[3.6.18] Remote Play low framerate/drops when streaming with HEVC/Hardware Decoding

[ethan021021]

Your system information

• Steam client version: 1729015347
• SteamOS version: 3.6.18
• Opted into Steam client beta?: Yes
• Opted into SteamOS beta?: Yes
• Have you checked for updates in Settings > System?: Yes

Please describe your issue in as much detail as possible:

When streaming a game from my PC using Remote Play, I expect the stream to run without frame drops. However, I’ve noticed that when first starting the game, frame drops occur after the game fully loads. If I open the Quick Access Menu (QAM) on the Steam Deck while streaming and toggle the Manual GPU Clock option, setting it to 900 MHz and then back to 1600 MHz, and then disabling Manual GPU Clock, the frame rates return to normal, and no more drops occur. Without using this workaround, the frame rates remain low, making the game nearly unplayable.

Steps for reproducing this issue:

1. Start streaming a game from a host PC with HEVC and Hardware Decoding enabled
2. Fully load into the game
3. Notice frame drops
4. Open QAM
5. Go to Performance tab
6. Enable Manual GPU Clock
7. Set to 900 MHz
8. Set back to 1600MHz
9. Disable Manual GPU Clock
10. Notice the stream is smooth and there are no more dropped frames or stuttering

[ethan021021]

Matter a fact:

Even after applying this "workaround" if I decide to open the steam side menu to go to settings, home, etc and then back to the stream... The dropped frames issue reoccurs. Reapplying the workaround mentioned above ^ fixes this issue.

[NickColumn]

Can confirm the exact same issue. Setting the GPU Clock to 900MHz and then back to any number(or even to Auto) fixes the FPS drops and any kind of stuttering.

[Dlitosh]

Exactly the same issue. Also - changing the resolution within the game to a different one and back is a workaround as well, but then the issue reappears after a while.

[Vegas7]

Same issue, subscribed. Tried to use the Steam Link app from the Discovery store, no stuttering issue, but the color is washed out.

[jtsorlinis]

Having the same issue, can confirm workaround too!

[ajwootto]

Same issue, another workaround seems to be to go to Remote Play options in settings and toggle off hardware decoding. That resets the framerate back to normal for a while, then eventually the issue reappears. Then I toggle hardware decoding back on and it fixes it temporarily again. It seems like it might be more related to restarting the stream via a settings toggle than it is to the actual mechanism of hardware decoding.

Side note, if I navigate too quickly through the settings menu while streaming then the whole UI locks up (this is while connected to TV via a USB C hub)