NVIDIA SHIELD Android TV Pro Streaming Media Player; 4K HDR Movies, Live Sports, Dolby Vision-Atmos, AI-Enhanced Upscaling, GeForce NOW Cloud Gaming, Google Assistant Built-In, Works with Alexa

If you are reading this you are probably already aware of what the box is and are just looking for pros and cons. It is hard to quantify some aspects easily without getting hung up on specs. Chances are that at the price point this sits at you will also be looking at a version of the beelink gt series. If all you want is a simple android media box then a gt, or even a lower specced device may be enough and you can stop reading this now. Otherwise read on.The shield (pro, v2, whatever) is expensive and overpowered for a tv box alone, but it does bring video upscaling to the party which none of the competition do. There are reports that some people have issues with the AI upscale causing stutters, I have never seen it happen and its been my go to device for all my media consumption from the day I got it.Its not my first rodeo with android boxes, and this has been almost unbelievably good at everything I need from it with none of the issues previous android boxes gave me.On the retro gaming front, There are retro games systems running perfectly on the shield that other android boxes struggle to even run, much less run well, The ppsspp emulator is a big one of those. Ppsspp runs faultlessly on the shield, as do the many other emulators. Those that I can confirm are working flawlessly include atari lynx, vcs/2600, 800, 5200, 7800, ST, sinclair spectrum, nintendo gameboy,gameboy colour, gameboy advance, sega sg1000, master system, megadrive, gamegear, nintendo nes, famicon, snes, nec pc engine, neogeo, magnavox odyssey, Sony psx, playstation portable, Mame 2000,2003, commodore 64, Amiga, Bandai wonderswan and Milton Bradley Vectrex. There are numerous others, but those already mentioned are confirmed working and are easily run through Retroarch 64 on the shield. They are obviously not native to the system, so you may need to source BIOS files for some machines emulated and it is worth having a keyboard for some of the computer emulation. Note that BIOS files are copyrighted, as are most of the games these emulators run, apart from the Vectrex which was thrown into the public domain when it reached the end of its shelf life. The only one of the many you will likely expect to work that could be an issue is the n64, at time of writing I dont think theres an emulator that is ratified for the shield.When it comes to initial setup, Setting up the shield is a breeze, even easier if you have an android phone as it can grab all the network and app settings from the phone as the shield is an android unit itself. Storage on the shield isnt great, being only 16gb, But you do have 2 usb expansion ports. Add an external drive or a usb stick for more storage if needed (no micro sd card facility on the V2 shield unfortunately). External storage can be just plug in and remove for transfer to a pc etc, or you can let the shield format it as ‘internal’ memory. If you take that internal memory option you need to think of it as being fixed to the shield and not removable as setting it to internal storage will remove the option to store files on the usb for transfer to pc as the computer won’t recognise the file structure, so choose wisely.A word of warning on using usb thumb drives on the shield. If plugged directly into the shield they run hot, Very hot. Even with the shield in standby any usb thumb drive left in the shield was getting uncomfortably hot. After trying 2 brand new (different but well known brand) new usb thumb drives and finding how hot they both got, I did some research and found the only way to prevent the heat issue was to use a usb hub. Having added a hub, drives both perform normally when connected to the hub and at most get warm during actual use like any other thumb drive when accessing a lot of data. There are plenty of people out there that have had thumb drives fail after relatively short periods (months not years) when plugged straight into the shield and left in place, so adding a cheap hub between the drive and shield will save you suffering the same fate. If I hadn’t been removing the usb to add stuff to it from the pc I would never have noticed the problem and am convinced the excessive heat would have drastically reduced the life of my thumb drive. Neither the hub nor either drive have shown any heat issues since the hub was added.In terms of media, the shield will easily run a plex setup if that’s your thing. It can also play movies stored on the usb drive or from internal memory. Kodi? No problem, and All the usual apps like netflix, prime etc, along with access to the google store for more. Vpn software runs fine and generally the shield is faultless, Except if you are in the UK and want channel 4 catchup. There is no official app for it on the shield platform, though there is at least one alternative that be sideloaded to bring c4, c5 and more back into play on the shield but that’s something you need to look for yourself and needs to be installed from a 3rd party source.Control of the box has numerous options beyond the supplied remote including bluetooth games controllers, keyboards etc, but also an android phone app for controlling the shield. If you install the shield app on your phone you can not only control the shield from your phone itself, but can even find your remote if its gone awol down the back of a cushion as you can use the phone to tell the remote to sound a noise for thirty seconds at a time.As to the remote, it is an odd toblerone shape that lights up when you pick it up, it’s a weird feel at first with an equally odd button layout, but you get used to it fairly quickly. It has a dedicated netflix button, but if you dont have netflix there is a piece of software called button mapper that lets you completely disable it, or change its use to a short press, double press and long press so you can launch any one of 3 apps from that one button when needed. I accidentally press that button a lot when trying to turn down the volume, so consider button mapper if you don’t want to keep launching netflix by accident.The shield pro V2 came out in 2019 and hasn’t had an upgraded hardware revision since, which unbelievably is still a good thing as any new version would likely be running the latest firmware. When set up, I would highly suggest disabling auto firmware updates. Chances are it will download an update as soon as it sees your network, If it does you will get an ‘install fw update’ message on the home screen. Personally, I would ignore that update if I were you, and be aware that the update prompt can be switched off in the settings to never show up again if you want to avoid any accidental update later. The reason for not updating and crippling updates? Simply put? it’s Google. The latest firmware has google ads baked in. I dont want ads for disney etc on my box, I dont want any ads at all in fact, especially when this is a premium box so to my mind should have no forced ads as it was first released without such intrusions. But nvidia succumbed to corporate greed in tying their latest updates into this google BS and should hang their heads in shame for foisting it upon users in their latest updates. Stay on the firmware it came with and avoid the ads. If the thought of ads doesn't bother you then update away, I have found only one potential downside to not updating, and that is casting from your phone to the shield as the chromecast on the phone doesn’t trust the shields outdated profile. But considering the shield can do all the heavy lifting itself? Then casting from a phone seems superfluous.For a games controller I use an 8bitdo pro controller,, and like everything else it has been faultless on the shield. So to sum up, the ONLY operating negatives in the real world with the box are, no official channel4/5, the chromecast issue on older firmware, and having to avoid the latest firmware update to avoid google ads. It’s worth noting that updating to the latest firmware also causes some emulators to fail as well, so if gaming is a thing to you, then again, avoid the updates. There is one thing I really don’t like though, the power adapter is proprietary. It looks like a USB C connector but it isn’t. Don’t go ruining the port and potentially the shield by forcing a usb C connector in the power socket. If you are 50/50 on buying it, don’t give it another thought and buy it, this box is awesome and worth every penny it cost. Yes, it could be cheaper, but if you want a seriously good android media device, this is it.

This thingy is best of class - period. Even better than that, the after care is possibly the worlds best - others need to take note of nVidia.I bought this 2019 PRO model after my AMZN MAX HD failed. And I'm sooo happy that the AMZN MAX HD failed.6 years after the latest nVidia model launch - this device received an upgrade from nVidia in Febraury 2025 ... SIX YEARS AFTER-CARE - WTAH?! Truly epic manufacturer.I have plenty of choice running, BBC, NetFlix, Prime, Channel 5, Tubi, Twitch, YouTube, and much more. However, Channel 4 need to get it together as I am now watching them less (though I probably could add VirginGo to this device, hmm).This device is very fast, it multitasks so I can switch between running processes. The remote is sturdy and good but the Netflix button is annoying so I might open it up and disable that button given that the sw doesn't allow it to be disabled and it's way too easy to accidentally press (edit: fixed by buying one these cases... https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08DFPHMMN).The realtime FHD to UHD AI scaling is actually pretty good, I totally expected it to be poop, but nope, it works and I don't turn it off anymore. I am still to look into the nVidia gaming section (plenty of free games in there).I brought this to the states and used it there securely connected back to my home UK network flawlessly over WireGuard.The wonderful thing here is that nVidia are so big, that they probably run this division as a loss leader compared to their other departments, and unlike G00gle, nVidia have kept this product going, moreover, they maintain it! Team nVidia, you rock, please make more stuff!

I recently upgraded to the NVIDIA SHIELD Android TV Pro Streaming Media Player, and it has been a game-changer in my home entertainment setup. If you’re looking for an ideal replacement for the Amazon Fire Stick, this device is an outstanding choice. It delivers everything the Fire Stick does, but with a significant boost in performance, picture quality, and versatility.First off, the 4K HDR support on the SHIELD TV Pro is a major step up from the Fire Stick. Watching movies in Dolby Vision and streaming 4K content is a whole new experience. The picture is incredibly crisp, vibrant, and full of depth, paired with Dolby Atmos sound for immersive audio. It really makes a difference in the viewing experience, whether you're watching your favorite shows or streaming the latest movies.The AI-enhanced upscaling is another huge advantage. The SHIELD TV Pro upscales lower-resolution content to near-4K quality, which means even older shows and movies look sharper and more detailed. This is something the Fire Stick doesn’t quite match in terms of quality, especially for older content.As a gamer, I was blown away by the GeForce NOW Cloud Gaming feature. Unlike the Fire Stick, which is primarily focused on streaming, the SHIELD TV Pro also gives you access to a wide range of PC games without needing a gaming PC. This makes it a true multi-purpose device, perfect for both entertainment and gaming.What sets the NVIDIA SHIELD TV Pro apart even more is its side-loading capability. You can easily install third-party apps that may not be available in the Google Play Store, which is a huge benefit for customizing your device to suit your preferences. This flexibility far surpasses what the Amazon Fire Stick offers, especially for those who like to tinker with their setups or use niche apps.The Google Assistant built-in and Alexa compatibility also make controlling the device a breeze. Voice commands work seamlessly, whether you want to search for content, control playback, or adjust settings.Finally, the storage options on the SHIELD TV Pro are more generous than the Fire Stick. With 16GB of internal storage and the ability to expand it with external drives, you can store apps, games, and even record live TV if you choose.In conclusion, the NVIDIA SHIELD Android TV Pro is the perfect upgrade if you’re looking for more than what the Amazon Fire Stick offers. With superior 4K HDR quality, cloud gaming, side-loading support, and advanced smart features, this device provides a premium experience for anyone who wants more from their streaming setup. If you're ready to step up your home entertainment game, the SHIELD TV Pro is the way to go.