How to use the Pico Streaming Assistant?

This article will explain how to use the Pico Streaming Assistant to play Steam VR games on your Pico 4 or Pico Neo 3.

What is needed:

• Pico 4 headset / Pico Neo 3
• Pico 4 controllers / Pico Neo 3 controller
• VR-ready PC or laptop
• 5 GHz Wi-Fi connection
• For wired connection: USB-C cable or USB 3.0 to USB-C cable

Minimum PC requirements

• Operating System: Windows 10 or later
• CPU: Intel Core i5-4590/AMD FX 8350 equivalent or better
• RAM: 8 GB or more
• Graphics card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 6GB, AMD RX 480 equivalent or better

To play Steam VR games with the Pico 4 or Pico Neo 3, two softwares are required that have to be downloaded and launched on your computer.

Required software

How to download the Pico Streaming Assistant

1. If you don’t have the Streaming Assistant installed on your computer, you need to download it.
2. Visit the Pico Website to download the Pico Streaming Assistant on your computer.
3. Scroll down and click on the blue “download button” to start the download.
4. After the download you will be asked what language you want to use for the installation.
5. Select the desired language and click on the “OK button”.
6. Then you need to tick the box at the bottom of the next window to accept the agreement and click on the “next button”.
7. The installation of the Pico Streaming assistant will start.
8. After the installation is finished click on the “Finish button” at the bottom right corner.
9. Now the software is checking if your computer meets the requirements to work.
10. If your computer meets the requirements you will be able to click on the blue “Next button” on the bottom of that window.

How to download SteamVR

1. If you don’t have installed SteamVR on your computer, you need to download it.
2. Visit Steam in your browser on your pc.
3. Click on the blue “INSTALL STEAM” button to start the download.
4. After the download you will be asked what language you want to use for the installation.
5. Select the desired language and click on the “Next” button.
6. Click on the “Install” button at the bottom of that window.
7. The installation of Steam will start.
8. After the installation is finished, click on the “Finish” button at the bottom right corner.
9. Steam will launch.
10. If you already have a Steam account, sign in by entering the account name and password and skip to step 11.
    1. If you do not have a Steam account you need to create one. 
    2. Click on the “Create a Free Account button” at the bottom right corner.
    3. There you have to fill in your E-Mail address and select the country of residence.
    4. At the bottom of that window you will have to tick the box to confirm that you are older than 13 years old and you agree to the Steam Subscriber Agreement and the Valve Privacy Policy.
    5. Click on the blue “Continue button” located on the bottom of that window.
    6. After creating the account you have to verify the E-Mail address. Click on the blue “Verify my E-Mail Address button”.
    7. Open the link that is sent to the E-Mail address you entered.
    8. Your E-Mail address is now verified. Now fill in your desired account name and your Password.
11. In the search bar on the left side, search for SteamVR. If you already have installed that tool, launch it. If not, click on it and then click the blue “INSTALL button” that will appear on the right side.
12. On the left side under the segment tools you will see SteamVR turning green, indicating that it is running.

How to play SteamVR via USB streaming

1. On your computer, launch Steam and the Pico Streaming Assistant.
2. Log into Steam and launch StreamVR.
3. In the Pico Streaming Assistant you will see 2 options. Choose USB on the right side as the connection mode. You will now see a loading screen on your computer.
4. Connect your headset with the computer. It is important that you either use a USB-C cable or a USB 3.0 to USB-C cable.
5. Click on the blue “Next” button.
6. Turn on your headset and put it on. 
7. Go to the library by clicking on the “Library” icon in the dock on the right side.
8. Look for the App “Stream Assistant”. It has a black background with a green “S” inside of it.
9. Click on the Streaming Assistant App to launch it.
10. You will now see your computer on the right side. To connect click on the blue “Connect” button on the right side.
11. The screen will turn black. Wait for about 5 seconds. Now you will be directed to SteamVR.
12. To access the main menu of SteamVR, press the “Menu” button on the left Pico controller, you will see the SteamVR home screen with all your content accessible.

How to play SteamVR via Wi-Fi streaming

1. On your computer, launch Steam and the Pico Streaming Assistant.
2. Log into Steam and launch StreamVR.
3. In the Pico Streaming Assistant you will see 2 options. Choose Wi-Fi on the left side as the connection mode. You will now see a loading screen on your computer.
4. Turn on your headset and put it on. 
5. Go to the library by clicking on the “Library” icon in the dock on the right side.
6. Look for the App “Stream Assistant”. It has a black background with a green “S” inside of it.
7. Click on the Streaming Assistant App to launch it.
8. Make sure you connect your headset to the same Wi-Fi as your computer.
9. The current Wi-Fi connection is displayed at the bottom in the middle of your view.
10. If you need to change the Wi-Fi connection of the headset you can click on the field where the current Wi-Fi connection is displayed and select the desired Wi-Fi network.
11. You will now see your computer on the right side. To connect click on the blue “Connect” button on the right side.
12. The screen will turn black. Wait for about 5 seconds. Now you will be directed to SteamVR.
13. To access the main menu of SteamVR, press the “Menu” button on the left Pico controller, you will see the SteamVR home screen with all your content accessible.

You will now know how to play use the Pico Streaming Assistant to play SteamVR games with the Pico 4 or Pico Neo 3.

[Note: If the screen stays black or the error code 108 appears, restart your computer and your headset.]