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#4011046 - 09/17/14 06:45 PM Steam console.  
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marko1231123 Offline
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I will be purchasing a new machine around December all going well.
I started a post on this subject before but I cant find it. LoL
So I will ask again.
Will any of the members on this site be considering purchasing a steam machine.
I can see the advantages of such a console its a hell of a lot cheaper then the PC I was considering getting.
But I have been stung in the past buying a new console (Amiga32 bit) think I was the only person in the UK to Buy one. LoL
So what do you guys think will it be a hit or miss its got some heavy hitters backing it.
Anybody else considering getting one.?

http://www.dell.com/us/p/alienware-alpha-steam-machine/pd

Inline advert (2nd and 3rd post)

#4011050 - 09/17/14 07:13 PM Re: Steam console. [Re: marko1231123]  
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PanzerMeyer Online centaurian
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If the only thing you will do is play Steam-only games and absolutely nothing else then a Steam box may be a wise purchase. If you like to do other things like play PC games that don't use Steam, browse the net, use applications like MS Office, iTunes, Photoshop, etc. etc. then I would say that a Steam box is not the right purchase. Personally for me, I would never buy a Steam box simply because it is too specialized for what my needs are.


“Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.”
#4011051 - 09/17/14 07:21 PM Re: Steam console. [Re: marko1231123]  
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Cold_Gambler Offline
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My main concern with those boxes would be to find out precisely what the "custom NVIDIA Maxwell GTX graphics with 2GB GDDR5 memory" is.
At least it's NOT relying on the Intel integrated GPU... still, assuming that you've got some graphically demanding newer titles in your Steam library, this could quite likely be the Achilles heel of these systems... and I see that all the systems offered use the same GPU.

On a side-note, I just placed an order for a Zotac OI520 Sphere to replace my current shoebox sized and shaped HTPC.
The main function will be for streaming Netflix but I plan to install Steam on it and use it as a basic console to play with my son with Xbox controllers. It should be OK for most of his games which I know work on my laptop. It should match nicely with my Orb audio speakers smile


looks very modernishy-phoney-windows eighty-tabletty like

Asus P8P67 Pro Rev. 3.0 // i5 2500k @4.3 GHz with Noctua NH-D14 // nvidia gtx 780 // 8 GB DDR3 1600 //Win7 home 64 bit //450 GB VelociRaptor //Recon3D Champion
#4011081 - 09/17/14 08:18 PM Re: Steam console. [Re: marko1231123]  
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Ssnake Offline
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My impression is that the Steam Machine are Valve's counter-threat to Microsoft's App store that was introduced with Windows 8. It's a direct attack on the Steam sales platform, so Valve apparently decided to go on the offensive and try to attack Windows as a games platform.

Whether that will actually be successful, I don't know. I guess it will depend on the kind of antics with which Microsoft decides to torment the desktop PC users with Windows 9 and following. The more erratic MS starts to behave the more attractive the Steam Machine will become for PC gamers, provided that PC game developers will actually port their creations over to the Linux platform.

Personally I think that the chance of the Steam Machines becoming a massive success are less than 25%. Microsoft will probably come to their senses eventually and be more predictable in their product policy again, given that their attempt to force the Metro UI down everybody's throat demonstrably failed. The success of the MS app store will depend very much on the success of the Windows Phone and how long MS is willing to sink money in that adventure. So far MS and hardware has been a "mixed bag" experience. I liked some of their keyboards and some of the mice, but ever since they threw the joystick division under the bus by not developing DirectX 9 drivers for the old Sidewinder sticks I lost confidence in their long-term commitment. It is like with other corporations - managers come and go, and they all have different ideas what the corporate product policy should be, and damn the long-term consequences for the corporation and its customers.

If Microsoft gives up the attempt to force its operating system upgrades on customers by making API upgrades exclusive, if they go back to the tenet of maximal backwards compatibility, if they remember that the PC platform became successful because it promised freedom to its customers rather than the walled garden of Apple's proprietary gilded cage, the Steam Machine won't stand a chance. (But then again, there goes Valve's incentive to establish a competing console with it.)
Microsoft doesn't have to do everything right in order to preserve the PC as a gaming platform. Valve on the other hand cannot afford to make a single mistake with their Steam Machines.


But that's just my personal and only moderately informed opinion.

#4011082 - 09/17/14 08:20 PM Re: Steam console. [Re: marko1231123]  
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Raw Kryptonite Offline
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I'd consider it. Might even let my son buy one for his room BECAUSE it isn't a regular pc. I think they have a browser built in, like Steam, but still not bad. I prefer the kids not have a full pc in the privacy of their rooms. If it's a simple Steam Big Picture interface, they'd be less likely to screw it up. The controller is the main input device, but there are plenty of games that aren't 100% controller friendly, needing a mouse to click something or other just to launch. So you still need a kb/m.

My questions:
Can you upgrade these? Memory in particular, 4GB for that base model isn't much. 8GB would be just right.
How about the gpu?
On the non-steam games, how do you do that? I see these are Win8, so presumably you could exit Steam. Want to be sure though.

All of that said, you could always build your own.


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#4011089 - 09/17/14 08:30 PM Re: Steam console. [Re: marko1231123]  
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PanzerMeyer Online centaurian
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If you're going to go the "build your own" route then just get a PC.

I need to read more of the tech details but it seems to me that the Steam Box will be largely proprietary.


“Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.”
#4011090 - 09/17/14 08:31 PM Re: Steam console. [Re: marko1231123]  
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Pugio Offline
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Their just budget-priced PC's aimed at gamers. You could easily build a far superior PC on your own for a little more money.

If you neither build or can afford then it's a consideration.

I've only followed Steam machines with minimal interest, but I believe they were supposed to have their own Steam OS? I also see that these do not include the much vaunted Steam controller (due to re-design issues with Valve last I heard).

From my point of view as a varied interest gamer and system builder I would not consider it at all.

#4011093 - 09/17/14 08:37 PM Re: Steam console. [Re: marko1231123]  
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Pugio Offline
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Their just budget-priced PC's aimed at gamers. You could easily build a far superior PC on your own for a little more money.

If you neither build or can afford then it's a consideration.

I've only followed Steam machines with minimal interest, but I believe they were supposed to have their own Steam OS? I also see that these do not include the much vaunted Steam controller (due to re-design issues with Valve last I heard).

From my point of view as a varied interest gamer and system builder I would not consider it at all.

#4011094 - 09/17/14 08:39 PM Re: Steam console. [Re: marko1231123]  
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Jedi Master Offline
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You guys are going in circles.



The Jedi Master


The anteater is wearing the bagel because he's a reindeer princess. -- my 4 yr old daughter
#4011096 - 09/17/14 08:40 PM Re: Steam console. [Re: marko1231123]  
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Ssnake Offline
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Forum/server antics. Like so often.

#4011097 - 09/17/14 08:41 PM Re: Steam console. [Re: Jedi Master]  
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PanzerMeyer Online centaurian
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PanzerMeyer  Online Centaurian
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Originally Posted By: Jedi Master
You guys are going in circles.



The Jedi Master
Can you expand on that?

Edit: oh crap I see what you mean. Lol.

Last edited by PanzerMeyer; 09/17/14 08:42 PM.

“Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.”
#4011101 - 09/17/14 08:48 PM Re: Steam console. [Re: marko1231123]  
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Cold_Gambler Offline
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Considering that those Dell/Alienware boxes INCLUDE a Windows license I actually think they're reasonably priced.
I suspect that Dell is selling them in the expectation that the full-MSRP peripherals will bring in the margin.


looks very modernishy-phoney-windows eighty-tabletty like

Asus P8P67 Pro Rev. 3.0 // i5 2500k @4.3 GHz with Noctua NH-D14 // nvidia gtx 780 // 8 GB DDR3 1600 //Win7 home 64 bit //450 GB VelociRaptor //Recon3D Champion
#4011122 - 09/17/14 09:34 PM Re: Steam console. [Re: marko1231123]  
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Force10 Offline
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Not a chance. I would never buy a console from Valvethey are too cheap with their millions to offer tech support over the phone. My daughter was locked out of her Steam account and all her games for over a week while we "waited" for a damn e-mail back from their "support". Something that could have been resolved with a 10min phone call.


They need to figure out a way to better support their products other then the e-mail BS.


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#4011130 - 09/17/14 09:49 PM Re: Steam console. [Re: Force10]  
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marko1231123 Offline
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Good point force 10.
I forgot about the trouble I had with steam,
Reference a DCS module I purchased from them.

#4011143 - 09/17/14 10:27 PM Re: Steam console. [Re: marko1231123]  
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This topic is confusing, and I think it's because people don't know what a 'Steam box' is. I have a couple built, so here's the summary:

- There is no Valve Steambox console you can buy. They built a few as reference models for hardware testers, but they don't intend on selling them. OEM's like Dell might, which is the idea.

- It's just a PC. Running Linux. SteamOS is a combinations of a desktop UI app made for a TV and some nicer drivers (Linux's Achilles's heel for gaming usually). It runs Linux apps like a PC.

- They will be fringe or a very low percentage of gamers while game devs support Windows and not Linux, so really it's just an ongoing effort at Valve to offer an alternative and provide some 'reference platform' for those devs wanting not just to be exclusively windows. Like Ssnake said, it's really about not liking where Microsoft was heading with gaming and windows (i.e. why won't it die and you all buy Xbones etc.)

- It works ok, it's open source and ongoing, build you own box from bits, dual boot, do what you like etc. I mainly use it to stream games to a projector in a media room, as it's a nice use for it. More info here:

(the FAQ here is good)
http://store.steampowered.com/livingroom/SteamMachines/

http://store.steampowered.com/livingroom/SteamOS/

https://github.com/ValveSoftware

#4011151 - 09/17/14 10:55 PM Re: Steam console. [Re: marko1231123]  
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PFunk Offline
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If it'll recognize controllers other than a 360 gamepad, I'm in.


"A little luck & a little government is necessary to get by, but only a fool places his complete trust in either one." - PJ O'Rourke

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#4011156 - 09/17/14 11:04 PM Re: Steam console. [Re: marko1231123]  
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Lifer
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That is the Alienware version it seems. The Valve version of the Steam Console is different.

http://www.techradar.com/us/news/gaming/valve-steam-box-release-date-news-and-features-1127072

#4011157 - 09/17/14 11:06 PM Re: Steam console. [Re: PFunk]  
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Originally Posted By: PFunk
If it'll recognize controllers other than a 360 gamepad, I'm in.


They do have a (sort of) plan for that here:

http://store.steampowered.com/livingroom/SteamController/

I've used one and it was 'weird', in that they use a fancy feedback ('haptics') to help mouse-driven games work on a pad better. Their aim is to allow couch stuff without having a mouse plugged in on your knees. As per Valve's usual OP, it's a bit odd and might not work. I can see the point of it but lots of things to still try in that area still.

#4011160 - 09/17/14 11:16 PM Re: Steam console. [Re: marko1231123]  
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PFunk Offline
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Eh, if I can't use my HOTAS in DCS....I'll pass.


"A little luck & a little government is necessary to get by, but only a fool places his complete trust in either one." - PJ O'Rourke

www.sixmanfootball.com
#4011161 - 09/17/14 11:16 PM Re: Steam console. [Re: marko1231123]  
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Lifer
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For FF....a visual reference


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