02 / Nova · Streaming client
The streaming clientthat speaks host.
Browse, launch, and control streams from an Android TV, handheld, tablet, or phone. Nova works with compatible hosts and unlocks richer launch context, session controls, and Doctor guidance when paired with Polaris.
- Android now
- Local first
- GPLv3 open source
Latest release · v1.4.4
The client loop
The whole session, not just the launch button.
Nova follows the journey from host-backed Library to launch intent, live control, and stream-health explanation. The client stays useful after the video starts—which should not be a revolutionary concept, but here we are.
BROWSE → DECIDE → CONTROL
Your stream has a before, during, and after.
A controller-friendly Library explains the host before launch. Command Center and NovaHUD explain it during play. Disconnect and End session stay separate when you leave.
- Host-backed Library and launch context
- Live controls and actionable diagnostics
- Owner-aware resume, watch, and exit choices
Release v1.3.6 UI · signed ARM64 build on a physical Retroid Pocket 6 against the isolated exact-release Gaming PC host.
The whole library, at a glance
Compact layout fits twenty entries on one controller-first screen, and Continue playing keeps the last session one button away.
Game Detail, at a glance
Playtime, completion, and the per-game streaming profile sit directly above launch, profile reset, Play Setup, and Artwork Studio.
Play Setup
Before launch, Nova explains the Private Stream runtime, client resolution, tuning policy, and direct Steam launch behavior.
Command Center, live
Session truth, Doctor guidance, tuning, safe disconnect, and protected end-session actions stay over the active stream.
Five choices, one screen
Aurora is the showcase. The other themes are honest alternatives.
Portable Chrome, Console OLED, Miami Nebula, High Contrast, and Material You take turns on the host list that every session starts from, the first screen a theme has to get right.
A theme is not a Library skin. The host list carries the same five choices, on the same paired handheld, in the same order.
A compatible client with context
Compatible by default. Host-aware with Polaris.
Nova works with standard Moonlight-compatible hosts for familiar streaming. Pair it with Polaris and the host can explain launch modes, ownership, tuning, display intent, and what is safe to do next.
| Host decision | Standard compatible host | Nova + Polaris |
|---|---|---|
| Launch | Pairing, app launch, playback, and input. | Library metadata, art, launch context, and recommendations. |
| Context | Normal GameStream client behavior without Polaris lock-in. | Host-reported launch modes, tuning, display intent, and safe next steps. |
| Ownership | Standard client ownership for the active stream. | Owner-aware watch, resume, tuning, and session state. |
| Diagnostics | Client-side stream status and controls. | Command Center diagnostics tied to current host state. |
| Host actions | Wake-on-LAN when host and network metadata allow it. | Explicit host actions in Command Center. |
Launch intent in plain English
Five choices. Zero mystery buttons.
Polaris tells Nova which paths exist and which one it recommends. Nova keeps the final choice visible before anything changes on the host.
| Choice | Best use | Host behavior | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private Stream | Handheld play without touching the physical desktop. | Launch into a dedicated Polaris runtime without disturbing the physical desktop. | Recommended |
| Host Virtual Display | Display-backed play without mirroring a physical monitor. | Use the host virtual display path when that capability is available. | Polaris-aware |
| Mirror Desktop | Deliberate control of the current physical desktop. | Stream the existing desktop only when changing the real session is intentional. | Explicit |
| Steam or Direct Launch | Starting one configured game or executable. | Launch a configured Steam title or direct app with the host context shown first. | Host defined |
| Watch Stream | Joining an active session as a viewer, not its owner. | Join an active session as a viewer without silently taking owner actions. | Viewer role |
Start with intent
From install to your first stream.
Install the release built for your Android device, pair with the level of ceremony your network needs, then start with the safest host path. Nova keeps the shortcuts and exit behavior visible after launch.
- ARM64 · ARMV7 · X86_64
Install the right Android build
Use ARM64 for most handhelds, phones, Shield, and modern Android TV devices. Separate ARMv7 and x86_64 APKs cover the remaining release targets.
- DISCOVER · MANUAL · WAKE
Add or discover your host
Discover a Polaris host on your LAN, add a compatible host manually, or save a Wake-on-LAN MAC for routed and VPN setups.
- TRUSTED · QR · PIN
Pair your way
Use Trusted Pair on a trusted Polaris subnet, scan a QR code from the Polaris console, or enter a normal manual PIN.
- GUIDE + START · GUIDE + Y
Launch, inspect, and leave safely
Start with Private Stream, open Command Center when needed, and choose Disconnect when the host session should keep running.
- Trusted Pair
A TOFU flow for a Polaris subnet you already trust.
- QR pairing
Scan the pairing code shown by the Polaris web console.
- Manual PIN
Keep the familiar GameStream pairing path for compatible hosts.
Your device talks to your host
No Nova cloud account in the middle.
Standard streaming runs directly between the Android device and the host. Polaris-specific Library, tuning, session state, and permissions come from the Polaris machine you paired—not a Nova service. Optional AI Auto Quality is configured on the host side when you enable it.
- ACCOUNTNo Nova cloud account required
- STREAMDirect device-to-host streaming
- SOURCEGPLv3 · Moonlight lineage · built in public
Platform truth
Android now. The rest is not a download yet.
Nova v1.4.4 ships on Android.
A Steam Deck/Linux handheld preview is under development; general Linux desktop is not shipping; iOS is planned.
- AndroidAvailable now
Handhelds · phones · tablets · Android TV
- Steam Deck / Linux handheldDevelopment preview · not a shipping client
Qt/QML and no-network smoke scaffolding for evaluation only.
- General Linux desktopNot available
No separate public client artifact in v1.4.4
- iOSPlanned
Scaffold and study only · no public client release
- Wake Host says what it does
- The library button tells a sleeping host apart from one that is awake with Polaris down: the first gets a wake packet, the second gets told to start Polaris on the host or enable headless boot.
- Command Center leads with the why
- The Doctor's reading and the Stream card sit right under the session strip, Esc, Meta, and Alt + Enter stay pinned one reach from the top, and the HUD layout is picked with four buttons instead of cycling blind.
- A Slim HUD in the MangoHud spirit
- One line: the health bar, the frame rate with its last minute drawn beside it, then decode time, round trip, and bitrate. Debug adds decode time graded against the frame budget, host latency, in and out frame rate, and a network row.
- Labels that tell the truth
- The Continue card says Play until the host is running the game, Stats Overlay toggled mid-stream works, and the HUD Position setting that did nothing is gone.
Pick the APK that matches reality
Three Android builds. One clean update path.
GitHub Releases publish signed APKs for ARM64, 32-bit ARM, and x86_64, plus portable SHA-256 sidecars. Most handheld users start with ARM64; Obtainium can keep that public release lane current afterward.
ARM64 Android
Most Android handhelds and phones, NVIDIA Shield, and modern ARM64 Android TV hardware.
OTHER BUILDS AND VERIFICATION
- Android TV32-bit ARM APK
32-bit ARM
Chromecast with Google TV, Google TV Streamer, and devices that expose only 32-bit ARM app support.
- Specializedx86_64 APK
x86_64
Android x86_64 devices and emulators. This is not a native desktop Linux client.
- Verify itAll releases and checksums
Releases + SHA-256
Every public APK ships with a portable checksum sidecar for a normal sha256sum verification workflow.
sha256sum -c Nova-Android-arm64-v8a.apk.sha256 - Release trackingAdd Nova to Obtainium
Obtainium
Track the stable ARM64 asset directly from public GitHub Releases without waiting for an app-store listing.
Before you sideload
Good questions. Clear client answers.
Nova is specific about what ships, what Polaris adds, and what still lives on the roadmap. Here is the decision information worth knowing before an APK touches your handheld.
Q01Does Nova require Polaris?
No. Nova still speaks the Moonlight/GameStream client path and works with compatible hosts for standard pairing, app launch, input, and streaming. Polaris adds the richer Library, launch choices, watch and resume state, live tuning, and host-backed diagnostics.
Q02Why is Nova not on the Play Store?
Nova is distributed through GitHub Releases, Obtainium, and GitHub Store. GitHub Releases are the official source of the signed public APKs and their matching SHA-256 checksum files.
Q03Which APK should I install?
Choose ARM64 for most Android handhelds, phones, Shield, and modern Android TV boxes. Use the 32-bit ARM build for Chromecast and other TV devices that expose only ARMv7 app support, or x86_64 for Android x86_64 devices and emulators.
Q04What is the difference between Private Stream and Virtual Display?
Private Stream asks Polaris for its isolated headless runtime and is the safest first choice for handheld play. Host Virtual Display asks for a separate display-backed path. Mirror Desktop is the deliberate option when you actually want the physical desktop session.
Q05Can a second device watch without taking over?
Yes, with a compatible live Polaris session. Watch Stream joins as a viewer, keeps the owner in control, and follows the owner's active stream profile rather than silently renegotiating its own.
Q06Is there a native Steam Deck, Linux, or iOS client?
Not as a shipping client in v1.4.4. Nova currently ships Android APKs only. A Steam Deck and Linux handheld preview is under development, general Linux desktop is not shipping, and iOS remains planned and scaffold-only.
Put the whole stream in your hands.
Install the ARM64 release for most handhelds, pair a compatible host, and let the client explain what happens before, during, and after play.