Key information
Valve has integrated the Pyrowave video codec, which is specifically developed for in-home game streaming, into the Steam Remote Play beta client. The integration aims to deliver lower latency and cleaner image quality by processing each frame independently rather than relying on motion prediction.
The tradeoff for these improvements is a massive increase in resource demands. Pyrowave reportedly requires roughly five to ten times more bandwidth than existing streaming codecs, with users able to adjust bandwidth settings from 100 Mbps up to 500 Mbps. Valves guidelines suggest that a gigabit Ethernet connection is required, as underdimensioned networks may yield no improvements in latency or quality.
In addition to GPU encoding and decoding, the codec supports full YUV 4:4:4 color and HDR when supported by both the host and client. Currently, the feature is available as an opt-in option in the Steam beta participation settings and the advanced Remote Play menu, targeting desktop enthusiasts with fast wired local networks rather than typical Wi-Fi streaming. Linux users must use the experimental SteamRT3 client to access it.
