Game Streaming Box suggestions

[SpecialKO]

Has anyone here tried making a dedicated streaming box for Steam running either SteamOS or some other version of Linux?

I have messed around doing it with an old Macbook from 2009, and while it worked okay-ish even over Wi-Fi, I really want something that I can just slip into the back of my entertainment center, plug into my TV and a wired switch, and not have to worry about ever again.

I know just about anything that's capable of decent h.264 decoding will work, but my goal here is to make as cheap a streaming box as possible because I already own a gaming PC and multiple consoles.

Any thoughts? I am open to spending up to $400, but as this is a vanity/what-if/screwing-around kind of project, I'd like to spend a lot less if possible.

 

[figmentPez]

I'm curious to see where this thread goes. It's not very relevant to me, since I can get video from my PC to my TV via a long HDMI cable, but I love the concept. Some quick googling suggests a Raspberry Pi can be used to make a game-streaming box, but I'm not sure what it's limitations are, and I don't have more time right now to search for details.

 

[SpecialKO]

Apparently, a RPI can be made to work with some finangling, limelight, and a Recent GeForce GTX card on the main machine, but I have a Radeon HD7850, and it's been good enough to me that I'm not really in the market for a new card yet.

 

[GasBandit]

I'm still suspicious of the nascent technology myself, I plan to give it a few more years, especially since I'm kinda thinking Oculus Rift might achieve dominance over large-screen PC gaming, if it is leveraged correctly.

 

[SpecialKO]

I do wonder about that (another reason why I don't want to buy a NUC outright). I have tried the Rift on a variety of occasions, and while it's not perfect it *is* very impressive.

That said, the expected additional price tag of $300-400 (while totally fair) is going to really limit adoption in the early years.