Low-Latency Remote Desktop for Gaming and Work ...

Michael Horn

5 Sept 202307:55

Summary

TLDRThis video tutorial introduces Moonlight, an open-source streaming client that enables low-latency access to desktops or virtual machines for gaming and other applications. Originally based on NVIDIA's GameStream protocol, Moonlight now supports various devices without needing an NVIDIA GPU. The video compares Moonlight with traditional remote desktop solutions, explains its advantages in reducing latency, and guides viewers on setting up a self-hosted streaming service called Sunshine, which works with AMD and Intel GPUs. The host also shares personal experiences with Moonlight on Windows and Linux, highlighting its performance and some challenges faced.

Takeaways

🎮 The video introduces Moonlight, an open-source streaming client for low-latency access to desktops or virtual machines, originally based on NVIDIA's GameStream protocol.
👍 The video promises to show how to connect to any desktop or virtual machine with low latency, even for gaming, without needing an NVIDIA GPU.
🔒 Moonlight works differently from traditional remote desktop solutions like VNC and RDP by processing data only on the host side and sending a video stream back to the client, reducing latency.
🖥️ Moonlight clients are available for various devices, including consoles and smart TVs, but the host setup is more complex and was originally tied to NVIDIA's technology.
🛠️ The video mentions 'Sunshine', an alternative self-hosted streaming service that uses the Moonlight protocol and supports AMD and Intel GPUs.
🌐 Sunshine can be installed from GitHub or Flat Hub for Linux, offering a browser-based web interface for configuration.
📱 The configuration allows for creating shortcuts to applications or desktops, which can be advertised to the Moonlight client for easy access.
🔄 Moonlight clients connect to the host by entering its IP address and a PIN, allowing access to applications and the desktop remotely.
👀 The video notes a potential issue with mouse cursor movement causing frame rate drops on the desktop, which might be intentional to prevent overshooting targets.
💻 The experience with Moonlight on Windows is described as flawless, but there can be challenges with Linux, especially with hardware acceleration for AMD and Intel GPUs.
📝 The video promises a future guide on how to properly install Sunshine on Linux for those facing difficulties, and encourages subscription for updates.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the video?
-The video focuses on demonstrating how to use the open-source stream client Moonlight to connect to a desktop or virtual machine with low latency for activities like gaming.
What is Moonlight and what does it allow users to do?
-Moonlight is a low-latency streaming protocol that allows users to stream games, programs, or the entire desktop of a host PC over a local network or the internet to a client device.
Is it necessary to have an Nvidia GPU to use Moonlight?
-No, it is not necessary to have an Nvidia GPU to use Moonlight, as it can also work with AMD and Intel GPUs through a self-hosted streaming service called Sunshine.
How does Moonlight differ from traditional remote desktop solutions like VNC and RDP?
-Moonlight differs by reducing the overhead of constantly sending commands and confirmations. It processes data only on the host side, rendering the game in a fixed resolution and sending only the video stream to the client.
What are the potential downsides of using Moonlight for desktop mouse movements?
-There is a slight delay in mouse movement on the desktop because it is not client-rendered anymore, which can be noticeable when compared to the latency of mouse cursor movement in graphically intensive applications or games.
What platforms are Moonlight clients available on?
-Moonlight clients are available for a wide range of devices, including consoles and Homebrew Smart TVs.
What is the current status of Moonlight's host side with regards to Nvidia's Game Stream protocol?
-Nvidia plans to drop Game Stream, which is the protocol Moonlight is based on, and this might affect Moonlight's ability to function as a host.
What is Sunshine and how does it relate to Moonlight?
-Sunshine is a self-hosted streaming service that utilizes the Moonlight protocol to offer low-latency streaming and is compatible with AMD and Intel GPUs, providing an alternative to Nvidia's Game Stream.
How can users configure Sunshine after installation?
-Users can access Sunshine's configuration via a browser-based web interface, where they can create applications or desktops, set custom images, and adjust settings for streaming.
What issues were encountered when trying to use Moonlight on Linux?
-On Linux, especially with the RP (possibly a typo for 'RPM' or 'RPi', referring to Raspberry Pi), hardware acceleration for AMD and Intel can be tricky. The Flatpak version for Linux was mentioned as not working at all and having issues with software encoding.
What additional information is the video creator compiling for Linux users?
-The video creator is compiling a list of fixes on how to properly install Sunshine on Linux, which will be shared with the audience through the channel.

Outlines

00:00

🎮 Introduction to Low Latency Game Streaming with Moonlight

The video script introduces the concept of low latency streaming for desktops and virtual machines, focusing on the open-source Moonlight client. Originally based on Nvidia's Game Stream protocol, Moonlight enables users to stream games and desktop environments with minimal delay, even without an Nvidia GPU. The script contrasts Moonlight with traditional remote desktop solutions like VNC and RDP, highlighting its unique approach to reducing latency by processing data only on the host side and sending a video stream to the client. The video promises to explore the setup and use of Moonlight clients across various devices and the potential challenges of hosting Moonlight with the discontinuation of Nvidia's Game Stream.

05:03

🔧 Configuring and Using Moonlight for Remote Access

This paragraph delves into the practical aspects of setting up Moonlight for remote access to a PC. It explains the process of connecting a client to a host PC by entering the host's IP address and a PIN, allowing access to applications and desktop environments. The script discusses the use of Moonlight with a Windows 11 virtual machine and a pass-through GPU, emphasizing the solid latency performance even over the internet. It also touches on potential issues with mouse cursor movement and frame rate drops on the desktop, suggesting possible intentional design to prevent mouse overshooting. The video script concludes with a mention of the challenges of running Moonlight on Linux systems and the upcoming guide on installing Sunshine, an alternative self-hosted streaming service compatible with AMD and Intel GPUs.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Proxmox

Proxmox is an open-source server virtualization environment and platform that allows users to run multiple virtual machines on a single physical server. In the video's context, it is mentioned as a previous topic where the creator had made a tutorial on installing Proxmox, indicating a focus on virtualization and server management.

💡Low Latency

Low latency refers to a minimal delay in the transfer of data, which is crucial for real-time applications such as gaming or remote desktop streaming. The video discusses using the Moonlight streaming client to achieve low latency, allowing for a smooth user experience even when playing games remotely.

💡Moonlight

Moonlight is an open-source streaming client that was originally built on NVIDIA's GameStream protocol. It enables users to stream games and desktop environments from a host PC to a client device with low latency. The video showcases Moonlight as a solution for accessing a PC from anywhere without the need for an NVIDIA GPU.

💡NVIDIA GameStream

NVIDIA GameStream is a technology integrated into the GeForce Experience that allows users to stream games from their NVIDIA GPU-powered PC to other devices. The video mentions that Moonlight was originally based on this protocol, highlighting its role in enabling the streaming capabilities discussed.

💡Remote Desktop

Remote desktop refers to the ability to access and control a computer from a different device over a network or the internet. The video compares Moonlight to traditional remote desktop solutions like VNC and RDP, emphasizing the lower latency and better performance of Moonlight for gaming and graphical applications.

💡Hardware Encoding

Hardware encoding is the process of using a device's hardware, such as a GPU, to encode video streams. The video mentions that Moonlight ideally uses hardware encoding to decrease latency, which is important for maintaining a smooth streaming experience without burdening the CPU.

💡Sunshine

Sunshine is a self-hosted streaming service that utilizes the Moonlight protocol and is compatible with AMD and Intel GPUs, unlike the original Moonlight which relied on NVIDIA's technology. The video discusses Sunshine as an alternative for users who do not have an NVIDIA GPU or want to avoid reliance on NVIDIA's GameStream protocol.

💡GeForce Experience

GeForce Experience is a software suite developed by NVIDIA that provides various features for GeForce graphics card users, including game optimization and the GameStream protocol. The video notes that NVIDIA plans to drop GameStream, which could impact the hosting of Moonlight streams.

💡Virtual Machine

A virtual machine is a software-based simulation of a physical computer that allows users to run different operating systems and applications. The video mentions using Moonlight to connect to a Windows 11 virtual machine, demonstrating the flexibility of the streaming client for different environments.

💡Headless System

A headless system is a computer that operates without a monitor, keyboard, or mouse attached. The video discusses the potential need for a dummy plug on headless systems to mimic a monitor connection, which is necessary for the proper functioning of the host-side rendering in Moonlight.

💡Linux

Linux is a family of open-source Unix-like operating systems. The video mentions the challenges of using Moonlight on Linux, particularly with hardware acceleration for AMD and Intel GPUs, and the efforts to compile a list of fixes for proper installation, indicating the importance of compatibility across different operating systems.

Highlights

Introduction to the open-source stream client, Moonlight, which allows low-latency streaming for gaming and desktop access.

Moonlight does not require an Nvidia GPU, contrary to its origins based on Nvidia's GameStream protocol.

Comparison of Moonlight to traditional remote desktop solutions like VNC and RDP, emphasizing its low-latency advantage.

Explanation of how Moonlight works differently by processing data on the host side only, reducing latency.

Description of the slight mouse movement delay on desktops when using Moonlight due to client-side rendering changes.

Availability of Moonlight clients for various devices, including consoles and smart TVs.

Challenges of setting up Moonlight hosts, especially with Nvidia's plans to drop GameStream and the need for an Nvidia GPU with the nvenc encoder.

Introduction to Sunshine, a self-hosted streaming service that uses the Moonlight protocol and supports AMD and Intel GPUs.

Instructions on how to install Sunshine on a host system via GitHub or Flat Hub for Linux.

Configuration of Sunshine through a web interface to create applications or desktops for streaming.

Technical details on adjusting stream resolution, frame rate, and encoder settings in Sunshine.

Process of connecting a client to a PC using the PC's IP address and a PIN from the web interface.

Personal experience of using Moonlight to connect to a Windows 11 virtual machine with a pass-through GPU.

Discussion on the performance of Moonlight on headless systems and the potential need for a dummy plug.

Observation of frame rate drops when moving the mouse cursor on the desktop with Moonlight.

Comparison of Moonlight's performance on Windows versus Linux, noting difficulties with hardware acceleration for AMD and Intel on Linux.

Promise of a future video with fixes for installing Sunshine on Linux and an invitation to subscribe for updates.

Closing remarks with a reminder to like the video and a sign-off greeting viewers based on their time zone.