Stream decks are a must have for all the reasons you've mentioned. Here's a couple more ideas: - use the stream deck foot pedal ehind the cab to navigate to an "admin" menu that you dont want people able to access otherwise - turn on or off gun4ir recoil slam via a bash script - control led lights - volume - save and load states
Started ordering parts for my customs cab and have searched all over for an overview on how to set one of these up to no avail. Excellent job. You earned a like and sub from me.
Man, you are a legend, keep up the good work, you sure deserve more viewers than you have right now for sure. AWESOME content, awesome production quality, and such a cool vibe on your videos. I used to have a cap myself, but I moved places and now don't have space. Maybe I will tackle a wall-mounted arcade cab project, you inspired me!
Thank you so much! I work really hard on this stuff youtube is a tough nut to crack! Hopefully I'll break through if I keep it up. Inspiration is my main goal. It sucks not having the space. Most of my life I didn't have the space until these last few years. Wall mounted is cool or a bar top. Also check out the pedestal ones on wheels. You can just roll them out int front of the living room TV and roll it back out of site after.
Yeah stream decks are very useful. I have been using them ( 16 button ones ) for a couple of years on one of my arcade cabs, on my flight sim set up and my racing setup to map all those extra keyboard functions needed in racing and flight games especially. As for more operator controls on my cabs I use ipac 2 boards and have a service (shift hold) button, esc & Enter buttons and some other extra buttons and shifted modes that most Arcade cabs don`t have for Mame and VPX Pinball functions. I also put in a `killswitch` button at the back of my cabs that disables esc and service mode functions for when friends are playing the machines so that they don`t get into any modes that they shouldn`t by mistake as they experiment with all the buttons on off etc
I love those iPac boards! I've been meaning to dig more into them they can do a lot! I love the "killswitch" button idea. Keeps the button mashers from causing issues.
Love how in depth you went into the setup. Multi actions are so powerful, I have one that launches bigbox if it's not open, or alt-tabs to if it is open, and then finally opens the big box profile. I hope this awesome video helps more people throw away their wireless keyboards!
@@omnitravis I just feel like having a keyboard takes away from the focused arcade experience and makes it feel more like a big PC desk. But some people don't mind that 🤷♂️
@@DarrenOConnor3 oh yea i didnt mean have it right there, that would look bad. Could be a wireless keyboard with build in trackpad, leave it on top or something. Or just on a nearby shelf.
I love the input lag test actions you have there, and I didn't know that existed in retro arch, I am curious what my input lag is, probably high. Thanks for such a detailed guide!
You're welcome! That feature is called "run ahead" and I wish I learned about it earlier. It's worth taking the few seconds to dial it in on each game.
@@TheLivingArcadeIt was fun until for some reason my PC crashed and my profiles got erased. Now I know to back-up the profiles to avoid the headaches of having to setup again. I gotta say this thing is a total game changer as an arcade machine add-on.
Thank you for that feedback. Its very interesting. I've had more people say they like intros then not. Plus I totally didn't look at it like the video game intros and how much we love those when the game loads. I'm really glad I asked
Awesome tutorial, thanks for showing it off! I have a Chewlix on the way and just picked one of these up when it was on sale on Amazon. Super happy with it. I play a lot of FightCade, so I have one key to set the window to fullscreen whenever I start a new match (Alt + Return Hotkey), and a bunch of common replies to send in text chat (Multi Actions with T Hotkey followed by system text with enter at the end). Nvidia shadowplay too. No more need for a keyboard, but it's tough to get rid of the mouse. I'm thinking about installing a small touchpad on one of the panels and placing this to the side. Love the use of the old card reader, looks great!
thanks so much! I love fightcade! I need to get on there more often. Have you checked out Barraiders super macro. You can map x/y coordinates for the mouse to go to and click! github.com/BarRaider/streamdeck-supermacro/wiki A little touchpad would be cool though.
Great video, love your content. And yes, I've been "done" with logo/animation intros on YT videos for a couple years now, and I'm so happy when creators don't have them. I'm no creative, but I really wish content creators would stop trying to follow any kind of template/mold with the timelines of their videos. Just start with "Hi, I'm _____, and this video is about _____. Alright let's dive in." and then right into the content. Anyway, I like your videos, keep making stuff!
Thank you! I really appreciate that feedback! It's so challenging on YT. There's something to the "template" that works but at the same time the biggest channels have all paved their own way. But then again on a channel that's not performing well you can easily say "oh they're just not following the format." That's why they have no views. It's scary when you put so much effort and actually have goals here. Do you play it safe? Or do you just do your own thing, grind, and maybe it works out. However, your comment and the value you got from the video is the real reason I do it so that is a really cool feeling! Thank you!
Awesome video mate. As for your question at the start, maybe try a 2 second flash version of your logo to get it done quick but lock down some branding for the channel? A unique midi sound might help too (like a quick jingle). Subbing now, this is great content.
Man ive been digging into eliminating my keyboard on my bartop threw programing hotkeys and writing batchfiles and stuff. Finaly got it to a point that i can just turn it on and use it. That being said im building a standup cab and totaly gonna need a stream deck on it
Thanks for checking this out! I hope it helps you. I knew I wasn't the only one! Also some people have figured out how to map individual emulated games to specific buttons. And if you're using big box they have a way to set it up as a shell so it boots directly into it with no sign of windows at all. I don't do that because I'm always digging in and messing with settings.
@@TheLivingArcade I'm using emulation station/retroarch on a Windows 11 machine. I just dropped a shortcut in the windows start-up because I also like to step out and mess with stuff. The biggest hurdle I had was getting my dinput controller boards working on Xinput windows games. Found a program that inserts itself between the control and game. Had to write batch files to swap the drivers on launch and then close them on exit so as not to mess up my retroarch controls
@@SycoSpartan dinput and xinput is a real pain. That’s a great solution. I’m still trying to get a better understanding of making batch files. As in really making them do what I want instead of copy and paste from existing ones. Very cool.
I kind of regret not getting a cutout in my control panel for a stream deck now. Granted it would be yet another thing to set up on my arcade and I really don't need that in my life right now, but it would be nice.
Thanks for watching! Yeah it would be nice but then it's another thing to always be messing with instead of playing haha. I wish there was a way I could share built profiles but everyone's setup is so different and it wouldn't really help them
Keep doing what you do bud, you're video quality is fantastic, I subbed just because of the intro haha. But you'll be 6 digit subscribers soon, regardless of the intro. Just make the intro the same on every video. consistency seems to be the best. Love the tips too btw. I am seriously considering a steam deck now because of the number of people that accidentally go in or exit out of a game, etc. by button pushing. Well done!
Thank you so much for your kind words! It means a lot! YT is difficult and I put in tremendous effort and passion. I know there's a way I can bring additional value to this space and I trust it will happen on it's own as we go. Comments like this are my compass! Accidentally exiting the game is exactly what initiated the whole streamdeck thing. To get that exit button combo off the controls because mashing with friends is fun!
@@TheLivingArcade yessir, I hear ya. I did some research on intros about a year ago though, seems like mixed opinions. I did a longer one at first (30 seconds) and as of about a year ago I do a quick one (10 seconds) and I do it after the video has kinda started rolling, if that makes sense. But to me, it’s your channel do as ya like, be unique and different! As far as the steam deck though and programming it, I’ve definitely marked this vid for watching again later, as I’m a bit stacked on gaming projects as it is haha…Plus I take time to enjoy gaming as well so that delays me too. Thanks again and great work again on the vid. The sound effects, timing of music, and video editing is top notch, if you keep at it, you’ll definitely become a big channel in time.
been thinking about getting one for my vewlix just taken the plunge yet does look super handy tho. i was looking that the small stream deck as well good size for the cab and i would be using it for steaming as the pc is on the other side of the room.
They are expensive but really useful I have three of them on different things including my dedicated streaming PC and I have the foot pedal. The new plus model looks useful with the knobs too but I haven't tried one yet. Might be a good choice for the streaming dual purpose.
Awesome! The main principle is that you can map shortcuts to the buttons. So look up retroarch's short cuts and default keymaping. docs.libretro.com/guides/input-and-controls/ Overall any keypress or key combination can be mapped to your streamdeck. Just be aware that windows does have some security measurers that certain keypresses can only be triggered from the actual keyboard. "pagedown" for example can't be triggered by the streamdeck unless the streamdeck software is running as administrator. in those cases I change retroarchs keymapping to something else. Just keep a notepad file of anything you change because you won't remember later. (I mention in the video) I like launchbox as my front end so look at launchbox's keyboard mappings for things you can map to your streamdeck. I'm hopping that launchbox adds user customizations so we can ad shortcuts to custom functions but they haven't yet. Lastly, learn how to setup "smart profiles" in the streamdeck software. That way the streamdeck automatically switches profiles depending on what application is in focus. That way it will switch to whatever you want on the fly depending on what emulator or whatever software you're running. I hope this makes sense. Have fun and feel free to drop any questions here.
Could you use the 6 button steam deck to represent the 6 arcade buttons and somehow set it up to show what the buttons do (punch, kick, action, weapon swap, etc) on a per game basis? Like Everytime an exe is opened the images on the steam deck would represent what your 6 buttons would do when pressed? So no functionality when pressed just images to represent your buttons on your controller?
Yes you could actually using the "wallpaper" layout in their free key creator or even just regular individual keys e or something depending on the game. or just assign any button really to each one doesn't matter and just change the icon of each key to represent the button layout and use the smart profile feature and assign each one to each EXE. If that makes sense then it will automatically switch to each game. I actually have a few button layouts on it that just display a cool "wallpaper" on some steam games because it looks cool Please note that this will only work on games that have a unique EXE for each one. If you're playing games on an emulator it will only recognize the emulator EXE and not the game it's running. I hope this helps let me know. Good luck have fun!
Thanks for watching! As for your question That can be tricky depending on the game. If it's a stand alone executable game like something from steam, check out 14:20 in the video with "bar raiders" launcher you can point that to any stand alone EXE file. So if it's a normal EXE game you can assign it with that simple method. As for a game with an emulator the emulator will need to be able to support command line. You would need to make a BAT file for each game with the command line instructions telling the emulator to launch that specific ROM. Here's an example of a retroarch bat file: forums.libretro.com/t/simple-batch-file-game-loader-for-use-with-retroarch/5972 Running stuff like that can be tricky with the streamdeck sometimes it needs to be running as admin which is unreliable to get it to run as admin on startup. Sometimes the BAT files need to be converted to CMD or EXE or powershell. It's pretty tedious and I honestly never bothered going that granular with it. If you do want that feature this guy made his own custom front end that does launch individual games via the stream deck. It's pretty amazing! th-cam.com/video/o8WrWOx_Pmk/w-d-xo.html
Great question! Aside from updates, nothing requires an online connection. Everything is stored locally. I do believe retroachievements does require a connection but it's just a fun achievement system that is optional. I highly recommend it though.
The vid title lured me in with hope of more than 'use a pc accessory with a pc.' 😐So is it tethered to its companion app? Or can I configure it, then move it to a very-unsupported device and have still it still work as a usb macro keyboard with nifty grafx?
So the steam deck is strictly windows and yes tethered to the companion app. I am looking into some DIY macro pad with arduino ideas for a follow up. I think it would be possible to do something similar on botecera or raspberry pi maybe even mister. It will take me a while to get the resources but it's in the queue.
This makes so much sense. Makes me want to revisit a launchbox pc build. Is there a way to set these features up with like a raspberry pi instead of a full blown pc build
I have seen some instances of people making "macro pads" and such with arduino that basically behave like a keyboard and do hotkey presses. Something like that may work. As long as retropie recognizes the keypresses. At the end of the day the streamdeck is mostly mimicking keyboard presses for this use case. But for retrogaming you don't need a high end PC. Offices liquidate old Dells all the time. I'm running an old Dell optiplex with a Core i3 that I bought for $150 in my cab. Granted I'm only running it at 720p. The full cost of a raspberry pi 4 with a power supply and micro SD card comes close to that $150ish price point. Something to think about on a future build. Thanks for watching!
@@TheLivingArcade good info. I mean I have both a pi and a old pc for the project. The issue is I don’t have two sets of sticks/buttons/ cabinets to use them both on 😅 maybe I’ll make the pi some type of portable play anything device that I just use dedicated controllers on and can plug into random TVs. Then I can use the pc for a launchbox build and put that into an arcade cabinet for purely arcade games (I guess)
Launchbox would need to have a custom keybind option for that function. If you look at 16:16 min. in the video I show the keyboard mappings options in Bigbox. Anything in there can be mapped to the streamdeck since the streamdeck is just a customizable keyboard with screens in this case. We can only map the streamdeck to things Launchbox Bigbox supports. Maybe we can put in a request to the bigbox team for more custom keybind options. If big box had a way to assign custom keybinds to more things like mappings to launch a specific game or platform we could do so much more with the streamdeck.
Right now there’s no way to do that. I have put in a feature request with big box and some others have as well. Basically they need to add a feature to assign hot keys to specific games then we can map those to the stream deck. Keep an eye on the big box forums. There’s a section to vote on what features you want in the next update. If it gets enough votes it happens.
Great review. I use stream decks on my arcade cab, driving rig, and pinball cab. DO you know how to switch profiles based upon what rom is running within a particular emu? Eg, I start AfterBurner Climax via Teknoparrot from within LB, I want to see not the general Teknoparrot Stream deck profile, but the specific AfterBurner Climax profile
That would be cool. I looked into it. The stream deck doesn't have any command line function or any way to assign a auto hotkey script that I could find. So it wouldn't be possible to have launchbox send a command to open a "afterburner climax" profile since the streamdeck doesn't "listen" to that it only reads whatever EXE is in focus. The best I can come up with is to make a subfolder within your general teknoparrot profile and put "profile links" to those custom game profiles or just a separate page for those custom game specifics that you will have to manually "tab" over to within that teknoparrot general profile. Hope that makes sense. I'm really hoping this whole stream deck idea gets more traction within the Launchbox community. I'd love to see them open up some more hotkey options. That way we can assign buttons to launch specific games or go into specific platforms quick filter genres ETC. I did put in a feature request but I don't know if it will get any attention.
Thanks@@TheLivingArcade , I figured it out. Instead of using the Teknoparrot exe as the profile launcher, I am using the actual game exe that TP calls. And for mame, if you look at Task Manager while a mame game is running, you see a process something like "mame.exe '88 Games [88games] - MAME 0.230 (LLP64)". StreamDeck can detect this a load a profile specific to 88 Games if you have one.
That's pretty tricky. You can map it to directly launch an EXE based game like a steam game for example. But to launch a specific mame game running on an emulator requires a bat script and the command line knowledge of the emulator. It also runs into windows security issues of apps running BAT files. Streamdeck software also needs to be running as admin to run those and that adds other issues. check these guys out. streamdecklabs.com/ for some ideas. I have put in for a feature request with Launchbox to add the ability to assign custom hotkeys to more things including the ability to assign a custom hotkey to launch a specific game or platform within Launchbox. That way we can map the custom hotkey to the streamdeck very easily. Thats why I made this video as well. Hoping it would get more traction and show the Launchbox devs that we want that feature. Lastly this guy made his own custom front end that does support that ability and it's totally free! And it might work for you th-cam.com/video/o8WrWOx_Pmk/w-d-xo.html
@@Gre4tOneI don’t think elgato makes a version of the software that is Linux compatible. I have seen some people make their own Linux drivers for it but I’ve never used it. If you search for Linux driver stream deck. Check further down in the comments I believe I shared a “stand alone” Linux OS video someone made that is built around the stream deck on a raspberry pi but it was a while ago and I don’t remember the details. I hope that helps
you can if you mod it with a windows PC. Similar to the raspberry pi mods out there. You don't need anything super powerful. I'm running a used dell optiplex with a gt1030 super low spec GPU. These can be found within the $150 range used everywhere. Look up what HDMI driver board you would need for your a1up to connect it to the internal monitor and you would need an amplifier for the speakers
I have not used a macbook in that manner. I do know that launchbox, which I heavily rely on, for many of the features I pointed out in this video does not work on mac. But there are other alternative front ends available. If you already own one, give it a shot! The main principle is using software that has shortcuts that do things and mapping those shortcuts conveniently to the streamdeck buttons. Be aware that mac security at times, doesn't play well with other software and hardware triggering key presses and running applications. Needing permissions ETC. Hold off on purchasing a streamdeck and just try getting a front end running on that macbook and playing games. then go from there
absolutely! I originally intended to go over things like "touch portal" and some other alternatives but the video is already too long. I did use my phone for a while before I bought a steamdeck. Even elgato offers a phone app, They all work great but there were screen timeouts, sleep mode, losing connection various time outs and other intermittent annoyances that popped up often over time that led me to eventually buy a streamdeck because I got tired of the issues. Streamdecks are a bit overpriced but I have 4 of them and I use them in many applications including my job and they just work without issue.
I don't think it would in the manner that I show here. I have seen some people making their own linux drivers. www.gamingonlinux.com/2022/03/boatswain-is-a-new-stream-deck-compatible-app-for-linux/ timothycrosley.github.io/streamdeck-ui/ You could DIY a macro pad. Something that Batacera would see as just a keyboard and have it mapped to any keyboard commands available. (link below to give you an idea) www.partsnotincluded.com/diy-stream-deck-mini-macro-keyboard/ There's many varieties using ardiuno or a raspberry pi zero. Just as long as it can be programmed without needing a companion software running in Batacera. Just a driverless keyboard. I couldn't find any info on Batacera keyboard commands though. I imagine most of the Retroarch commands work once you're in retroarch. docs.libretro.com/guides/input-and-controls/ I hope this helps you. Thanks for watching!
@@TheLivingArcade thank you! Subbed love the content keep up the great work. Got a stream deck for my bartop arcade cabinet and the ability to just press a button to select a game is so convinient
it was a card reader that came with my arcade cab. It came with it since I got the cab used from a Dave and Busters type of arcade that used charge cards instead of coins. It was totally blind luck I was able to cut all the electronics out of it and squeeze it in there. I had to grind a lot of material out though. You might get lucky Finding one on ebay somewhere. I wish I had a better answer and reliable seller I could send you to for one. It would be even better if Elgato made a MOD friendly panel mount version of the streamdeck. Here's a couple used listings I found. www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/embed-color-glo-hd-v5-card-reader-kit-3828852509 www.ebay.com/itm/195447563263?hash=item2d819523ff:g:QUgAAOSwtt1jYc~8&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAA4J%2B43WymXFLAnWy4WSSFRVJ%2FmWTxdTvXXmnlWyTZ6TsMphmF1TB%2BSr97PqFnzK4AwFcB1VH6v3zfIrp8I8oLPJBPgALbDcAB4RXNN%2Fer4QTK08HwVEFF%2BWCGaRiFhIXl0Kj0CDFKTuTW5jYNG1YFcod93cmSJOyRb3vI%2BO%2F%2BfA9wIdBquuwTJ3RSYKtXbpyTUsF%2FwK8RjpCcL1vXEmKaH0U2YvhBpHkkeD9401FxAjCoexpGeGjMenhhp7oywMjk1og%2FQAnwyZBr5Ytkr0WmqNZ9FkeVwZrvpM4XU%2ByxmHTK%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR96ipsbfYQ
Wait, wait.. You can't just throw out something like "Typing of the Dead' and NOT give us details on it!! Also - was hoping you'd have a video on how you setup the Arcade Software "for us beginners". FYI - after watching this I bought the StreamDeck Pro for my build, I wanted to use it to manage audio as well as Cabinet functions.
Haha Typing of the dead is super rare Japan only. It was tough to even find a picture of one. Thought mentioning it would be a good hook. Yeah the plus stream deck model looks super cool and it should totally work for volume. Let me know how it works out. It would be fun to explore what else could be mapped to those knobs on a multicade. I put in a feature request to launchbox bigbox to add more custom hotkeys so we can map even more stream deck stuff. And thanks for mentioning what you want to see from my channel. I didn't realize there was any interest in a beginner setup video. I'll have to look into putting that together when I can. In the meantime check out the tutorials on the launchbox channel th-cam.com/play/PL6pTDaHeAz-WMcNURVPU-1xLN_TVpT3FB.html Feel free to let me know if you have any other pain points in this journey that I could possible address and i'll see what I can do. Thanks so much for watching and letting me know!
Yay, yet another thing to exponentially increase the amount of setup I have to do to emulate. 😑 I'm just kidding. It's still better than setting up hyperspin or rocket launcher from scratch. Blessed be the front end launch box 🙏 🤲. This is a pretty damn cool way to use a steam deck and better than just adding more and more buttons like I do.
🤣 The setup and configuring is endless. Launchbox is the most wonderful thing and it's now easier then ever! You can also use touchportal. I left that out because the video was already too long.
This is useless. I have batocera PC hooked up to my ALU. And my joystick controller can do all these things by pushing down buttons. I pass on this thing .
That's the wonderful thing about this community and this hobby. There are many paths to happiness in the hobby. There's no end to the creativity and customizability that one can enjoy while making their experience their own and sharing it with others so that they themselves can find their own way. And most of all have fun.
I haven't tried my stream deck on my arcade yet but it's probably more useful than you think. A short background on me. I'm a software developer professionally and am definitely an advanced keyboard user. A huge part of my productivity comes from specifically avoiding my mouse as much as possible. So I'm very used to keyboard shortcuts and keyboard macros both from apps and from my programmable keyboard. The place where the stream deck improves my productivity further is specifically because of the screens on the buttons. What goes on my stream deck are the buttons and macros that I don't use all the time and this are difficult to remember. Having visual queues for a few button presses is still faster than a mouse and I don't have to remember everything. For an arcade, if you don't use it all the time or other people use it, stream deck would almost certainly be easier than remembering button combinations or where things are located in the sub menus for things that you do semi regularly. And forget trying to explain how to do those things to other people like your spouse, kids or friends that play on your cabinet. Stream deck would make things massively simpler for those people.
This is really helpful for those of us with kids and friends who don't feel like explaining all the complicated button combos to get stuff to work. Also, my kids and their friends would button mash and accidentally set off menus/back out of games/etc.
Check this vid out if you're looking for great Steam Games that play great on your cab th-cam.com/video/48u6whxzUGM/w-d-xo.html
This is super neat - idk if that device is what i'm looking for but i love the sit & play easy style stream. I'm going to follow fr. (>'.')^
Stream decks are a must have for all the reasons you've mentioned.
Here's a couple more ideas:
- use the stream deck foot pedal ehind the cab to navigate to an "admin" menu that you dont want people able to access otherwise
- turn on or off gun4ir recoil slam via a bash script
- control led lights
- volume
- save and load states
Thanks for those ideas! I love the idea of toggling off the recoil on the lightgun. I can't wait to get my hands on some of those lightguns.
Started ordering parts for my customs cab and have searched all over for an overview on how to set one of these up to no avail. Excellent job. You earned a like and sub from me.
Glad I could help you on your arcade journey!
Man, you are a legend, keep up the good work, you sure deserve more viewers than you have right now for sure. AWESOME content, awesome production quality, and such a cool vibe on your videos. I used to have a cap myself, but I moved places and now don't have space. Maybe I will tackle a wall-mounted arcade cab project, you inspired me!
Thank you so much! I work really hard on this stuff youtube is a tough nut to crack! Hopefully I'll break through if I keep it up. Inspiration is my main goal. It sucks not having the space. Most of my life I didn't have the space until these last few years. Wall mounted is cool or a bar top. Also check out the pedestal ones on wheels. You can just roll them out int front of the living room TV and roll it back out of site after.
Yeah stream decks are very useful. I have been using them ( 16 button ones ) for a couple of years on one of my arcade cabs, on my flight sim set up and my racing setup to map all those extra keyboard functions needed in racing and flight games especially. As for more operator controls on my cabs I use ipac 2 boards and have a service (shift hold) button, esc & Enter buttons and some other extra buttons and shifted modes that most Arcade cabs don`t have for Mame and VPX Pinball functions. I also put in a `killswitch` button at the back of my cabs that disables esc and service mode functions for when friends are playing the machines so that they don`t get into any modes that they shouldn`t by mistake as they experiment with all the buttons on off etc
I love those iPac boards! I've been meaning to dig more into them they can do a lot! I love the "killswitch" button idea. Keeps the button mashers from causing issues.
@@TheLivingArcade yeah I just give a few of the buttons a different chained ground loop and put a simple on/off switch on that loop
@@noiselabproject9659 that's so simple and genius!
@@TheLivingArcade thanks Dude
Love how in depth you went into the setup. Multi actions are so powerful, I have one that launches bigbox if it's not open, or alt-tabs to if it is open, and then finally opens the big box profile. I hope this awesome video helps more people throw away their wireless keyboards!
Thanks so much for watching! I really appreciate it! The multiaction is so powerful! so is barraiders super macro.
Some games just need a keyboard though, i like having a hidden keyboard tray that slides out.
why throw it away, lol?
@@omnitravis I just feel like having a keyboard takes away from the focused arcade experience and makes it feel more like a big PC desk. But some people don't mind that 🤷♂️
@@DarrenOConnor3 oh yea i didnt mean have it right there, that would look bad. Could be a wireless keyboard with build in trackpad, leave it on top or something. Or just on a nearby shelf.
I love the input lag test actions you have there, and I didn't know that existed in retro arch, I am curious what my input lag is, probably high. Thanks for such a detailed guide!
You're welcome! That feature is called "run ahead" and I wish I learned about it earlier. It's worth taking the few seconds to dial it in on each game.
Just got one for my arcade cab, can't wait until I can start messing around with it.
Awesome! It's such a blast! Making it your own makes it that much more fun!
@@TheLivingArcadeIt was fun until for some reason my PC crashed and my profiles got erased. Now I know to back-up the profiles to avoid the headaches of having to setup again. I gotta say this thing is a total game changer as an arcade machine add-on.
Oh my god I love that! Thats a fantastic idea
Great tutorial. Inspired me to buy a Stream Deck.
Thanks for checking it out! Glad it gave you some ideas
i like intros- Back in old c64 and Amiga times that always were an important thing ! Anyhow nearly every broadcaster useses them.
Thank you for that feedback. Its very interesting. I've had more people say they like intros then not. Plus I totally didn't look at it like the video game intros and how much we love those when the game loads. I'm really glad I asked
Awesome tutorial, thanks for showing it off! I have a Chewlix on the way and just picked one of these up when it was on sale on Amazon. Super happy with it. I play a lot of FightCade, so I have one key to set the window to fullscreen whenever I start a new match (Alt + Return Hotkey), and a bunch of common replies to send in text chat (Multi Actions with T Hotkey followed by system text with enter at the end). Nvidia shadowplay too. No more need for a keyboard, but it's tough to get rid of the mouse. I'm thinking about installing a small touchpad on one of the panels and placing this to the side. Love the use of the old card reader, looks great!
thanks so much! I love fightcade! I need to get on there more often. Have you checked out Barraiders super macro. You can map x/y coordinates for the mouse to go to and click! github.com/BarRaider/streamdeck-supermacro/wiki
A little touchpad would be cool though.
@@TheLivingArcade Yeah, I should give it a try! Might still be a bit tough to navigate, but it sounds like a good option.
This is ridiculously cool! Great video!
Thanks I really appreciate it!
This is great, def going to add one to my upcoming build.
@@stevelowry794 glad it it gave you some ideas! I’m hoping launchbox will add more custom shortcut options so we can do even more with the streamdeck.
@@TheLivingArcade It's a more practical and elegant solution. Yeah even where it's at now is great , more is always better tho!
That overkill for an arcade cabinet. I need one in mine now 😂
Right! It's totally useless and over priced and I have to have it! haha! Thanks for watching and your positivity
Great video, love your content. And yes, I've been "done" with logo/animation intros on YT videos for a couple years now, and I'm so happy when creators don't have them. I'm no creative, but I really wish content creators would stop trying to follow any kind of template/mold with the timelines of their videos. Just start with "Hi, I'm _____, and this video is about _____. Alright let's dive in." and then right into the content.
Anyway, I like your videos, keep making stuff!
Thank you! I really appreciate that feedback! It's so challenging on YT. There's something to the "template" that works but at the same time the biggest channels have all paved their own way. But then again on a channel that's not performing well you can easily say "oh they're just not following the format." That's why they have no views. It's scary when you put so much effort and actually have goals here. Do you play it safe? Or do you just do your own thing, grind, and maybe it works out.
However, your comment and the value you got from the video is the real reason I do it so that is a really cool feeling! Thank you!
Awesome video mate.
As for your question at the start, maybe try a 2 second flash version of your logo to get it done quick but lock down some branding for the channel?
A unique midi sound might help too (like a quick jingle).
Subbing now, this is great content.
Thanks so much for the sub! And yeah some sonic branding is def. what I've been thinking about. Short and sweet and cool! thanks for the insight
Man ive been digging into eliminating my keyboard on my bartop threw programing hotkeys and writing batchfiles and stuff. Finaly got it to a point that i can just turn it on and use it. That being said im building a standup cab and totaly gonna need a stream deck on it
Thanks for checking this out! I hope it helps you. I knew I wasn't the only one! Also some people have figured out how to map individual emulated games to specific buttons. And if you're using big box they have a way to set it up as a shell so it boots directly into it with no sign of windows at all. I don't do that because I'm always digging in and messing with settings.
@@TheLivingArcade I'm using emulation station/retroarch on a Windows 11 machine. I just dropped a shortcut in the windows start-up because I also like to step out and mess with stuff. The biggest hurdle I had was getting my dinput controller boards working on Xinput windows games. Found a program that inserts itself between the control and game. Had to write batch files to swap the drivers on launch and then close them on exit so as not to mess up my retroarch controls
@@SycoSpartan dinput and xinput is a real pain. That’s a great solution. I’m still trying to get a better understanding of making batch files. As in really making them do what I want instead of copy and paste from existing ones. Very cool.
@@TheLivingArcade I used AI to help with the batch files 😀
I kind of regret not getting a cutout in my control panel for a stream deck now. Granted it would be yet another thing to set up on my arcade and I really don't need that in my life right now, but it would be nice.
Thanks for watching! Yeah it would be nice but then it's another thing to always be messing with instead of playing haha.
I wish there was a way I could share built profiles but everyone's setup is so different and it wouldn't really help them
Keep doing what you do bud, you're video quality is fantastic, I subbed just because of the intro haha. But you'll be 6 digit subscribers soon, regardless of the intro. Just make the intro the same on every video. consistency seems to be the best.
Love the tips too btw. I am seriously considering a steam deck now because of the number of people that accidentally go in or exit out of a game, etc. by button pushing.
Well done!
Thank you so much for your kind words! It means a lot! YT is difficult and I put in tremendous effort and passion. I know there's a way I can bring additional value to this space and I trust it will happen on it's own as we go.
Comments like this are my compass!
Accidentally exiting the game is exactly what initiated the whole streamdeck thing. To get that exit button combo off the controls because mashing with friends is fun!
@@TheLivingArcade yessir, I hear ya. I did some research on intros about a year ago though, seems like mixed opinions. I did a longer one at first (30 seconds) and as of about a year ago I do a quick one (10 seconds) and I do it after the video has kinda started rolling, if that makes sense. But to me, it’s your channel do as ya like, be unique and different!
As far as the steam deck though and programming it, I’ve definitely marked this vid for watching again later, as I’m a bit stacked on gaming projects as it is haha…Plus I take time to enjoy gaming as well so that delays me too. Thanks again and great work again on the vid. The sound effects, timing of music, and video editing is top notch, if you keep at it, you’ll definitely become a big channel in time.
this is awesome 👏
been thinking about getting one for my vewlix just taken the plunge yet does look super handy tho. i was looking that the small stream deck as well good size for the cab and i would be using it for steaming as the pc is on the other side of the room.
They are expensive but really useful I have three of them on different things including my dedicated streaming PC and I have the foot pedal. The new plus model looks useful with the knobs too but I haven't tried one yet. Might be a good choice for the streaming dual purpose.
Hiya Mate any tips or guides to set up Stream Deck , just got one for me Chewlix cab after watching you video
Awesome! The main principle is that you can map shortcuts to the buttons. So look up retroarch's short cuts and default keymaping.
docs.libretro.com/guides/input-and-controls/
Overall any keypress or key combination can be mapped to your streamdeck. Just be aware that windows does have some security measurers that certain keypresses can only be triggered from the actual keyboard. "pagedown" for example can't be triggered by the streamdeck unless the streamdeck software is running as administrator. in those cases I change retroarchs keymapping to something else. Just keep a notepad file of anything you change because you won't remember later. (I mention in the video)
I like launchbox as my front end so look at launchbox's keyboard mappings for things you can map to your streamdeck. I'm hopping that launchbox adds user customizations so we can ad shortcuts to custom functions but they haven't yet.
Lastly, learn how to setup "smart profiles" in the streamdeck software. That way the streamdeck automatically switches profiles depending on what application is in focus. That way it will switch to whatever you want on the fly depending on what emulator or whatever software you're running. I hope this makes sense. Have fun and feel free to drop any questions here.
Could you use the 6 button steam deck to represent the 6 arcade buttons and somehow set it up to show what the buttons do (punch, kick, action, weapon swap, etc) on a per game basis? Like Everytime an exe is opened the images on the steam deck would represent what your 6 buttons would do when pressed? So no functionality when pressed just images to represent your buttons on your controller?
Yes you could actually using the "wallpaper" layout in their free key creator or even just regular individual keys e or something depending on the game. or just assign any button really to each one doesn't matter and just change the icon of each key to represent the button layout and use the smart profile feature and assign each one to each EXE. If that makes sense then it will automatically switch to each game.
I actually have a few button layouts on it that just display a cool "wallpaper" on some steam games because it looks cool
Please note that this will only work on games that have a unique EXE for each one. If you're playing games on an emulator it will only recognize the emulator EXE and not the game it's running.
I hope this helps let me know. Good luck have fun!
great video i liked it a lot
What we don't know how to put individual games like mario bros
Thanks for watching! As for your question That can be tricky depending on the game. If it's a stand alone executable game like something from steam, check out 14:20 in the video with "bar raiders" launcher you can point that to any stand alone EXE file. So if it's a normal EXE game you can assign it with that simple method.
As for a game with an emulator the emulator will need to be able to support command line. You would need to make a BAT file for each game with the command line instructions telling the emulator to launch that specific ROM. Here's an example of a retroarch bat file: forums.libretro.com/t/simple-batch-file-game-loader-for-use-with-retroarch/5972
Running stuff like that can be tricky with the streamdeck sometimes it needs to be running as admin which is unreliable to get it to run as admin on startup. Sometimes the BAT files need to be converted to CMD or EXE or powershell. It's pretty tedious and I honestly never bothered going that granular with it.
If you do want that feature this guy made his own custom front end that does launch individual games via the stream deck. It's pretty amazing!
th-cam.com/video/o8WrWOx_Pmk/w-d-xo.html
Is it online dependent for use? Not fan of on-line depencies for gaming. Especially retro games.
Great question! Aside from updates, nothing requires an online connection. Everything is stored locally. I do believe retroachievements does require a connection but it's just a fun achievement system that is optional. I highly recommend it though.
The vid title lured me in with hope of more than 'use a pc accessory with a pc.' 😐So is it tethered to its companion app? Or can I configure it, then move it to a very-unsupported device and have still it still work as a usb macro keyboard with nifty grafx?
So the steam deck is strictly windows and yes tethered to the companion app. I am looking into some DIY macro pad with arduino ideas for a follow up. I think it would be possible to do something similar on botecera or raspberry pi maybe even mister. It will take me a while to get the resources but it's in the queue.
This makes so much sense. Makes me want to revisit a launchbox pc build.
Is there a way to set these features up with like a raspberry pi instead of a full blown pc build
I have seen some instances of people making "macro pads" and such with arduino that basically behave like a keyboard and do hotkey presses. Something like that may work. As long as retropie recognizes the keypresses. At the end of the day the streamdeck is mostly mimicking keyboard presses for this use case. But for retrogaming you don't need a high end PC. Offices liquidate old Dells all the time. I'm running an old Dell optiplex with a Core i3 that I bought for $150 in my cab. Granted I'm only running it at 720p.
The full cost of a raspberry pi 4 with a power supply and micro SD card comes close to that $150ish price point. Something to think about on a future build. Thanks for watching!
@@TheLivingArcade good info. I mean I have both a pi and a old pc for the project. The issue is I don’t have two sets of sticks/buttons/ cabinets to use them both on 😅 maybe I’ll make the pi some type of portable play anything device that I just use dedicated controllers on and can plug into random TVs. Then I can use the pc for a launchbox build and put that into an arcade cabinet for purely arcade games (I guess)
@@LatteEsportsLeague Or you could repurpose the Pi and try this: stream-pi.com/
I haven't tried it myself though. Might be worth messing with.
How you make to automatic go to specific platform like Mame pushing stream deck buttom in launchbox?
Launchbox would need to have a custom keybind option for that function. If you look at 16:16 min. in the video I show the keyboard mappings options in Bigbox. Anything in there can be mapped to the streamdeck since the streamdeck is just a customizable keyboard with screens in this case. We can only map the streamdeck to things Launchbox Bigbox supports. Maybe we can put in a request to the bigbox team for more custom keybind options. If big box had a way to assign custom keybinds to more things like mappings to launch a specific game or platform we could do so much more with the streamdeck.
How could you set it up so that you can press a button on the Stream Deck to open a specific game within Bigbox?
Right now there’s no way to do that. I have put in a feature request with big box and some others have as well. Basically they need to add a feature to assign hot keys to specific games then we can map those to the stream deck. Keep an eye on the big box forums. There’s a section to vote on what features you want in the next update. If it gets enough votes it happens.
Great review. I use stream decks on my arcade cab, driving rig, and pinball cab. DO you know how to switch profiles based upon what rom is running within a particular emu? Eg, I start AfterBurner Climax via Teknoparrot from within LB, I want to see not the general Teknoparrot Stream deck profile, but the specific AfterBurner Climax profile
That would be cool. I looked into it. The stream deck doesn't have any command line function or any way to assign a auto hotkey script that I could find. So it wouldn't be possible to have launchbox send a command to open a "afterburner climax" profile since the streamdeck doesn't "listen" to that it only reads whatever EXE is in focus. The best I can come up with is to make a subfolder within your general teknoparrot profile and put "profile links" to those custom game profiles or just a separate page for those custom game specifics that you will have to manually "tab" over to within that teknoparrot general profile. Hope that makes sense.
I'm really hoping this whole stream deck idea gets more traction within the Launchbox community. I'd love to see them open up some more hotkey options. That way we can assign buttons to launch specific games or go into specific platforms quick filter genres ETC. I did put in a feature request but I don't know if it will get any attention.
Thanks@@TheLivingArcade , I figured it out. Instead of using the Teknoparrot exe as the profile launcher, I am using the actual game exe that TP calls. And for mame, if you look at Task Manager while a mame game is running, you see a process something like "mame.exe '88 Games [88games] - MAME 0.230 (LLP64)". StreamDeck can detect this a load a profile specific to 88 Games if you have one.
This would be really cool if could work with a MiSTeR setup.
Yes it would. I haven't had a chance to get into Misters yet. They're on my list!
I did see someone use launchbox to browse and launch games on their mister. th-cam.com/video/9JV4PxzEkhI/w-d-xo.html
Damn I’m gonna have to do this too!
Do it! I originally did it mostly to see if I could, then quickly realized how convenient it is.
The logo is how you differentiate from a Zoom call.
Haha Good point!
How do you launch straight into a mame game? Mine always wants to unzip the file
That's pretty tricky. You can map it to directly launch an EXE based game like a steam game for example. But to launch a specific mame game running on an emulator requires a bat script and the command line knowledge of the emulator. It also runs into windows security issues of apps running BAT files. Streamdeck software also needs to be running as admin to run those and that adds other issues. check these guys out. streamdecklabs.com/ for some ideas.
I have put in for a feature request with Launchbox to add the ability to assign custom hotkeys to more things including the ability to assign a custom hotkey to launch a specific game or platform within Launchbox. That way we can map the custom hotkey to the streamdeck very easily.
Thats why I made this video as well. Hoping it would get more traction and show the Launchbox devs that we want that feature.
Lastly this guy made his own custom front end that does support that ability and it's totally free! And it might work for you th-cam.com/video/o8WrWOx_Pmk/w-d-xo.html
Can you use Streamdeck while using Batocera?
@@Gre4tOneI don’t think elgato makes a version of the software that is Linux compatible. I have seen some people make their own Linux drivers for it but I’ve never used it. If you search for Linux driver stream deck. Check further down in the comments I believe I shared a “stand alone” Linux OS video someone made that is built around the stream deck on a raspberry pi but it was a while ago and I don’t remember the details. I hope that helps
I have an arcade1up cabinet, is there a way at i can use a stream deck on it??
you can if you mod it with a windows PC. Similar to the raspberry pi mods out there. You don't need anything super powerful. I'm running a used dell optiplex with a gt1030 super low spec GPU. These can be found within the $150 range used everywhere. Look up what HDMI driver board you would need for your a1up to connect it to the internal monitor and you would need an amplifier for the speakers
@@TheLivingArcade thank you, would a mac book be as capable as a dell?
I have not used a macbook in that manner. I do know that launchbox, which I heavily rely on, for many of the features I pointed out in this video does not work on mac. But there are other alternative front ends available. If you already own one, give it a shot! The main principle is using software that has shortcuts that do things and mapping those shortcuts conveniently to the streamdeck buttons. Be aware that mac security at times, doesn't play well with other software and hardware triggering key presses and running applications. Needing permissions ETC. Hold off on purchasing a streamdeck and just try getting a front end running on that macbook and playing games. then go from there
@@TheLivingArcade thank you
i see a chiropractor every week. he can straighten out my elaborate button combos. hah!
Ha😂 Thanks so much for having fun with me on that one.
Wouldn't a small tablet or smartphone emulate (ahem) this device far more cheaply?
absolutely! I originally intended to go over things like "touch portal" and some other alternatives but the video is already too long. I did use my phone for a while before I bought a steamdeck. Even elgato offers a phone app, They all work great but there were screen timeouts, sleep mode, losing connection various time outs and other intermittent annoyances that popped up often over time that led me to eventually buy a streamdeck because I got tired of the issues. Streamdecks are a bit overpriced but I have 4 of them and I use them in many applications including my job and they just work without issue.
Would the stream deck work with batocera?
I don't think it would in the manner that I show here. I have seen some people making their own linux drivers.
www.gamingonlinux.com/2022/03/boatswain-is-a-new-stream-deck-compatible-app-for-linux/
timothycrosley.github.io/streamdeck-ui/
You could DIY a macro pad. Something that Batacera would see as just a keyboard and have it mapped to any keyboard commands available. (link below to give you an idea)
www.partsnotincluded.com/diy-stream-deck-mini-macro-keyboard/
There's many varieties using ardiuno or a raspberry pi zero. Just as long as it can be programmed without needing a companion software running in Batacera. Just a driverless keyboard. I couldn't find any info on Batacera keyboard commands though. I imagine most of the Retroarch commands work once you're in retroarch. docs.libretro.com/guides/input-and-controls/
I hope this helps you. Thanks for watching!
@@TheLivingArcade thank you! Subbed love the content keep up the great work. Got a stream deck for my bartop arcade cabinet and the ability to just press a button to select a game is so convinient
That ´s my question too - just bulding my 2nd cabinet and this one is with Batocera. Curious to know if I can put a Streamdeck in it?
Where can I find that case?
it was a card reader that came with my arcade cab. It came with it since I got the cab used from a Dave and Busters type of arcade that used charge cards instead of coins. It was totally blind luck I was able to cut all the electronics out of it and squeeze it in there. I had to grind a lot of material out though. You might get lucky Finding one on ebay somewhere. I wish I had a better answer and reliable seller I could send you to for one.
It would be even better if Elgato made a MOD friendly panel mount version of the streamdeck. Here's a couple used listings I found.
www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/embed-color-glo-hd-v5-card-reader-kit-3828852509
www.ebay.com/itm/195447563263?hash=item2d819523ff:g:QUgAAOSwtt1jYc~8&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAA4J%2B43WymXFLAnWy4WSSFRVJ%2FmWTxdTvXXmnlWyTZ6TsMphmF1TB%2BSr97PqFnzK4AwFcB1VH6v3zfIrp8I8oLPJBPgALbDcAB4RXNN%2Fer4QTK08HwVEFF%2BWCGaRiFhIXl0Kj0CDFKTuTW5jYNG1YFcod93cmSJOyRb3vI%2BO%2F%2BfA9wIdBquuwTJ3RSYKtXbpyTUsF%2FwK8RjpCcL1vXEmKaH0U2YvhBpHkkeD9401FxAjCoexpGeGjMenhhp7oywMjk1og%2FQAnwyZBr5Ytkr0WmqNZ9FkeVwZrvpM4XU%2ByxmHTK%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR96ipsbfYQ
@@TheLivingArcade thank you for taking the time to respond and help out! Appreciate it
I am jealous of you
Don't be jelly, be inspired! 🤗
Or just wire ALT+F4 to 1 EXIT button with a USB Keyboard encoder 🤔
Naw luv the logos
Thank you! That is a helpful perspective. So far it's about 50 50 yes or no on the logo intro
Wait, wait.. You can't just throw out something like "Typing of the Dead' and NOT give us details on it!! Also - was hoping you'd have a video on how you setup the Arcade Software "for us beginners". FYI - after watching this I bought the StreamDeck Pro for my build, I wanted to use it to manage audio as well as Cabinet functions.
Haha Typing of the dead is super rare Japan only. It was tough to even find a picture of one. Thought mentioning it would be a good hook. Yeah the plus stream deck model looks super cool and it should totally work for volume. Let me know how it works out. It would be fun to explore what else could be mapped to those knobs on a multicade. I put in a feature request to launchbox bigbox to add more custom hotkeys so we can map even more stream deck stuff. And thanks for mentioning what you want to see from my channel. I didn't realize there was any interest in a beginner setup video. I'll have to look into putting that together when I can. In the meantime check out the tutorials on the launchbox channel th-cam.com/play/PL6pTDaHeAz-WMcNURVPU-1xLN_TVpT3FB.html
Feel free to let me know if you have any other pain points in this journey that I could possible address and i'll see what I can do. Thanks so much for watching and letting me know!
Yay, yet another thing to exponentially increase the amount of setup I have to do to emulate. 😑
I'm just kidding. It's still better than setting up hyperspin or rocket launcher from scratch. Blessed be the front end launch box 🙏 🤲.
This is a pretty damn cool way to use a steam deck and better than just adding more and more buttons like I do.
🤣 The setup and configuring is endless. Launchbox is the most wonderful thing and it's now easier then ever! You can also use touchportal. I left that out because the video was already too long.
Couldn’t watch past 1 minute of this vid. The intro is just a big turn off for me….
😂Haha! Thanks for sharing. Love the ren hoek reference BTW😅
This is useless. I have batocera PC hooked up to my ALU. And my joystick controller can do all these things by pushing down buttons. I pass on this thing .
That's the wonderful thing about this community and this hobby. There are many paths to happiness in the hobby. There's no end to the creativity and customizability that one can enjoy while making their experience their own and sharing it with others so that they themselves can find their own way. And most of all have fun.
I haven't tried my stream deck on my arcade yet but it's probably more useful than you think.
A short background on me. I'm a software developer professionally and am definitely an advanced keyboard user. A huge part of my productivity comes from specifically avoiding my mouse as much as possible. So I'm very used to keyboard shortcuts and keyboard macros both from apps and from my programmable keyboard.
The place where the stream deck improves my productivity further is specifically because of the screens on the buttons. What goes on my stream deck are the buttons and macros that I don't use all the time and this are difficult to remember. Having visual queues for a few button presses is still faster than a mouse and I don't have to remember everything.
For an arcade, if you don't use it all the time or other people use it, stream deck would almost certainly be easier than remembering button combinations or where things are located in the sub menus for things that you do semi regularly. And forget trying to explain how to do those things to other people like your spouse, kids or friends that play on your cabinet. Stream deck would make things massively simpler for those people.
This is really helpful for those of us with kids and friends who don't feel like explaining all the complicated button combos to get stuff to work. Also, my kids and their friends would button mash and accidentally set off menus/back out of games/etc.