Most streaming sticks from Rock, Google and Amazon cost less than $ 50 and support 4K video. But NVIDIA Shield TV starts at $ 150, which is a price equal only to Apple TV boxes. The amount of money to pay for a streaming stick is unheard of, but still, NVIDIA Shield TV is worth every penny.
First, what is NVIDIA Shield TV?
The original NVIDIA Shield TV was launched in 2015. And at the time, it wasn’t really called a streaming stick. Of course, it launched Android TV and was the first widely available 4K UHD set-top box, but NVIDIA called Shield TV a “micro-console”.
This is because Shield TV was primarily aimed at gamers and enthusiasts. Most people did not have 4K TVs, and several streaming services broadcast high-definition content. The main selling point for this box was the library of supported Android games and the NVIDIA Grid (now called GeForce NOW) cloud gaming service.
Tinkerers were also attracted to the “micro-console,” which could be modified for several purposes. It could double as Plex Media Server, for example, and offer smart home functionality through Samsung SmartThings (a feature that died because of Samsung).
We are now thinking of NVIDIA Shield TV as a streaming stick, mainly because it offers the best video and audio quality of any small streaming device (and because it took some time to play in the cloud). But these additional features have not disappeared anywhere, which means that Shield TV is still the top streaming device for gamers and masters.
Superior video quality with artificial intelligence enhancements
Most people buy NVIDIA Shield TV because of the video quality. Yes, other streaming sticks support 4K UHD and Dolby vision — it’s not uncommon. But NVIDIA Shield also uses artificial intelligence to enhance video, offering the best image quality of any streaming device.
By default, all TVs try to improve the content to match the original resolution. But these milquetoast augmentation algorithms mostly exist to make low-resolution content fill the entire screen. They rarely improve image quality.
NVIDIA’s artificial intelligence enhancement technology actively improves picture quality, effectively making low-resolution content look like crystal clear 4K (or 1080p if you don’t have a 4K TV). This is an incredibly valuable feature in the world of streaming, as most movies and shows on your favorite services are only available in 720p or 1080p.
I should also note that NVIDIA Shield TV is the king of audio quality. It supports 32-bit 192 kHz audio via HDMI and can run 7.1 surround sound systems.
Android TV software and built-in Chromecast
I hate throwing a Chromecast under the bus, but NVIDIA Shield TV is the best way to experience Android TV software. Expensive hardware is fast and only slightly broken, which is more than you can say for most streaming sticks.
Android TV software fits into its small niche. It works with select Android apps and games, of course, but is also incredibly customizable. And thanks to Google’s algorithms, it offers advanced “personalization” features that save you time when searching for shows or movies.
Some of these personalization features are very obvious. Android TV has a Discover tab that suggests shows and movies you can enjoy, freeing you up from opening individual apps. But there is also a universal search function that digs through all available services. If you press the microphone button on the remote and say “Scooby-Doo action movie live ”, for example, Android TV will show every service it hosts Scooby-Doo film.
Android TV software also supports Google Cast, which means you can stream video from your phone or computer directly to your TV (you can even use it to screen). This is especially useful when you are watching something on your phone and want to move it quickly to the big screen.
Now I will be the first to say that Android TV is not perfect. It doesn’t receive enough updates, the smart home features are incredibly lacking, and if you just want a clean and simple interface, Roku or Apple TV are the right choice. But when it comes to personalization and tampering, Android TV is king.
Cloud games, Android games and emulators on your TV
Although NVIDIA’s plan to make a “micro-console” did not quite work, NVIDIA Shield TV is still the best streaming stick for gamers. It can play a bunch of Android apps, works with emulators (so you can play classic games), and of course, it’s one of the best options for playing in the cloud with NVIDIA GeForce Now.
The GeForce Now experience is particularly compelling. The NVIDIA cloud gaming platform allows you to play AAA titles on any device without major downloads or additional hardware. The GeForce Now “RTX 3080” level offers superb graphics that embarrass the latest Xbox and PlayStation, and of course, GeForce Now works with Fortnite (even on iOS).
By the way, you can connect any gamepad to NVIDIA Shield TV. If you want to use an Xbox or PlayStation controller, that’s fine. Voice chat also works, and if you’re more of a PC player, you can connect a keyboard and mouse to the console.
The Pro model is more than just a streaming stick
Most people just want a streaming stick, which is why NVIDIA sells two versions of Shield TV. There’s a standard model, which costs $ 150 and looks like a black hot dog, and there’s a more advanced $ 200 Shield TV Pro.
The standard NVIDIA Shield TV has a microSD slot and an Ethernet port, which is great, but a bit limiting. By comparison, the Shield TV Pro (set-top box) has two USB ports, an Ethernet port, an additional 8 GB of storage (16 GB in total), an additional 1 GB of RAM (3 GB in total).
These additional benefits allow the following features on NVIDIA Shield TV Pro:
Improved AI Upscaling
One of the big drawbacks of a standard NVIDIA Shield TV is that it only runs AI upscaling on 30FPS video. This is mostly a problem for enthusiasts, as you will rarely stream 720p or 1080p content at 60FPS.
But it’s a big disappointment when you transfer custom content (from PC to LAN, for example) or when you use GeForce Now in low resolution and high frame rate. If you plan to do anything other than the usual streaming with NVIDIA Shield, you should buy the Pro model.
Works with OTA TV!
Antenna TV is seriously underestimated. After all, it is a free TV and actually offers better picture quality than cable. Although the standard NVIDIA Shield does not work with OTA TV, you can transfer this feature to your NVIDIA Shield TV Pro using two accessories.
All you need is a TV antenna and a digital tuner, preferably an HD HomeRun Duo ($ 110) or a Hauppauge WinTV-dualHD USB ($ 75). Connect the antenna to the tuner, connect the tuner to your NVIDIA Shield TV Pro via USB and everything is ready!
Well, you will need an app to run the live TV service. You can use the LiveTV app that comes standard with Android TV, install the HDHomeRun app, or use Plex for everything. Significantly, both HDHomeRun and Plex applications support DVR functionality.
This is Plex Media Server!
Have you ever wanted to build your own streaming service? Well, it’s easy with Plex. You just upload your movies, TV shows and music to Plex Media Server and let the software organize everything. You can then transfer that content to any device inside or outside your home.
It so happened that NVIDIA Shield TV Pro is an amazing Plex Media Server. All you need are a few hard drives (or a NAS device) and a Plex Android TV app. Because NVIDIA Shield TV Pro has a relatively powerful processor, it can handle multiple simultaneous streams and 4K content.
NVIDIA SHIELD TV Pro (2019)
NVIDIA Shield TV Pro offers all the features of its cheaper, smaller brother. But it also offers OTA TV functionality, can run as a Plex Media Server and has an AI increase at 60FPS. In addition, there are additional RAM and USB ports.
Need to buy an NVIDIA Shield TV?
If you want to make the most of 4K TV, NVIDIA Shield TV is absolutely worth the money. It’s expensive, but offers the best 4K streaming experience thanks to AI zoom technology.
Enthusiasts and idiots can also get a lot out of NVIDIA Shield TV, although they should buy a Pro model. It opens the door to building Plex Media Servers, upgrading content at high frame rates, and streaming OTA TVs with minimal hardware.
But here’s the thing; you don’t have to spend a ton of money for a good streaming experience. The average person, even if they own a 4K TV, should probably buy a cheaper streaming stick. Companies like Roku, Amazon and Google sell 4K streaming sticks for $ 50 or less — they don’t have NVIDIA’s AI upscaling, but hey, it’s a trade-off to buy something that’s not ridiculously expensive.