Confused: Why stream from device A to B instead of just using device A?

[Aelius]

I'm very tech savvy and have been PC gaming for very many years and I just cannot wrap my mind around what need Steam In-Home Streaming fulfills. As far as I understand it, it allows you to play games on another device while the process runs on a more capable device somewhere else on your network. But that just raises the obvious question of why you wouldn't just use the primary device in the first place. If I have a gaming PC, why would I want to stream my games from it to a crappier PC instead of just using the gaming PC in the first place?

I'm not trying to mock, disparage, troll, argue, or debate; I am genuinely just completely and utterly puzzled about this. I'm positive I must be missing something obvious that explains this. What am I missing?

[Mr. Comply]

So I used to have the same perspective as well. I recently started using the streaming service and LOVE it. Here's my situation.

I have a nice gaming desktop with steam. I also have a very low spec Chromebook that I've installed Ubuntu on. Now the built in hard drive on my Chromebook is super super small and the system itself is just to weak to play basically any of my games. However I CAN stream my games from my desktop to my laptop really really well. So what do I use this for? Basically I sit on my back patio, pull out my laptop and xbox controller, and play my steam games via Wifi on my back patio. It's nice.

So for me, it's a great way to get outta my room and play some games on the patio or living room, or kitchen.

Furthermore other people would like it because they could just plug a cheapo laptop/desktop into their T.V. to play their PC games in their living room.

So ultimately let's say you wanna play your steam library somewhere that ISN'T at your desk. Say your living room on your T.V. or maybe on your back patio. Steam in home streaming allows you to do this without having to drop down money on another expensive gaming machine/laptop. You just gotta have either access to ethernet or a good wifi switch.

[Aelius]

Ah, I suppose that makes sense for those who would like to play somewhere besides their desk. I guess my confusion was because I didn't realize some people prefer not to be cooped up at their desk. I've always loved gaming on a desktop PC and it never occurred to me anyone would want anything else.

So, just to make sure: since I have a top of the line gaming desktop PC and I prefer sitting down at my desk with a computer monitor, someone like me would have absolutely no use for any of the following:

Steam In-Home Streaming
SteamOS
Steam Machine
Steam Big Picture

Am I correct? Just wanna make sure I'm not missing out and that these things are meant for those with preferences I don't happen to have.
Thanks.

[Mr. Comply]

Steam In-Home Streaming
-since you like sitting at your desktop for gaming, then you won't ever need this.

SteamOS
-You have no use for this... and to be honest, with all the other superior Linus distros out there, I don't understand why anyone would use this. Even if you just want a streaming machine, I'd still go with Ubuntu. TL;DR It's a super super limited Linux operating system.

Steam machine
-nope. just a computer running the super limited SteamOS

Steam Big Picture
-It's just a nice aesthetic Valve made. Some people might like it. You? no.

[黑白喵宅急送]

One more thing, you can play games on you bed with a win8 pad and any BT controller, they have x-input emulation built-in for big picture mode. Good way to solve "spending time with me before sleep" problem with your wife while she's net-shopping.

[Jon]

I have my high end Pc upstairs and a micro Pc plugged into the back of the telly downstairs via HDMI, & a wireless reciever for an XBox controller - I have steam installed on this that boots up into Big Picture Mode when started.

Couch gaming downstairs / Standard Pc setup upstairs - But the client stays the same.

Thats my reason for loving this


EDIT: & I will totally be buying a couple of those Steam Links along with the controller once released over here!

[da.schizzle]

I have a htpc with streaming in the living room.
Sometimes its nice to play on the couch :) especially if you play with someone else, even if the person only watches you play and comments (Telltale Games with my girlfried ;) )

[bigbenisdaman]

I can stream from my desktop, while sitting in the living room playing on my low-end laptop. It's great

[DarkStar]

My PC is upstairs in my home office, while I like to play in the living room downstairs (I've been playing solely on consoles 2007-2014 and find it more comfortable, maybe because I work with a PC daily and the last thing I want to do while gaming is sitting at my desk). Streaming is for people like me, who don't have a PC next to the TV set. In OP's instance streaming is useless. You're just not the target audience of that hardware and services. :)

[ComputerAbuser]

My gaming PC is hooked up to my 60" TV in the living room. When someone else want to use the TV (which is 80% of the time), I can stream to my work laptop, which isn't fast enough to play anything normally. Steam In-home Streaming has allowed me to sell my Alienware gaming laptop, since my 5 year old ThinkPad can stream at 1080p/60fps.

[NeuroGT]

In case you have a really awesome pc for gaming and wanna play on your cheap $200 laptop or your TV. :D

[Aelius]

Originally posted by sherman9872:

... awesome pc for gaming ... your cheap $200 laptop

Well, which is it?

[bigbenisdaman]

Originally posted by Aelius:

Originally posted by sherman9872:

In case you have a really awesome pc for gaming and wanna play on your cheap $200 laptop or your TV. :D]

Well, which is it?

I don't understand the question here.

[Aelius]

Originally posted by bigbenisdaman:

Originally posted by Aelius:

Well, which is it?

I don't understand the question here.

sherman9872 said that Steam in-home streaming is useful if you have a "really awesome pc for gaming" and "wanna play on your cheap $200 laptop". I'm confused, since a cheap $200 laptop is obviously not a "really awesome pc for gaming". If he means he has a laptop in addition to a "really awesome pc for gaming", then that wouldn't make any sense because he can simply play on his "really awesome pc for gaming" and be done with it.

[bigbenisdaman]

It's pretty obvious. He has a good pc for gaming, but want's to play on his cheapo laptop. What's not to understand.

I play on my elcheapo laptop all the time (streaming from main rig) when I want to keep playing but maybe not in the same room as main pc. Hence why this thread exists. With reasons why people like this option.

You may not understand it now, but later in life you might not want to be in your man cave and play games, or the opposite, if you already have main pc in the living room your family might wana watch tv. So many uses I already use this for it's unreal.

[Aelius]

Originally posted by bigbenisdaman:

It's pretty obvious. He has a good pc for gaming, but want's to play on his cheapo laptop. What's not to understand.

That.

If you have a good PC for gaming, stop trying to play games on your cheapo laptop? Why the heck did you buy a good PC in the first place? It just baffles me.

I play on my elcheapo laptop all the time (streaming from main rig) when I want to keep playing but maybe not in the same room as main pc.

Why...would you not want to play in your PC room?

You may not understand it now, but later in life you might not want to be in your man cave and play games

Why would you not want to?

or the opposite, if you already have main pc in the living room your family might wana watch tv.

So don't put your PC in the living room where family can bother you?