Valve improves Steam Deck Remote Play with new beta update
Valve has released a new Steam Deck Client update through the Preview and Beta channels. The July 8 update focuses on Remote Play, interface scaling and controller compatibility.
The client now offers 59.94 FPS as a selectable Remote Play frame rate limit . Valve also reduced frame drops when the limit is set to automatic.
Why 59.94 FPS?
59.94 FPS is the exact 60000/1001 video rate used by many TVs, capture devices and HDMI display modes. It originates from the NTSC television standard and remains common in modern video pipelines.
For Remote Play, selecting 59.94 FPS lets the encoded stream match a display running at 59.94 Hz. Sending exactly 60 FPS to such a display creates a small timing mismatch, which can require a dropped or repeated frame roughly every 16.7 seconds and produce occasional judder.
Valve likely added it for televisions, external displays and capture setups that report 59.94 Hz rather than exactly 60 Hz. The difference is not about performance. It is about keeping frame delivery synchronized with the display.
Big Picture Mode scaling and controller fixes
Valve also fixed incorrect interface scaling when Big Picture Mode was launched from Desktop Mode. It also corrected a patch notes preview issue that could show information from the wrong update channel.
Steam Input now supports wired and wireless PDP Afterglow Wave controllers for Nintendo Switch. Support was also added for Turtle Beach controllers designed for Nintendo Switch 2.
The Steam Controller received a firmware fix for occasional repeated B button presses. These changes are currently limited to the Steam Deck Preview and Beta client channels, with no Stable release date confirmed.
Steam Deck Beta Client Update: July 8th
We have just shipped an updated Steam Deck Client to the Preview/Beta channel.
General
- Fixed a case where the ‘Patch Notes’ preview box in Settings->System would incorrectly show an event for the wrong channel. E.g. showing Beta Channel notes when the client is opted in to the Stable Channel.
Desktop Mode
- Fixed incorrect UI scale being used when in Big Picture Mode.
Steam Input
- Added support for both the wired and wireless versions of the PDP Afterglow Wave Controller for Nintendo Switch
- Added support for Turtle Beach controllers for Nintendo Switch 2
Remote Play
- Added 59.94 FPS as an available framerate limit
- Reduced frame drops when the framerate limit is set to automatic
- Fixed overloading the client video decoder when unlimited bandwidth is enabled
Steam Controller FW
- Fixed an issue with occasional repeated button presses on the B Button
Source: Steam
