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Steam Remote Play gets VA-API DRM hardware decoding on Linux

By - | Views: 35,792

Valve released another Steam Beta for both the Steam Deck and for Desktop Steam, containing various fixes and a nice improvement for Linux Remote Play users. The updates were released January 24th, for anyone who opted into the Steam Beta Client.

First up here's the Steam Deck changes:

General

  • Triggering a Factory Reset will now install a clean version of the OS in addition to deleting user data if the OS image has been modified.
  • When marking a game as private, DLC for the game will also be marked as private.
  • Privacy settings for individual DLC can now be managed from the game's properties, under the privacy tab.
  • Corrected height of low battery notification

Chat

  • Fixed a case where group chats could get stuck on "Requesting Group Chat Information" after reconnecting to Steam

Desktop Mode

  • Fixed maximize/restore button and window resize grip not updating properly.
  • Fixed "My Games" collection also including games borrowed from other users.
  • Fixed opacity of play bar on game details pages.

Steam Input

  • Added a setting for the player LED for DualSense controllers

And the changes for Desktop Steam:

General

  • Fixed initial display of systray menu showing as black window.
  • Fixed maximize/restore button and window resize grip not updating properly.
  • When marking a game as private, DLC for the game will also be marked as private.
  • Privacy settings for individual DLC can now be managed from the game's properties, under the privacy tab.
  • Fixed "My Games" collection also including games borrowed from other users.
  • Fixed opacity of play bar on game details pages.

Steam Overlay

  • Fixed middle-click panning not working in overlay browser on Windows.

Chat

  • Fixed a case where group chats could get stuck on "Requesting Group Chat Information" after reconnecting to Steam

Steam Input

  • Added a setting for the player LED for DualSense controllers

Remote Play

  • Enable VA-API DRM hardware decoding on Linux

SteamVR

  • Fix a case where Steam could prevent SteamVR from properly detecting a USB connected headset and/or controllers.

Do you stick with the Stable Steam Client or like me do you live on the wild side and basically always stick with the Steam Beta? It's good to see Valve be so dedicated to constantly improving the Steam platform as a whole, they're always tweaking something to try and make it better for players.

Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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About the author -
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I am the owner of GamingOnLinux. After discovering Linux back in the days of Mandrake in 2003, I constantly came back to check on the progress of Linux until Ubuntu appeared on the scene and it helped me to really love it. You can reach me easily by emailing GamingOnLinux directly. Find me on Mastodon.
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13 comments
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tuubi 10 years Jan 28
View PC info
  • Supporter
Quoting: TactikalKittyCan anyone explain what this means or does:
Enable VA-API DRM hardware decoding on Linux
While the Remote Play client has supported VA-API video acceleration for a good while, this is about making use of it in DRM mode (Direct Rendering Manager, not Digital Rights Management) instead of relying on the older X11 interface. Seems like a necessary step towards better native Wayland support.
melkemind Jan 29
Quoting: tuubi
Quoting: TactikalKittyCan anyone explain what this means or does:
Enable VA-API DRM hardware decoding on Linux
While the Remote Play client has supported VA-API video acceleration for a good while, this is about making use of it in DRM mode (Direct Rendering Manager, not Digital Rights Management) instead of relying on the older X11 interface. Seems like a necessary step towards better native Wayland support.

Aside from future Wayland support, does it provide any visual or performance improvements?
tuubi 10 years Jan 29
View PC info
  • Supporter
Quoting: melkemind
Quoting: tuubi
Quoting: TactikalKittyCan anyone explain what this means or does:
Enable VA-API DRM hardware decoding on Linux
While the Remote Play client has supported VA-API video acceleration for a good while, this is about making use of it in DRM mode (Direct Rendering Manager, not Digital Rights Management) instead of relying on the older X11 interface. Seems like a necessary step towards better native Wayland support.

Aside from future Wayland support, does it provide any visual or performance improvements?

I don't know, but I doubt it. The video is decoded just the same, only rendering directly to a DRM device instead of going through X11. And X11 doesn't really add much overhead here.
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