Valve has switched on optical drive support in the Steam Frame’s Linux kernel after an owner asked for it on the Steam Community forums. Tom’s Hardware reports that Valve added the feature a day after one of its developers saw the post. The change sits in Valve’s kernel source for now, so nobody can plug in a disc drive and expect it to work out of the box yet.
The request came from a user posting as Aiodensghost in the Steam Frame General Discussions forum. They wanted to watch a movie on the road and install abandonware from 2006 on the headset, and the game in question was Need for Speed Carbon, which is no longer sold through standard digital storefronts. In their post dated Oct. 18, the user said the Frame can’t power the player and lacks the drivers to read a disc. A day later, Valve developer gaberowe replied: “We will look into this. Thanks for alerting us.”
The follow-up was quick. According to Tom’s Hardware, the developer added the feature in under 10 minutes, pushing commit b68e4a1 to the deckard-linux-no-oopsies GitHub repository, which Valve describes as the Linux kernel sources used in SteamOS ARM for the Steam Frame. The speed makes sense given the nature of the change. The commit only enabled a pre-existing Linux kernel feature rather than building a new one, so the work was closer to flipping a switch than writing a driver.
That also explains the caveat. The commit doesn’t automatically mean the next Steam Frame update will include optical drive support. Digital Citizen notes that Valve hasn’t confirmed when it will arrive through an official SteamOS update. Owners who don’t want to wait have an option, though. More enterprising users could build and install the modified kernel themselves rather than waiting for the official release.
The use case is niche, but it fits what the headset is. The Steam Frame is primarily a streaming device, though it can also run games standalone. With disc support, a standalone Frame could read an old install disc directly, without a PC or another device to stream its contents. The Steam Frame launched in September through a sign-up system, and Valve’s quick reaction to a single forum thread will likely please early owners.
The practical limits are mostly physical. Tom’s Hardware points out that you’ll need a long enough cable, and you’ll end up holding an external drive against your head while you use it.
Can I plug a CD or DVD drive into my Steam Frame today?
Not officially. The change is in Valve’s kernel source repository, and Valve hasn’t said when it will reach a SteamOS update. Users comfortable building a custom kernel can try the modified version themselves.
Does the Steam Frame need a PC to run games?
No. Tom’s Hardware says the Frame is mainly built for streaming but can also run games standalone, which is where a directly connected disc drive would matter.
Why did the change take so little time?
Tom’s Hardware says the commit enabled an existing Linux kernel feature instead of adding a new one, so Valve didn’t have to write optical drive support from scratch.
