How to stream your PC to a Quest without the cloud

Why the usual way fails

Many remote desktop and streaming tools route the picture through a relay server, because it makes connecting easy from anywhere. That convenience means your screen content passes through a third party, and the extra trip can add lag you notice when you move the mouse. Some tools that do stay local only show a flat window, so you give up the 3D view you wanted in the first place. And setting up a home stream by hand usually means ports, codecs and settings that take an evening to get right. By the time it works, you may have opened more of your network than you meant to.

How StereoLift Live helps

StereoLift Live keeps the heavy work on your own computer. The server runs on your PC, captures the screen, estimates depth on your NVIDIA GPU and encodes the picture, then streams it to the Quest across your own LAN. Your StereoLift account still uses cloud services for sign-in, linked headsets and support, but the screen stream itself stays between your PC and your headset. You can work in responsive 2D and switch to 3D when you want depth.

Step by step

1. Install the desktop app on a Windows or Linux PC that has an NVIDIA GPU.
2. Register and link your Quest to your account so the PC and headset know each other.
3. Keep the PC and the Quest on the same home network.
4. Start the desktop app, then open StereoLift Live in the headset to see your screen.
5. Check that the desktop looks right in 2D before you change anything else.
6. Use 2D mode to click and type, and switch to 3D when you want to watch with depth.

Tips

• Treat the cloud part honestly in your head: your account, linked headsets and optional diagnostics use online services, while the desktop picture goes from PC to headset on your network. Decide what you are comfortable with before you send any diagnostics.
• Stay in 2D for anything that needs a fast reaction, like typing or dragging windows. The 3D view adds a few seconds of buffer, which is fine for watching but awkward for precise work.
• A busy home network can make any local stream stutter. If the picture breaks up, put the PC on a wired connection and keep the headset in the same room as the router before you change other settings. Big downloads or other video streams on the same network at the same time are a common cause too.
• If you ask for help in a public channel, leave out sign-in links, codes and personal details. Share your operating system, GPU and Quest model instead, which is what the team needs to help.

Questions