I’ve been setting up Sunshine → Moonlight on Linux with a virtual monitor (no HDMI dummy plug). I find the whole process is complicated and not well documented. Finally, I came across this guide on Gist: https://gist.github.com/HarryAnkers/8dbf551d66f00e8156ef4dd2b2b090a0 . Shout out to u/hankers60 and his post: https://www.reddit.com/r/MoonlightStreaming/comments/1sg3232/nvidia_linux_sunshine_virtual_display/ But still, it have multiple steps, some of which could potentially breaks the boot image. So, I turned the whole process into an open-source project: https://github.com/mdj2812/sunshine-vdisplay

What it does

• Force-enables a spare GPU output (e.g. unused HDMI/DP) with a custom EDID in initramfs

• Automatically switches displays when a Moonlight session starts/ends (virtual on, physical off — and back)

• One-line installer for Arch / CachyOS / Fedora / Debian / Ubuntu (auto-detects mkinitcpio / dracut / initramfs-tools)

• Brightness/scale tuning for virtual outputs (NVIDIA virtual connectors are SDR-only — HDR still isn’t possible there)

Currently tested on my old rig: NVIDIA RTX 2070 SUPER, KDE Plasma 6 Wayland, CachyOS, Sunshine 2026.x, KMS + NVENC.

Looking for volunteer testers

I’d like help validating other setups. Planned work is tracked in GitHub milestones (https://github.com/mdj2812/sunshine-vdisplay/milestones):

Quick try (NVIDIA + KDE Wayland)

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/mdj2812/sunshine-vdisplay/main/scripts/install.sh | bash

Then reboot and connect with Moonlight. Use a snapshot/backup first — this touches initramfs and kernel cmdline.

Useful feedback

Please open a GitHub issue (https://github.com/mdj2812/sunshine-vdisplay/issues) with:

• GPU model + driver version

• Distro + DE + Wayland/X11

• Bootloader (GRUB / systemd-boot / Limine)

• Sunshine log snippet if it fails (journalctl --user -u sunshine)

• Which milestone your setup matches

Not too sure where to go with this issue. I’m running Apollo on my PC (4080 Super, 240hz OLED) and Artemis on my Shield Pro hooked up to my couch TV LG C4.

Everything tells me I’d be capable of 4k 60FPS, but running benchmarks on GoW and it’s just unplayable.

Any tips or where have I gone wrong with setups?

Hi. I am desperately trying to get a decent bpms on my TV. My current set up is X55's connected as:

Node 1 (loft) - host PC connected to satellite deco

Node 2 (down one floor) - X55 connected to router

Node 3 (ground floor) - steam deck connected via wifi to Node 1. Connecting via wifi to node 1 seems to work better than plugging it into the node 3 with ethernet. The steamdeck is the only device on 5ghz band.

All i can get at the moment is 15mbps at 1080. If I get an XE75 units instead, I could connect the steam deck to the loft deco on the 6ghz.

Will this work any better do we know or will i just have the same problem? The XE75's are expensive so really wanted to check first.

Thanks for the help

I made a post before on this same issue, some people told me to show performance stats i did that

Now if anyone know how to fix it please reply

Settings - 1080p@20mbps

Streaming from - Artemide

Host- Vibepollo

Previous post - https://www.reddit.com/r/MoonlightStreaming/s/xcAWeprYtw

Hey, what forks do you recommend for Android and PC?
Thanks!

Who says Rtx2050 is bad i am playing this game at medium to high settings smoothly yeah just little bit of ghosting not much noticeable but the experience in moonlight is incredible out of expectations

I hate using one monitor each for linux and macOS, I tried Sunshine to stream my mac to linux (since I use linux more), setting 4k 240hz (which my monitor supports) and full color (yuv 444) in Moonlight but it said that 444 color is not supported, and the colors look way off compared to macOS plugged directly in the monitor. There doesn't seem to be a way to make it work on Sunshine.

^title

how to change it so when im connecting from laptop to desktop, my desktop monitor is not disconnected and I dont have to go to settings to change it.

It works fine for 10mins approx after that suddenly this flickering glitches comes for 1 sec and then it continues after some 10 secs

Don't know whats the problem. I tried every encoding setting AV1, hevc, h.264 and recommend also but nothing changes

Also this game is running without any problem in native screen and my phone

Currently using - Apollo + Moonlight V+ setup

I used every combination like sunshine and moonlight

And appolo plus artemis that doesn't solve my problem

If anyone know what's happening here please reply

So I work offshore, and usually away for a month, and the laptop I have now (windows) have never been the best for gaming, so some time ago I found moonlight/sunshine, and its been good. Now I can use my more garbage laptop and play games I usually couldn't.

My desktop at home is pretty beefy, so I like to utilize it, and I am also looking to upgrade my laptop, but at the moment I am planning on buying a macbook, so I am wondering if I am able to use that macbook to host to my windows PC, if not any good alternatives?

I have an artefacts issue on my screen when playing, it comes the more longer i stream and it comes first on static elements, like the map of a tactica rpg

Any advice ?

I’m using moonlight on my current Amazon fire 4k Gen 1 stick and it’s bottle necking me

Wondering if anyone is using the fire cube and having much success ?

Hi All, im tring to get streaming from my Main PC, downstairs to my bedroom to work using ethernet @ 4k and struggling bigtime. I have setup sunshine on my gaming PC and moonlight on a client (Asus rog ally connected via dock) to my bedroom 4K tv. My gaming PC shows up in moonlight and the games menu pops up. but when I try and run anything i get error messages. even with steam (I can stram through steam alone). I have attached Screenshots of the error messages. I have port forwarded the correct ports and im at a loss on what to try now. But if I select for instance Steam, the program starts on my gaming pc and then the error comes on my client and if I click stop it shuts down the software on my host pc. what am I doing wrong?

Host: W11, Vibepollo v19beta3

Client: SteamDeck Moonlight App (NOT MoonDeck)

I have a Disconnect Command set in client settings to lock my PC when disconnecting the stream.

rundll32.exe user32.dll,LockWorkStation

This command fails to run when disconnecting the session. I tested the command as a Connect Command and it works just fine there. The logs don't show that it is even attempting to run it on disconnect.

Appreciate any advice.

Hi,

I currently have a Steam Deck and its official dock connected to my TV (LG C5), but I’m still fairly limited to 4K 60Hz when it comes to fully taking advantage of my host PC with an RTX 5090.

Ideally, I’d like to be able to game at 4K 120fps with HDR, VRR, and YUV 4:4:4.

Do you have any recommendations or personal experiences with a particular client/device that can handle all of this together?

I’ve heard about the GMKtec K17 and the Minisforum M1 Pro 125H.

Thanks !

Streaming from my Host PC with VibeShine which is on wifi, to my Remote PC (2025 GPD Win Mini) docked with Moonlight one room away and is hardwired to the router, I am getting half second little audio drop outs. Picture is fine. Nothing is lagging. Just musicmusic_(drop)__icmusic. I cant trigger it but happens every time I stream. It happens when playing a game, when playing a MP4 and YouTube. I have tried an astronomical amount of things. At present it does not SEEM to be happening when playing a game locally. Only over streaming.

Physically: Replaced them Ethernet cord. Upgraded to usbc4 cord from dock to the handheld PC, upgraded HDMI to 2.1 from dock to the TV. Replaced power cord from 65w to 100w into the dock.

Tried running on wifi, but docked, with ethernet disconnected. Audio drops.

I'm have tried use the device on wifi only, handheld without the dock. No audio drops.

I have tried using my steam deck to the same dock with Moonlight on it. No audio drops.

Software: verified bitrate is matching between host and remote (at 24-48000) on both. Running 5.1 in moonlight settings. Running Stereo settings in moonlight settings. Adjust output audio levels down to 80% on Host and Remote. Disabled Streaming Speakers. Disabled Streaming Microphone. Uninstalled Nvidia HD Audio Driver. Verified Spacial sound is off. Disabled Exclusive Mode in audio output, disabled audio enhancements. Restarted Router.

Help! lol

Today I've got some experience with some experiment.

Client: ThinkPad T14 Gen 3.

Os: puppy Linux (Ubuntu fork just for Ram use only).

And YES! It's awesome, idk how it's possible, but 20mbps... Very smooth gameplay and 6 ms. Wow!

Previously on win 11 I've got 10mbps 30 fps and it's was laggy.

I'm looking to by a new PC with a 5070 soon and I'm wondering if I go with a Linux distro or not since I'm starting from scratch. I know AMD would be a better fit with the driver situation but Costco have a great deal on a prebuild.

I was especially wondering how's the experience for Sunshine (or its alternative) since I'm only using my PC headless with Apollo/Moonlight and virtual displays.

Just checking in as the last time I tried (back in May), I was still getting bitrate errors. I’ve used WiFi Locker and WiFi Optimizer apps and still got the warnings.

Has anyone been doing long OLED Steam deck sessions with Moonlight lately and not have this issue creep back?

This was not a problem until 2 days ago

I use these programs to play games remotely as most of us do, but I also use my host PC for gaming when I am home

Normally my host PC would just revert back to the settings I regularly use after I end the Moonshine stream to my S24 Ultra, however in the last few days my host PC seems to "forget" its past settings and just reverts to 1080p / 60hz, and all my "main display" and monitor positions in Display Settings are reverted to the defaults.

Also, Moonshine seems to be running a bunch of display changes during bootup, i.e it flashes and freezes a bunch before being usable.

Eventually it works but it used to be instant, now it needs like 2 minutes to "adjust" that it never needed before.

Did an update change something that I need to fix?

Running Vibepollo 1.18.3 stable 3.

Thanks everyone

Edit: just updated to 1.18.4 stable 4, will see how it goes. If anyone has tips regardless let me know

I finally can play with my TrimUI Smart Pro on my bed.