Nvidia launches next gen Shield TV devices

by Mark Tyson on 28 October 2019, 19:11

Tags: NVIDIA (NASDAQ:NVDA)

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Nvidia has launched its next generation Shield TV and Shield TV Pro, which it claims are the "future of streaming entertainment". The two devices vary by form factor and port selection but are largely the same otherwise, as we noted in our article about the comprehensive leaks of these devices, via Amazon and Newegg, earlier this month. Beyond splitting the range into two forms, the headline change is the upgrade from Tegra X1 to X1+ processor, which Nvidia says is 25 per cent faster. There are some other worthwhile changes too though, so please read on.

Jeff Fisher, SVP of Consumer Business at Nvidia claimed the new devices "provide a big step up for Shield," but we will leave you to be the judge of that. However Fisher did highlight the introduction of Dolby Atmos (a leap forward from surround sound), Dolby Vision (highlights that are up to 40x brighter, and blacks that are 10x darker) and "our breakthroughs in using AI to improve video streaming playback". The latter feature is rather interesting. While you might have a built-in 4K upscaler in your TV, utilising the Nvidia AI trained one can give "far sharper" and clearer visuals. Nvidia has trained its upscaler with modern videos and can deliver better guesses at what those pesky in-between pixels should be.

As for software and services, both devices come with Android 9 installed, so work as Android TV devices with access to hundreds of thousands of movies, shows, apps and games from Google Play. They also work with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa. Last but not least these devices support cloud gaming on various platforms, local network games streaming and a number of advanced native games. Users can buy the optional $59 Shield controller of just use their own Bluetooth controller of choice.

As mentioned in the intro, buyers have a choice of form factor this time around and the official difference is as follows:

  • Shield TV [2GB RAM, 8GB storage + microSD] has a slim, stealthy design meant to disappear by blending in with, or behind, entertainment centres. It also has Gigabit Ethernet and dual-band Wi-Fi for lightning-fast connectivity.
  • Shield TV Pro [3GB RAM, 16GB storage + USB 3.0 ext storage] takes entertainment to the next level for the most demanding users. It is based on the previous generation's iconic, sleek design and comes with additional memory and storage, plus two USB ports for running a Plex Media Server and connecting high-capacity hard drives or other USB devices.

Of course the pricing is different too. Both the Shield TV and Shield TV Pro are said to be available now in the US, Canada and select European countries for $149 and $199 respectively.

The new Shield Remote is included with either purchase. This triangular cross section accessory includes mic, motion activated button backlighting, Bluetooth, IR blaster to control your other AV equipment, remote locator and 2x AAA batteries in the box.



HEXUS Forums :: 6 Comments

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Well nice, but i do hope that that Google spy can be turned off, otherwise the product are 100% of no interest to me.
Then again probably not much free TV on that thing, and i cant fine ant streaming service worth paying for / having content i would pay for.
25% after years of the same device…LOL. Wake me when you put FOUR of those socs in it or something that is ~100-165w. Until then why the heck would I buy a gamepad for a device that can't play the coming games? Meanwhile even crappy consoles are advertising 5x per improvement from previous gens. You advertised 1/4 more perf…ROFL. That would be OK if you were doing QUARTERLY models, not every few years. At worst you should have plopped down 2 socs for each unit.

NO SALE. Useless. Expensive roku.
nobodyspecial
25% after years of the same device…LOL. Wake me when you put FOUR of those socs in it or something that is ~100-165w. Until then why the heck would I buy a gamepad for a device that can't play the coming games? Meanwhile even crappy consoles are advertising 5x per improvement from previous gens. You advertised 1/4 more perf…ROFL. That would be OK if you were doing QUARTERLY models, not every few years. At worst you should have plopped down 2 socs for each unit.

NO SALE. Useless. Expensive roku.

Huh ? It's primarily an android box, not a games console.
Yes it can stream games with GEforce or from your PC direct on your network but it's still not a games console.

Did you post on the wrong story maybe ?
nobodyspecial
25% after years of the same device…LOL. Wake me when you put FOUR of those socs in it or something that is ~100-165w. Until then why the heck would I buy a gamepad for a device that can't play the coming games? Meanwhile even crappy consoles are advertising 5x per improvement from previous gens. You advertised 1/4 more perf…ROFL. That would be OK if you were doing QUARTERLY models, not every few years. At worst you should have plopped down 2 socs for each unit.

NO SALE. Useless. Expensive roku.

25% of the already incumbent leading SoC in it's market is nothing to be sniffed at. It's not really marketed as a proper console and yet has the same SoC as the new Nintendo Switch and Lite. What do you want? A console? Then go buy a console, excluding Switch as its obviously not powerful enough :)

Of all the Android boxes I've bought over the years nothing comes close to the Shield, and not surprising considering it's price. For it's primary use for me as a front end for IPTV and media shares it's perfect and still has the versatility to play Android games (for whatever reason), streamed Geforce thing (forget what it's called) or games off of my PC with components twice the cost and quality of a teenagers console.
blokeinkent
nobodyspecial
25% after years of the same device…LOL. Wake me when you put FOUR of those socs in it or something that is ~100-165w. Until then why the heck would I buy a gamepad for a device that can't play the coming games? Meanwhile even crappy consoles are advertising 5x per improvement from previous gens. You advertised 1/4 more perf…ROFL. That would be OK if you were doing QUARTERLY models, not every few years. At worst you should have plopped down 2 socs for each unit.

NO SALE. Useless. Expensive roku.

25% of the already incumbent leading SoC in it's market is nothing to be sniffed at. It's not really marketed as a proper console and yet has the same SoC as the new Nintendo Switch and Lite. What do you want? A console? Then go buy a console, excluding Switch as its obviously not powerful enough :)

Of all the Android boxes I've bought over the years nothing comes close to the Shield, and not surprising considering it's price. For it's primary use for me as a front end for IPTV and media shares it's perfect and still has the versatility to play Android games (for whatever reason), streamed Geforce thing (forget what it's called) or games off of my PC with components twice the cost and quality of a teenagers console.

They made tegrazone, then dumped all their work basically when they lost the phone. They should have been building games on their platform and grew the userbase over that time. So when they could get back into mobile (with someone else's die shrunk modem), they'd have a gaming reason for people to do it (android!). I want an android box built like a console/pc with all the trimmings, so maybe one day, I won't need Wintel for the same crap. It was a gaming machine from day one. They just didn't put up the 100mil a year for 25 exclusives like everyone else does (microsoft a Billion for xbox1 launch, etc.). If you don't get gaming, you won't get the gamers, and unit sales will suck just like roku's. You'll never get people to right for them without 10mil sold.

Any 7nm flagship chip can beat this handily, so no, not an upgrade at 25%. Pathetic is more like it. Maybe 2 socs, would have worked. I'll buy when they hit 150w+ box. Until then, HTPC now. Tired of boxes that can't do this or that. Who needs a 1/2 dozen boxes to get these jobs done…ROFL FAIL. One to rule them all people. That is the required product, now make it.