I want to play games like civ that are better played using mouse controls via the touch pads, so I want to use the steam deck as a controller. But the screen is a little too small and some games don’t have good ui scaling so I want to be able to play on the TV. What’s the best/easiest/cheapest way I can play on the TV while still using the steam deck as a controller? I have a Vizio tv that doesn’t support steam link but does support casting. Thanks!
Thanks for the responses everyone! I ended up getting a long HDMI cable and using it with a usb-c hub I already had. The setup is pretty bulky so I might end up velcroing it per morgan’s comment to reduce the pressure on the connection. And having a cable run across the whole room is… less than ideal. I think if I end up using this a lot, I’d probably just opt for a Steam Controller
I’ve been using these usb-c extension cables. So I can leave the hub and charger behind the tv and have just one usb-c come to my steam deck. Highly recommend!
https://www.amazon.com/Extension-JSAUX-Female-Extender-MacBook/dp/B08DKH4CP9
I hope Valve will release at some point a Steam Controller 2 that has the exact same buttons, trackpads, etc. like the deck.
This seems to be the best option out of everything commented here so far, but it is really disappointing that there is not a way to use the Steam Deck as a Bluetooth controller for a different PC.
Not what you’re asking for, but another option is to use a DualShock 4 controller which also supports touchpad (which can be divided in left/right if you want). I’ve found a pretty decent amount of community support and often use the touchpad (or gyro) for mouse games, though it’s not quite as comfortable as the Steam Deck .
(I’m sure Dualsense 5 works just as well but I can only speak to Dualshock 4, which you can find for the cost of a HDMI cable online).
If it’s about the touch pad controls you may want to check eBay for a Steam Controller.
I had mine in a drawer for years until the steam deck came out. Now I’m using it again quite a bit to play mouse-controlled games on my Steam Deck connected to the TV.
