Source
r/ShieldAndroidTV•
SevenElements

Can't Stream an Emulator Using Big Picture on ShieldTV

Hello all, I've recently purchased a Shield TV with the intent of streaming my Emulators through Steam via the Big Picture/Gamestream app on Shield TV (bypassing the need for a Steam Link to do so), but I've run into some issues and I'm hoping someone can help me with an issue I've been having streaming an emulator through Gamestream/Big Picture using my Shield TV.

I've spent the past few days trying to get my emulator up and running and integrated into Steam, and as of last night I was successful in getting everything set up. When I attempt to play an emulated game through Big Picture on the ShieldTV, the application stops for a moment, as if it's thinking, and then doesn't load the game, returning to the game's "page" in the Big Picture app.

This wouldn't be strange if this was a general problem with the emulated game (I had this problem initially when I was trying to integrate the individual game into Steam), but it works 100% every other way I try to play it. If I start the game through steam normally on my PC, it works. If I start the game using Big Picture mode on my PC, it works. I was even able to get the ShieldTV to stream my main monitor through the Steam app without it booting into Big Picture (somehow), and the game at least started up (albeit with no picture and only sound). But if I try to do it the normal way you would expect, the game doesn't even open at all.

I don't know what specs or technical stuff I would need to post to help out with any diagnosis, but it's so strange (and frustrating!) that what I thought would be the easiest part of being able to play old games with my nephews is turning out to be the most perplexing one. If anyone can provide any assistance or needs any other information to do so, please let me know. Any help is tremendously appreciated.

Posted Jun 18, 2017, 6:20 AM UTC

49
Imronburgundy83•

Get a USB drive loaded with your roms, download retroarch or some other emu from the google play store, and play local. Trying to stream emulators from Steam is a pain in the ass.

6
oxidius•

Yeah, but if you are emulating wii, ps2, wiiU, etc. streaming it from a powerful PC is the only option.

1
mondocu•

won't be able to help you out with gamestream app, but you can try RetroX app, which is hasslefree for emulators on shield. http://www.retrox.tv/

2
magistercato•

Are you using ice? I could never get games to launch in big picture gamestream using ice.

2
avalanche82•

Hi there. If you don't mind me asking, what particular gaming systems are you trying to emulate? I might be able to suggest some alternatives for emulating depending on what systems you're doing as I'm currently doing the same with my new shield

2
SevenElementsOP•

Currently just trying with N64 emulation. I've heard that's the hardest one to "get working" out of the older/pre-PS3/360 consoles so I thought I'd start there. I haven't had the time to get an actual N64 controller with a Mayflash adapter up and running, but so far everything seems to be working well with a PS4 controller.

My girl prefers going via Steam/remote desktop because she likes the Big Picture interface, and my nephew seems to just go straight for the RetroX app, so we're split 50/50 as of right now with me abstaining: 2 steps forward 1 step back.

1
avalanche82•

Yeah ps3/360 are a still a way off although I think ps3 is making some progress.

I guess there's pros and cons of Big Picture and RetroX.

With Big Picture you're always tied to streaming via your PC and then you're always reliant on it. Where as you can run RetroX straight from your Shield.

The issue with RetroX right now is that it requires you to have a internet connection to run it and to do cloud saves. Although I think they're making an offline version soon, there's the annoying of having to be tied to the internet currently. Also RetroX may not be doing consoles like PS2 or Xbox1. I know that they're planning on adding Dolphin/Gamecube but I'm unsure if we'll see anything like PS2. The advantage of streaming from the PC is you can then emulate stuff like ps2/3, wii/WiiU depending on your PC's power. Also means you can stream you Steam games as well.

One thing I do like with RetroX is that you can have it on a Android based handheld like a GPDXD or phone, and you can tie you RetroX account to any Android device which means you can use your game saves on any both devices. Very cool if you're playing games while commuting and then want to continue your game when your home on the Shield, then you can use your save state from your other device.

Another thing I like about RetroX is the home screen displays stuff like 'most popular games this week' and 'most played'. It's a good way to keep in the loop of what others are playing and to get recommendations for emulation titles.

So I guess it depends on preference when choosing between RetroX and Big Picture pc streaming. They both have their advantages and you could just use one and be fine but at the same times there doesn't seem to be anything stopping you from using both and if you have other people in your house who have a preference in different menu systems/frontends then you can just use both.

Currently my set up is...

RetroX on my Shield - Covers 8bit to Playstation1/N64/Dreamcast/Mame/arcade)

RetroX on my GPDXD portable -So I can play games elsewhere and share save states between my GPD and Shield via RetroX.

Dolphin on my Shield - This is to play Gamecube but hopefully RetroX will add Dolphin in the future so I can have it under the same app

Big Picture on my PC streaming to my Shield - basically to stream to my Shield so i can play Steam games with a controller in front of the TV

Launchbox/Big Box on my PC streaming to my Shield - Only just started this but using it to organize for PS2 emulation. Will also add my Steam titles to Launchbox to keep it all organize. Might also add WiiU titles if I end up using Cemu.

1
SevenElementsOP•

Thanks for the assistance everyone. Someone on the nVidia forums also suggested using remote desktop, which did wind up working weirdly enough. I'm not sure if Ice was the culprit of it, but I have all the solutions in place and I'll see which one the family has the easiest time with. Hopefully the issue with Gamestream will be fixed one day soon, but all the workarounds are definitely within a tolerable limit of extra clicks/presses. Thanks again!

1
meanween2000•

I had this same issue. Try adding triple quotes around the rom path.

"C:/path/of/emulator" """C:/path/of/rom"""

That fixed it for me.

2