Steam Steam's Big Picture Mode Goes Beta

[x3sphere]

It's been a long time coming, but Steam's TV-tailored Big Picture Mode is finally available for the masses to try out. Valve announced that the feature has now entered open beta. It'll be available "later today." In order to gain access, simply connect your PC or Mac to a TV.

As its name implies, Big Picture Mode features a UI designed from the ground-up for television sets.

Continue reading...

 

[Abe Froeman]

How well do you think a wireless laptop will fare for multiplayer gaming with this?

 

[hush404]

:S Was it not possible to simply tell your PC that your TV was a monitor and do this (sans UI improvements) for playing games as it was? I'm just confused why new things (again besides the UI) this offers...

 

[Trigun]

Tried it,
Eh..
Only 2 display options, 1080p or 720p.
1080p is pretty blurry.
720p is super blurry.

Also: Banding. There is a fuckton of it.http://min.us/mDTq5syKO/1 Lossless PNGs
Oh well at least it sounds nice.

 

[x3sphere]

:S Was it not possible to simply tell your PC that your TV was a monitor and do this (sans UI improvements) for playing games as it was? I'm just confused why new things (again besides the UI) this offers...

Well you can browse through the entire interface using only a controller now, as well as access secondary features like the web browser. If your computer is in another room and you don't have a wireless mouse or keyboard, this is a huge improvement usability wise. But yes apart from the UI there's nothing you couldn't do before.