this post was submitted on 20 Aug 2023
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Android

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164
The Nvidia Shield TV still holds up four years later, but it’s due for a refresh (9to5google.com)
submitted 1 year ago by MakeItCount@lemmy.world to c/android@lemdro.id
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[–] giant_smeeg@feddit.uk 40 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (6 children)

I've got a 2015 model in the bedroom and the newer 2019 model on the main TV.

It's still plenty fast for general TV app watching. In a new model I want AV1 and VP9.2 support (Future proof and to give youtube HDR).

HDMI 2.1 to gamestream 4k120hz gameplay. Other than that it still supports absolutely everything. Other enhancements that would be nice:

  • New remote without a Netflix button.
  • USB C ports
  • Better bluetooth radio, really struggles with my xbox controller.
  • Other HDMI 2.1 features like faster framerate/HDR switching.
  • 2.5gig ports (not necessary at all but why not)
[–] steltek@lemm.ee 8 points 1 year ago (2 children)

You can install some app that lets you override the Netflix button. I forget the name but I've set mine to be a mute toggle.

[–] giant_smeeg@feddit.uk 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Yeah I've tried it but I kept having other UI and remote issues so had to stop. I've debated whether just breaking the trace on the remote. I hate hate clicking it.

[–] zeekaran@sopuli.xyz 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

There are two apps that claim to override the button and one doesn't work and causes issues, while the other has been flawless for me. I set it to open Plex. Even bought a perfectly sized Plex sticker to cover the Netflix logo.

[–] RoboRay@kbin.social 1 points 1 year ago

When I set mine to Mute, Netflix still kept launching. So I set it to Show Recent Apps and long-press to Mute. That solved it.

[–] Acedelgado@artemis.camp 7 points 1 year ago (1 children)

HDMI 2.1 to gamestream 4k120hz gameplay.

Oof.... Who wants to be the one to tell 'em?

[–] giant_smeeg@feddit.uk 5 points 1 year ago

I know :( But there are alternatives.

[–] baruchin@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (2 children)

I have two of them, a 2017, and a 2019 Pro. I'm still very satisfied with them.

In a new model I want AV1 and VP9.2 support (Future proof and to give youtube HDR).

↑ This is what I really would ask in a new version. If a new Nintendo Switch is due to the end of the year, I think we'll get a new Shield TV too. Fingers crossed.

Edit: No new Nintendo Switch until late 2024, so new Shield soon.

[–] giant_smeeg@feddit.uk 1 points 1 year ago

There is no reason we NEED a new switch though. Never tegra chips already exist.

[–] giant_smeeg@feddit.uk 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Yeah they've been great devices for me supporting everything they can with updates. No youtube HDR is probably my biggest bummer with it. Having to have the TV connected to the internet just for that is annoying.

[–] TrustingZebra@lemmy.one 3 points 1 year ago

HDR works with SmartTube.

[–] dlpkl@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

Dual HDMI out for non HDMI-eARC receivers would be nice too

[–] tankplanker@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

If we are future proofing so it lasts as long as the 2015 model has as the top dog for premium streaming platform then it really needs 8k support on top. 8k is still very new and not much content right now but in 3 to 5 years time... I want something that lasts rather than something I know I will replace

Otherwise it's my list as well

[–] barkingspiders@infosec.pub 1 points 1 year ago

I was super frustrated using my Xbox controller with it until I saw a thread on the other place that recommended updating the Xbox controllers firmware. You need a computer running windows, install the Xbox controller app from the Microsoft app store (I don't remember what it's called, use Google), plug in the controller and hit the update button. Completely fixed the controller's Bluetooth connection with the shield.

[–] hactar42@lemmy.world 19 points 1 year ago (3 children)

I have a 2017 pro model and never had a problem. Only complaint is when they updated the interface a while ago with a shit ton of ads you could not turn off. Which really pissed me off because it is a $120 device. Not some $30 Roku that you expect to have ads on.

But it took me less than 10 minutes to install and setup a different launcher. Now I have a nice clean ad free interface.

[–] SUSaiyan@sh.itjust.works 6 points 1 year ago

I've uninstalled the updates and just not updated just to get around the ads.. I would like to update it, but I'm not sure which launcher to switch to. What launcher would you recommend?

[–] calhoon2005@aussie.zone 4 points 1 year ago

I was thinking the same, and followed the same custom launcher route. Now it's actually better than stock.

[–] mintiefresh@lemmy.ca 3 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Wow I didn't even know you could use a custom launcher on it. Which one would you recommend?

[–] monoboy@lemmy.sdf.org 3 points 1 year ago

I like Projectivity since the free version has everything I need and it can intercept home button presses so it always loads that launcher.

I've heard that people also like FLauncher. It's open source, but takes a bit more to get it going.

[–] hactar42@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago

I use Sideload Channel Launcher 3. It's a nice clean interface.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=dxidev.sideloadchannel3

[–] o0joshua0o@lemmy.world 9 points 1 year ago (1 children)

My main requests on the new model are more RAM and storage space.

[–] TrustingZebra@lemmy.one 5 points 1 year ago

I just want a SHIELD with AV1 hardware decoding, full-spec HDMI 2.1 (with 4K 120Hz VRR) and HDR10+ support (the 2019 SHIELD models support Dolby Vision and standard HDR10, but not HDR10+). I personally also prefer Android TV over Google TV (due to not forcing a Google account to use).

[–] CrypticFawn@lemmy.dbzer0.com 8 points 1 year ago (7 children)

I've been thinking of getting one but I'm fine with waiting for a newer version.

[–] southsamurai@sh.itjust.works 4 points 1 year ago

No need to wait. The current ones are phenomenal. It'll be at least five years before any of the apps that you'd use will start having issues in any way.

[–] FunderPants@lemmy.ca 3 points 1 year ago

I bought mine years ago and was told I'd regret it when the refresh came.

[–] RoboRay@kbin.social 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

After four years with no new versions, there probably won't ever be one.

Even the original 2015 Shield is still one of the top 5 Android TV devices ever made, with the 2017 and 2019 models also taking spots.

I did add the newer remote to my 2015 model as that's a big improvement (other than the annoyingly easy to accidentally press Netflix button, but I remapped that to Show Recent Apps instead).

[–] biscuit@lemdro.id 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Which app are you using to remap remote buttons?

[–] keeb420@kbin.social 1 points 1 year ago

It's still one of the best streaming devices on the market. Yes they need to update it but it's fine to buy one now.

[–] BruceTwarzen@kbin.social 1 points 1 year ago

I really love mine a lot. I bought the shield 2 or what it's called and it was the same with a better remote. But after using it for a few month, i couldn't get it to connect to the internet anymore. Not wireless and not via ethernet cable. No idea why. I'm using the oldest shield and in my humble opinion it's quite flawless.

[–] baruchin@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago

You'll have to wait a little while https://lemmy.world/comment/2614393

[–] MakeItCount@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago

yeah same

[–] Hazdaz@lemmy.world 7 points 1 year ago

I really didn't think the Shield was going to be worth the money, but I've had the Pro for a while now after my smart TV's own smart functions started to flake out. Definitely recommended

[–] WigglingWalrus@feddit.uk 7 points 1 year ago (1 children)

My pro has never been the same since updating. Memory leaks and video/audio keep going out of sync.

[–] ljdawson@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

Same. Disney+ needs a reboot before opening...

[–] spiderkle@lemmy.ca 7 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Sure it's a nieche / enthusiast market. But i would totally buy the new version because the old version is still the best at AI- upscaling to 4K. The thing is Nvidia is currently signing billion dollar contracts for AI chips left and right...and they have to produce the chips yet. So Android is just not a big enough priority for them atm. Better make our own one soon.

[–] utopianrevolt@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

it's not the same thing at all, but I found that my Steam Deck with Windows 10 LTSC 2021 installed works flawlessly as a media server with Jellyfin installed. I've found myself thinking that it's the best contemporary equivalent of a Shield that we're gonna get.

[–] danfromwv@lemmy.sdf.org 4 points 1 year ago

More of an Android thing - but it needs to support a separate kid mode like the Chromecast with Google TV does. Also - adding an SD card to mine still gets me the 'low storage' error with the SD card barely touched on usage. I switched over to the Chromecast because of these 2 things (I'm using a USB C hub to add Ethernet and expanded storage that actually gets used for the Chromecast).

[–] Xyz@infosec.pub 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I was late to the party of this one, bought mine last year but it's doing everything I need it to. Great picture, fast, nice interface, physically small and looks good.

I was years late but it was worth the price to get something that just works.

[–] UsernameIsTooLon@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

It's more or less the same specs as the Nintendo switch right? Except the Tegra X1 is more used for video encoding here rather than gaming

[–] steal_your_face@lemmy.ml 2 points 1 year ago

I bought one because my TV didn’t have AI upscaling built in. Was pretty nice except the WiFi on it was horrible (needed to use Ethernet), and it runs android tv so google is spying on you.

[–] quantum_mechanic@sh.itjust.works 2 points 1 year ago

I just bought one this past weekend to replace my Apple TV, since I ditched the iPhone years ago and I'm pretty much out of the Apple ecosystem. I tried the Chromecast with Google TV too but it was too slow, even though the Google TV UI was nicer.

[–] masterspace@lemmy.ca 1 points 1 year ago

I had one for a bit but ended up selling it because of janky ass HDMI CEC behaviour. It would do stuff like turn off the tv when the Xbox turned on and random bullshit like that. Made the whole CEC setup a nightmare.

[–] WagesOf@artemis.camp 1 points 1 year ago

Just in time for Nintendo to commandeer another chipset.