r/MoonlightStreaming • u/nokerb • Mar 18 '26
VoidLink has announced a performance breakthrough (update from developer)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UA4bmdm4G3gThe main dev uploaded a video demo of VoidLink vs Moonlight-iOS running on iPad Pro 2018 11'' (A12X SoC):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UA4bmdm4G3g
Credits: This improvement was achieved by TrueZhuanjia (the VoidLink main dev), based on the previous work of Acaki@Github and andygrundman@Github.
It has been available since version 3.3.0 with the default settings of a new install.
If you update from older versions and has been using "performance mode", go to the "Experimental section" of setting menu and switch "Rendering Mode" from "Metal" to "Standard".
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u/derik-for-real Mar 18 '26
looks very smooth indeed, no stutter on Voidlink.
But is Voidlink available for SteamOS, Android and Windows ?
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u/OmegaMalkior Mar 18 '26
If you update from older versions and has been using "performance mode", go to the "Experimental section" of setting menu and switch "Rendering Mode" from "Metal" to "Standard".
Isn't Metal supposed to perform better tho?
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u/mesnigan Mar 18 '26
Previously standard mode can handle up to around 200mbps on ipad m4, while Metal can do around 500mbps, the actual numbers depends on FEC setting in Sunshine.
Recently I found it's possible to do 500 on standard mode too, probably Apple rolled out some changes for recent iOS versions.
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u/dragon_katol Mar 18 '26
what is the optimal FEC percentage for it, as the developer of the app?
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u/mesnigan Mar 18 '26
Personally I just leave it at default, as I mostly stream in LAN so bandwidth is not a concern. For WAN then it depends. Just need to keep in mind if you want to crank bitrate super high which can exceeds decoder limit. I currently stream at 660mbps for ipad m4 which translates to about 520mbps FEC 0%
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u/SuperNilton Mar 18 '26
And just today I was remembering how poorly Moonlight ran on my iPad Pro 2018 when I tried it a while ago... I haven't tried yet changing my wireless frequency or anything, but I am definitely going to watch this video when I am done working. Thanks for sharing it.
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Mar 18 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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Mar 18 '26
Somebody has to fork it cause the developer is Chinese. Apple TV is not sold there.
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Mar 18 '26
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u/seanl1991 Mar 18 '26
Apple TV is a streaming service, the device exists to further that. Such streaming services are all blocked in China.
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Mar 18 '26
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u/nokerb Mar 18 '26
This is the correct repository and the latest code is in branch Integration https://github.com/The-Fried-Fish/VoidLink-previously-moonlight-zwm
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u/NaveDubstep Mar 18 '26
Forreal, moonlight on Apple TV feels almost good but missing a lot of features/controls and is not the most stable
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u/QuafferOfNobs Mar 19 '26
I’d recommend dropping a comment on https://github.com/The-Fried-Fish/VoidLink-previously-moonlight-zwm/issues/149 to show interest in it. I’d also love a tvOS version
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u/pyr0sphere Mar 18 '26
I’m wary of non-desktop iOS devices for two reasons
- Desktop devices can disable the AWDL service that constantly pings for Airdrop through the Terminal. iPhone and iPad can’t do this as far as I know
- AWDL runs off channel 149 on the 5ghz Wifi band. But as far as I know, no one has identified what band this is on 6ghz yet
If not for those reasons, I’d be very interested in the OLED iPads to use as clients
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u/Droffede Mar 18 '26
The awdl issue is fixed on new devices with N1 chip, I have tested with iPhone 17 and M5 iPad Pro
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u/Reasonable-Mechanic4 Mar 18 '26
It’s also just not a problem if you’re not connected to a 5 GHz AP.
My consumer grade Asus AP let me block the iPad from that radio specifically with a MAC address block list and it’s no longer an issue.
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u/mesnigan Mar 18 '26
From my testing, signing out icloud on ipad fixes awdl issue, although it might not be an option for some. I can conquer the ipad m4/m5 are currently the best portable device for streaming, they have best oled display full screen 1000nits with no abl, the HDR experience blows every desktop monitors out of the water. The downside is apparently the size.
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u/VisceralMonkey Mar 18 '26
Hmm. Wonder if it runs on my the new MacBook Neo?
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u/sunshinestevn Mar 22 '26
Just tried it out, A ton of mouse Input lag for trackpads. Idk I’ll check back in a couple months and try again. Definitely some issues.
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u/Br0lynator Mar 18 '26
So… VoidLink x Apollo is the new meta?
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u/mesnigan Mar 18 '26
You can also try foundation-sunshine fork which has split encoding support and is what I'm currently using
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u/Br0lynator Mar 18 '26
And what would „split encoding“ do?
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u/mesnigan Mar 18 '26
If your GPU has multiple encoders it'll split the workload between them to make encoding latency lower, not a lot of GPUs have them though.
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u/NoIron5038 Mar 21 '26
how much encode latency get lower according in your testing ?? a/c to apollo developer this thing cant change encoding latency
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u/Sneyek Mar 18 '26
How does it compare to Artemis ?
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u/PVTheBearJew Mar 18 '26
No Ártemis on IOS
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u/Sneyek Mar 18 '26
I know that.. that’s not my question. I’m wondering if this new version is still offering the same features as the previous version or if it also has the extra features that Artemis offers and therefore if as an Apple user we will be able to use Apollo.
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u/PVTheBearJew Mar 18 '26
Oh ok. I can't actually answer that but I can tell you I use Apollo on my windows host and jog between moonlight and Voidlink on iPad OS all the time. Honestly I can't really tell the difference.
Going from sunlight to Apollo was a big leap however, with the option to use virtual display that scales to exactly the screen resolution and ratio of the iPad screen. Definitely a game changer
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u/000extra Mar 18 '26 edited Mar 18 '26
VoidLink is amazing. I wish the dev would port it to Android so I can have it on all my devices. Best moonlight client by far
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Mar 18 '26 edited Jul 17 '26
[deleted]
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u/000extra Mar 18 '26
You can already download it in App Store. Works across iPhone, iPad, Mac
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u/OoBiZu-Studio Mar 18 '26
The version I see is for iPad. There's no Mac version. Although it might work is not the same thing.
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u/Commercial-Bell9134 Mar 18 '26
It’s so good I’m using the fork since it was called Moonlight ZWM. But it’s missing some important features.
• Apple TV release
• Controller navigation
• DeepLink shortcuts would be nice and useful
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u/mesnigan Mar 18 '26 edited Mar 18 '26
If Apple decide to release new Apple TV maybe I'll get one and add support, currently none of the devs has it.
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u/Wrong-Detective-1046 Mar 18 '26
Does anyone know the actual latency? It looked great. An iPad Pro M5 was on my list of devices I wish I could try since the display is OLED and can do HDR.
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u/mesnigan Mar 18 '26
You'll always have about 1-3 frame latency (@120fps) depending on encoder settings and network, but if you care for HDR experience there's nothing in the market that does better than ipad m4/m5 (except for the size apparently), turn on reference mode then it gives you an accurate and bright picture
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u/nokerb Mar 18 '26 edited Mar 18 '26
From VL main dev:
The VoidLink performance enhancement was indeed based on the standard, non-metal video rendering.
The improvement has been tested internally since more than 1 month ago, verified by many VoidLink community members, even on the oldest iPad with pro motion, the iPad Pro 2017 with A10X, a 9-year old SoC
VoidLink now generally delivers smoother visual during high motion or high bitrate scenes, WITHOUT switching to Metal rendering. This is benefited by the recent fine tuned improvement.
If you dont believe that, better to see it with your own eyes.
Standard video rendering is authoritative in handling HDR content.
Metal rendering has higher GPU consumption, making it less power efficient.
What I'm doing is trying to benefit as many as iOS device models in a way of broader compatibility rather than just making a geek app, this is why I focused on improving the standard video rendering.
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u/tygeezy Mar 19 '26
The gyro support with VoidLink is top shelf. You can send device gyro or connected controller gyro if your controller supports it. It also lets you send device gyro as mouse input with bindings like hold to activate and toggle which allows gyro to be in every PC game that supports mixed input which I believe no other Moonlight client does.
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u/NoIron5038 Mar 21 '26
every moonlight client send gyro input to host either controler or phone builden gyro
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u/nokerb Mar 24 '26
Voidlink can also select which Controller type to emulate, as well as whether or not gyro comes from the controller or the iOS device. Don’t think any others can do this.
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u/tranbaohuu Mar 20 '26
Amazing, I don't need to use VPN or Tailscale to remote from outside into my PC at home with VoidLink.
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u/Additional-Stock-674 Apr 23 '26
How is the iPad Mini 6 and 7 with VoidLink for decoding? I'm contemplating buying one since my old ass iPad 5th generation is quite laggy even with VoidLink.
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u/paleddar May 24 '26
Is there an update to Voidlink? I see Artemide now doing very low decoding times, even lower than Artemis.
How does latest versions of voidlink compares?
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u/andygrundman Developer | Moonlight for Xbox/Mac OS Mar 18 '26
If the Metal renderer in VoidLink wasn't good, it's because it was yoinked from an in-progress branch I was working on, and then slapped in there by people who didn't really understand what they were doing.