If it helps at all, I've tried this several more times and it seems very reproducible. I don't remember this happening in the past though, so it's possible that a recent update has caused it - but unfortunately I can't pinpoint anything specific. I have noticed that very recently there was an update to Steam In-Home Streaming, renaming it to Steam Remote Play and making it work over the internet, so perhaps it could be related to that - but that's just a guess.
Here is an example console output that I see in my terminal. I can have Steam running on my Linux computer for hours perfectly fine, but as soon as I start using Steam Broadcast on my separate Windows machine, I see this in the Linux machine's terminal output:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Starting new video recording session
Installing breakpad exception handler for appid(steam)/version(1560549607)
Installing breakpad exception handler for appid(steam)/version(1560549607)
Window title set to Google - Chromium
Changing record window: 0x4000001
>>> Starting desktop stream
Installing breakpad exception handler for appid(steam)/version(1560549607)
>>> Switching video stream from NONE to Desktop_MovieStream
Installing breakpad exception handler for appid(steam)/version(1560549607)
Detected 4 logical processors, using 3 threads
Detected 4 logical processors, using 3 threads
Configuring encoder: [threads=3][width=1920][height=1080][preset=veryfast][tune=film]
X264: using cpu capabilities: MMX2 SSE2Fast SSSE3 SSE4.2 AVX AVX2 FMA3 LZCNT BMI2
X264: profile High, level 4.0
>>> Capture method set to Desktop Placeholder + libyuv + libx264 high (3 threads)
clientvideo.cpp (973) : Assertion Failed: CClientVideo::InitBroadcastVideo: job not started
clientvideo.cpp (973) : Assertion Failed: CClientVideo::InitBroadcastVideo: job not started
Installing breakpad exception handler for appid(steam)/version(1560549607)
crash_20190616195615_29.dmp[5603]: Uploading dump (out-of-process)
/tmp/dumps/crash_20190616195615_29.dmp
crash_20190616195615_29.dmp[5603]: Finished uploading minidump (out-of-process): success = yes
crash_20190616195615_29.dmp[5603]: response: CrashID=bp-df4c2bf1-6e85-4736-b862-a64d42190616
crash_20190616195615_29.dmp[5603]: file ''/tmp/dumps/crash_20190616195615_29.dmp'', upload yes: ''CrashID=bp-df4c2bf1-6e85-4736-b862-a64d42190616''
Caching cursor image for left_ptr, serial 1390, cache size = 0
Window title set to jane@Jane-Linux:~
Changing record window: 0x280000e
Caching cursor image for xterm, serial 455, cache size = 1
Window title set to
Changing record window: 0x600096
Window title set to jane@Jane-Linux:~
Changing record window: 0x280000e
^ACaching cursor image for , serial 456, cache size = 2
Window title set to
Changing record window: 0x600096
Caching cursor image for text, serial 1456, cache size = 3
Caching cursor image for pointer, serial 1457, cache size = 4
X264: frame I:11 Avg QP: 6.86 size:121884
X264: frame P:230 Avg QP: 4.30 size: 13710
X264: frame B:663 Avg QP: 5.80 size: 246
X264: consecutive B-frames: 2.2% 0.0% 0.0% 97.8%
X264: mb I I16..4: 74.3% 1.3% 24.5%
X264: mb P I16..4: 1.1% 0.0% 0.0% P16..4: 12.5% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% skip:86.3%
X264: mb B I16..4: 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% B16..8: 0.4% 0.0% 0.0% direct: 0.3% skip:99.3% L0: 2.8% L1:97.1% BI: 0.0%
X264: 8x8 transform intra:1.0% inter:23.2%
X264: coded y,uvDC,uvAC intra: 15.7% 24.9% 23.2% inter: 1.6% 1.6% 1.3%
X264: i16 v,h,dc,p: 83% 15% 2% 0%
X264: i8 v,h,dc,ddl,ddr,vr,hd,vl,hu: 24% 25% 33% 4% 3% 1% 3% 2% 6%
X264: i4 v,h,dc,ddl,ddr,vr,hd,vl,hu: 30% 26% 17% 5% 4% 4% 7% 4% 4%
X264: i8c dc,h,v,p: 62% 20% 18% 1%
X264: Weighted P-Frames: Y:0.0% UV:0.0%
X264: kb/s:1228.48
As you can see, it clearly calls it a "video recording session", talks about video encoding, and mentions the title names of my other windows on my Linux desktop (e.g. "Google - Chromium", as well as "jane@Jane-Linux" for my terminal window). If I swap to other windows, it'll show their names too. CPU usage goes up while this happens, until I kill the Steam client.
Hello @JaneSmith, are you still experiencing this issue on an up to date system?
@kisak-valve Thank you very much for taking a look at this issue. I've tested again today and can confirm that yes, I am still experiencing this issue.
It's been a long time since I opened this issue, and I am now using a completely different Linux distro, as well as a new Windows machine. Whereas before I tested on Arch Linux, today I tested on Fedora Silverblue 34.
The Steam version that I tested with first was the (apparently) latest stable version, built on Oct 13 2021 at 19:47:24, with package versions 1634158817. I opened Steam from a terminal on my Linux machine, and also opened Steam on my Windows machine. The moment I began Steam Broadcasting on the Windows machine, the entirely separate and unrelated Linux machine skyrocketed in CPU usage and outputted the following:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Starting new video recording session
Installing breakpad exception handler for appid(steam)/version(1634158817)
>>> Starting desktop stream
Installing breakpad exception handler for appid(steam)/version(1634158817)
>>> Switching video stream from NONE to Desktop_MovieStream
Installing breakpad exception handler for appid(steam)/version(1634158817)
Detected 24 logical processors, using 4 threads
Detected 24 logical processors, using 4 threads
Configuring encoder: [threads=4][width=1920][height=1080][preset=veryfast][tune=film]
X264: using cpu capabilities: MMX2 SSE2Fast SSSE3 SSE4.2 AVX AVX2 FMA3 LZCNT BMI2
X264: profile High, level 4.0
>>> Capture method set to Desktop Placeholder + libyuv + libx264 high (4 threads)
src/clientdll/clientvideo.cpp (988) : CClientVideo::InitBroadcastVideo: job not started
src/clientdll/clientvideo.cpp (988) : CClientVideo::InitBroadcastVideo: job not started
Installing breakpad exception handler for appid(steam)/version(1634158817)
DBG DBG ffffffff DUMP_REQUESTED Assert( CClientVideo::InitBroadcastVideo: job not started ):/data/src/clientdll/clientvideo.cpp:988
assert_20211105221934_32.dmp[819]: Uploading dump (out-of-process)
/tmp/dumps/assert_20211105221934_32.dmp
assert_20211105221934_32.dmp[819]: Finished uploading minidump (out-of-process): success = yes
assert_20211105221934_32.dmp[819]: response: CrashID=bp-84b91860-c26b-4b2d-8d0d-b48062211105
assert_20211105221934_32.dmp[819]: file ''/tmp/dumps/assert_20211105221934_32.dmp'', upload yes: ''CrashID=bp-84b91860-c26b-4b2d-8d0d-b48062211105''
Changing record window: 0x800110
Caching cursor image for xterm, serial 1906, cache size = 0
Caching cursor image for left_ptr, serial 1900, cache size = 1
Caching cursor image for hand2, serial 1903, cache size = 2
Could not connect to X session manager: None of the authentication protocols specified are supported
Could not connect to X session manager: None of the authentication protocols specified are supported
Changing record window: 0x80002d
Changing record window: 0x806a2b
Changing record window: 0x240
X264: frame I:14 Avg QP: 6.50 size:123803
X264: frame P:302 Avg QP: 5.21 size: 13401
X264: frame B:869 Avg QP: 7.35 size: 200
X264: consecutive B-frames: 2.2% 0.0% 0.3% 97.6%
X264: mb I I16..4: 74.2% 1.2% 24.6%
X264: mb P I16..4: 1.0% 0.0% 0.0% P16..4: 12.6% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% skip:86.3%
X264: mb B I16..4: 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% B16..8: 0.5% 0.0% 0.0% direct: 0.2% skip:99.3% L0: 2.2% L1:97.8% BI: 0.0%
X264: 8x8 transform intra:1.0% inter:26.0%
X264: coded y,uvDC,uvAC intra: 16.0% 25.4% 23.8% inter: 1.6% 1.6% 1.2%
X264: i16 v,h,dc,p: 82% 16% 2% 0%
X264: i8 v,h,dc,ddl,ddr,vr,hd,vl,hu: 24% 24% 33% 4% 3% 1% 3% 2% 6%
X264: i4 v,h,dc,ddl,ddr,vr,hd,vl,hu: 30% 26% 16% 5% 4% 4% 7% 4% 4%
X264: i8c dc,h,v,p: 61% 20% 18% 1%
X264: Weighted P-Frames: Y:0.0% UV:0.0%
X264: kb/s:1179.47
I then opted into the Steam beta on the Linux machine, and restarted. This time I was testing with the version built on Nov 5 2021 at 01:08:28, with package versions 1636078734. The issue was there just the same. The moment I began Steam Broadcasting on the Windows machine, the entirely separate and unrelated Linux machine skyrocketed in CPU usage and outputted the following:
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Starting new video recording session
Installing breakpad exception handler for appid(steam)/version(1636078734)
>>> Starting desktop stream
Installing breakpad exception handler for appid(steam)/version(1636078734)
>>> Switching video stream from NONE to Desktop_MovieStream
Installing breakpad exception handler for appid(steam)/version(1636078734)
ffmpeg verbose: libva: VA-API version 1.12.0
ffmpeg verbose: libva: Trying to open /usr/lib/i386-linux-gnu/dri/radeonsi_drv_video.so
ffmpeg verbose: libva: Trying to open /usr/lib/i386-linux-gnu/dri/intel-vaapi-driver/radeonsi_drv_video.so
ffmpeg verbose: libva: Trying to open /usr/lib/i386-linux-gnu/GL/lib/dri/radeonsi_drv_video.so
ffmpeg verbose: libva: Found init function __vaDriverInit_1_12
ffmpeg verbose: libva: va_openDriver() returns 0
ffmpeg verbose: Initialised VAAPI connection: version 1.12
ffmpeg verbose: VAAPI driver: Mesa Gallium driver 21.2.2 for Radeon RX 550 Series (POLARIS11, DRM 3.42.0, 5.14.13-200.fc34.x86_64, LLVM 12.0.1).
ffmpeg verbose: Driver not found in known nonstandard list, using standard behaviour.
ffmpeg verbose: Input surface format is nv12.
ffmpeg verbose: Using VAAPI profile VAProfileH264Main (6).
ffmpeg verbose: Using VAAPI entrypoint VAEntrypointEncSlice (6).
ffmpeg verbose: Using VAAPI render target format YUV420 (0x1).
ffmpeg verbose: RC mode: VBR.
ffmpeg verbose: RC target: 83% of 4200000 bps over 1000 ms.
ffmpeg verbose: RC buffer: 4200000 bits, initial fullness 3150000 bits.
ffmpeg verbose: RC framerate: 30/1 (30.00 fps).
ffmpeg verbose: Using intra and P-frames (supported references: 1 / 0).
ffmpeg warning: Driver does not support some wanted packed headers (wanted 0xd, found 0x1).
ffmpeg verbose: Using level 4.
>>> Capture method set to Desktop Placeholder + libyuv + VAAPI H264
src/clientdll/clientvideo.cpp (988) : CClientVideo::InitBroadcastVideo: job not started
src/clientdll/clientvideo.cpp (988) : CClientVideo::InitBroadcastVideo: job not started
Installing breakpad exception handler for appid(steam)/version(1636078734)
Dropping queued frame before encoding
assert_20211105222446_31.dmp[766]: Uploading dump (out-of-process)
/tmp/dumps/assert_20211105222446_31.dmp
assert_20211105222446_31.dmp[766]: Finished uploading minidump (out-of-process): success = yes
assert_20211105222446_31.dmp[766]: response: CrashID=bp-a1bcc642-b0d6-4ee9-ba15-25d612211105
assert_20211105222446_31.dmp[766]: file ''/tmp/dumps/assert_20211105222446_31.dmp'', upload yes: ''CrashID=bp-a1bcc642-b0d6-4ee9-ba15-25d612211105''
Nothing extracted yet.
Your system information
Please describe your issue in as much detail as possible:
I run the Steam client on two of my computers simultaneously. One computer is running Windows 10, and the other is running Arch Linux. I play games on the Windows 10 computer and use Steam Broadcasting to stream my gameplay to my friends elsewhere in the world (side note: I do this on Windows because Steam Broadcasting isn't supported on Linux yet...). The Steam client on the Arch Linux computer is just used for chatting with my friends.
I've recently noticed high CPU usage on my Arch Linux computer, caused by Steam. I looked in the terminal to check for any log messages, and was shocked to see that Steam was apparently recording my Linux desktop and/or applications! There were many log messages talking about video encoding starting, and flooding the terminal with things like "dropped queue frame", "changing record window", "window title set", etc. clearly listing the titles of other windows that I was running on Linux. In other words: Steam was recording and encoding video of my Linux desktop. But why? I never told it to. I was not broadcasting or streaming anything from my Linux computer.
As far as I can tell, this happens when I'm simultaneously using Steam Broadcasting on my separate Windows machine. When I use Steam Broadcasting on my Windows 10 computer, the Steam client on my Linux computer also starts recording... for no reason whatsoever. The stream that I send to my friends shows the game that I'm running on Windows 10, not my Linux desktop. Yet my Linux desktop is recording, causing high CPU usage and high temperatures. I do not want this to be happening. As it stands currently, I am forced to stop using the Steam client entirely as I cannot trust it.
Steps for reproducing this issue: