Gaming over Win7 Remote Desktop?

[StrangerGuy]

Since this guy actually managed to view 1080p video over RDP on Windows 7:

http://www.neowin.net/news/main/09/03/16/windows-7-rdp-changes-improve-virtual-desktop-performance

I was wondering whether it is possible to play games at full framerate over it.

 

[Karsten]

There is no 3d acceleration over remote desktop, so games are a no go.

 

[SunnyD]

With a fast enough connection, yes, you can do it. That would be something like 474Mbps for an uncompressed stream, not including audio. Possible on a gigabit connection.

Of course reading that article, that wasn't a 1080p stream. It may have been a 1080p source at some point, but it's windowed and most definitely NOT 1080p (huge black bars on top and bottom). What appears to be actually streamed into the window looks to be maaaayyyybe 720p at best. The desktop itself looks rather small, so I'm guessing it's probably more like 480p for the actual video feed.

 

[fleshconsumed]

I'm surprised this stuff works at all. I remote to WinServer2008R2 from Win7 on gigabit network and I get the same crappy experience with big latency and delayed action response as I had in Win2000 days.

I'm wondering if this has anything to do with the fact that my 2008R2 machine doesn't have aero installed. After all why would you need it on a server? If it does make a difference it might make some sense to enable it on my server.

Can anyone confirm that this stuff is actually real?

 

[soccerballtux]

With a fast enough connection, yes, you can do it. That would be something like 474Mbps for an uncompressed stream, not including audio. Possible on a gigabit connection.

Of course reading that article, that wasn't a 1080p stream. It may have been a 1080p source at some point, but it's windowed and most definitely NOT 1080p (huge black bars on top and bottom). What appears to be actually streamed into the window looks to be maaaayyyybe 720p at best. The desktop itself looks rather small, so I'm guessing it's probably more like 480p for the actual video feed.

not when it sends the actual media file compressed.

 

[Barfo]

There's someone trying something similar.

Although I don't think it will amount to something serious gamers will be satisfied with.

 

[SunnyD]

not when it sends the actual media file compressed.

If they've changed RD to do that, and that's a big, and very strange if (it could potentially require more bandwidth than streaming the desktop itself), you would still need a pretty damn big pipe to get realtime video from a 1080p encoded stream. Those aren't small files.

 

[Markbnj]

I'm surprised this stuff works at all. I remote to WinServer2008R2 from Win7 on gigabit network and I get the same crappy experience with big latency and delayed action response as I had in Win2000 days.

I'm wondering if this has anything to do with the fact that my 2008R2 machine doesn't have aero installed. After all why would you need it on a server? If it does make a difference it might make some sense to enable it on my server.

Can anyone confirm that this stuff is actually real?

I'm not sure what you mean by "this stuff." If you mean "gaming over a Remote Desktop connection", no. If you mean "using Remote Desktop without serious latency issues", yes.

I use it all the time during the summer. My development system is in my office, running Windows 7 Enterprise 64-bit and loaded up with tools and projects. When the weather gets warm I take my laptop, running Windows Vista 64-bit, out to the gazebo and work there using RD to my desktop system. The network consists of a DLink DIR-655 with wired 1Gbps to the desktop, and pre-N 100-ish Mbps to the laptop. Works great, and 99% of the time I can't tell I'm not working locally.

 

[fleshconsumed]

I'm not sure what you mean by "this stuff." If you mean "gaming over a Remote Desktop connection", no. If you mean "using Remote Desktop without serious latency issues", yes.

I meant using RD without serious latency issued/lag. I still have to pause my mouse over divider when using RD to make sure it "picks it up", otherwise I'll be dragging empty air. I guess I can try enabling Aero on 2008R2 today and see if that makes a difference.

 

[soccerballtux]

If they've changed RD to do that, and that's a big, and very strange if (it could potentially require more bandwidth than streaming the desktop itself), you would still need a pretty damn big pipe to get realtime video from a 1080p encoded stream. Those aren't small files.

Run your numbers again, last night I streamed my Body of Lies 720p rip from my desktop through my 802.11g wireless to my laptop for display on our projector. You think that would take more bandwidth than sending it uncompressed? Haha.

 

[Aikouka]

Last I tried, you cannot run a Direct3D application while over remote desktop. I've been able to play videos before for a long time, but they're usually fairly choppy and the audio ends up being out of sync since there's a slight lag in the video being displayed. Note that I run over my gigabit network that I have setup here.

 

[fleshconsumed]

Enabled Aero on my Win2008R2 box. I get Aero when I login locally onto the box, but I only get Aero basic over RDP. And I still get latency issues... I guess it's a no go for me.

 

[mmntech]

I seem to remember there being a program for this that would let you game remotely. I can't remember the name though.