Polaris v1.4.1

Polaris v1.4.1 is the matched host release for Nova v1.4.1. It focuses on smoother Linux streaming, safer ways to share a host, and clearer evidence when a capture or encoder path falls back.

The Linux build adds experimental Vulkan Video H.264 and HEVC encoding across DRM/KMS, wlroots, and Portal capture. Auto may prefer Vulkan on a compatible AMD private-stream route only after an exact live-frame probe, with VA-API retained as the fallback. NVIDIA remains on NVENC by default, Intel remains on VA-API, and an explicit Vulkan selection is strict rather than silently choosing a different encoder. AV1 remains unavailable on the Vulkan path.

Existing v1.4.0 configuration and paired devices remain valid. New pairings default to Game Control and show the host cursor; existing permission and cursor choices are unchanged. Steam Input remains manual and read-only.

Fedora 44

wget --output-document=./Polaris-fedora44-x86_64.rpm https://github.com/papi-ux/polaris/releases/download/v1.4.1/Polaris-fedora44-x86_64.rpm &&
sudo dnf install "./Polaris-fedora44-x86_64.rpm" &&
sudo -H polaris --setup-host &&
systemctl --user restart polaris

Arch Linux / CachyOS

wget --output-document=./Polaris-arch-x86_64.pkg.tar.zst https://github.com/papi-ux/polaris/releases/download/v1.4.1/Polaris-arch-x86_64.pkg.tar.zst &&
sudo pacman -U ./Polaris-arch-x86_64.pkg.tar.zst &&
sudo -H polaris --setup-host &&
systemctl --user restart polaris

Ubuntu 24.04

wget --output-document=./Polaris-ubuntu24.04-x86_64.deb https://github.com/papi-ux/polaris/releases/download/v1.4.1/Polaris-ubuntu24.04-x86_64.deb &&
sudo apt install ./Polaris-ubuntu24.04-x86_64.deb &&
sudo -H polaris --setup-host &&
systemctl --user restart polaris

SteamOS 3.8

Open a terminal in Desktop Mode and run this exact version-pinned command. It initializes the package keyring when needed and restores the read-only root before starting Polaris.

wget --output-document=./Polaris-steamos3.8-x86_64.pkg.tar.zst https://github.com/papi-ux/polaris/releases/download/v1.4.1/Polaris-steamos3.8-x86_64.pkg.tar.zst &&
(
set -e
trap 'sudo steamos-readonly enable' EXIT
sudo steamos-readonly disable || exit $?
sudo pacman-key --init || exit $?
sudo pacman-key --populate || exit $?
sudo pacman -Sy || exit $?
sudo pacman -U ./Polaris-steamos3.8-x86_64.pkg.tar.zst || exit $?
sudo -H polaris --setup-host || exit $?
sudo steamos-readonly enable || exit $?
trap - EXIT
) &&
systemctl --user enable --now polaris

Bazzite users should follow the exact-output Bazzite guide. SteamOS 3.8 users should follow the SteamOS guide, including its keyring bootstrap and read-only-root restoration. SteamOS remains experimental Desktop Mode support rather than certified Game Mode support.

Changes

Linux capture and encoding

Adds the experimental Vulkan Video encoder with low-latency CBR defaults, fenced asynchronous image ownership, and patched FFmpeg Vulkan teardown. H.264 and HEVC are enabled; AV1 remains disabled.
Supports explicit Vulkan on DRM/KMS, wlroots, and Portal. Auto promotes Vulkan only on a compatible AMD private stream with an exact live GPU-frame probe, and records the detected driver, policy, selected encoder, fallback, and reason in Doctor.
Keeps NVIDIA Auto on NVENC and Intel Auto on VA-API. AMD desktop routes remain on VA-API until they have the same live-frame retirement contract as the private route.
Makes KMS report the real capture transport, frame residency, format, and cursor-composition path. The host cursor defaults on for new installs so DRM/KMS streams retain a pointer, while an explicit off setting remains respected.
Names the exact selected wlroots connector even when its description is blank, and refuses to fall back from a requested virtual output to a physical monitor.
Defers frame-pacing verdicts until six complete video telemetry windows and two consecutive warnings exist, preventing startup and encoder probes from becoming a false Doctor warning.

Guest access and desktop workflows

Adds memory-only guest pairing to QR and Manual PIN flows. A temporary_authorization is never written to the durable device database and is revoked after its final stream disconnect or a Polaris restart.
Locks the access and lifetime controls while an OTP is live so the visible choice always matches the issued pairing credential.
Adds Hyprland Desktop Takeover: Polaris creates a client-sized virtual output, moves the live workspaces to it, powers down the original displays, and restores the exact prior layout before removing the virtual output.
Serializes Desktop Takeover timeout and start-failure cleanup against replacement launch and RTSP setup, preventing stale teardown from restoring over a newer session.
Defaults newly paired Moonlight-compatible clients to Game Control. Existing device permissions are not broadened.

Doctor, console, and game library

Exposes encoder-selection evidence to Doctor and Nova Play Setup without letting AI, history, or an informational live_bitrate_control capability warning change deterministic launch behavior.
Preserves a healthy ok / info / green Doctor verdict for capability-only Watch evidence, while partial verdict envelopes and contradictory hard failures still fail closed.
Grades encoder time against the active stream's real FPS budget, stops recommending the same GPU-native mode after its live probe already fell back, and tells an AMD Private Stream explicitly pinned to VA-API when Auto can live-probe Vulkan with a safe VA-API fallback.
Treats a missing managed-window observation as inconclusive for fullscreen and XWayland apps instead of asserting that a working private stream is empty or that the game rendered on the host desktop.
Preserves write-only API keys during ordinary Settings saves, separates first install from upgrade sign-in, and gives the main console surfaces consistent read-only status and action language.
Launches imported Flatpak Heroic titles through the visible launcher protocol and carries Heroic's recorded platform and Wine or Proton runtime into each imported GOG or Epic title.
Publishes a single Heroic launcher entry after the first successful Heroic import, using the native or Flatpak command found on that host so players can install games and repair logins from a stream.
Verifies the dedicated Linux seat marker on every virtual keyboard, mouse, touch, and pen device, and warns when client input isolation did not actually take effect.
Updates the web build lockfile to patched @humanfs/node and postcss-selector-parser releases; the release candidate reports a clean npm audit.

Validation boundary

The experimental Vulkan implementation has not received physical AMD-host validation for this release candidate. Its automatic route remains limited to the live-probed AMD private-stream case with VA-API fallback, and explicit Vulkan remains opt-in. The candidate passed independent review and the approved NVIDIA host plus Retroid Pocket 6 Control smoke with Nova v1.4.1. Final publication still requires exact merge-SHA CI and signed package verification.

Official assets

Polaris-arch-x86_64.pkg.tar.zst
Polaris-fedora44-x86_64.rpm
Polaris-steamos3.8-x86_64.pkg.tar.zst
Polaris-ubuntu24.04-x86_64.deb

papi-ux/polaris v1.4.1 on GitHub