NVIDIA is Ending GameStream Feature for its Shield TV Products

[caroline!]

I know this is a hot take but can't you simply... you know... plug a video cable into the TV and tell the OS to duplicate or extend the desktop?

Like, I can do that with a geforce 6200, an adapter cable and a 1950s TV

 

[claes]

Hi,
Funny I don't use any of those services just funds wasted in my book
I just rip shit from the internet via download or record and play it locally and yes surround sound is one that is included.
Way to many free movie/ t.v. series sites around now days.

The shield is a streaming device that supports surround and HDR with most streaming services… PC’s don’t.

I dunno if you read my post, but I don’t use those services, either, but the vast majority of consumers do, which is why the shield has a place in the market that’s better for most consumers than a PC.

 

[Totally]

I know this is a hot take but can't you simply... you know... plug a video cable into the TV and tell the OS to duplicate or extend the desktop?

Like, I can do that with a geforce 6200, an adapter cable and a 1950s TV

That kind of requires both to be in the same room.

 

[AusWolf]

Call me when Netflix Hulu prime etc support surround sound on PC. I still use an HTPC because plex but streaming on PC sucks

Just because Netflix doesn't have surround sound on PC, it doesn't mean that a TV is smarter.

I cannot only stream on my PC, but play games, edit documents, do work, emails, write this forum post, install apps, and if I wanted to, I could edit music, pictures, videos, etc. Can a TV do all this?

PCs were smart long before the term "smart device" even existed.

 

[TheinsanegamerN]

Hi,
Only 10 people world wide bought shield tv's

I fell like this hits a lot closer then people realize.

The current shield products are OLD AS F. Nvidia has not updated them with new hardware in some time, and likely doesnt want to continue paying software devs to fix any bugs and certify it for use, so they're just killing it outright. I've thought for a few years now that these devices were already on their last leg, and support was going to end eventually. The fact nvidia has not outright said NOW! is a replacement tells me they are trying to silently wind down the SHIELD program.

Also, who TF would use a nvidia cloud service to stream from their PC to their set top box when steam's own service already works fine?

 

[tancabean]

That kind of requires both to be in the same room.

And also right next to each other. In-home streaming is a god send for people with “adult” setups. Moonlight + Gamestream is currently the best setup. Dick move Nvidia.

 

[Broken Processor]

I still use a 2015 shield TV best thing Nvidia ever made. I used game streaming a bit it's no big loss most people use them as a media box.

 

[Chrispy_]

So it may not be the flagship feature of the ShieldTV, but people could have bought any number of much cheaper, smaller streaming/media boxes if they didn't want that specific feature.

 

[n-ster]

Damn... That sucks. Has Atmos, Dolby Vision too. Haven't even opened mine yet lmao

 

[Godrilla]

I originally bought the original shield tv to stream my PC games in my living room tv but the initial problems and latency was too much for me and just gave to my parents. Doesn't the shield tv still support steam streaming feature through local pc?

 

[chrcoluk]

GTX 4080 PAYG edition £650.

Nvidia "We bring back the infamous 3080 deal on this generation, supports out of the box 10 game launches a month, 4 gig VRAM. one encoder chip, second encoder chip just $99 for the year, double the VRAM $49 for the year, extra game launches free for 30 days, special time deal buy now!!!!"

 

[Mad_foxx1983]

I could have sworn game stream used the encoder on ur gpu. Why kill a free feature just to push a paid one which many don’t care about. Heck even amd has amd link which does the same thing gamestream does

 

[TheinsanegamerN]

I could have sworn game stream used the encoder on ur gpu. Why kill a free feature just to push a paid one which many don’t care about.

Because continuing to pour resources into maintaining compatibility with increasingly outdated hardware for the minority of users who actually use said feature isnt good business sense?

Heck even amd has amd link which does the same thing gamestream does

Case in point. You dont need this dedicated hardware thingy to do in hosue streaming, there are free optiosn taht work better and likely have displaced this in house solution that predates Pascal

 

[Juancito]

I can hear the band playing the final notes for Shield TV. First they loaded it with annoying advertisement for content from streaming services I'm not even subscribed to. Guess that didn't bring any money so now they're removing features. They're also letting it die on the hardware side, running an old SOC that will soon be useless (no AV1 decode).

It's specially dumb to kill a feature that customers of both their GPUs and Shield have bought into. I mean, game stream is a convenience feature. You don't have to move your PC to play in a different room. Does NVIDIA really really think a significant amount of people will just say "I'm not moving my PC to the living, I'd rather pay NVIDIA a monthly fee and not use the GPU I invested in". People will either just move their PC or just play where it is.

In my view, they're killing a sales argument for two products: the Shield is now much less attractive, not very different from any other Android TV dongle or set-top. Simultaneously, one less sales argument for their GPUs, incentivizing GeForece Now for people who already bought into their GPUs and Shield.

I wonder how legal it is to take away one of your main sales arguments (they haven't even updated their webpage... see attached screen). Class action anyone?

 

[bubbleawsome]

Not to get too deep into the conspiracy thing, but I have to wonder if they’re killing it because of a possible incompatibility with DLSS3. If I understand it right Gamestream works through some driver magic that allows the NVENC engine to encode a frame sitting in the frame buffer before display. If I’m remembering right that is the same place the neural engine pulls its frames from and then places AI frames into. Wonder if something happened there.

 

[lexluthermiester]

NVidia finally ending a feature no-one asked for, no-one wanted and no-one cares about? That took long enough.

 

[londiste]

While it is a blow for people used to GameStream and/or bought a Shield device for it, streaming functionality today is/can be largely done with Steam Link. There is no real market share to be had, no real advantage for Nvidia to maintain and update on old solution that keeps falling more and more out of favor. Yes, there is a niche of users that want it and will want it but the same set is probably going to find alternatives. Moonlight/Sunshine should work fine by now?

I can hear the band playing the final notes for Shield TV. First they loaded it with annoying advertisement for content from streaming services I'm not even subscribed to. Guess that didn't bring any money so now they're removing features. They're also letting it die on the hardware side, running an old SOC that will soon be useless (no AV1 decode).

Having only recently bought a Shield TV (Pro) it was actually quite a surprise how many apps it lets remove without a fuss. I only have the TV app from my provider, Plex and Youtube on it, with main screen and most other places cleaned of extra cruft. The annoying bit is that current devices are from 2019 and they are still top notch among what is available, working well and being supported.

 

[apoklyps3]

NVidia finally ending a feature no-one asked for, no-one wanted and no-one cares about? That took long enough.

nobodys like you cheering for the dlc-zation of technology.

leaving noobs aside that would pay about anything for nvidia executives to take dumps in their faces,
it would have been nice if nvidia suggested a viable tech like Parsec, not the stinky steam link.
nonetheless, nothing beats the latency (or lack there off) and quality that gamestream offers . I really hope Sunshine will soon.

 

[Prince Valiant]

2028: DLSS1~3 will be ending on Nvidia cards, but you can use the new subscription based DLSS4! Now available only through select Nvidia premium resellers, with HuangCare auto included. RTX6000 series required. The rest of you poor suckers can eat shit.

DLSS4 will quadruple the framerate experience and the price. Interpolation artifacts are free .

 

[lexluthermiester]

nobodys like you cheering for the dlc-zation of technology.

Oh please, do hush. You're embarrassing yourself. I'm not cheering DLC. IF you knew anything about me, you would know that I am a staunch AntiDRM advocate. And for YOU to call me a nobody? Really?

 

[SOAREVERSOR]

Repeat after me. Cloud pay for a service gaming is the future. PC gaming will lead the way and cause all of it. This is entirely on PC gaming. You will pay more for a 4k, 120fps, high detail subscription than a 1080p medium 60 fps subscription. Again, PC gaming will lead the way and innovate this in. This was always the end goal of PC gaming. PC gaming is going to be cloud gaming. The last people owning the physical hardware to play games fully are going to be Nintendo fans. The first people to pay a fee will be the PC Gaming Master Race.

Oh well!

 

[lexluthermiester]

Cloud pay for a service gaming is the future.

Moose Muffins!

PC gaming will lead the way and cause all of it.

More moose muffins.

You will pay more for a 4k, 120fps, high detail subscription than a 1080p medium 60 fps subscription.

You're just being funny now...

The first people to pay a fee will be the PC Gaming Master Race.

And the farmer dragged off yet another load...

Seriously though, game streaming is and was always a bad idea. It'll never have mass appeal as demonstrated by the fact that nearly every game streaming service is either dead or dying.

 

[Kohl Baas]

Repeat after me. Cloud pay for a service gaming is the future. PC gaming will lead the way and cause all of it. This is entirely on PC gaming. You will pay more for a 4k, 120fps, high detail subscription than a 1080p medium 60 fps subscription. Again, PC gaming will lead the way and innovate this in. This was always the end goal of PC gaming. PC gaming is going to be cloud gaming. The last people owning the physical hardware to play games fully are going to be Nintendo fans. The first people to pay a fee will be the PC Gaming Master Race.

Oh well!

You're right but you're wrong. Right about what will happening, but wrong about the timeframe. I srtongly doubt 4k will be a thing when 120fps game streaming will be possible. To be clear, for 120fps you need to pack two way datasreaming and the whole processing into like 8ms. That'll need a connection to the server with max 3ms ping but that would leave you about 2ms to process the whole thing before sending it back. 2ms process is like running the game at 500fps.

That is the first and the bigger problem. The second is the amount of data you have to move. 'Cause the "Master Race" likes things fast and/or crisp. So no lag and no streaming compression. Not possible in the near-future I'd say so...

 

[Godrilla]

Moose Muffins!

More moose muffins.

You're just being funny now...

And the farmer dragged off yet another load...

Seriously though, game streaming is and was always a bad idea. It'll never have mass appeal as demonstrated by the fact that nearly every game streaming service is either dead or dying.

Who remembers Onlive and Stadia? Muhahaha. The only reason why GeForce now is still a thing is because they have a free version wait in line like a peasant tear they had to lower premium substitution price. While cloud gaming always seems good on paper in reality its far from perfect. Hey at least RDNA 3 rt performance can compete with GeForce now 3080 rt performance. Although Bestbuy is selling the 3080 for $579. There are credit card offers with 0% interest for 21 months deals going on where the monthly cost will be $27 per month for 21 months and then you will own the hardware. If you want your headshot maximum times than cloud gaming is for you, but if you want the maximum k/d ratio than nothing beats a good ol diy pc master race build!

 

[AusWolf]

Who remembers Onlive and Stadia? Muhahaha. The only reason why GeForce now is still a thing is because they have a free version wait in line like a peasant tear they had to lower premium substitution price. While cloud gaming always seems good on paper in reality its far from perfect.

It doesn't even look good on paper. "You'll own nothing and be happy" will never be the way if I have a say in it, not to mention the horrible latency across any home broadband. Sure, the counter-argument is that my PC cost me more than £1.5k, while a subscription play would cost me a couple quid a month, but (1) I'm not paying for anything I don't own, and (2) a laggy gameplay experience across a laggy home broadband isn't worth having, even if it's free. In food terms, "I'd rather starve than eat that crap".