Steam Home Streaming Requirements?

[Edge]

So I want to make my own SteamOS build, but I can't sink enough money into it to actually game on it locally, so I wanted to know what the requirements are for just raw streaming with a controller plugged in? No GPU gives the opportunity to use a low profile case if they exist..

I'd be hoping to reach 1080p/60fps, although obviously it's fair to say 30-60fps is acceptable for streaming.

Is this something that can be managed with just, say, an APU and some fast RAM? Also what would the HDD/power requirements be?

Last question, are there any true low profile cases on the market? If I was using a GPU, I'd happily get a Prodigy or something, but I'd like something that can lie flat, like a console. If CyberPowerSystems and Alienware can do it, makes sense that there is a consumer case of roughly the same proportions, right? Like my own true SteamBox! Are there low profile PSU's etc for this use?

Thanks for your help, again, this is all new territory for me xD

 

[barnsley]

It costs quite a bit to get a really skinny/console shaped case. Here is something I knocked up on part picker for cheap.
http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/p/2Lpga
CPU: AMD A10-5800K 3.8GHz Quad-Core Processor (£80.00 @ Ebuyer)
CPU Cooler: Scythe Shuriken Rev. B 3 11.8 CFM CPU Cooler (£24.98 @ Novatech)
Motherboard: MSI FM2-A75IA-E53 Mini ITX FM2 Motherboard (£60.26 @ Amazon UK)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LP 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory (£75.36 @ Scan.co.uk)
Case: Apex MI-008 Mini ITX Tower Case w/250W Power Supply (£41.47 @ Amazon UK)
Total: £282.07
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-02-01 18:43 GMT+0000)

 

[Edge]

Still a bit fat.. that looks like I could get a GPU in it! Good price though. I'm assuming a build of equal spec to that would be up to the job of streaming? And probably actually playing lesser games locally?

 

[barnsley]

Still a bit fat.. that looks like I could get a GPU in it! Good price though. I'm assuming a build of equal spec to that would be up to the job of streaming? And probably actually playing lesser games locally?

I realised I didn't put a hard drive in it. I presume just a basic £60 ssd will do though.
CPU: AMD A10-5800K 3.8GHz Quad-Core Processor (£80.00 @ Ebuyer)
CPU Cooler: Scythe Shuriken Rev. B 3 11.8 CFM CPU Cooler (£24.98 @ Novatech)
Motherboard: MSI FM2-A75IA-E53 Mini ITX FM2 Motherboard (£60.26 @ Amazon UK)
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LP 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory (£75.36 @ Scan.co.uk)
Storage: Plextor M5S Series 128GB 2.5" Solid State Disk (£69.74 @ Scan.co.uk)
case- silverstone ML06B £45.96
power supply -Silverstone mini PSU 300w bronze(you can change it for a 450w gold if you decide it needs a beastly gpu) £37.56
Total: £393.56
add the new ML06B case by silverstone, which is as slim as they get a

 

[Edge]

Found a whole bunch of them, called "HTPC" cases apparently.

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/productlist.php?groupid=2362&catid=2282

Still, thanks a lot, build looks great.

I'm almost tempted to crack open my old Sega MegaDrive and make a case mod xD

 

[barnsley]

No problem. The issue with HTPC cases is they aren't built to have the higher end apus, kinda why you have to go for bigger/more expensive ones.

 

[Edge]

Ah I gotchya. Would I be right in assuming HTPC would be okay for a mid-range APU for streaming, but the other low profile cases could handle the top of the line APU and therefore some local games too?

 

[barnsley]

Ah I gotchya. Would I be right in assuming HTPC would be okay for a mid-range APU for streaming, but the other low profile cases could handle the top of the line APU and therefore some local games too?

yeah. The cases that silverstone make are designed towards the whole steambox hype and some of them can even support single slot GPUS.

 

[Edge]

Maybe I'll just bite and make myself a proper TV station with room for one of these Silverstone bad boys then. I'm sure I can craft a little cubby hole for it, apart from the usual sideways DVD-player style shape.

Thanks again.