DisplayStreamer

DisplayStreamer is a high-performance, ultra-low latency desktop streaming application for Windows. Built with C# and .NET, it leverages DirectX 11 and Media Foundation to provide hardware-accelerated H.265 (HEVC) and H.264 video encoding and decoding.

Designed for seamless local network streaming, it features zero-configuration UDP auto-discovery, automatic client updates, and bypasses Windows power throttling to ensure a perfectly locked 60 FPS stream.

Features

• Hardware Acceleration: Utilizes GPU hardware encoders/decoders (NVENC, AMF, QuickSync) via Media Foundation for H.265 (HEVC) or H.264 streaming.
• Ultra-Low Latency: Uses DXGI Desktop Duplication for zero-copy screen capture and DirectX 11 SwapChains for tear-free, hardware VSync rendering.
• Zero-Configuration Discovery: Clients automatically discover active servers on the local network via UDP broadcast.
• Auto-Updating Clients: If a client connects to a server running a different version, it automatically downloads the new executable into memory and restarts itself.
• Multi-Monitor Support: Select specific network adapters and individual displays to broadcast.
• Smart Downscaling: Automatically downscales 4K displays to 1080p using fast parallel CPU scaling to maintain network performance.
• Performance Optimizations: Bypasses Windows EcoQoS (Power Throttling), utilizes AVRT Pro Audio thread characteristics, and uses high-resolution waitable timers to prevent frame drops when minimized or out of focus.
• Hardware Cursor Rendering: Captures and renders the host's cursor accurately on the client side.

Tech Stack

• Language: C# 12
• Framework: .NET 8.0 (Windows Forms)
• Graphics & Capture: DirectX 11, DXGI (Desktop Duplication API)
• Media Processing: Media Foundation (MFT)
• Libraries:
  • SharpDX
  • SharpDX.Direct3D11
  • SharpDX.DXGI
  • SharpDX.MediaFoundation

System Requirements

Server (Host)

• OS: Windows 10 or Windows 11
• GPU: A dedicated or integrated GPU with hardware H.265 (HEVC) or H.264 encoding support.
• Network: Gigabit Ethernet or Wi-Fi 6 recommended for optimal latency.

Client (Viewer)

• OS: Windows 10 or Windows 11
• GPU: A GPU with hardware H.265 (HEVC) or H.264 decoding support.
• Network: Stable local network connection to the host.

Build Instructions

1. Prerequisites:
   • Install Visual Studio 2026 with the .NET desktop development workload.
   • Ensure the .NET 10.0 SDK is installed.
2. Clone the Repository:

   git clone https://git.churchofmalware.org/mastercodeon/DisplayStreamer.git
   cd DisplayStreamer
   

3. Restore NuGet Packages: Open the solution in Visual Studio and restore the required SharpDX packages:
   • SharpDX
   • SharpDX.Direct3D11
   • SharpDX.DXGI
   • SharpDX.MediaFoundation
4. Build: Build the solution in Release mode to ensure optimal performance.

Usage

The application acts as both the Server and the Client depending on how it is launched and configured.

Starting a Server

1. Launch DisplayStreamer.exe.
2. If no servers are detected on the network, it will default to Server Mode. (You can also manually switch modes using the button on the UI).
3. Select the Network Adapters you want to broadcast on.
4. Select the Displays you want to capture.
5. Click Start Streaming. The app will minimize to the system tray to save resources. Double-click the tray icon to restore it.

Connecting a Client

1. Launch DisplayStreamer.exe on another computer on the same network.
2. The app will automatically detect active servers and open in Client Mode.
3. Double-click a discovered server in the list (or select it and press Enter) to connect.
4. The stream will open in a borderless fullscreen window.
5. Controls:
   • Press ESC to disconnect and close the viewer.
   • Press F1 to toggle the performance metrics overlay (FPS, Encode/Decode times).

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License. See the LICENSE file for details.