SteamOS is immutable read-only Arch, and the Deck is AMD (VAAPI) — so none of the
checked-in packaging (arch/sysext is NVENC-first + client-oriented, deb/rpm are
soname-mismatched) actually installs a working host on a Steam Deck. The proven path
(distrobox-built native binary + systemd-run units) was 100% manual. Make it one command.
- scripts/steamdeck/install.sh — idempotent installer: ensure the pf2 Debian-trixie
distrobox + toolchain → build host (+web console) → write config (generated web login
password) → raise UDP buffers to 32 MB + udev + input group (sudo, skipped gracefully
if unavailable) → install + start punktfunk-host / punktfunk-web systemd USER services
with linger. Flags: --open (accept unpaired clients), --no-web, --src=DIR. Builds
on-device so a rebuild always matches the running SteamOS (no prebuilt-binary fragility
across OS updates); VAAPI on the Deck's AMD GPU.
- scripts/steamdeck/update.sh — rebuild from current source + restart (config/pairings persist).
- scripts/steamdeck/README.md — deep reference (why on-device, what's installed, gotchas).
- docs-site: new "Steam Deck (Host)" guide + sidebar entry; install.md splits Arch from the
Steam Deck host path; packaging/arch/README points Deck-host users here and corrects the
stale "NVENC-only" note (VAAPI host encode landed).
Live-validated on the Deck: installer runs clean, both services come up, host listens
(QUIC :9777 + mgmt :47990), web serves (302→login); on a client connect it takes over the
Game-Mode gamescope session at the client's mode, captures via PipeWire, and VAAPI-encodes
(hevc_vaapi) — full pipeline confirmed in the host journal.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
Make the host docs match the real distribution path and the actual CLI. Reviewed by a
multi-agent pass (6 editors against one verified fact sheet + an accuracy reviewer); its
findings (a wrong client-Recommends claim, a native-concurrency overstatement) folded in.
- Install front door: new README "Install (host)" method-picker + docs-site/install.md
(+ nav), routing each distro to its package registry; source build demoted to a fallback.
- Registry-first install: ubuntu-gnome/ubuntu-kde now lead with the apt registry (not a
cargo build); bazzite leads with the Gitea RPM registry (was COPR/source). Source builds
moved to an appendix.
- CLI accuracy: serve --native arms pairing from the web console (NOT --allow-pairing, which
with --require-pairing/--max-concurrent is m3-host-only); --open disables mandatory pairing.
host-cli/configuration/pairing/quickstart/troubleshooting corrected; mgmt API documented as
always HTTPS+token. Native host serves one session at a time (extras queue) — not multi.
- Firewall: real ports documented (native UDP 9777 + the ephemeral data port caveat +
GameStream ports) for Debian + Arch (ufw + nftables), not just Bazzite.
- Sync/accuracy: punktfunk-client (GTK4) presented as a shipping client (not "roadmap"),
punktfunk-client-rs as the headless tool; host Recommends punktfunk-web only (not the
client); COPR chroots f43/44; bootc header says Gitea registry not COPR.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
enricobuehler