Basically what caused the rumors of a 'Steam Console' is steams TV friendly interface. I'm looking forward to it as I do have my PC hooked upto my TV for when I'm playing something with a controller instead of keyboard/mouse.

QuoteSteam's long-awaited "big picture" mode, which reformats the PC client to be more couch-friendly and could pave the way for a living-room device running Steam, will launch in beta in "early September," a Valve spokesperson announced today.

Speaking with GameTrailers' Geoff Keighley on last night's episode of GameTrailers TV, designer Greg Coomer explained, "In early September you'll be able to hop into a beta, click a button, and see Steam reformatted for your TV and usable with a PC game controller, or a mouse and keyboard if you wanna play that way."

Coomer pointed out that the best living-room experience will come from games that already work well with a controller — such as PC versions of console titles — but promised, "Everything will be there, so you don't have to give up your favorite stuff once you walk from the den to the living room."

Valve announced Steam's big-picture mode during the 2011 Game Developers Conference. The setup will help the company make inroads into the living room, even as it continues to deny rumors that it is working on its own console. Instead, Valve is content to let hardware companies do the heavy lifting. Valve managing director Gabe Newell told Keighley, "We show [big-picture mode to] hardware guys and say, 'Look, if this is a useful tool for you to deliver your hardware into living rooms, that's great.'"

More @ The Verge

Nice idea, explains all the steam box rumors from earlier in the year.  Now it'll be interesting to see what dedicated hardware comes out for it.

Nothing new here really is it though.

I'll wait for the launch price tag, it needs to compete with PS3/360 for the masses to adopt it.

Its just a software update, there won't be a price tag

Oh I don't think it will be mainstream and to be honest I very much doubt anyone will try and release a 'steam box' to try and appeal to the console masses but its a nice to have for PC gamers who also veg in front of the TV with a controller once and a while (for example I'm playing Skyrim with my 360 controller atm but would never play the game on console for the fact that the modding community doesn't exist)

Quote from: Leon on August 17, 2012, 22:21:50 PM
Its just a software update, there won't be a price tag

Oh I don't think it will be mainstream and to be honest I very much doubt anyone will try and release a 'steam box' to try and appeal to the console masses but its a nice to have for PC gamers who also veg in front of the TV with a controller once and a while (for example I'm playing Skyrim with my 360 controller atm but would never play the game on console for the fact that the modding community doesn't exist)

For a moment there i thought we were talking about something else, must remember to read the blurb next time.

This is relevant to my interests. I'm debating binning the PS3 after the Skyrim expansion debacle and going back to gaming on the PC. My only concern is that the PC will need to be sat next to the TV, or is it possible to run a fairly long cable from the graphics card to the TV without messing up the picture quality?

I suppose I'd have to ditch running two monitors as well and have one of the graphic card outputs reserved to go to the TV?

Got HDMI out on the gfx card? If not you will also have to pump to sounds over to living room as well.

HDMI max length seems to be 15m (according to this Wiki Article) but you can also run HDMI over cat5e upto 30m.

As for dual monitor / TV setup you can easily use a switcher. Output 1 on main monitor, output 2 on secondary & TV with splitter/switch.

Just checked the back of the graphics card, there seem to be a pair of HDMI's as well as the two DVI out's so sound covered (it's a Radeon 6800). About ten metres between the PC and the TV so distance should be no problem.

Sorted! I'll just have to pick up a 360 controller and a wireless keyboard with a trackball for sofa use.

I'll order the HDMI cable to give it a whirl and see if it all works.

Wired 360 controllers are just plug and play. Wireless need the stupid wifi dongle that costs more than the controller... Just FYI

Okay, plugged in the HDMI cable and managed to get everything going across to the TV so that's all sorted.

My one gripe is it's a massive ballache to swap everything over when I decide I want to game a bit rather than use the monitors and sit at the desk.

1) Open up catalyst control centre and duplicate the main display on the HDMI.
2) Close catalyst control centre and open up sound setup.
3) Set HDMI audio as default over speakers.
4) Play.
5) Do the whole lot in reverse when done gaming so the PC is able to be used for work again.

Is there any way to automate all of this into one handy little shortcut or command somehow?

Windows Key + P will allow you to quickly output to another display but won't work if you are switching from Dual Monitor to Single Monitor & TV as it think it will get confused.

As for audio I've been doing it manually as its only a couple clicks but I can see where your going with the auto switching / single button solution. I'll have a google around and see what I can come up with unless someone else here has any ideas?

I remember when I used to have a HDMI running into my lounge to stream movies that I decided that the easiest way was to simply unplug the HDMI from the back of the PC - if you have left HDMI as the default, then when you unplug it it will automatically switch back to onboard/soundcard output as it recognises the HDMI is disconnected. Its not ideal, but its an alternative.

Quote from: Clock'd 0Ne on August 23, 2012, 15:34:44 PM
I remember when I used to have a HDMI running into my lounge to stream movies that I decided that the easiest way was to simply unplug the HDMI from the back of the PC - if you have left HDMI as the default, then when you unplug it it will automatically switch back to onboard/soundcard output as it recognises the HDMI is disconnected. Its not ideal, but its an alternative.

I wonder if a splitter box with nothing connected to the B output would work to save plugging and unplugging all of the time.

Edit : An old fashioned manual one like this : http://www.tvcables.co.uk/cgi-bin/tvcables/switch-hdmi-2x1.html

That should work just fine, I had a 3 port automatic HDMI switch for a while and it was reliable . The only reason I kept unplugging the cable was becuase it was only just long enough to trail directly across the middle of the room so not ideal! Test it first to be sure before you bung on a switch though

Quote from: Quixoticish on August 23, 2012, 14:06:57 PM
Okay, plugged in the HDMI cable and managed to get everything going across to the TV so that's all sorted.

My one gripe is it's a massive ballache to swap everything over when I decide I want to game a bit rather than use the monitors and sit at the desk.

1) Open up catalyst control centre and duplicate the main display on the HDMI.
2) Close catalyst control centre and open up sound setup.
3) Set HDMI audio as default over speakers.
4) Play.
5) Do the whole lot in reverse when done gaming so the PC is able to be used for work again.

Is there any way to automate all of this into one handy little shortcut or command somehow?

Try autohotkey scripting it. Might work.