Use Stream to 3D with the player and 3D display you prefer
Stream to 3D is not tied to one headset, media player or display. It converts an ordinary 2D source on a Windows PC and produces a conventional stereoscopic layout. A compatible player or display then presents that Side-by-Side (SBS) or Top-and-Bottom/Over-Under (TB/OU) result in 3D.
The useful question is not “Which device does Stream to 3D require?” It is “Which workflow gets the stereoscopic result to the player and display I want to use?”
Choose a workflow
Play: watch through the Windows desktop
Play converts the selected video or Live Source while a compatible Windows media player shows the stereoscopic result. Use a desktop-viewing route such as Bigscreen or Virtual Desktop, or connect the Windows display output directly to compatible 3D equipment.
Stream: send the result across the local network
Stream converts and encodes on the PC, then sends the result to a compatible network player. Proven routes include Pigasus URL Streaming on Quest and HTTP playback through VLC or Kodi on a receiving device. HTTP with AVC is the recommended first combination because it has the broadest proved compatibility.
Convert: create a reusable 3D file
Convert creates an SBS or TB/OU video for later playback. Proven file destinations include Bigscreen, Virtual Desktop's video player, Pigasus, SKYBOX VR, Kodi and 3D projectors. Depending on the player, the file can be opened from headset storage, removable storage, the PC or a Windows/Samba share. Spatial displays are represented separately below by the community-proven Acer SpatialLabs real-time PC route.
Live Sources: start with a PC screen, camera or capture device
Live Sources changes the input rather than the output route. A configured PC screen, camera or capture device can feed Play, Stream or Convert when the selected edition and feature access include that workflow.
Current proven routes
The table combines current Stream to 3D demonstrations, developer testing and successful community workflows recorded in the Stream to 3D Discord. The supported routes column lists only combinations that this guide currently claims; an omitted route does not mean that the external player can never perform it.
| Player or setup | Supported routes | Typical display | Current note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bigscreen on SteamVR (PCVR) | Play: PC desktop | SteamVR headset, including Steam Frame | Install and run Bigscreen Beta on the Windows PC through SteamVR. Bigscreen displays the PC desktop where Stream to 3D Play is producing the converted picture; select the matching Half SBS or Half OU/TB mode. For Meta Quest, the proved transport is Virtual Desktop followed by Launch SteamVR. For Steam Frame, use Valve's direct wireless adapter and normal SteamVR streaming route. Bigscreen Remote Desktop is not used for either PCVR route. |
| Bigscreen standalone (Meta Quest) | Play: Remote Desktop Convert: local MP4 | Meta Quest | Bigscreen runs on the Quest headset. For Play, its separate Bigscreen Remote Desktop companion sends the Windows desktop produced by Stream to 3D to the headset. Alternatively, copy a completed compatible MP4 to Quest storage and open it in Bigscreen's video player. |
| Bigscreen running locally on Steam Frame | Convert: local MP4, community-reported | Steam Frame | Steam Frame owners report ordinary and 3D movie playback with Bigscreen installed locally. For Stream to 3D, use Convert and test a short Half SBS or Half Top-Bottom MP4 first. Reports for local players, codecs and high-resolution files are mixed, so this is distinct from the primary Bigscreen SteamVR PCVR route. |
| Virtual Desktop | Play: PC desktop Convert: completed file | VR/XR headset | Use Play through the Windows desktop, or open a completed conversion in Virtual Desktop's video player. It does not continually reread a file while Stream to 3D is writing it. |
| Original Nreal / XREAL Air | Stream: HTTP to VLC for Android Convert: compatible file | XR glasses | Directly tested with the original Nreal Air NR-7100RGL, a OnePlus Open and VLC for Android. The dedicated guide documents the exact SBS workflow and model-specific notes; this test does not claim that every later XREAL model has been physically proved. |
| Pigasus | Stream: HTTP Convert: local or SMB | Meta Quest | Use URL Streaming for the live HTTP route, or open a converted file from headset storage or a Windows/Samba share. |
| Kodi | Stream: HTTP .strmConvert: local or SMB | HTPC, Fire TV or projector | Open a Stream to 3D URL through a .strm file, or play a completed conversion locally or from a Windows/Samba share. |
| SKYBOX VR | Convert: local or SMB | VR/XR headset | Open a completed file from headset storage or SMB. SKYBOX can also read a compatible MKV from SMB while conversion is still in progress. |
| Acer SpatialLabs | Play: community-proven PC route | Glasses-free spatial display | A community member reported successful real-time use after matching the player, SBS mode and display settings. |
| 3D projector | Play: direct HDMI Stream: VLC or Kodi on Fire TV Convert: USB, local or SMB | 3D projector | Proven routes include direct PC HDMI, a converted MP4 on USB, and Fire TV Stick playback through VLC or Kodi. Match the projector's accepted layout, container and audio format. |
Several destinations therefore offer more than one valid route. Choose Play for the shortest PC-to-display path, Stream for a compatible live network receiver, or Convert when the receiving player works best with files or network shares.
Match the 3D layout at both ends
Stream to 3D can create SBS and TB/OU layouts in half- or full-resolution forms. The player or display must use the same layout. A doubled image usually means that the receiver is still in 2D mode or has selected a different split. A stretched or cropped image often means that half and full layouts, player scaling or display overscan do not match.
Start with a short familiar clip and Half SBS unless the destination is already proved with another format. Set the player or display to the matching stereo mode before increasing resolution, frame rate or depth. See troubleshooting incorrect 3D output.
Choose Temporal or Depth Guided for the workflow
Release 6 provides two complementary methods. Temporal is the established efficient route and covers a broad range of Windows PCs. Depth Guided is AI-assisted and can use optional NVIDIA acceleration on compatible systems. For real-time Play and Stream, the Configuration Wizard measures the selected source and complete PC-side workload, then recommends a sustainable quality-ranked choice. The most computationally expensive option is not automatically the right real-time choice.
Before a long session or library conversion
- Prove one short source end to end.
- Confirm the player's container, codec, audio and subtitle support.
- Confirm the exact SBS or TB/OU mode and aspect ratio.
- For Stream, prove the sender locally, then the network and receiver.
- For Convert, do not process a large library until the destination player has opened a representative result.
Found your viewing route?
For setup questions, review the User FAQ and troubleshooting guide. When you are ready to compare access options, see Stream to 3D editions and purchase routes.