Nvidia Shield alternative?

[Neroon]

So our TV has been getting old, and while I'm still very satisfied with the image quality, the smart stuff has been getting incredibly slow. I'm on Android now and want to stick to it, I also want to be able to sideload APKs on it without too much hassle.

 

I want it to be relatively future proof, so while we use 1080p right now, I want 4K to be supported.

 

The Shield seemingly has everything I want, but I want more alternatives, especially price wise, because at around 200, I might just prefer to put that money towards a new TV.

[CustomEnchants]

Maybe a chromecast with googletv ?
Or something like a oDroid N2+

[manikyath]

there's a bunch of hdmi android tv dongle type devices.

 

before we got a smart TV i got this cheapo xiaomi android 'stick'. the default UI was god awful, but it was fairly trivial to just stick another skin overtop.

[SupaKomputa]

Android TV Box (ebay). There are plethora of choices, but usually they are classified with cpu cores numbers and ram capacity.

I suggest 4 cores minimum and 4gb ram.

You can get them cheap, like $30-70, depending on the specs.

They will do basic video or streaming. Gaming is a hit and miss.

These are not "Android TV", but vanilla open source android (like on phones) converted for tv, so may not work with ATV apps, but sideload normal apk usually work (depending on the OS version).

[SupaKomputa]

Just now, manikyath said:

cheapo xiaomi android 'stick'.

Forgot about this, this is the cheapest full fledged "android tv" you can have, pretty decent as smart tv add on.

[manikyath]

Just now, SupaKomputa said:

Forgot about this, this is the cheapest full fledged "android tv" you can have, pretty decent as smart tv add on.

for the cheap ones i'd prefer to say "acceptable" instead of "decent". but yes, very functional, and it's always just bone stock android under a very minimum effort skin.

[SupaKomputa]

Just now, manikyath said:

for the cheap ones i'd prefer to say "acceptable" instead of "decent". but yes, very functional, and it's always just bone stock android under a very minimum effort skin.

i call it decent because it is certified ATV not some Frankenstein Chinese mods. The performance is bad, due to low ram, but usable (i dont know how long).

[Fl0yd-]

you could get a generic andoid stick or hub from pretty much anywhere online, just make sure the specs qualify for your demands.

[sm1th5]

Do you need lossless audio? If yes then shield is the cheapest device I found to support it. I would have a chromecast 4k model if it supported Dolby true hd/dolby-atmos and dts hd ma, dts x.

 

Just have a review before you decide 

[Neroon]

I know there are a ton of generic stuff, I mean I've been using Android car radio's for like 5 years now. But my experience with them have been great for the most part, but problematic at other times. Ranging some hanging, bad wifi, compatibility issues etc.

Obviously sideloading helps, and I'm a big fan of having that available, but I want the majority to just update without hassle.

 

I need it to be simple to use for most use, I mean my gf needs to be able to use it, and yeah it needs to be future proof, so words like decent and acceptable are not the words I'm looking for.

Gaming is absolutely not required. Lossless audio isn't required either, we still use the TV speakers (I know... my GF has a big issue with placing speakers... I've got a much better set up in my mancave), I mean I hope to find a soundbar small enough to fit the slot in our TV cabinet (like 40 cm wide and 10 high)

 

I just really want something that is future proof, the thing that I will keep using when we eventually buy a new TV, that will still run fine in like 5-10 years for the most part.

[tikker]

12 hours ago, Neroon said:

I just really want something that is future proof, the thing that I will keep using when we eventually buy a new TV, that will still run fine in like 5-10 years for the most part.

That's a bit of a tall order and like all future proofing questions mostly unanswerable or even moot. I'm extremely happy with my Shield 2019 Pro model and I expect it to last me a long time coming, but 5-10 years is just anyone's guess. As an analogy, all it takes is something like RTX popping up to render previous tech obsolete. For streaming that may mean a new codec for which your device doesn't have hardware decoding, for example, or for some unimaginable reason the industry ditching HDR10 and Dolby Vision in favour of the latest smell-o-vision. I don't think that is likely at this point though except for a new codec somewhere in the next decade maybe.

 

I'm not sure if I would recommend it for just streaming. I do use my Shield Pro for more than just streaming services, so I get more money's worth out of it, but if if offers what you need it would get my 2 cents if you want to buy one thing and be done with it.

[sm1th5]

Don't get a soundbar. They are God awful compared to real speakers. If your gf hates speakers tell her no speakers means no sound. It's simple as that.

 

They are the enemy of speakers. They have issues for unknown reasons.

 

Just use the tv apps if you don't need anything special.

[tikker]

21 hours ago, sm1th5 said:

Don't get a soundbar. They are God awful compared to real speakers. If your gf hates speakers tell her no speakers means no sound. It's simple as that.

 

They are the enemy of speakers. They have issues for unknown reasons.

 

Just use the tv apps if you don't need anything special.

Don't know what you're on about, but soundbars can sound pretty good and are generally much better than the speakers built into the TV.

[pauloforte]

On 7/25/2022 at 5:36 PM, Neroon said:

So our TV has been getting old, and while I'm still very satisfied with the image quality, the smart stuff has been getting incredibly slow. I'm on Android now and want to stick to it, I also want to be able to sideload APKs on it without too much hassle.

 

I want it to be relatively future proof, so while we use 1080p right now, I want 4K to be supported.

 

The Shield seemingly has everything I want, but I want more alternatives, especially price wise, because at around 200, I might just prefer to put that money towards a new TV.

On 7/26/2022 at 12:20 AM, Neroon said:

I know there are a ton of generic stuff, I mean I've been using Android car radio's for like 5 years now. But my experience with them have been great for the most part, but problematic at other times. Ranging some hanging, bad wifi, compatibility issues etc.

Obviously sideloading helps, and I'm a big fan of having that available, but I want the majority to just update without hassle.

 

I need it to be simple to use for most use, I mean my gf needs to be able to use it, and yeah it needs to be future proof, so words like decent and acceptable are not the words I'm looking for.

Gaming is absolutely not required. Lossless audio isn't required either, we still use the TV speakers (I know... my GF has a big issue with placing speakers... I've got a much better set up in my mancave), I mean I hope to find a soundbar small enough to fit the slot in our TV cabinet (like 40 cm wide and 10 high)

 

I just really want something that is future proof, the thing that I will keep using when we eventually buy a new TV, that will still run fine in like 5-10 years for the most part.

Honestly, having tried one of those generic Android TV devices you can get on Amazon for "cheap", trust me: the relatively small amount of money you save compared to the Shield is NOT worth the hassle. They're untrustworthy, flakey, the hardware is miles away from a Shield, there are no updates so security concerns are real, TONS of compatibility issues, user-friendliness is zero...

It was a running joke in my household: whenever we would try to watch something in that awful thing, my wife would start doing something else cause she knew it was going to take ages for it to start.

I was on the same boat as you (not wanting to buy a shield because it's slightly more expensive) but in the end it pays off. Big time!

I have one for years now and I've never had an issue with it. You won't find anything more future-proof and suited for your needs than that on the market right now.

Think of it this way: if you buy something else now, you're not putting "that money towards a new TV": you're wasting the money you spend on a crappier device and even if you manage to trod on using the generic device, the only thing you saved was the difference between that and the Shield. Which will be honestly very insignificant when compared to what a new TV costs.

TL;DR: Buying cheap is wasting money. Either buy the Shield and have another relaxed 5-7 years using the same TV; or bite the bullet and buy a new TV now which will last you another 8-10 years.

 

Regarding the soundbar: I don't get the hate. I never got it when people go ballistic if you don't get what they deem as suitable listening devices. Compared to your TV speakers a good soundbar from a reputable brand (NOT Razer's...) will improve your listening experience by miles! Adding to that the GF Approval Factor, it's a no-brainer.

 

Edited July 28, 2022 by pauloforte

[Neroon]

On 7/26/2022 at 12:30 PM, tikker said:

That's a bit of a tall order and like all future proofing questions mostly unanswerable or even moot. I'm extremely happy with my Shield 2019 Pro model and I expect it to last me a long time coming, but 5-10 years is just anyone's guess. As an analogy, all it takes is something like RTX popping up to render previous tech obsolete. For streaming that may mean a new codec for which your device doesn't have hardware decoding, for example, or for some unimaginable reason the industry ditching HDR10 and Dolby Vision in favour of the latest smell-o-vision. I don't think that is likely at this point though except for a new codec somewhere in the next decade maybe.

 

I'm not sure if I would recommend it for just streaming. I do use my Shield Pro for more than just streaming services, so I get more money's worth out of it, but if if offers what you need it would get my 2 cents if you want to buy one thing and be done with it.

I thought I had responded before, but I guess I ended up not submitting.

 

Yes new technologies do come out, but at the same time quality products tend to last long. They get support longer for updates, and their hardware is made to be solid in a few years time, vs the bare minimum for today.

 

I've also found that old technologies are usually used and supported a long time. My 12 year old receiver still receives multiple surround audio signals just fine from my Xbox Series X. Does it support the latest, no. Does that matter? Not really.

 

Obviously 10 years is a lot, but if a 10 year old S3 has Android 11 through LineageOS, it's definitely possible.

 

On 7/26/2022 at 2:35 PM, sm1th5 said:

Don't get a soundbar. They are God awful compared to real speakers. If your gf hates speakers tell her no speakers means no sound. It's simple as that.

 

They are the enemy of speakers. They have issues for unknown reasons.

 

Just use the tv apps if you don't need anything special.

No speakers no sound? Right, we live in 2022, not 1922.

 

Soundbars are real speakers, they come in different types of quality. Do I have this in my mancave? Absolutely not, but downstairs where I want an upgrade to my tv speakers, I got plenty of choice.

4 hours ago, pauloforte said:

Honestly, having tried one of those generic Android TV devices you can get on Amazon for "cheap", trust me: the relatively small amount of money you save compared to the Shield is NOT worth the hassle. They're untrustworthy, flakey, the hardware is miles away from a Shield, there are no updates so security concerns are real, TONS of compatibility issues, user-friendliness is zero...

It was a running joke in my household: whenever we would try to watch something in that awful thing, my wife would start doing something else cause she knew it was going to take ages for it to start.

I was on the same boat as you (not wanting to buy a shield because it's slightly more expensive) but in the end it pays off. Big time!

I have one for years now and I've never had an issue with it. You won't find anything more future-proof and suited for your needs than that on the market right now.

Think of it this way: if you buy something else now, you're not putting "that money towards a new TV": you're wasting the money you spend on a crappier device and even if you manage to trod on using the generic device, the only thing you saved was the difference between that and the Shield. Which will be honestly very insignificant when compared to what a new TV costs.

TL;DR: Buying cheap is wasting money. Either buy the Shield and have another relaxed 5-7 years using the same TV; or bite the bullet and buy a new TV now which will last you another 8-10 years.

 

Regarding the soundbar: I don't get the hate. I never got it when people go ballistic if you don't get what they deem as suitable listening devices. Compared to your TV speakers a good soundbar from a reputable brand (NOT Razer's...) will improve your listening experience by miles! Adding to that the GF Approval Factor, it's a no-brainer.

 

That's my feeling, and I was hoping I was missing some great products that I hadn't seen yet, but sadly there isn't. Leaving me between the Shield and the Google TV stick. Guess I need to make that decision.

[tikker]

13 minutes ago, Neroon said:

I thought I had responded before, but I guess I ended up not submitting.

 

Yes new technologies do come out, but at the same time quality products tend to last long. They get support longer for updates, and their hardware is made to be solid in a few years time, vs the bare minimum for today.

 

I've also found that old technologies are usually used and supported a long time. My 12 year old receiver still receives multiple surround audio signals just fine from my Xbox Series X. Does it support the latest, no. Does that matter? Not really.

 

Obviously 10 years is a lot, but if a 10 year old S3 has Android 11 through LineageOS, it's definitely possible.

Yep, that's along the lines of what I meant. I don't see current HDR or surround formats dissappearing anytime soon, so a lot of functionality will remain. The amount of stuff the Shield supports in that regard makes me consider it the most future proof thing. Mine have happily been doing duty for 3 years now. The first died after a year for an unknown reason, but the second one is still going strong.

[sm1th5]

On 7/27/2022 at 10:30 PM, tikker said:

Don't know what you're on about, but soundbars can sound pretty good and are generally much better than the speakers built into the TV.

Not better than av receiver with speakers. This is the point. Speakers sounds alot better and Dolby atmos works as intended and has full detailed sound.

 

You don't get that with a soundbar.

 

People who think soundbars are great usually haven't heard a real system before.

It's the sound quality that matters does it not?

[tikker]

12 hours ago, sm1th5 said:

Not better than av receiver with speakers. This is the point. Speakers sounds alot better and Dolby atmos works as intended and has full detailed sound.

 

You don't get that with a soundbar.

 

People who think soundbars are great usually haven't heard a real system before.

It's the sound quality that matters does it not?

Obviously, but the fact that something better exists doesn't mean the other thing is bad. A soundbar will give you better sound than the built-in speakers or some of those cheap tiny speaker sets. They can certainly produce more than acceptable sound. And yes, I have heard a "real system" before as I do have a proper 5.1.2 setup. I will suggest normal speakers if the budget is there for it, but those are not always an option be it personal taste or because the room doesn't allow for it. Especially your surround experience will be notably diminished if you cannot place your speakers correctly. I can say that from experience, as my satellites where in a wrong position at first and moving them to where they should me improved the soundscape a lot.

[dalekphalm]

On 7/25/2022 at 11:36 AM, Neroon said:

So our TV has been getting old, and while I'm still very satisfied with the image quality, the smart stuff has been getting incredibly slow. I'm on Android now and want to stick to it, I also want to be able to sideload APKs on it without too much hassle.

 

I want it to be relatively future proof, so while we use 1080p right now, I want 4K to be supported.

 

The Shield seemingly has everything I want, but I want more alternatives, especially price wise, because at around 200, I might just prefer to put that money towards a new TV.

Not sure if it'll fit your budget or not, but a used Xbox One S is one of the best bang for your buck media devices out there - and bonus, it has a built-in 4K UHD Blu-Ray player. It's not Android and can't sideload apps though.

 

The Shield is generally considered the next best media device. You can definitely find less expensive Android TV streaming boxes, but generally quality will suffer.

[Neroon]

3 hours ago, dalekphalm said:

Not sure if it'll fit your budget or not, but a used Xbox One S is one of the best bang for your buck media devices out there - and bonus, it has a built-in 4K UHD Blu-Ray player. It's not Android and can't sideload apps though.

 

The Shield is generally considered the next best media device. You can definitely find less expensive Android TV streaming boxes, but generally quality will suffer.

I considered that, since I have 1 spare (got an Series X), but sideloading is absolutely something I need, especially since the Xbox does not support all de streaming apps we use (from the Netherlands, and 2 are still not supported)