In a move that's not exactly unexpected, Valve has now delayed the launch of the official Steam Deck Docking Station.
Written in an official update, the Valve team said it was due to both a shortage of parts and closures at their manufacturing facility due to COVID. No further date has been given and they said they will share more info when they have it. The good news though is that the schedule for shipping the actual Steam Deck is not affected as it's different parts and a different factory responsible for it.
Valve ended the post by mentioning how they continue to improve the "docked experience for Steam Deck with all USB-C hubs and external displays".
Right now, the docked experience isn't the best. For all the pros the Steam Deck has, the docked experience is something of a sore spot. It's a mixture of things between issues in the KDE Plasma desktop when connecting up external monitors, to resolution issues in Gaming Mode when docked. The problems are all solvable and for the most part it works but there's a lot of quirks left to solve. Valve may not have said so, but it's likely also a big factor in the decision not to release it yet.
If you are after a USB Hub that works well, I've used this for months now and it has been working nicely for me.
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
slaapliedje Jun 1, 2022
Works like a charm! Though I agree with the whole 'KDE is kind of not great in realizing you have a big screen connected.'
slaapliedje Jun 2, 2022
Quoting: eldakingLooking forward to throwing one of those at my friend Richard and shouting "Dick, duck the deck dock!"Brilliant!
Philadelphus Jun 3, 2022
Quoting: eldakingLooking forward to throwing one of those at my friend Richard and shouting "Dick, duck the deck dock!"May I suggest the slightly less useful but (to me at least) slightly easier to say: "Deck Dock Dick, duck!"
TheRiddick Jun 3, 2022
It can be done btw without getting in the way of anything since its just extremely low profile copper contacts the dock could have pushup pins into.
slaapliedje Jun 4, 2022
Quoting: TheRiddickI kind of wish they just added in a separate copper PIN alignment on the bottom of the deck to support a drop in compatibility instead of using a cable.So my assessment of why it is on the top instead of the bottom.... the Dreamcast.
It can be done btw without getting in the way of anything since its just extremely low profile copper contacts the dock could have pushup pins into.
I will explain. All of the controllers out there that are wired have been out the top, or away from the user. This is a pretty standard thing, and for great reason, as it gives you an automatic few inches more of cable, and doesn't always feel like it's in the way. The Dreamcast, because of their weird little VMUs, and because they put them at the top of the controller instead of the bottom, like how save game blocks were on the N64... the cable then comes out of the bottom, and constantly is dangling in the way.
Steam Deck is mostly going to be played either in your hands on battery, or in your hands with the cable plugged in. The Dock is kind of more of an after thought, as most people indeed would be playing games on their desktop computer, rather than the Steam Deck. Unless they specifically want it on the go, or laying in bed. The Switch has the port on the bottom because it really is a better console when it's docked (more power added). The optimum usage for the Deck is at 1280x800. It really doesn't get more power by being docked, it simply starts requiring more, even at 1920x1080.
So there actually is a lot of logic into why the USB-C port is on the top.
Though it sounds to me like you're thinking more like something like the iPad's use? Where there are connections for the keyboard and such? That'd work, but then you wouldn't be able to just pick up any old USB-C dock to use.
Maybe Deck 2 will have wireless HDMI pass through or some tech to allow latency free, but wireless display to a large TV?
TheRiddick Jun 4, 2022
Patreon
PayPal
See more from me