# 2. Streaming & Input The bot needs to **see** the game and **send commands**. You set both up in **Settings → Streaming & Input**, which walks you through a short wizard. > **TL;DR** — If you followed the [VM Setup](https://pixelbot-docs.gitbook.io/pixelbot/configuration/virtualmachine), the bot already sees the game. You only have to pick how you want it to send input. *** ## Quick concepts | Term | What it means | | -------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **VM connection** | How the bot sees your game. | | **Streaming client** | The app on your PC that shows the VM screen — Moonlight or Parsec. Optional. | | **Input method** | How the bot sends your keypresses and mouse moves. Two options, explained below. | | **Pairing** | A one-time linking step. Only needed for the background input method. | *** ## Pick your scenario Step 2 of the wizard asks *"How do you play on the VM?"*. Pick the card that matches your setup: | Scenario | How you see the VM | Pairing needed? | | --------------------------- | --------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------- | | 🎮 **Moonlight + Sunshine** | Moonlight window on your PC | Only if you pick the recommended input method | | 🖥️ **Parsec** | Parsec window on your PC | No | | 💻 **Directly on this PC** | The game runs on the same PC as the bot | No | The wizard picks the right input method for you — you don't have to think about it. *** ## Scenario 1 — Moonlight + Sunshine *(default)* You watch the VM through Moonlight. You have **two** ways to send input: ### Option A — Focused-window input * The bot types into the Moonlight window on your PC. * **The Moonlight window must stay in focus.** If you click on something else, the bot stops working until you focus it again. * No pairing needed. * Good for a quick start. ### Option B — Background input *(recommended)* * The bot keeps working even when Moonlight is minimized or hidden behind other windows. * **You can use your PC for other things while the bot runs.** * Needs a one-time pairing (below). * Needs **Sunshine** inside the VM — see the [Sunshine Setup](https://pixelbot-docs.gitbook.io/pixelbot/configuration/sunshine) page if you don't have it yet. ### Pairing walk-through (only for Option B) When you pick the recommended option, step 4 of the wizard appears: 1. Make sure the VM is connected in step 1. 2. Click the link that opens the **Sunshine Web UI** in your browser. 3. Log in there and note your username and password. 4. Type the same username and password into the wizard. 5. The wizard shows a **PIN** (you can change it if you want). 6. Click **Pair**. The wizard does the rest. 7. When the status turns green, click **Test connection** to confirm everything works. > 💡 Pairing is one-time. After that, the bot reconnects on its own. ### Moonlight picture quality If the video looks bad, open Moonlight's settings (gear icon) and use these values: | Setting | Value | | ------------ | ------------ | | Resolution | 1920 × 1080 | | FPS | 60 | | Video Codec | H.265 (HEVC) | | Bitrate | 50 Mbps | | Window Mode | Fullscreen | | V-Sync | OFF | | Frame Pacing | OFF | > **Important**: The Moonlight resolution must be **1920 × 1080** — the bot expects that size. *** ## Scenario 2 — Parsec You watch the VM through Parsec. The bot sends input to the focused Parsec window. **How to set it up** 1. Install Parsec inside the VM and sign in. 2. Install Parsec on your PC and connect to the VM. 3. In the wizard, pick **Parsec**. 4. Done. No pairing needed. Keep the Parsec window in focus while the bot runs. > ⚠️ Parsec often looks sharper than Moonlight at low bitrate. Downside: you can't minimize the Parsec window while the bot is running. *** ## Scenario 3 — Directly on this PC The game runs on the same PC as the bot (no streaming). > ⚠️ **Only for private servers.** On the official server the game must always run inside a VM and the bot on your host PC — otherwise the anticheat will see the bot. Use Scenario 1 or 2 if you play on official. **How to set it up** 1. In the wizard, pick **Directly on this PC**. 2. Done. Keep the game window in focus while the bot runs. *** ## Status at a glance The top of the wizard shows small status tags. Depending on your scenario, some may not appear: | Tag | Meaning | | ----------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **VM connected** | The bot is seeing the game. | | **Paired** | You completed the one-time pairing. (Only in Moonlight + recommended input.) | | **Stream active** | The bot has an active input session. (Only in Moonlight + recommended input.) | In Parsec and "Directly on this PC", you'll only see **VM connected**. *** ## Troubleshooting | Problem | What to do | | ---------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | "No VMs found" in step 1 | Open Hyper-V Manager and start your VM, then click the refresh icon. | | The wizard is blocked at step 4 | Connect the VM first (step 1). | | Pairing says the credentials are wrong | Re-check the username/password in the Sunshine Web UI and type them exactly in the wizard. | | "Paired" but never turns to "Stream active" | Click **Test connection**. If it still fails, open the Sunshine Web UI and confirm there's a **Desktop** application listed. | | Input doesn't reach the game (Moonlight focused-window / Parsec) | Click on the Moonlight or Parsec window once before starting the bot. | | Laggy stream | Use a wired connection, not Wi-Fi. Raise the bitrate in Moonlight if your network allows it. | | Black Moonlight screen for a few seconds | Normal right after connecting — wait 5-10 seconds. | *** ## Need Help? Join our [Discord](https://discord.gg/3pMUfYXjra) for support.