Steam starts in-home streaming beta

We've been inundated with a lot of Steam Machines hardware specifications ever since CES, but don't forget that the Linux-based Steam OS can't run that many games natively.

ever since CES, but don't forget that the Linux-based Steam OS can't run that many games natively. Luckily, Valve recently announced that the in-home streaming beta, which will allow you to stream games from you computer to your Steam Machine and other devices, is now live.

“We've sent out invitations to development partners to try out the streaming beta,” Valve said on the program's Steam group page. “As we iterate we'll add more and more people to the beta, so if you haven't gotten your invite, stay tuned!”

Comments on the announcement catalog a variety of errors, including lag, stuttering, and streaming not working at all. There are also some success stories: For example, this lucky guycan play DayZ on his TV now.

As Valve explained in November, in-home streaming allows any two computers to stream a gameplay session, and a Windows-only game can be streamed from a Windows PC to a Steam Machine. A graphically intensive game can also be streamed from a beefy gaming rig to a low powered laptop. You could even start a game on one computer and move to a more comfortable location and continue playing it there.

Yesterday, at its Steam Dev Days event, Valve also revealed the new design for the Steam Controller.