Frame Loss Only on 4K Resolution on Shield

[Evil Dead Pixel]

I've been using Gamestream until Nvidia decided not to add titles like Resident Evil 2 and Metro Exodus. I tried using the Steam Gamestream app and that seems to work fairly well but trying the Steam Link app I've noticed I get massive frame loss when putting the resolution at 3840x2160. It then drops to ZERO when in 1440. My PC and Shield are connected via Ethernet directly to my router. This does not happen to the same titles when using the Steam Gamestream app. Anyone else seeing this behavior on the Shield?

Thanks.

[Balderick]

Switch In Home Streaming off in Steam client when using Gamestream and switch Gamestream off when using In Home Streaming.

Switch all other DVR or screen capture applications like windows 10 games bar OFF too.

Just make sure the streaming app you are using is the only active app that can do that.

For me IHS and Steam Link App massively out perform Gamestream on Shield TV. Gamestream has been unusable for two years for me, I never use GFN either. Think all the talented devs at Nvidia are working on RoboTaxis, Shield p!atform feels neglected.

I mean why are Nvidia beta testing a 1080p@60 fps cloud gaming service when they could be showcasing a 4K@144hz cloud gaming service deploying Tesla T4 GPU Accelerators with Quadro RTX drivers for vGPU to deliver RTX content streamed from the cloud?

Steam IHS on screen stats should help you debug what is causing those dropped frames, it almost certainly "slow display" ...

Not sure if a GeForce Now Ready Router can help you out so that you can mànage local network traffic as well as easily prioritise devices and applications though your internet connection is probably biggest limitation for remote streaming when using 4K stream capture.

I use Shadow on Shield TV for all my gaming needs and wants, use nothing but 4K stream capture.

[klepp0906]

did you ever fix this? same exact issue. 4k great with gamestream but a hot mess with steam link app :(

[Evil Dead Pixel]

Originally posted by klepp0906:

did you ever fix this? same exact issue. 4k great with gamestream but a hot mess with steam link app :(

Sadly I did not. I gave up and use the Steam Gamestream app. Works perfectly in 4K. Regarding the Steam Link app, it has to be a issue in the app itself. I know my network is perfectly fine.

[klepp0906]

the only reason I'm not doing it your way, is I use the steam controller exclusively more or less. As far as i know it will only work with the steam link app.

looks like i blew a few hundred bucks on several shields for nothing now. Still stuck streaming at <4k.

Disappointed doesnt cover it.

Thanks for getting back. Saves me from doing a bunch of fruitless troubleshooting :P

[Evil Dead Pixel]

Ah, I hear you. If you ever come across a solution please let me know. I will do the same. Thanks.

[Rubber Johnny]

there are latency issues right now within the app. I see it every time i play a very old game that should have no trouble like ff7. Because of this you will get frame drops. Sometime severe depending on the network connection. Until they smooth out network issues in the app you will have frame rate issues. I could spend the evening diagnosing the problem for you but it really would be a waste of time. You can always try yourself by logging into your router and monitoring the packet losses and figuring out whether its client side or server side. Ive noticed even though you are streaming to your device both devices maintain a constant connection with steam.
If you are playing multiplayer games you will have 2 devices sending the same amount of data.
This is where latency issues come up. You can have the best computer in the world. But if your mobile device has low specs you will get lag, frame drops etc. Latency issues will come up with mobile devices until companies like samsung upgrade their wifi hardware. Mobile devices are not geared towards long term gaming.
This is the hurdle valve is overcoming atm. Optimizing a game platform made for pc to mobile devices.
It will take some time. Give them a year or two and im sure this will be working as intended.

[klepp0906]

yea i mean - its not on mobile, its on a shield tv, from a pc. an 8700k + 2080ti PC on a gigabit wired end to end connection.

gamestream plays 4k flawless. 60fps ez pz im new to shield so no idea how to bring up monitoring stats, but its night and day. It plays at 4k like steam link does at 2k (which is fine, but not what i bought the shield for).

Its my understanding that the red line in steam has to do with the encode or decode? as thats what is super high and jumping all over the place causing frame loss.

Someone else had mentioned that gamestream uses h265 compression, whereas steam link is still using h264?

[Evil Dead Pixel]

Originally posted by klepp0906:

yea i mean - its not on mobile, its on a shield tv, from a pc. an 8700k + 2080ti PC on a gigabit wired end to end connection.

gamestream plays 4k flawless. 60fps ez pz im new to shield so no idea how to bring up monitoring stats, but its night and day. It plays at 4k like steam link does at 2k (which is fine, but not what i bought the shield for).

Its my understanding that the red line in steam has to do with the encode or decode? as thats what is super high and jumping all over the place causing frame loss.

Someone else had mentioned that gamestream uses h265 compression, whereas steam link is still using h264?

See it has to be the Steam Link app itself. I used the Steam Link app prior to my current issues with no issues playing games in 4K. It was only until a more recent update I began having issues.

[klepp0906]

yea, i really dont know. I hope thats the case because if it is, it means a fix is going to happen at some point.

the fact gamestream can knock out 60fps 4k witcher 3 on ultra is proof the shield hardware is up to the task. Steam link app is for some reason above my paygrade, ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ the bed :(

No knock on valve, i truly wish they had put out 4k steam link hardware as I wouldnt have purchased the shield(s). Still - the app is the next best thing, if it'll eventually work anyhow ;p

[klepp0906]

so i pulled up the debug overlay with gamestream last night. It showed me as a solid 4k60 which I could tell, and showed it using 30-70mb (of my gigabit) wired connection depending on what was going on.

conversely - ive set steam link app at auto bitrate, 30, ulimited, all with the same results. juddery mess with >20% frameloss (but 0 packet loss). Ive tried both nvenc and nvfbc, both fullscreen and windowed.

results always the same. I have screenshots of the overlay, with lack of responses i dont imagine they'll be of any use anyhow.

The red line is always substantially higher than the rest and jumpy. Unfortunately I cant get any breakdown of gamestream other than loss and bitrate but if i had to guess ;p


the TLDR is - Is there really nobody else on these forums using the shield tv steam link app to stream (or try to stream) 4k to their tv?

I need to know if this is some kind of configuration thing thats limited solely to that app - or an issue with the app and 4k itself that will be addressed.

steam link app IS the reason I purchased 2 shield tv's ><

[Balderick]

You tried switching off Gamestream in GFE on host pc,, and signing out of Nvidia Gamefs Hub on Shield TV?

Switching off Gamestream can help Steam Anywhere performance.


4K game streaming is a bad joke if you do not have high refresh rate 4K monitor, games simply run better with 1440p stream capture.

Maybe, just not using 4K stream capture is best alternative.

[klepp0906]

yes i did try turning off gamestream, no difference. Not using steam anywhere though - steam link app to stream from host pc to shieldtv. AKA stream capture as you alluded to.

I do have a 4k monitor, and a 4k tv.

It runs amazing, id go so far to say flawless over gamestream. Just reaaaally no comparison via steam link and im trying to understand why.

I wish a dev could hop in and explain whats different? Considering both clients are powered by the same host, and the same device on both ends.

[Evil Dead Pixel]

Originally posted by klepp0906:

yes i did try turning off gamestream, no difference. Not using steam anywhere though - steam link app to stream from host pc to shieldtv. AKA stream capture as you alluded to.

I do have a 4k monitor, and a 4k tv.

It runs amazing, id go so far to say flawless over gamestream. Just reaaaally no comparison via steam link and im trying to understand why.

I wish a dev could hop in and explain whats different? Considering both clients are powered by the same host, and the same device on both ends.

The only thing we can do is wait for another update to the app. Like I mentioned previously, it did work fine in 4K. Sadly it doesn't appear anyone from Valve will reply to this thread.

[klepp0906]

so you used it in the past and it was flawless? and an app update broke it? Same game(s) same hardware on the ends etc?

Like i said im brand new to the shield and steam link app so 0 history to draw on

[Evil Dead Pixel]

Originally posted by klepp0906:

so you used it in the past and it was flawless? and an app update broke it? Same game(s) same hardware on the ends etc?

Like i said im brand new to the shield and steam link app so 0 history to draw on

Yup, I have 3 Shields in my house. One of the older models and 2 of the latest ones. I switched over from a physical Steam Link due to the 1080p limitation when the app became available. Worked fine. I noticed the issue with Resident Evil 2 and thought it was odd and possibly the game itself. Started trying other games in my library that did work in the past only now they have the same issue in 4K. 1440 works just fine though.