enricobuehler
04dd3e3a19
Rewrite the Windows host docs page for first-time setup, on par with the other host guides: remove the standout "Status:" banner, restructure into Requirements / Install (web console + pairing + configure) / How it works / Notes & limits. Bring the content up to date with the shipping host: - encode is all-vendor (NVENC/AMF/QSV + software fallback), not NVIDIA-only - virtual display is punktfunk's own pf-vdisplay IDD (SudoVDA removed) - gamepads need no prerequisite — UMDF drivers bundled; ViGEmBus is gone - add HDR10 + Vulkan-game HDR layer coverage Fix the same stale claims where other pages cross-reference the Windows host (requirements, running-as-a-service, install, roadmap, status). Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
3.3 KiB
title, description
| title | description |
|---|---|
| Requirements | What you need to run a punktfunk host — GPU, driver, desktop, and network. |
Supported setups
A punktfunk host runs primarily on a Linux machine with an NVIDIA GPU (a native Windows host is also available — see below). These are the Linux desktop environments it supports today, each with its own guide:
| Setup | Desktop / compositor | Guide |
|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu (Desktop or Server) | GNOME (Mutter) | Ubuntu — GNOME |
| Ubuntu (Desktop or Server) | KDE Plasma (KWin) | Ubuntu — KDE |
| Fedora | KDE Plasma (KWin) | Fedora — KDE |
| Bazzite | gamescope (Steam) | Bazzite |
Other wlroots compositors (Sway/Hyprland) also work but aren't a primary target. If your desktop isn't listed, the host still needs one of these compositor backends to create a virtual display.
Windows host: punktfunk also runs as a native host on Windows 10/11 (x64) — a signed installer that registers a service and bundles a virtual-display driver. It encodes on NVIDIA (NVENC), AMD (AMF), or Intel (QSV), with a software fallback, and is newer than the Linux host; see Windows Host.
GPU and driver
- An NVIDIA GPU with NVENC — effectively any GeForce RTX or workstation card. NVENC is what encodes the video in hardware.
- NVIDIA driver 535 or newer (550+ recommended). The driver must include the GL/EGL userspace,
not just
nvidia-utils— without it the compositor can't initialise the GPU and capture fails. Each setup guide installs the right package (e.g.libnvidia-gl-<version>on Ubuntu). nvidia-drm modeset=1must be enabled (Wayland on NVIDIA needs it). The setup guides cover this.
Consumer GeForce cards historically cap the number of concurrent NVENC sessions (a few at once); workstation cards don't. This only matters if you stream to many devices simultaneously.
Desktop session
The host attaches to a Wayland desktop session and creates virtual displays in it, so a session needs to be running for the user the host runs as. This can be:
- a normal logged-in desktop (you're sitting at the machine, or it auto-logs-in), or
- a headless session that comes up at boot with no monitor or login — see Running as a Service.
Minimum compositor versions (newer is fine):
- KWin ≥ 6.5.6 (KDE Plasma) — headless virtual outputs.
- GNOME ≥ 48 (Mutter) — virtual-monitor screen-cast.
- gamescope ≥ 3.16.22 (Bazzite/Steam) — older versions deadlock during capture.
Network
- Host and client on the same network — a LAN, or a VPN that puts them on one subnet. punktfunk assumes a trusted local network; it's not built to be exposed to the public internet.
- For best results, a wired or fast Wi-Fi link. The host can run a built-in speed test to pick a bitrate for your link (see Configuration).
A client
You also need something to stream to — see Connect a Client. There are native punktfunk clients for Apple (macOS, iOS, iPadOS, tvOS), Linux, Windows, and Android, and any Moonlight client works too. All of them can discover the host on your network automatically.