Cheapest so far by a fair margin. Still thinking whether it is worth upgrading from Shield (2017).
NVIDIA SHIELD TV PRO (2019) 4K DOLBY HDR Streaming Media Player
NVIDIA Tegra® X1+ Processor
Dolby Vision HDR & Dolby Atmos transform your TV into an entertainment powerhouse
4K HDR Streams
256 Core & 3GB RAM
Upscale HD video to 4K using the power of AI
Built In Google Assistant
Gaming Ready
Strange, I've had to get a Roku to replace my 2015 as it become an issue with resources causing crashes when I'm playing movies via EMBY app.
Maybe it is overheating? If you have carpet in the room with it, likely the fan / vents are clogged.
good price but not sure if its worth it over my existing apple tv 4k
edit: (profanity) it. bought one, i dont use apple products and all the google stuff will be great to use
Reverse buyers remorse.
You, sir, are a true ozbargain gentleman.
i like bargains
What Google stuff? The Shield doesn't support 4K HDR from Google Play Movies or YouTube.
google integration, having a mute button on the remote, AI upscaling, geforce now or steam play if i want to, sideload a web browser so i can browse the net on the tv or watch stream sites that do not have a developed application (eg. kayo for a long time until recently) and there are a couple of mods you can do to make it better.
Thanks OP, bought one
This is Android isn’t it? Does anyone have Foxtel satellite and Foxtel Go installed on this with the ability to watch it on this with out paying for the multiscreen addon?
I want to get around paying for multiscreen on the account just to watch foxtel on a separate TV (via casting or something). I can watch it on my phone but can’t cast to apple tv and would require multiscreen to do so.
There is a Kodi add-on that allows you to watch Foxtel Go with your Foxtel subscriber details. I haven't got around to setting it up yet but you should be able to find the info easily enough.
@Elpres
The Foxtel for Android TV works perfectly on the Nvidia Shield (I have the 2017 Pro model). The Foxtel GUI is virtually identical with the Foxtel IQ3 GUI so functionality would not be an issue.
Good news is that you DON'T have to pay for a separate outlet. The Android TV works alongside Foxtel GO apps on your smartphone, iPad or tablets. I think your Foxtel account allows up to five devices (& only watch 2 devices at the same time), not including the Set Top Box. (?… I would need to check this). I currently have 2 x smartphones, 1 x tablet plus the Nvidia Shield TV.
Good price for an amazing machine, i love mine. IMO the price is now completely justified (even at RRP) with the AI upscaling update last week. Will upscale anything from 360p to 1440 and up to 60hz. Amazing!
Why is this good, is the Shield upscaling better than most tv upscaling?
yes by all reports it is much better than a TV's internal upscaling. Havent tried the upscaling on my LG C9 but never needed to because the shield does it so well.
Take a read of an expert's opinion of the AI upscaling. It's not good.
"it changes the picture and makes it look more artificial and digitalized. With heavily compressed video it makes the picture look even more compressed - not less. In some scenes it even changes the color tone of an object, which has absolutely nothing to do with upscaling. In other scenes Nvidia's system (also observed with some other systems in TVs) wrongly try to make blurred backgrounds or objects come into focus, which alters the perspective or depth of the scene."
https://www.flatpanelshd.com/review.php?subaction=showfull&i…
@tp0: yeh this guy is too excited and talking nonsense about shield having the best upscaling, sony has the best up scaling, they did a comparison with all the other tv's and even the nvidia shield, nvidia shield is not even close
It depends on your TV. I feel that the Shield sharpens edges more aggressively whereas my TV (LG C9) tends to be more conservative. The Shield is definitely just a bit better with most media but if you have a top tier TV like LG's OLED C series or Sony's OLED A series then I wouldn't buy a Shield just for the upscaling. I got mine for Chromecast, emulation and local GameStream.
Yes. It depends on the source content, but the 1080p stuff I’ve tried is noticeably better than basic upscaling. I haven’t tried the latest version with lower res files. From experience with AI upscaling on the PC the less detail is there to start with the worse it does, so the expanded range may not be amazing at least for anything blocky/highly compressed.
AI upscaling is best described as the AI ‘imagining’ what detail should be there, which works well for things like hair, text etc.
But when there’s not enough detail there to guess we’ll it can look funky, but then the original in that case doesn’t look great usually either, it’s just a different sort of not great.
Yep - AI upscaling now works for Kayo :)
have you tried it with kayo? i havent had a chance yet since the update. Does it work fine?
Yeah - works well for me with live and on demand.
Mate can you comment more on this for Kayo and other uses? What setting if its variable? Im using a 2017 shield but tempted especially if it makes sports look better!
I find the medium AI setting gives the most consistent results, and provides a decent image improvement over the Basic upscaling.
They've made it very easy to compare, by using the real-time toggle (in either full screen or side-by-side slider) between Basic and AI upscaling to see the differences.
The Shield Pro will upscale 360p to 1080p @60fps, and 1440p @ 30fps, so won't work for interlaced content like FTA, but will work for Kayo, Optus Sport, Netflix etc, and works within Plex and Kodi too.
Some prefer their TV's upscaling, and some prefer the Shield (I've seen arguments for and against, using both high and low end TVs).
@kirt: Interesting, thanks Kirt. I'm particularly interested in using for IPTV/Tivimate & Kayo. The benefit for older SD content from NAS i assume provides the most benefit. Im still using a 2016 4K (Hisense 65M7000) TV though, so not the best platform.
The latest update for the older nvidia now has 4k upscaling.
Sorry does the 2017 now have the 4k upscaling too? If so what would be the benefit of buying the 2019 one ?cheers
I don't believe it does. The only thing related in the release notes when I got the update on my 2017 unit was that the 2019 Pro can now do 4k/60 upscaling.
That's correct. No AI-enhanced upscaling for the older models. Only for the 2019 Pro.
The screen after the latest update that shows the AI-enhanced upscaling feature is generic for all Shield models. The functionality itself is limited to just the 2019 Pro.
@krayl: I think the non pro may have missed the latest update, I've got both and it only got the remote firmware.
@scuderiarmani: Yeah I have the non-pro. Love it but didn't notice a firmware update expanding the range of source videos that can be upscaled. Very keen for Kayo.
@scuderiarmani: https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/shield/software-update/
Looks like Pro only. Is it a RAM limitation? A bit annoyed, maybe should have got the Pro.
Yes. (to the recent update on the 2017 edition which now includes up-scaling). No value in buying the 2019. The engine and most of the specs are identical. The 2019 box has a slightly smaller form factor and the remote control now has RF as well as Bluetooth. Not worth the $300+ plus for the latest 2019 model so the 2017 model is still current imho.
I can't remember all the details as I went through it all last year when the 2019 edition came out. The consensus from most of the reviews, plus reviewers on YouTube (check out Lon.TV) all contend that it is not worth the outlay to upgrade from the 2017 edition.
That said, I love my 2017 edition and Nvidia keep the firmware for the box, the remote control and the game controller up to date, including the apps.
The Google play store for Android TV can be a bother as it locks into this geolocation and we miss out on some apps. I run Aptoid for Android TV and this gives me access to NASA TV, BBC, PBS, NPR). With the help of NordVPN these apps are accessible and this also helps avoid the nagging bullshit from Google/YouTube about Australian news content.
Dolby Vision & AI upscaling only in 2019 models:
https://www.androidheadlines.com/2019/10/dolby-vision-ai-ups…
no, this is false information due to Nvidia not being entiely clear about the update. I can confirm because i have spoken to users of older shields in facebook groups, AI upscaling is still NOT supported on older shield models. There was a lot of confusion over this but the upscaling is ONLY on 2019 models.
thanks for the correction. Now should I buy it?
definitely :-)
If you need it, definitely. I bought mine 4 weeks ago and it's one of the best media players I have used for my purpose (Kodi, Plex, 4K Prime/Netflix/YouTube, Dolby Atmos, HDR on a AVR and projector). It's very easy to use. The remote lights up which is crucial in the darkened projector environment. Remote works at 5m range. Upscaling software looks very acceptable (I think it applies a lot of sharpening, which most ppl like, but I find a bit too much at the max setting). And I am yet to try the gaming features.
I concurrently own a PS4 Pro, Firestick 4K, various Kodi boxes, an old HTPC….. nothing beats this in terms of ease of use and seamless "just works" ethos.
But seems after recent update it has become sluggish? Earlier I could play Asphalt 9 smoothly, now it is almost unplayable :-(
Anyone else noticed any issues? Are they like Apple and just made it intentionally slower to force upgrade!
@bobz79. I don't know why anyone would give you a negative vote for your comment? Anyway, I have not experience any speed difference since last week's firmware update. I can't comment on Asphalt 9… maybe the developers haven't caught up.
Thanks!
Perhaps because of the Apple reference! ;-)
Apple fined for slowing down old iPhones
https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-51413724
Awesome price for an awesome unit… ! Great find!
Thanks for this, finally bit the bullet and got one
Anyone know if this thing can run super Mario galaxy 1+2 at 60fps with
Dolphin Emu (referring to the mythical hybrid animal, not a banned topic)
What? Dolphins can't run… They don't have legs.
not with that attitude
Also interested in Dolphin performance for games like RE1 remake, RE4, etc.
Haven't played any RE games but I have the one from a couple years ago and use it for Dolphin all the time, as recent as this morning.
Stuff I've played recently,
Spider-Man 2002, full speed at 4K with no issues
Simpsons Hit and Run, full speed at 4K with no issues
Enter the Matrix, full speed at 1080 but the FMVs don't play
Tony Hawk 3, full speed at 4K no issues
Tony Hawk Underground, full speed at 1080, save states don't work though because the load in is ridiculous
You need to tweak the settings a little bit, I swap between 30 and 35% clock speed for maximum performance, and force widescreen on all games (personal preference), no wuckas for me.
But as good as they run, there's plenty of issues. Off the top of my head,
Scooby Doo: Mystery Mayhem, like 10 minutes into the game when you open a particular door no matter what you do it will ALWAYS crash and reboot.
SSX Tricky won't launch at all
Spider-Man 2 runs at about half speed which (profanity) sucks because I love that game.
Tony Hawk American Wasteland is also the same, maybe two thirds speed though.
Overall the performance is pretty bloody nice and obviously you can always tweak it further and maybe who knows, there's a perfect setting out there for Spider-Man 2, but (profanity) knows I can't find it.
Edit: There was a Resi 4 port for Android years ago but I can't find it on the store, IIRC it was a loooot watered down though so idk, but Resi 5 got a proper port for SHIELD too which is worth a look if you want https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nvidia.res…
Thanks, I would give you two 👍 if I could!
Yeah I've seen that Android RE4 it was terrible, but didn't know RE5 came out that's very interesting.
Cheers
Check the "ETA Prime" channel on YouTube. Runs several tests on Dolphin and other mythical creatures! From what I can gather, it will struggle to run those two specific titles.
Thanks, I didn't think to check out ETA :)
I've found it struggles with Wii games and is mixed on Cube.
Agree with the other comments - my 2017 pro struggles running these games. I ended up running dolphin on my gaming PC and then used Nvidia gamestream to stream dolphin to the shield. Worked great.
Some advise please. Already currently using both the Xiaomi Mibox and Vodafone TV which I find really handy and useful. Is it feasible to go for a third one in NVIDIA Shield or will it be just a waste of money? Thanks.
Both feasible and a waste of money
I upgrade from Mibox to shield pro and IMO it worth every penny
I'm also considering whether to get a second MiBox or go for this NVidia.
The MiBox has been okay for the couple of years I've been using it, and the NVidia is four times the price.
What would you say are the main benefits to an upgrade?
Cheers!
There are many benefits but the most obvious one is upscaling. Dolby Vision is another one, correct me if I'm wrong.
I'm in the same boat, have a MiBox that works fine, but this sounds more premium.
I have both MiBox and Nvidia Shield. Much better experience on Shield. I have regular Mibox crashes watching Youtube. No issues using the Shield and the interface is much faster.
Depends if you value Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos support. Also the upscaling is very good and can be used as a very good little plex server.. If none of these appeal to you then its a waste of money.
Apparently the Plex server on Shield will transcode 4K in hardware, even without a Plex Live sub!! What a great little machine.
@pacificstorm. Xiaomi Mibox is not in the same class as the Nvidia Shield TV, imho. I never have crashed or reliability issues with the Shield, I have never had any disappointment with this device compared with previous choices, while expensive, it was worth every cent.
However since you have both the Xiaomi Mibox and the Vodafone, continue with those until one dies and then replace it with a Nvidia Shield. You won't be disappointed.
Thanks for the sound advice since it makes a lotta sense. Reason I'm using both the Mibox and VTV are for realibility issues and conveniences.
Youtube is more stable on VTV and prefer the Mibox when I'm on VPN.
I'll put the Shield the in the back burner for now since Dolbys Vision and Atmos aren't my priority.
Do I need one?
Not sure. Do you?
Yes
You need 2. One for the spare room.
Considering upgrading from 2017 just for the AI up scaling update. Worth it?
IMO yes it is worth it after the recent update, if that feature is important to you. Have a look at come real life comparisons online first if though so you know it will suit your needs.
I don't think so, lots of media that would benefit from ai upscaling is unsupported and it defaults back to standard upscaling. On supported media there isn't a huge difference between standard and ai.
If you can sell at a good price, or need an extra device otherwise I don't think it's worth it.
Is there a point to having this if you have OLED lg? Please help
TBH only if you want to run Kodi … LG has Emby, Plex and all the other apps. WebOS is pretty good
Thanks 👍 saved me $315 😅
Do OLED LG TV's do AI up-scaling like the Shield?
All 4K TVs do upscaling - they need to fill the pixels when showing lower resolution content.
The 2019 Shield apparently does a better job of it than most (maybe all) TVs.
Sorry - just noticed you asked about "AI" upscaling. I believe the LG OLEDs have comparable technology, but call it something different.
Depends where you get content from. To me, only the Kaleidescape will top the video and audio quality I get from using my Shield with Plex. Provided you have a fast enough internet, you'll be amazed at what this thing can do
I've found app support and updates much better too. I have connected one to an LG OLED and others to 2019 Sony 95G models and still appreciate it.
Probably one thing - LG TV has a notorious WIFI adapter that is famous for dropping signals and the ehternet is capped at 100mbps. If you do 4K streaming, then you'd probably need an external box.
The Shield will be supported for longer (the 2015 launch version still gets updates), has a much wider variety of apps and has a far superior Plex client. There’s also little things like auto refresh switching, colour space switching, AI upscaling and game streaming support from my desktop PC which make it a nice little unit.
I may be slightly biased however because my general opinion is that every single smart TV interface I’ve ever used has been terrible. Even ones that use built-in Android TV are sluggish.
I'm with you 100%, I'm running X95G TVs with their 'ultimate processor' and I still use the Shields.
No Kayo or Binge on LG.
yes the no Binge kills me but I unhook the Ultra Cast from bedroom tv and use it if i must
Noob question, I have a 2019 model LG C8 Oled, would this add any benefits? Also, can I watch free to air channels through this?
I have the same TV and it looks like apart from being able to emulate games and connect controllers and Keyboard+mouse, our TVs do everything else.
Does it play huge 4k dolby Atmos remux files without transcoding? For the average user that do not care about quality of sound and picture then the TV will be more than sufficient… It is when you play format that the TV don't support where it struggles… Most TV only has 100MB NIC…
Does this support HDMI-CEC? Can you navigate it entirely with the TV remote (or vice-versa)?
The answer to your question is literally on nVidia's website…
Yes, I use the TV remote. My only issue is no direct mapped button for Menu on the Shield. Means you have to exit you app you are in, rather than going straight back to the home screen. Not a huge one.
Not sure about Shield remote controlling TV
Yes. That's quite a basic feature. Yes, all remotes in the CEC chain will work for basic things like arrow key navigation.
For example, in a Shield-AVR-Projector setup, you can use the arrow keys from the shield remote, or the AVR remote, or the projector remote to control navigation on the Shield's android GUI.
Cheers got one, not sure what to expect, ripper of a price!
I need to have eBay plus to use code PARTY21. Sad…
![[eBay Plus] Nvidia TV Shield Pro (2019) $315.21 Delivered @ Futu eBay](https://files.ozbargain.com.au/n/03/562603.jpg?h=6e0c1e1b)
Seems like a good deal to me. If I didn't have the 2015 version, I'd get this.