NVIDIA TV Box vs Cheapo Android Box

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arkboy

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Topic # 229034 4-Feb-2018 19:08

Hi All,

First post for me so be gentle and hopefully this is the right forum for this question..

I am current considering ordering a NVIDEA Shield TV box as my current cheapo android tv box looks to be on the way out.

My question is what are the benefits of the more expensive shield tv?

I mainly use the andoid tv for Kodi etc.

michaelmurfy

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Reply # 1951576 4-Feb-2018 19:40

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The NVIDIA Shield TV is a very powerful Android TV box which is able to run pretty much all video apps (including Kodi) and a bunch of games. It has both Chromecast and Google Assistant built in also. It is far better than most Android TV boxes. I would strongly recommend this over some cheaper Android boxes as the Shield is a little like a Nexus device in the sense NVIDIA releases updates to it almost monthly too.

I would strongly recommend it. Was one of the best purchases I've made.

Michael Murphy | https://murfy.nz
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Rikkitic

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Reply # 1951580 4-Feb-2018 19:47

I have had a very disappointing experience with the Shield, though I seem to be the only one. I have a cheap Android box I use for streaming and I bought a Shield thinking the better specs (CPU and RAM) would give better performance. What I failed to realise is that the Shield isn't really an Android box at all, though it claims to be and runs a form of Android. But it is incompatible with nearly every Android app I rely on. There is no mouse support, which most apps require, so I had to add a special app that fortunately works for that, though not quite as well as it should because the Shield isn't really compatible with it, either. A Kodi add-on I would really like to use, Chrome Launcher, works fine with any Android box but it doesn't work with the damned Shield. Practically nothing I actually want to use works with the Shield.

There is another side to this, of course. If you want to stream the absolute best quality that can be had, then the Shield is your only option. But my connection limits me to SD or, at best, occasionally 1080p, so the Shield's qualities are wasted on me. It is also the only choice for serious gamers, but all I want is to stream video. My advice is, be sure what you actually want to do with it. If you just want a better Android box, the Shield is probably a waste of money. If you want the kinds of things it is designed for, then you can't do better.

I reject your reality and substitute my own. - Adam Savage

michaelmurfy

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Reply # 1951582 4-Feb-2018 19:52

@Rikkitic It runs Android TV which is a little different than regular Android. Apps can be sideloaded also. I personally have a Logitech K400 hooked up to mine in the very odd time I require a full Keyboard and mouse. The launcher isn't able to be changed (this is by design as it is better suited for a TV). It is a streaming box at the end of the day.

Most Kodi plugins worked for me but I personally use Plex for my media. It depends what you're needing it for but in this case it doesn't sound like Android TV was suited for what you were trying to do.

Michael Murphy | https://murfy.nz
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Rikkitic

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Reply # 1951601 4-Feb-2018 21:18

I did sideload the apps that I could. Some work well enough, but most have quirks since the Shield is too different from a regular Android box. I also use an air mouse on it but it doesn't respond to most of the controls that a regular box does. You are right that it isn't suited for what I wanted (and thought I was getting) but I have found workarounds for most things. The point I am trying to make is that thinking the Shield is just a bigger and better Android box is a mistake. It is something else entirely.

I reject your reality and substitute my own. - Adam Savage

rlevis

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Reply # 1951671 5-Feb-2018 01:44

So can the Shield operate with a wireless USB keyboard and mousepad? Is it reasonable for browsing the web?

peejayw

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Reply # 1951681 5-Feb-2018 07:11

michaelmurfy:
. It has both Chromecast and Google Assistant built in also.

Do you still have Assistant? It disappeared from my unit a month or so ago.

driller2000

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Reply # 1951727 5-Feb-2018 08:45

The Shield is hands down the best tech purchase i have made in the last 2 years.

Cut and Paste from another Shield thread I posted in:

Love my Shield.

NF, YT, Amazon Prime and Vimeo give me 4k material. (NZ Accounts only.)

Other video apps I use incl the usual TED, RedBull, Vevo etc.

Prefer SPMC (to Kodi) as it allows HD Audio ie. DTS:X and ATMOS - also allows voice search. Usual addons in use.

Spotify, Google Music and CloudRadio (for Soundcloud acct access)...for music.

Cast Lightbox from Ph and SkyGo from Chrome on Windows PC.

Old school gaming via Mame4Droid - using their gamepad.

Have an original Shield so installed an SD card as internal storage so I could install other Android Games - drivers , shooters etc for casual gaming.

Has been bulletproof and reliable - highly recommended.

Also integrated with My Harmony Touch (using the shields IR sensor) and various macros - and works great.

Best tech purchase I have made in recent years.

Note: Only downside has been the pissant battery in the remote supplied remote which needs charging more frequently than I would like.

Second To Last Comment: Do not get a vanilla Andorid based TV box - they all over promise and under deliver.

Final Comment: Rikkitic's experience is unfortunate - but is in my view due to his specific use case and his expectations not being something Android TV is meant to do.

So if your use case is like most others - ease of use, high quality video/audio, point and shoot common streaming services + local streaming via Kodi/SPMC - the Shield is a killer device - and the vast majority of reviews on the net will confirm this.

michaelmurfy

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Reply # 1951735 5-Feb-2018 09:04

@peejayw I do indeed have assistant still. Make sure your region is set to Australia.

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peejayw

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Reply # 1951736 5-Feb-2018 09:09

Region setting on the Shield? Where is that? Thanks.

Senecio

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Reply # 1951842 5-Feb-2018 10:32

I have 2 Shield TV's. A 2015 version in the living room controlled through a Harmony hub and the 2017 version in the 2nd games room. Fantastic piece of kit. The only downside for me is the lack of native apps for local content providers (Lightbox, TVNZ OD and Three Now). Not the end of the world but would be nice to have.

Two considerable upsides are that it is updated regularly and using an external box through HDMI rather than the inbuilt smart apps in my TV opens up the full advanced calibration features of my TV. I don't know if other TVs are the same but my Panasonic disables a lot of the advanced calibration settings when using the inbuilt smart apps.

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Reply # 1951890 5-Feb-2018 11:25

rlevis:

So can the Shield operate with a wireless USB keyboard and mousepad? Is it reasonable for browsing the web?

Using my Wireless trackpad/KB Logitech combo and sideloading chrome on to my Mi Box, I can browse the web as you would normally. Its not quite right and stuff, but yeah it works. You need to also install the sideload launcher app as that will then allow easy access to installed none Android TV based apps.

robfish

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Reply # 1951905 5-Feb-2018 11:50

I agree with those who have already recommended that you steer clear of the cheap Android boxes - they are Android devices without "Android TV" so are not as easy to navigate. They do however usually allow easy installation of apps from the App Store such as TVNZ OD.

I still like my Nexus Player even though it is a little under powered at times and now updates are ceasing I believe.

Fire TVs and Mi-Boxes are pretty good value for money too and perform well.

My only comment about the Shield is that a colleague is very happy with his.

Rob

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Reply # 1951951 5-Feb-2018 12:08

I would also say, as it is with general android devices, official Google products such as the Nexus will generally recieve more updates until end of life, while others such as the Mi Box are completely variable... The Mi Box is still on Android TV 6.0 with no sign of a 7 or 8 update coming, the Shield is on 7 and will get 8 when app developers come on board with the new style of 8...