SteamOS looks like a flop so far

[ultimatebob]

Ars Technica had an interesting rant about SteamOS recently:

http://arstechnica.co.uk/gaming/2016/01/hey-valve-whats-the-point-of-steam-os/

Yeah, that article pretty much sums up the problems with consumer adoption of desktop Linux in a nutshell. You can't expect the average end user to hand edit configuration files to get the screen resolution correct! If you can't reliably do it from the GUI, you've failed your job as a desktop UI designer.

 

[nakedfrog]

I guess I didn't realize it was actually out.

 

[Essence_of_War]

That seems like a pretty bizarre oversight for 'big picture' mode.

It's trivial to change the screen resolution from a GUI in any typical desktop environment. I've done it fairly recently with all of Ubuntu + unity, Fedora + KDE, gentoo + xfce and elementaryOS.

 

[AnonymouseUser]

I can't seem to find anyone else complaining about 1080i on SteamOS in the last year. The author didn't verify that he was using compatible hardware and to no one's surprise the monitor wasn't detected properly.

I dug out an HDMI cable and plugged the Zotac directly into the monitor on my desk

HDMI 1.4? 1.3? Actually that monitor requires 2 HDMI cables.

I turned on my Windows PC to play Just Cause 3. It worked perfectly.

Of course it works perfectly, you're using compatible hardware (DisplayPort).

Microsoft shill much?

Also, Kyle Orland's (Ars' senior gaming editor) father is Martin Orland, Director at West Ed which gets millions from the Gates foundation.

 

[ultimatebob]

That seems like a pretty bizarre oversight for 'big picture' mode.

It's trivial to change the screen resolution from a GUI in any typical desktop environment. I've done it fairly recently with all of Ubuntu + unity, Fedora + KDE, gentoo + xfce and elementaryOS.

It's cool when UI works, but it's frustrating when it doesn't. I've seen many occasions even recently where XOrg fails to probe the monitor resolution correctly and falls back to something insanely low like 1024x768.

You can usually fix that by writing a custom XOrg file, but seriously... I never have issues like this with Mac OS X or Windows anymore. You set the correct resolution once the drivers are installed, and it sticks.

 

[ultimatebob]

Wow, that Windows 10 IoT kit story is horrible. It would be nice if they mentioned that the IoT version doesn't have a GUI and requires Visual Studio to configure.

 

[ultimatebob]

I can't seem to find anyone else complaining about 1080i on SteamOS in the last year. The author didn't verify that he was using compatible hardware and to no one's surprise the monitor wasn't detected properly.

HDMI 1.4? 1.3? Actually that monitor requires 2 HDMI cables.

Of course it works perfectly, you're using compatible hardware (DisplayPort).

Microsoft shill much?

Also, Kyle Orland's (Ars' senior gaming editor) father is Martin Orland, Director at West Ed which gets millions from the Gates foundation.

He wasn't expecting the console to run at 4K, just 1080p. He shouldn't need two HDMI cables for that resolution.

 

[AnonymouseUser]

He wasn't expecting the console to run at 4K, just 1080p. He shouldn't need two HDMI cables for that resolution.

The monitor is made up of two screens stuck together. Regardless of resolution it isn't a standard monitor, and isn't being detected correctly. Someone owning a monitor that originally sold for $3500 should know what their monitor requires. He's either an idiot or a shill.

 

[Essence_of_War]

It's cool when UI works, but it's frustrating when it doesn't. I've seen many occasions even recently where XOrg fails to probe the monitor resolution correctly and falls back to something insanely low like 1024x768.

I mean, it's certainly possible that I live a charmed life, but I just haven't had this problem in the last 3-4 years with any desktop environment, of which I've tried several, on any type of hardware, of which I've also tried quite a few, a mix of laptops, desktops of different CPUs, video cards, motherboard chipsets etc.

 

[Elixer]

That seems like a pretty bizarre oversight for 'big picture' mode.

It's trivial to change the screen resolution from a GUI in any typical desktop environment. I've done it fairly recently with all of Ubuntu + unity, Fedora + KDE, gentoo + xfce and elementaryOS.

That only works if the monitor is playing nicely as well.
I got a 1280x1024 monitor, and if I try to use 1280x1024 in a custom modeline, then I lose gfx acceleration. Best I can do is 1152x864 and that sucks.
Windows don't have that issue, sees the monitor just fine, and allows it to go to 1280x1024 with not editing any file, just use the GUI, and done.

This is with a Geforce 750 using DVI.

 

[AnonymouseUser]

I mean, it's certainly possible that I live a charmed life, but I just haven't had this problem in the last 3-4 years with any desktop environment, of which I've tried several, on any type of hardware, of which I've also tried quite a few, a mix of laptops, desktops of different CPUs, video cards, motherboard chipsets etc.

I haven't either, yet just the other day did a fresh install of the latest AMD Crimson driver on my Win7 HTPC, and it booted up to 800x600 resolution on my 1080p projector. I've not had that problem when booting with even a Linux Live USB.

 

[ultimatebob]

I mean, it's certainly possible that I live a charmed life, but I just haven't had this problem in the last 3-4 years with any desktop environment, of which I've tried several, on any type of hardware, of which I've also tried quite a few, a mix of laptops, desktops of different CPUs, video cards, motherboard chipsets etc.

Sadly, I see it all the time at work. Once you start adding things like multiple monitors and video splitters to the mix, things go south quickly.

 

[quikah]

I can't seem to find anyone else complaining about 1080i on SteamOS in the last year. The author didn't verify that he was using compatible hardware and to no one's surprise the monitor wasn't detected properly.

LOL, it is a console. You buy it and plug it into your monitor/TV. You don't "check for compatibility". When I buy an appliance I expect it to just work when I plug it in (or give me the proper interface to configure it how I need it).

 

[AnonymouseUser]

LOL, it is a console. You buy it and plug it into your monitor/TV. You don't "check for compatibility". When I buy an appliance I expect it to just work when I plug it in (or give me the proper interface to configure it how I need it).

Exactly, and the reviewer couldn't even do that right. He has an extremely rare monitor/TV, and doesn't even know how to use it. My guess is that that's why he chose to use that specific model, to "prove" that SteamOS is a pain to use compared to his PC.

 

[quikah]

Exactly, and the reviewer couldn't even do that right. He has an extremely rare monitor/TV, and doesn't even know how to use it. My guess is that that's why he chose to use that specific model, to "prove" that SteamOS is a pain to use compared to his PC.

There was no interface for fixing it, he was forced to go to the cli. That is a failure that needs to be fixed before anyone should consider steamOS viable.

 

[AnonymouseUser]

There was no interface for fixing it, he was forced to go to the cli. That is a failure that needs to be fixed before anyone should consider steamOS viable.

When a monitor isn't detected properly in Windows, and without downloading third party software, what file/s does one edit to force the proper resolution? How is that any different than under Linux?

 

[quikah]

When a monitor isn't detected properly in Windows, and without downloading third party software, what file/s does one edit to force the proper resolution? How is that any different than under Linux?

Not sure how that is relevant. We are talking about a console.

What happens when a ps4 or Xbox doesn't work with a monitor? I don't even know of this happening, but there are simple GUI menus to choose the resolutions.

What happens when a TiVo doesn't work with a monitor? You go into the GUI setting to choose the modes that the TV supports.

What happens when the steambox doesn't work? You have to hook a keyboard up and hack config files... really?

 

[AnonymouseUser]

Not sure how that is relevant. We are talking about a console.

You're right, my bad.

The important part is the dual HDMI requirements, which the monitor requires and weren't met. The reviewer is a tool.

 

[quikah]

You're right, my bad.

The important part is the dual HDMI requirements, which the monitor requires and weren't met. The reviewer is a tool.

Dual hdmi is only required for 4K@60hz. 1080p works with just one hdmi. The reviewer mentions he has used this monitor for other consoles without issue.

Valve needs to fix it if they hope to gain any traction. They also need to convince developers to port the AAA titles, which is going to be tough.

 

[Maximilian]

I can't seem to find anyone else complaining about 1080i on SteamOS in the last year. The author didn't verify that he was using compatible hardware and to no one's surprise the monitor wasn't detected properly.

HDMI 1.4? 1.3? Actually that monitor requires 2 HDMI cables.

Of course it works perfectly, you're using compatible hardware (DisplayPort).

Microsoft shill much?

Also, Kyle Orland's (Ars' senior gaming editor) father is Martin Orland, Director at West Ed which gets millions from the Gates foundation.

Interesting stuff.

 

[AnonymouseUser]

Dual hdmi is only required for 4K@60hz. 1080p works with just one hdmi. The reviewer mentions he has used this monitor for other consoles without issue.

Valve needs to fix it if they hope to gain any traction. They also need to convince developers to port the AAA titles, which is going to be tough.

Yes, he said he "pipes consoles through it at 1080p", just like he does with the Steam Machine. He doesn't say that it works at 1080p in 3D/gaming, though, which is where the Steam Machine falls short (Big Picture Mode is 3d). I'll take that comment with a grain of salt.

Changes made to the Linux desktop settings, where the interlacing was fixed, don't translate into Steam.

 

[ultimatebob]

When a monitor isn't detected properly in Windows, and without downloading third party software, what file/s does one edit to force the proper resolution? How is that any different than under Linux?

In Windows, you can usually configure a generic monitor driver and set whatever resolution you want.

It can all be done through the GUI, which means that it's a hell of a lot easier for an end user compared to editing Xorg.conf files.