Some suggestions to put punktfunk on par with foundation-sunshine in terms of ui strength
Ok, full disclosure: I was a bit too lazy to write the post and specify each thing myself, so everything after this paragraph is llm written. Still, I think a lot of these features are cool and useful.
And while I don't really have area knowledge here, I have tokens to contribute if you'd want me to implement any.
I've been running Punktfunk v0.45 alongside Foundation Sunshine on a Windows host with an RTX 5090, using the Windows and Android clients. I also use Moonlight V+ on Android and maintain a fork of qiin's moonlight-qt, so I'm comparing against a heavily customized setup.
Punktfunk's engine has impressed me. The end-to-end stats, speed test diagnostics, presets, PyroWave quality shown as a real bitrate, and the quick-action dial are all great. This post isn't about the protocol. It's about how the apps feel to use, because that's where the forks still pull me back.
If I had to pick three: an in-stream control panel, a movable stats overlay, and bringing the Linux app's search to Windows and Android.
UI wins
1. A real in-stream control panel
This is the one that matters most to me. Moonlight V+'s back-button menu is the best in-stream interface I've used on any streaming client, because you tune the stream while watching the result.
preview.redd.it
[IMAGE 1: Moonlight V+ back-button menu during a stream]
- Display controls: resolution, frame rate, target screen and a display scaling slider, all in the same menu.
- Bitrate that stays visible: an adaptive toggle, a mode picker, the target and live bitrate side by side, and a slider from 0.5 to 200 Mbps.
- Live cards: gyro on/off with sensitivity and inversion, audio haptics strength and routing, and custom key shortcuts. You can choose which cards appear.
- Input modes in one tap: Touch, Mouse, Pad, Ext. and DS5 sit in one row, with Pan and Zoom right below.
- Stats placement in the menu: Hidden, Floating or Pinned, without leaving the stream.
- Editable quick actions: Esc, Win, Alt+Tab, keyboard, stats, HDR and mic are one tap away, and you can add, remove and drag to reorder them.
- Adjustable opacity: the game can stay visible behind the menu, so you can see what each change does.
- Clear exit options: Disconnect and Quit Game and Disconnect are separate and marked in red.
- Full controller navigation: it doesn't depend on touch.
[IMAGE 2: Punktfunk's quick-action dial in the same game]
I'm not asking to replace the dial, which is great for fast actions. It already has a centre sheet with input options, so that could grow into this panel. Quality, input, gyro and audio would be a great start, along with resolution, FPS, render scale and PyroWave quality, even if some of those need a quick reconnect.
The same idea would work on Windows. My fork has a tabbed overlay menu with Stream Quality presets that switch resolution and FPS by reconnecting automatically.
[IMAGE 3: My moonlight-qt fork's Stream Quality menu during a stream]
2. A stats overlay you can place
The data is the best I've seen, but the overlay can only sit in one of four corners, and in many games that covers something important. Drag to move and drag to resize would solve it. My fork also has tooltips explaining each value, which would suit Punktfunk's detailed stats well.
[IMAGE 4: My fork's movable, resizable stats overlay with a tooltip showing]
3. A session summary
When a stream ends, the numbers disappear. A simple end screen with average and p95 latency, 1% lows, loss and bitrate would make it much easier to compare settings. Optional CSV export would be a bonus.
[IMAGE 5: My fork's session summary after a stream]
4. Show what's happening without digging
VRR status only appears in the most detailed stats view, and it isn't always obvious why a stream ended up on a different codec. A clear status at a lower stats level, and a short message when PyroWave falls back, would save a lot of guessing.
[IMAGE 6: My fork's PyroWave panel showing the GPU check and host support]
Settings wins
5. Settings search on Windows and Android
The Linux app already has this, and the Windows and Android apps don't. With Show advanced on, there are a lot of rows, and search is the easiest way to find advanced settings without making the main list longer.
[IMAGE 7: My fork's settings search showing results]
6. Change more settings mid-stream
Most settings apply from the next session. If a setting can change live, it should. If it can't, the UI could offer a one-tap reconnect instead of sending you back to Settings.
7. Rebindable shortcuts
The Ctrl+Alt+Shift shortcuts are fixed, can clash with other software, and are awkward mid-game. A Shortcuts page with conflict detection and hold actions, like hold-to-release-mouse, would fix that. The dial's custom shortcuts could share the same list.
[IMAGE 8: My fork's keyboard shortcut settings]
8. Make important toggles easier to find
Follow variable refresh and some other commonly tuned options sit behind Show advanced. Maybe a "For tinkerers" group would keep the default list simple while still making them easy to reach.
Usability wins
9. Better Android on-screen controls
The layout editor is a good start. Combo and turbo buttons, a radial control, and named layouts tied to presets or games would make touch play far more practical. Moonlight V+'s Crown profiles are the best reference here, including layout sharing.
[IMAGE 9: Moonlight V+ Crown layout on a game]
10. Gyro aim with real tuning
Phone gyro can already feed the virtual pad. Mapping it to the right stick or mouse, with sensitivity, inversion and a hold-to-activate button, would make it useful for shooters.
[IMAGE 10: Moonlight V+ gyro card in the game menu]
11. Saved touch and pointer presets
V+ lets you save sensitivity presets and switch them during a stream, which is useful when moving between a desktop and different games.
12. Library search on Windows and Android
The Linux app and the controller console have this already. Large libraries need it on the other desktop and touch apps too, ideally with filters and grouping.
[IMAGE 11: My fork's app picker with search, filters and grouping]
13. Host actions in the dial
Running predefined host commands mid-stream, like Foundation Sunshine's Super Commands, would remove a lot of alt-tabbing and remote desktop trips.
Frame generation on Android and PC
This is the biggest ask here, but I think it's more doable than it sounds, because a streaming client already sits between the decoder and the screen. Generating frames on the client would turn a 60 fps stream into 120 fps on the display without asking the host or the network for more.
Android: Moonlight V+ already does this using lsfg-vk-android, which is MIT licensed. The app doesn't ship Lossless Scaling's files. You import your own legally purchased Lossless.dll, and it has a device support check, quality presets and a smoothness protection setting.
[IMAGE 12: Moonlight V+ frame generation settings]
Linux: lsfg-vk is a Vulkan layer that brings Lossless Scaling frame generation to Linux, and the same bring-your-own-file approach could work there.
Windows: the simplest first step could be official support for running the Lossless Scaling app on top of the client: a tested setup and clear guidance on window mode and V-Sync. Built-in frame generation could come later, possibly with an open option that doesn't need a paid file.
What I'd love to see:
- It should be strictly opt-in, because it adds latency.
- Stats should separate real frames from generated frames, and the end-to-end latency figure should include the cost.
- A weak-network fill mode like V+'s would be really valuable: use generated frames only when real ones arrive late, rather than all the time.
I know this one needs a licensing and latency discussion, so I'd be happy with just knowing whether it's something you'd consider.
Already on your roadmap, and I'm looking forward to them
- File transfer: dragging a file into the stream, or a simple file picker on the dial, would be perfect.
- End-to-end VRR.
One more small one
HDR brightness: HDR works well, but I'd love a client setting for peak brightness, or automatic detection from the client's display, so highlights match the screen I'm using. Moonlight V+ has per-device calibration, and my PC fork has a brightness profile setting.
I'm happy to test builds, share more screenshots, or explain how these work in the forks. Is keeping the UI minimal a deliberate choice? If so, I'd love to know where you'd draw the line.
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Some suggestions to put punktfunk on par with foundation-sunshine in terms of ui strength Ok, full disclosure: I was a bit too lazy to write the post and specify each thing myself, so everything after this paragraph is llm written. Still, I think a lot of these features are cool and useful. And while I don't really have area knowledge here, I have tokens to contribute if you'd want me to implement any. I've been running Punktfunk v0.45 alongside Foundation Sunshine on a Windows host with an RTX 5090, using the Windows and Android clients. I also use Moonlight V+ on Android and maintain a fork of qiin's moonlight-qt, so I'm comparing against a heavily customized setup. Punktfunk's engine has impressed me. The end-to-end stats, speed test diagnostics, presets, PyroWave quality shown as a real bitrate, and the quick-action dial are all great. This post isn't about the protocol. It's about how the apps feel to use, because that's where the forks still pull me back. If I had to pick three: an in-stream control panel, a movable stats overlay, and bringing the Linux app's search to Windows and Android. UI wins 1. A real in-stream control panel This is the one that matters most to me. Moonlight V+'s back-button menu is the best in-stream interface I've used on any streaming client, because you tune the stream while watching the result. preview.redd.it [IMAGE 1: Moonlight V+ back-button menu during a stream] - Display controls: resolution, frame rate, target screen and a display scaling slider, all in the same menu. - Bitrate that stays visible: an adaptive toggle, a mode picker, the target and live bitrate side by side, and a slider from 0.5 to 200 Mbps. - Live cards: gyro on/off with sensitivity and inversion, audio haptics strength and routing, and custom key shortcuts. You can choose which cards appear. - Input modes in one tap: Touch, Mouse, Pad, Ext. and DS5 sit in one row, with Pan and Zoom right below. - Stats placement in the menu: Hidden, Floating or Pinned, without leaving the stream. - Editable quick actions: Esc, Win, Alt+Tab, keyboard, stats, HDR and mic are one tap away, and you can add, remove and drag to reorder them. - Adjustable opacity: the game can stay visible behind the menu, so you can see what each change does. - Clear exit options: Disconnect and Quit Game and Disconnect are separate and marked in red. - Full controller navigation: it doesn't depend on touch. [IMAGE 2: Punktfunk's quick-action dial in the same game] I'm not asking to replace the dial, which is great for fast actions. It already has a centre sheet with input options, so that could grow into this panel. Quality, input, gyro and audio would be a great start, along with resolution, FPS, render scale and PyroWave quality, even if some of those need a quick reconnect. The same idea would work on Windows. My fork has a tabbed overlay menu with Stream Quality presets that switch resolution and FPS by reconnecting automatically. [IMAGE 3: My moonlight-qt fork's Stream Quality menu during a stream] 2. A stats overlay you can place The data is the best I've seen, but the overlay can only sit in one of four corners, and in many games that covers something important. Drag to move and drag to resize would solve it. My fork also has tooltips explaining each value, which would suit Punktfunk's detailed stats well. [IMAGE 4: My fork's movable, resizable stats overlay with a tooltip showing] 3. A session summary When a stream ends, the numbers disappear. A simple end screen with average and p95 latency, 1% lows, loss and bitrate would make it much easier to compare settings. Optional CSV export would be a bonus. [IMAGE 5: My fork's session summary after a stream] 4. Show what's happening without digging VRR status only appears in the most detailed stats view, and it isn't always obvious why a stream ended up on a different codec. A clear status at a lower stats level, and a short message when PyroWave falls back, would save a lot of guessing. [IMAGE 6: My fork's PyroWave panel showing the GPU check and host support] Settings wins 5. Settings search on Windows and Android The Linux app already has this, and the Windows and Android apps don't. With Show advanced on, there are a lot of rows, and search is the easiest way to find advanced settings without making the main list longer. [IMAGE 7: My fork's settings search showing results] 6. Change more settings mid-stream Most settings apply from the next session. If a setting can change live, it should. If it can't, the UI could offer a one-tap reconnect instead of sending you back to Settings. 7. Rebindable shortcuts The Ctrl+Alt+Shift shortcuts are fixed, can clash with other software, and are awkward mid-game. A Shortcuts page with conflict detection and hold actions, like hold-to-release-mouse, would fix that. The dial's custom shortcuts could share the same list. [IMAGE 8: My fork's keyboard shortcut settings] 8. Make important toggles easier to find Follow variable refresh and some other commonly tuned options sit behind Show advanced. Maybe a "For tinkerers" group would keep the default list simple while still making them easy to reach. Usability wins 9. Better Android on-screen controls The layout editor is a good start. Combo and turbo buttons, a radial control, and named layouts tied to presets or games would make touch play far more practical. Moonlight V+'s Crown profiles are the best reference here, including layout sharing. [IMAGE 9: Moonlight V+ Crown layout on a game] 10. Gyro aim with real tuning Phone gyro can already feed the virtual pad. Mapping it to the right stick or mouse, with sensitivity, inversion and a hold-to-activate button, would make it useful for shooters. [IMAGE 10: Moonlight V+ gyro card in the game menu] 11. Saved touch and pointer presets V+ lets you save sensitivity presets and switch them during a stream, which is useful when moving between a desktop and different games. 12. Library search on Windows and Android The Linux app and the controller console have this already. Large libraries need it on the other desktop and touch apps too, ideally with filters and grouping. [IMAGE 11: My fork's app picker with search, filters and grouping] 13. Host actions in the dial Running predefined host commands mid-stream, like Foundation Sunshine's Super Commands, would remove a lot of alt-tabbing and remote desktop trips. Frame generation on Android and PC This is the biggest ask here, but I think it's more doable than it sounds, because a streaming client already sits between the decoder and the screen. Generating frames on the client would turn a 60 fps stream into 120 fps on the display without asking the host or the network for more. Android: Moonlight V+ already does this using lsfg-vk-android, which is MIT licensed. The app doesn't ship Lossless Scaling's files. You import your own legally purchased Lossless.dll, and it has a device support check, quality presets and a smoothness protection setting. [IMAGE 12: Moonlight V+ frame generation settings] Linux: lsfg-vk is a Vulkan layer that brings Lossless Scaling frame generation to Linux, and the same bring-your-own-file approach could work there. Windows: the simplest first step could be official support for running the Lossless Scaling app on top of the client: a tested setup and clear guidance on window mode and V-Sync. Built-in frame generation could come later, possibly with an open option that doesn't need a paid file. What I'd love to see: - It should be strictly opt-in, because it adds latency. - Stats should separate real frames from generated frames, and the end-to-end latency figure should include the cost. - A weak-network fill mode like V+'s would be really valuable: use generated frames only when real ones arrive late, rather than all the time. I know this one needs a licensing and latency discussion, so I'd be happy with just knowing whether it's something you'd consider. Already on your roadmap, and I'm looking forward to them - File transfer: dragging a file into the stream, or a simple file picker on the dial, would be perfect. - End-to-end VRR. One more small one HDR brightness: HDR works well, but I'd love a client setting for peak brightness, or automatic detection from the client's display, so highlights match the screen I'm using. Moonlight V+ has per-device calibration, and my PC fork has a brightness profile setting. I'm happy to test builds, share more screenshots, or explain how these work in the forks. Is keeping the UI minimal a deliberate choice? If so, I'd love to know where you'd draw the line.