Steam Link on Apple TV 4K with PS4 Controller doesn't work

[nanite2000]

I downloaded the Steam Link App on to my Apple TV 4K because I thought it would be fun to play some games with my son. However, it was a frustrating waste of time because Apple TV, Steam Link, and PS4 controllers do not really work together.

These are the problems I encountered:

1. Apple TV 4K does not properly support PS4 controllers - you cannot disconnect and reconnect them. They must be paired anew every time you want to use them.
   Successfully pairing a PS4 controller breaks the Apple TV Remote Control.
   
2. You cannot connect more than one PS4 controller to the Apple TV 4k at a time. Although it allows you to connect multiple controllers, only 1 stays functional (see https://discussions.apple.com/thread/252825761).
   
3. Apple TV doesn't offer a way to distinguish one controller from another. There are instructions to rename the controller via another device (see https://discussions.apple.com/thread/252801947), but they didn't work on my Apple TV.
   
4. If you get the PS4 controller working on Apple TV, it is unreliable, with buttons randomly sticking and/or not responding.
   
5. Button prompts/hints within games will only ever show XBox controller prompts - showing PS4 button prompts over Steam Link are not supported, even if you explicitly configure Steam to use *only* a PS4 controller configuration (see https://www.reddit.com/r/Steam_Link/comments/g13eme/ds4_and_steam_link_button_prompt_problem/).
   
6. Connecting to your PC with Steam Link requires you to enter your Windows password to unlock it every time (see https://steamcommunity.com/app/353380/discussions/0/3727324491571232757/). You can do this using an on-screen keyboard provided by Steam Link, but it's pretty unreliable - a lot of the time I can't even select the option to login with a password, let alone enter the actual password.
   But Steam Link doesn't even remember the password anyway, so... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

In summary, playing Steam Link on Apple TV is very much a Beta experience, further hampered by Apple's unreliable support for PS4 controllers.

I'm going to try a pair of XBox controllers to see if that eliminates the first 5 problems listed above, but I'm keen to hear other people's experiences with similar setups...?

[_I_]

link apple tv subforum
https://steamcommunity.com/app/353380/discussions/7/

[Balderick]

I found xbox one controller to be only controller to work like expected with Steam Link on android with usb cable.

Steam Controller is unusable and doesnt work with virtualhere for link. Gen 3 xbone controler Thrustmaster eSwap X Pro is even less functional and doesnt work with virtualhere for link.

Steam Input and Steam UI has been optimised for Deck controls. Valve have made Steam so Deck centric it has broken all other supported controller types.

Your PS4 controllers being detected by Steam Input as a xbox device is a bug caused by Steam Remote Play/Steam Links virtual gamepad driver. We used to be able to define layout and save as ps type controller on host pc to fix on screen button prompts for PS type controllers. But we can no longer do this when using virtual gamepad driver provided by Valve. Defining Layout is also how we used to be able to fix bad controller layouts like right stick not working like expected or buttons being detected in wrong place set by Steam Link app client side. i.e. fix it host side

These issues with all controller types has been massive issue for more than six months now and Valve just keep piling more and more Deck centric stuff on top to cause more and more convulated controller bugs.