Valve's Steam OS available to download now, but you might want to wait

[WedgeAntilles]

<section class="news-hdr" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; margin: auto auto 2rem; background-image: url(<a href=" http:="" static.gamespot.com="" bundles="" gamespotsite="" images="" bg-border-light.png);"="" target="_blank">
Valve's Steam OS available to download now, but you might want to wait

The Linux system powering Valve's Steam Machines is available for download now, but if you're not familiar with Linux, you might want to wait.

by Justin Haywald on <time datetime="2013-12-13" pubdate="pubdate" itemprop="datePublished" style="box-sizing: border-box;">December 13, 2013</time>
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</section><section itemprop="articleBody" class="article-body typography-format " style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; font-size: 1.6rem; line-height: 2.3rem; color: rgb(20, 20, 21); font-family: proxima-nova, 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Arial, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: rgb(244, 245, 245);"><figure data-align="center" data-size="large" data-img-src="http://static.gamespot.com/uploads/original/1534/15343359/2402829-screen+shot+2013-12-13+at+6.36.46+pm.png" data-ref-id="1300-2402829" data-resize-url="" data-resized="" data-embed-type="image" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: block; margin: 0px auto 2rem; width: 810px; clear: both; max-width: 100%;"></figure>With beta Steam Machines shipping out to 300 Steam volunteers today, Valve has also made SteamOS available for download.
Full instructions are listed on a SteamOS FAQ Valve posted today, but if you're not familiar with installing Linux systems, you might want to hold off on trying to configure your own Steam Machine, given the fact that the system is still in beta.
The FAQ explains that "SteamOS is designed to run Steam and Steam games," however, it elaborates, "SteamOS is based on Debian GNU/Linux and is not compatible with Microsoft Windows games and applications. However, SteamOS will soon support seamlessly streaming your games from your Windows computer; watch this page for more information about the In-Home Streaming Beta."
What do you need to run SteamOS? Here's the hardware list from the FAQ:

• Intel or AMD 64-bit capable processor
• 4GB or more memory
• 500GB or larger disk
• NVIDIA graphics card (AMD and Intel graphics support coming soon)
• UEFI boot support
• USB port for installation

Note: one of the installation methods that Valve details requires a 1TB storage device.
You can grab the SteamOS installation files here or this alternate download location and source for Steam OS is located here. Valve has also cautioned against downloading the files from "non-official, un-announce links." We'll be working on installing the OS ourselves over the weekend, but lets us know your own results if you've brave the process yourself!

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[WedgeAntilles]

Valve releases its Steam operating system

It's Linux for high quality PC games

By Chris Merriman
Fri Dec 13 2013, 16:28

GAMES PUBLISHER Valve has released its long awaited Steam operating system (OS).

The Steam OS has been designed to appeal to those who want to hook up their living room TVs to a PC games playing experience.

Based on Linux, Steam OS is free to download and free to license for game developers and manufacturers, which has led to the announcement of a number of dedicated Steam OS machines including the Jetpack, which we profiled recently.

Valve has an obvious advantage for launching a new games oriented OS, as the existing Steam ecosystem already has thousands of games available that are cross-platform, meaning that anyone who wants to try it will be starting with a full fledged games library from day one.

Valve has also confirmed that it is working with media providers to offer multimedia content. It has not announced any names yet but we expect to see music and movie streaming, as well as catch-up TV in the future.

Steam OS features include full parental control, the ability to stream Steam games from a Windows machine, and for the first time, the ability to play all the games in a household, no matter whose account they belong to, but with individual user profiles to earn achievements.

In addition to the Steam OS release, 300 beta testers will take delivery of prototypes of the Valve's Steam Machine today, a powerful and upgradable games machine set for release next year.

Valve admits that its prototype is still a bit rough and recommends that a knowledge of Linux is helpful to install it at this stage, with more convenience and polish to be added in the new year. µ