Chiaki - stream your Playstation 4/5 games to the Deck (hopefully)

[Kupfer]

For those who don't know Chiaki yet and are wondering what Chiaki has to do with Steam Deck:

"Chiaki is a Free and Open Source Software Client for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 Remote Play for Linux, FreeBSD, OpenBSD, Android, macOS, Windows, Nintendo Switch and potentially even more platforms."
-Source

Chiaki is an interesting application for Playstion 4 / 5 owners who, like me, appreciate the remoteplay function of the Playstation. Unlike the official remoteplay app from Sony, Chiaki also provides a 1080p60fps stream for the PS4 Pro and PS5.

I am very curious to see how the linux version of Chiaki will work on the Deck and how and if you can use the control elements of the Deck directly or in a roundabout way.

For all those who want to try Chiaki on the PC, phone or other mobile device, I will link the tutorial and download link down below. I set it up on my Windows 10 PC the other day because I was curious, and in my opinion it works better and more straightforward than the official remoteplay app - once you have Chiaki set up, which is a little bit tricky but doable.

As soon as I have my Deck, I'll try it out and post a detailed tutorial here if necessary.

• Download Chiaki v.2.1.1 (most recent version)
• Pyton script for obtaining your PSN AccountID

Spoiler: Tutorial

Usage
If your Console is on your local network, is turned on or in standby mode and does not have Discovery explicitly disabled, Chiaki should find it. Otherwise, you can add it manually. To do so, click the "+" icon in the top right, and enter your Console's IP address.
You will then need to register your Console with Chiaki. You will need two more pieces of information to do this.

Obtaining your PSN AccountID
Starting with PS4 7.0, it is necessary to use a so-called "AccountID" as opposed to the "Online-ID" for registration (streaming itself did not change). This ID seems to be a unique identifier for a PSN Account and it can be obtained from the PSN after logging in using OAuth. A Python 3 script which does this is provided in scripts/psn-account-id.py. Simply run it in a terminal and follow the instructions. Once you know your ID, write it down. You will likely never have to do this process again.

Obtaining a Registration PIN
To register a Console with a PIN, it must be put into registration mode. To do this on a PS4, simply go to: Settings -> Remote Play -> Add Device, or on a PS5: Settings -> System -> Remote Play -> Link Device.

You can now double-click your Console in Chiaki's main window to start Remote Play.

-Source

 

[Neuromancer]

Hey, thanks for that .. wasnt aware of this and im eager to test with my PS4 pro !

 

[Anubis]

Thanks for the tip! didn't know about it!

 

[Kupfer]

I just hardwired my PS5 and PC to the router. Since I didn't want to run cables through the whole apartment, I had to do some rearranging.
The purpose this was to prepare the least possible lag for PS5 -> Deck remote play.
And what can I say, it's a difference like night and day compared to PS5 over WiFi to PC over WiFi. The stream is almost lag free (no measurements done, purely by feel). Kena Bridge of the Spirit in 1080p60fps works flawlessly - anyone who has played this on "Expert Spirit Guide"difficulty knows how important precise and fast movement is.
I hope the bottleneck so far has been the PS5 over wifi to the router which should be fixed now. The wifi connection to the Deck will again add some latency as it is connected in the 5ghz frequency range, but since Chiaki allows you to reduce the resolution, fps and bitrate I'm pretty sure PS5 will be very possible on the Deck and I'm very happy about that.

 

[fire]

some things that I want to ask about chiaki :
- I read somewhere that it's not good with amd devices ? I tried on my onexplayer amd 4800u to my ps5, and no matter how I tried to change the setting (there's not much to change though), but the sound still cackling, compared to the original remote play. it started up faster and feels more responsive though. But the sound just killed it.
- again, I read somewhere that said that with chiaki, the rumble not working ? it was an old topic (like 2 years ?) so this might have been different now. I havent really tested it though because the cackling sound discouraged me, but the rumble is important for me too.
- how to make it full screen on windows ? I tried alt + enter, shift + win + enter, and it still wont full screen.

 

[Kupfer]

some things that I want to ask about chiaki :
- I read somewhere that it's not good with amd devices ? I tried on my onexplayer amd 4800u to my ps5, and no matter how I tried to change the setting (there's not much to change though), but the sound still cackling, compared to the original remote play. it started up faster and feels more responsive though. But the sound just killed it.

• Okay you already set the Audio Buffer Size to 4800? Still crackling? Go to Chiaki root folder -> audio -> delete qtaudio_windows.dll

it was an old topic (like 2 years ?) so this might have been different now. I havent really tested it though because the cackling sound discouraged me, but the rumble is important for me too.

• Just tried it, you're right. I didn't even notice Does the Deck has a rumble function? If the rumble function is important to you, of course it's a bummer, but as I said, I'm not even sure if the Deck has rumble at all.

- how to make it full screen on windows ? I tried alt + enter, shift + win + enter, and it still wont full screen.

• Just double-click the window once you are connected.

 

[fire]

• Okay you already set the Audio Buffer Size to 4800? Still crackling? Go to Chiaki root folder -> audio -> delete qtaudio_windows.dll

deleting qtaudio_windows.dll help remedi the sound.
thx very much for the help.

• Just tried it, you're right. I didn't even notice Does the Deck has a rumble function? If the rumble function is important to you, of course it's a bummer, but as I said, I'm not even sure if the Deck has rumble at all.

umm nope, I was wrong. After some more trying, I found that the rumble works. Deck has haptic feedback, dont know how much different it is from the rumble.

• Just double-click the window once you are connected.

I found how to do full screen yesterday by using F11. But double click is so much easier lol. thx for this.

Now, for the updated experience :
I have been able to use chiaki as a full remote play ps5 app. It has all feature that official remote play has.
the graphic is around the same, none is better, but if I have to choose, official remote play's graphic is a bit better, mainly because it seems chiaki is heavier and suffering from the tdp (more on this below). Sound function the same , control feels just as responsive.

I like how chiaki could connect almost instantly to the ps5. It made the official remote play like snail. I think it is becauses the official remote play needs to check online here and there on the opening that makes it very slow when opening it.

I mapped the touch pad function to pressing start button a long time (with rewasd), but chiaki, weirdly, wouldnt recognized this, but instead, it has mapped the touch screen of onexplayer as the touchpad. This is much better and things that I missed from the official remote play.

on the downside, chiaki needs more tdp to work good.
I usually using 5w tdp using official remote play, but with chiaki, I need to use 10w tdp for the app to function properly, even then I still experience some flicker (the screen would go like grey yellow for a second, before back to good again). I might need to up the tdp again for it to really function without this flicker, but I dont want to do it.
just fyi, trying to down the tdp to 5w and the flicker goes crazy, it's like the screen always flicker, and the good screen only last a second sometimes.
I have tried 720p and 1080p resolution, and 30 and 60 fps, and even tried 10000 and 20000 bitrate (the default is auto 15000 it said) but I dont really see any improvement, and the flicker still there.

this is fatal. as using 5w tdp, my onexplayer could last 4.5-5 hours remote playing (with official app), while with 10w tdp, it would only last like 2.5-3 hours (with chiaki), and even with flicker.

too bad, I really2 like the (almost) instant connect of chiaki, but I'd still use official remote play on my onexplayer because of this flickering and tdp problem.

but steam deck's steam os seems to function on the higher tdp so this might not be a problem ? I dont know if installing windows with lower tdp would work better. it'd still needs more experiment later.
can't wait for my steam deck

updated :
I tried again, and it seems it was because I limit the cpu to 2400mhz. I upped this to 2600mhz, and now I could play chiaki at 720p 30hz resolution with 7w tdp and 1080p 30hz with 10w tdp (with no flicker at all).
I really2 like the (almost) instant connection, and the difference of 2w tdp is bearable I think, so I now used chiaki at 7w tdp. It worked good so far now.

 

[FlySwatter]

I just hardwired my PS5 and PC to the router. Since I didn't want to run cables through the whole apartment, I had to do some rearranging.
The purpose this was to prepare the least possible lag for PS5 -> Deck remote play.
And what can I say, it's a difference like night and day compared to PS5 over WiFi to PC over WiFi. The stream is almost lag free (no measurements done, purely by feel). Kena Bridge of the Spirit in 1080p60fps works flawlessly - anyone who has played this on "Expert Spirit Guide"difficulty knows how important precise and fast movement is.
I hope the bottleneck so far has been the PS5 over wifi to the router which should be fixed now. The wifi connection to the Deck will again add some latency as it is connected in the 5ghz frequency range, but since Chiaki allows you to reduce the resolution, fps and bitrate I'm pretty sure PS5 will be very possible on the Deck and I'm very happy about that.

Nicely done. I am not a big fan of wireless beyond convenience. With the exception of my laptops and Nintendo Switch, most everything I have is hardwired. I have a single CAT6 connection from the router in my office to a switch in the entertainment center, so that my TV, receiver, consoles, etc, can have a wired internet connection.

 

[McCransky]

deleting qtaudio_windows.dll help remedi the sound.
thx very much for the help.



umm nope, I was wrong. After some more trying, I found that the rumble works. Deck has haptic feedback, dont know how much different it is from the rumble.



I found how to do full screen yesterday by using F11. But double click is so much easier lol. thx for this.

Now, for the updated experience :
I have been able to use chiaki as a full remote play ps5 app. It has all feature that official remote play has.
the graphic is around the same, none is better, but if I have to choose, official remote play's graphic is a bit better, mainly because it seems chiaki is heavier and suffering from the tdp (more on this below). Sound function the same , control feels just as responsive.

I like how chiaki could connect almost instantly to the ps5. It made the official remote play like snail. I think it is becauses the official remote play needs to check online here and there on the opening that makes it very slow when opening it.

I mapped the touch pad function to pressing start button a long time (with rewasd), but chiaki, weirdly, wouldnt recognized this, but instead, it has mapped the touch screen of onexplayer as the touchpad. This is much better and things that I missed from the official remote play.

on the downside, chiaki needs more tdp to work good.
I usually using 5w tdp using official remote play, but with chiaki, I need to use 10w tdp for the app to function properly, even then I still experience some flicker (the screen would go like grey yellow for a second, before back to good again). I might need to up the tdp again for it to really function without this flicker, but I dont want to do it.
just fyi, trying to down the tdp to 5w and the flicker goes crazy, it's like the screen always flicker, and the good screen only last a second sometimes.
I have tried 720p and 1080p resolution, and 30 and 60 fps, and even tried 10000 and 20000 bitrate (the default is auto 15000 it said) but I dont really see any improvement, and the flicker still there.

this is fatal. as using 5w tdp, my onexplayer could last 4.5-5 hours remote playing (with official app), while with 10w tdp, it would only last like 2.5-3 hours (with chiaki), and even with flicker.

too bad, I really2 like the (almost) instant connect of chiaki, but I'd still use official remote play on my onexplayer because of this flickering and tdp problem.

but steam deck's steam os seems to function on the higher tdp so this might not be a problem ? I dont know if installing windows with lower tdp would work better. it'd still needs more experiment later.
can't wait for my steam deck

updated :
I tried again, and it seems it was because I limit the cpu to 2400mhz. I upped this to 2600mhz, and now I could play chiaki at 720p 30hz resolution with 7w tdp and 1080p 30hz with 10w tdp (with no flicker at all).
I really2 like the (almost) instant connection, and the difference of 2w tdp is bearable I think, so I now used chiaki at 7w tdp. It worked good so far now.

Where exactly is the audio folder located to delete that dll file? I can't seem to find it.

 

[Ewan]

This is definitely a use case I'm really interested in. If the reddit sub is anything to go by I'm in a minority as I only ordered the Steamdeck because I want to be able to play games while hanging out with my wife without taking up the whole livingroom or cloistering myself away to the spare room to play on my PC. So I'll likely be plugged in for a lot of the time so not overly concerned about battery.

 

[Kupfer]

This is definitely a use case I'm really interested in. If the reddit sub is anything to go by I'm in a minority as I only ordered the Steamdeck because I want to be able to play games while hanging out with my wife without taking up the whole livingroom or cloistering myself away to the spare room to play on my PC. So I'll likely be plugged in for a lot of the time so not overly concerned about battery.

I feel you.

 

[r0ck_lobsta]

How do you get to the chiaki
root folder?