display device

the amazon desc on this one is wrong
https://www.amazon.com/UltraHD-Extender-Single-CAT6A-Uncompressed/dp/B07B3Y5RMX
limit is 100ft (30m), while cat5e gigabit lan can go 100m (330ft) per run
it does not use lan standadrs

if you wired the house for it, you can use a rj45 coupler to connect the lines for the transmitter and receiver to bypass the switch

[Xjph]

The converters are pretty basic and just send HDMI signalling directly through the CAT5/6 cable, essentially using it as an extension cord.

You can use them through existing in-home wiring, but you'll need to unplug the jacks used from your switch and patch them directly into each other. An ethernet switch would have no idea what to do with HDMI signals.

HDMI will be a bit more sensitive to signal attenuation though, so it's possible that a length that's fine for a network will be too long for HDMI over CAT6, but the only way to know for sure it to try.

Though the big problem with the HDMI over CAT6 idea is that you still need to connect peripherals somehow.

As for In-Home Streaming, that's exactly what the Link uses. The Link hardware is just one of several possible In-Home Streaming clients. You can install the Link app on most android devices (including, funnily enough, the Nvidia Shield), some Smart TVs, a Raspberry Pi, or just use the Steam desktop client on any PC.

[klepp0906]

hey, thank you for the reply!

so what your saying, in layman's terms - is if its under 100 feet it would technically work? but it could potentially only handle 1080p and wouldnt offer me any gain over a steam link apart from maybe lag i guess? (even though my steam link is already hardwired and performs very well).

im essentially trying to gain 4k streaming. So given the above options, ShieldTV vs steam link vs HDMI over ethernet - is the shield gonna be my best option it sounds like?

[Xjph]

You will 100% without question need to remove the switch from the connection for an HDMI-over-CAT6 extender to work. You are correct that yes, if it works, the quality will be better than in-home streaming or nvidia gamestream. Whether it's a worthwhile difference is a question of personal tolerance/taste.

Do you have a solution for connecting peripherals (controllers/mouse/keyboard) if you go with the HDMI extender?

[klepp0906]

ah - looks like we're missing eachothers replies :P

and yep, i totally overlooked that part. I dont think i would as my pc is upstairs and the bluetooth isnt going to reach that far, and as such likely isnt worth the trouble. So my choice was just made for me.

Looks like shieldTV steamlink app or bust if i want 4k. I really wish valve would put out an updated steam link with 4k support.

ive heard nothing but good about shieldtv but im a bit ocd and certainly wont be giving up using steam for my streaming so i wont be using gamestream or a bunch of the other stuff shield offers.

thank you for your time!

[Xjph]

If you install the Link app on a shield you'll still be using Steam, though I don't know if there's really a reason to as I've anecdotally heard that Gamestream typically gives better results at 4K.
(Unless you really like the Shield hardware and want to use it with an AMD graphics card...)

You could also just install the Link app on almost any 4K capable android based media player. Or use the Steam desktop client on any home theatre PC.

[klepp0906]

yea the shield is purely as a means to be able to stream via 4k while using steam big picture mode (ala the app). As i already have it set up and configured for the LOOOOOONG haul ideally :P (lots of games, controller configs etc)

Unless gamestream allows you to run steam big picture in the same fashion using the same configs/shortcuts etc. Dont know as Ive never owned/used one.

as for steam link app via other means, no bueno. I dont own any android tv's (one is a stupid expensive sony the year before hdr became a thing - running proprietary opera based garbage) and the other is a roku tv.

Up until now, theyve both used a steam link to stream - and a roku ultra/integrated roku effectively to stream everything outside of games.

none of the above has access to a steam link app. I even cosidered an apple 4k tv over the shield as I do own some apple devices as well, however apple cucked steam as far as the app goes as well.

so its shield, or home theater pc to get my >1080p gaming on, and im not building another pc/sorting that mess out when i can essentially unplug the steam link, and replace it with a shieldtv it looks like :P

[Xjph]

Yeah, sounds like the Shield might be your best bet. I've heard people have had success getting the Link app running on Amazon Fire sticks too, so that might be an option worth looking at. I have zero personal experience with it though.

edit: Looks like you can use Steam/Big Picture Mode directly via Gamestream, for what it's worth: https://nvidia.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/4389/~/how-do-i-access-steam-big-picture-on-shield-tv-for-gamestream
You just add Steam itself as a "game" to the Shield's list.

[klepp0906]

well, that at least gives me a second avenue to explore so to speak when i get the shield.

ill report back and let ya know how it goes as far as superiority/differences in a week or so.

thanks again!

[_I_]

or build a htpc, but either way the host pc needs to be good enough to stream 4k to it

cheapest capable would be a pentium g build using the intel hd for 4k
linux, steam os or windows can stream from the host pc