How to Stream PC Games on NVIDIA Shield TV via Steam Link
Reading Time: 4 minutesSteam Link isn’t as good as NVIDIA GameStream, but if you’re a Shield TV user who wants to stream games from your PC, you have no other option.
With the unfortunate news that NVIDIA is shutting down its GameStream service, Shield TV owners who use the device to stream their PC games are scrambling for an alternative solution.
NVIDIA recommends using Steam Link, and while it’s not the only available solution for replacing GameStream, Steam Link can be a worthy replacement as most PC gamers already use Steam extensively. Here’s what you need to know.
What Is Steam Link?
First, let’s clear up what we’re talking about when we refer to Steam Link. We’re not referring to the hardware variant of Steam Link—which was discontinued in 2018 and replaced with the Steam Link app.
When we refer to Steam Link in this guide, we’re referring to the app, not the hardware. With that clarification out of the way, how does it all work?
Steam Link streams games from your gaming PC to the device you wish to stream to (in our case, your Shield TV) by bridging a connection between the two. Setup is straightforward, though you may encounter caveats once you try to stream. But more on that later.
It’s a decent alternative to streaming PC games to your Shield TV, especially now that NVIDIA is discontinuing GameStream. Even though you’ll be limited to Steam’s ecosystem, you can still play games from other digital marketplaces by adding non-Steam games to your Steam library.
How to Install and Set Up Steam Link on NVIDIA Shield TV
Open the Play Store app on your Shield TV, search for ‘Steam Link.’ and then select Install > Open > Allow.
Now, Steam Link will search the PCs currently running Steam. In most cases, your PC will be found automatically. If not, you’ll have to manually add the PC (more on that in a moment).
Now, let’s bridge the connection between your gaming PC and the Shield TV. Here’s how:
- Select the gaming PC you want to connect to.
- Choose Start Playing.
- Take note of the four-digit PIN that appears.
- Go to the gaming PC you want to connect to and enter the code in the blank field.
- Select Confirm.
If you have more than one gaming PC running Steam on your home network and want to bridge another connection to your Shield TV, select Settings and then Computer to see every PC found by Steam Link. Select a computer you want to steam from, then select Start Playing to bridge another connection.
That’s it! But what can you do if Steam Link fails to find your gaming PC on your home network? That’s an easy fix, so read below.
What to Do if Steam Link Can’t Find Your PC
If Steam Link can’t find the PC you want to stream games from to your Shield TV, go to Settings > Computer > Rescan to see if it can be found a second time around. But if the Steam Link app still cannot find your gaming PC, you’ll have to add it manually.
Fortunately, Steam Link also makes this process simple. So, follow these simple instructions:
- Go to Settings > Computer.
- Now, select Other Computer at the bottom.
- Take note of the four-digit PIN.
Open the Steam client on the gaming PC you want to stream from. Now, click on Steam > Settings, and head to Remote Play on the left pane.
Enter the four-digital PIN and select Confirm as we did in the previous example. If successful, the Steam Link app will bridge a connection between the PC and your Shield TV.
Connecting a Controller to the Shield TV
Android and iOS users may already know that they don’t necessarily need to connect a controller if they want to stream their PC titles to their mobile devices. But since the goal is to stream PC games to the Shield TV, we don’t have that option. So, we’ll need to pair a Bluetooth controller to your Shield TV.
You can skip this step if you’ve done this in the past. For everyone else, you have two options:
- Pairing a Steam Controller with the Shield TV.
- Pairing other controllers, like DualSense and Xbox Series X/S controllers.
For the few that still own a Steam Controller and wish to pair it to the Shield TV, first, update the Steam Controller’s firmware. To do this:
- Open Steam on your PC where the Steam Controller is paired.
- Click on View and choose Big Picture Mode from the dropdown menu.
- Now, follow the on-screen instructions for updating the firmware if an update is available.
- Turn off the Steam Controller by holding the Steam button.
To pair any Bluetooth controller to your Shield TV, including the Steam Controller, follow the instructions below:
- Select Settings and choose Remotes & accessories.
- Hold the pairing button on your controller.
- Select Add Bluetooth accessories.
- Using your Shield TV remote, choose the controller you are pairing.
- Select Pair.
To unpair a controller from the Shield TV, go to Settings > Remotes & accessories and go to the bottom of the list to find your connected controller under the Paired devices section. Select the controller, then choose Unpair.
Troubleshooting Steam Link’s Latency Issues
Although not everyone will experience latency issues with Steam Link, it’s a common problem. Unfortunately, latency woes can occur for any number of reasons. If you’re getting undesirable bandwidth speeds via Steam Link, conduct a bandwidth test on the PC you want to stream to your Shield TV. You can do this within Steam Link itself.
Select Settings > Streaming > Network Test. Enter the four-digit PIN on the gaming PC you want to stream to the Shield TV, and then select Confirm to conduct a speed test.
If your connection crawls at a turtle’s pace, consider plugging your gaming PC into an Ethernet port on your home network. Alternatively, switch your PC from 2.4GHz to 5GHz.
Additionally, you can enable hardware encoding to minimize latency woes by opening the Steam client on your PC and going to Steam > Settings > Remote Play > Advanced Host Options > Enable hardware encoding > OK.
While you’re on the Steam client, it’s a good time to adjust the stream quality of your gaming PC. Return to Settings, then select Remote Play. Look for the section Client options streaming to this computer at the bottom of the page. You will find three choices: Fast, Balanced, and Beautiful.
By default, Steam sets this to Balanced, but if your connection is slow, make sure you choose Fast.
Steam Link Is the Next Best Thing to NVIDIA GameStream
Steam Link isn’t perfect, and it may make you feel nostalgic for the days when you could stream from your gaming PC to your Shield TV via NVIDIA’s GameStream service.
Still, it’s arguably the easiest solution for streaming your PC games to the Shield TV. If you have a few minutes to spare, follow our guide and see if Steam Link streams optimally on your home network.
Reference: https://www.makeuseof.com/stream-games-on-nvidia-shield-tv-via-steam-link/