This page will be dedicated do the gaming setup and all the tools and software I use for both streaming and normal gaming as well as the basic setup process. For the overlays and tools I use please click below.
My Technology
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Normal Gaming
Streaming
For the most optimal experience as well as for the method in this guide you need an additional computer to do the streaming off of. Does not need to be powerful.
Setup
Step 1: Installing Windows on Steam Deck
Reasoning: The Steam Deck runs on Linux which does not support certain anti-cheats such as Ricochet(Call Of Duty) or applications such as Epic Games(Fortnite) or even certain Steam games such as Batman Arkham Asylum. However, if you install Windows the Steam Deck can run those applications just as a normal gaming PC would.
The first thing to do after installing the Steam Deck is to install Windows using another computer to load installation files onto the flash drive, attaching the USB C hub to the Steam Deck, then inserting the flash drive into the USB C hub. You will need to use the on screen keyboard function at times. It can be accessed by either pressing the accessibility button(very bottom right) then flicking the toggle or by double clicking on a text box during setup or through settings once setup is complete. You can use touch controls or use the right trackpad as a mouse.
Step 2: Plug The 2TB External Hard Drive Into The USB C Hub
Step 3: Installing Your Chosen Game Launchers
Your Steam Deck is now essentially a gaming PC, so you can install game launchers directly from their website as you normally would. I'd recommend Steam and Epic Games. To install the games to the external hard drive you just need to wait until you see a screen displaying a file path(for example C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam ) then hit the button next to it and click the external hard drive on the next menu. Or to have the games playable on any Steam client you can install Steam locally then add the external hard drive as a library in settings.
Streaming
Step 4: Plug the HDMI cable into the HDMI port of the capture card
Step 5: Get OBS and install it on the other computer
Step 6: Plug the USB end of the capture card into the other computer
Step 7: Plug the other end of the HDMI cable into the USB C hub
Step 8: In OBS press the + icon underneath the box labeled sources and select "video capture device" then click the drop down menu then "USB video"(or similar) then click OK.
Step 8: To get the display the right size, right click on the video capture source in the "sources" box then hover over "transform" then click "stretch to screen."
Step 9:In OBS press the + icon underneath the box labeled sources then click on the drop down menu and select "audio input capture" then put select the same source as from the video source and click OK.
Step 10: Use the aux cord to connect the Steam Deck to the microphone icon slot of the capture card.
You now have both audio and video of the game. To start recording click start recording.
To add a microphone:
Click the + sign under the sources box then select audio input capture then select your microphone.
To start streaming:
Click file in the upper left of the OBS window then click settings then in the new menu click stream. Click on the service drop down menu then select the service you wish to stream on. Then either click the button to login or input a stream key.
Click start streaming and you are live!
For all other utilities and overlays please click the button below.