5d ago

Alternative to Nvidia Shield

The shield is a great device, but I'm starting to notice some considerable lag at times.

Before I factory reset it, is there a good alternative?

I have an older Apple TV I'm going to try but I'd prefer to stay Android.

Features I'd want are

Android TV
Netflix and Jellyfin support
Powerful / fast
Similar codec support, however only for compatibility. I'm not needing HDR or Atmos etc. Some of my family are deaf so we watch with subtitles and have a simple speaker setup.

12 comments

Plain and simple there isn't a better Android option than the shield yet. I have the 2017 pro. I put the projectivty launcher on it and haven't looked back .
- Is that better than wolf?

I have a 2015 Shield. Best device I've ever had, and haven't ever had to factory reset it.
My main recommendation - in case it applies to you - is to not run any server software on it (eg. Plex). It's a solid client device, but has never had what it takes to run server services.
I think it has plenty of life left in it, so a factory reset might be worthwhile. Also note that the drive in yours may be well past its best.

I converted an old laptop into a home theater PC. My friend bought spare components for cheap and built a desktop for the same purpose. Not for everyone, but a great solution for some use cases. And can potentially fill other roles, like being your jellyfin host.
While shopping I suggest you find a spreadsheet with the capabilities of every device you're considering. A lot don't support certain formats, which can limit the kind of files and content you can stream. Last I checked shield and the Google TV stick thing were trouncing the competition.

@lazynooblet I've been looking at this as my 2019 pro is starting to show it's age as well... I've been looking at picking up an intel n150 box and either putting android x86 on it (kinda worried that will be a shit show tho) or just making kodi my frontend for it... or kde big screen. but yeah... haven't pulled the trigger. getting a fast usb stick helped
- I just bought a new 2019 Pro, will see how that goes. I'm told the Apple TV stuff is snappy, but it's Apple.
  x86 would be great but Netflix only support listed hardware so might not be wife proof

12 comments