Valve have put up a post on their SteamOS community to keep track of AMD graphics issues with SteamOS. We hope this will push AMD some more to better their proprietary Linux drivers.
Current Issues
- Black or flickering screen when fullscreen mode is enabled in certain games
- Lower performance and hitching in games compared to desktop distributions
- Crackling sound over HDMI
I imagine one of the biggest reasons SteamOS isn't out yet is various issues across Nvidia, AMD and Intel in regards to graphics.
Have you got a SteamOS box running? If so let us know how it's going for you!
I'm a little torn on if I should build a small box, or wait to support a hardware supplier that actually brings one out with SteamOS. It will make it easier to test it and do write-ups for GamingOnLinux to have my own dedicated box, but funds are a little low to even think on that right now with my main PC starting to need a better graphics card first!
Thanks Phoronix. Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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That's good =)
Wonder if they'll use a proper bug tracker sometime though ...
Well you could put SteamOS on your main as a dual-login/desktop environment.
And with the old parts left over from upgrading your main you could build another low end SteamMachine/HTPC?
Learning the art of waiting patiently for the good things (Star Citizen and SteamOS) =P
http://www.techradar.com/news/gaming/consoles/valve-steam-box-release-date-news-and-features-1127072
Wonder if they'll use a proper bug tracker sometime though ...
Well you could put SteamOS on your main as a dual-login/desktop environment.
And with the old parts left over from upgrading your main you could build another low end SteamMachine/HTPC?
Learning the art of waiting patiently for the good things (Star Citizen and SteamOS) =P
http://www.techradar.com/news/gaming/consoles/valve-steam-box-release-date-news-and-features-1127072
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I do have a SteamOS running and in fact is my main distro since it was release.
The desktop part is not something to write home about, but the BigPicture mode is running very well now that I have an Nvidia card.
The performance (Desktop vs BPM) slightly inclines towards BPM. In terms of FPS you'll get more or less the same thing but the gaming experience is somewhat more fluid in BPM.
My main grip with it is the ondemand governor used in the current SteamOS kernel which delivers a heavy stuttering in many games (not mentioning lower perfomance) with my AMD CPU.
Yes, I have worked around this but the default behavior still sucks.
As its main purpose (BPM) SteamOS is progressing great, but as a Desktop distro you should try something else more friendly.
The desktop part is not something to write home about, but the BigPicture mode is running very well now that I have an Nvidia card.
The performance (Desktop vs BPM) slightly inclines towards BPM. In terms of FPS you'll get more or less the same thing but the gaming experience is somewhat more fluid in BPM.
My main grip with it is the ondemand governor used in the current SteamOS kernel which delivers a heavy stuttering in many games (not mentioning lower perfomance) with my AMD CPU.
Yes, I have worked around this but the default behavior still sucks.
As its main purpose (BPM) SteamOS is progressing great, but as a Desktop distro you should try something else more friendly.
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The crackling sound over HDMI happens with the open-source driver too. I don't have a steamOS box, but a HTPC with Athlon 5350 and Arch(and openelec in another second partition) as a steam streaming client , and the audio is terrible. The cracking happens only with steam, all other application have no problem with audio, so it might be a problem more on steam side than on the driver (opinion based on usage only).
1 Likes, Who?
heavy mouselag in dungeon defenders
heavy mouselag in left4dead2
heavy mouselag / low fps in painkiller h&d
heavy mouselag / low fps in serious sam 3:bfe
extreme stuttering in sanctum 2
hdmi extreme soundnoise in prison architect
hdmi extreme soundnoise in trine 2
random freezes in book of unwritten tales
missing textures in verdun
missing textures in guns of iccarus online
this were my experience with amd proprietary (on my desktop) vs nvidia proprietary (on my laptop)
basically theres always some problem unless its a 2d platformer or the likes
heavy mouselag in left4dead2
heavy mouselag / low fps in painkiller h&d
heavy mouselag / low fps in serious sam 3:bfe
extreme stuttering in sanctum 2
hdmi extreme soundnoise in prison architect
hdmi extreme soundnoise in trine 2
random freezes in book of unwritten tales
missing textures in verdun
missing textures in guns of iccarus online
this were my experience with amd proprietary (on my desktop) vs nvidia proprietary (on my laptop)
basically theres always some problem unless its a 2d platformer or the likes
2 Likes, Who?
AMD cheaper cards are key in the strategy of lots of dealers who are going to use them in their steamboxes's designs.
If most of them are going to have such bad performance, it seems that finally Valve is going to tell AMD to fix issues with proper drivers.
If most of them are going to have such bad performance, it seems that finally Valve is going to tell AMD to fix issues with proper drivers.
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FutureSuture 17 Sep 2014
I find it strange that Valve chose to do this instead of pushing AMD's open source driver which has been improving quicker and to which Valve could actually contribute as well. Valve is no stranger to open source software.
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I do have a SteamOS running and in fact is my main distro since it was release.
Please, dont say that kind of things even if is true that you run it as your main distro. I do run debian... Not sure how different from steamos it is... but valve has stated several times is supposed to do good running games. Optimized kernel and such... but no as a main desktop... yet or even at some point...
Yes, it is mainly debian... but in that case I would suggest to people to install debian or even ubuntu as a main desktop... and steamos only if they only intend to play
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Not sure what you mean by that.
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Not sure what you mean by that.
People might think is a normal linux and give their first linux try with steamos. Valve has said is not. Its only optimized for running the games and run steam client...
If somebody want to try linux as a main desktop, they should try ubuntu, or debian and steam will run as smooth
Even if some ppl is able to run it as main OS like you
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I see.
No, I wouldn't recommend SteamOS as a distro for beginners.
Having said that, after setting up the repositories is not much different than a minimal Debian with the SteamOS session on top.
You can treat it like any other Linux.
No, I wouldn't recommend SteamOS as a distro for beginners.
Having said that, after setting up the repositories is not much different than a minimal Debian with the SteamOS session on top.
You can treat it like any other Linux.
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I see.
No, I wouldn't recommend SteamOS as a distro for beginners.
Having said that, after setting up the repositories is not much different than a minimal Debian with the SteamOS session on top.
You can treat it like any other Linux.
Yeah, I know that and you know that :)
My point is that if you are able to run it as your main os, you already know you can treat it like any other linux, but you might mislead some rookie steam fan to try it as their main OS and as a first linux contact it might be disapointing :S
Steamos is only optimized to act as a launcher for steam and steam games. Other stuff might or might not work. And is not like my opinion, valve has stated so several times...
Its just debian with some patches here and there. I only use debian as my desktop and at my servers... but I dont recommend it newcomers. Its better to get their feet wet with ubuntu for instance
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I run SteamOS on my gaming machine. I do have to use the desktop to configure a WINE game or two but mostly it runs as SteamOS. Not with AMD though. With Nvidia, I am perferctly happy with SteamOS.
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Yeah, I know that and you know that :)
My point is that if you are able to run it as your main os, you already know you can treat it like any other linux, but you might mislead some rookie steam fan to try it as their main OS and as a first linux contact it might be disapointing :S
Steamos is only optimized to act as a launcher for steam and steam games. Other stuff might or might not work. And is not like my opinion, valve has stated so several times...
Its just debian with some patches here and there. I only use debian as my desktop and at my servers... but I dont recommend it newcomers. Its better to get their feet wet with ubuntu for instance
I understand what you're saying, but my post about SteamOS can hardly be described as a advertising for beginners.
I mentioned that the desktop is not that great and its defaults (performance wise) sucks.
Yes, I described SteamOS default BPM session as running great (which is true) and overall my post was in direct response to Liam's question:
"Have you got a SteamOS box running? If so let us know how it's going for you!"
So I don't understand why I shouldn't say "that kind of things even if is true"
To make you happy though I edited my post with a small warning.
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