Ever since NVIDIA launched the Shield TV in 2015 it features in lists of best Android TV boxes in the $200 budget range, although it can raise to close to $300 if you do not live in a country where the Shield TV is not officially sold.
The company launched a more compact version in 2017, and NVIDIA just officially announced upgraded Shield TV and Shield TV Pro 2019 models with a more powerful Tegra X1+ Processor delivering a 25% boost, as well as Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision support.
As you can see from the photo above the Shield TV now has a completely different cylindrical design, while the Shield TV Pro keeps the traditional design of the box. However, both share many of the same specifications:
- SoC – NVIDIA Tegra X1+ processor with a 256-core NVIDIA GPU
- Memory & Storage
- Shield: 2 GB RAM; 8GB eMMC flash; MicroSD card slot
- Shield Pro: 3GB RAM; 16GB eMMC flash; MicroSD card slot
- Video
- HDMI 2.0b output up to 4K @ 60 Hz with HDCP 2.2 and CEC support
- 4K HDR Ready
- Dolby Vision HDR and HDR10
- AI-enhanced upscaling for 720p/1080p to 4K up to 30 FPS
- Up to 4K HDR playback at 60 FPS (H.265/HEVC)
- Up to 4K playback at 60 FPS (VP8, VP9, H.264, MPEG1/2)
- Up to 1080p playback at 60 FPS (H.263, MJPEG, MPEG4, WMV9/VC1)
- Format/Container support: Xvid/ DivX/ASF/AVI/MKV/MOV/M2TS/MPEG-TS/MP4/WEB-M
- Audio
- Dolby Audio (Dolby Digital, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Atmos)
- DTS-X surround sound (pass-through) over HDMI
- High-resolution audio playback up to 24-bit/192 kHz over HDMI and USB
- High-resolution audio up-sample to 24-bit/192 kHz over USB
- Audio support: AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, MP3, WAVE, AMR, OGG Vorbis, FLAC, PCM, WMA, WMA-Pro, WMA-Lossless, Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Atmos, Dolby TrueHD (pass-through), DTS-X (pass-through), and DTS-HD (pass-through)
- Connectivity – Gigabit Ethernet, 802.11ac 2×2 MIMO 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi 5, Bluetooth 5.0 + LE
- USB (Shield Pro only) – 2x USB 3.0 ports
- Power Supply
- Shield – Built-in
- Shield Pro – 40 W power adapter (5-10 W typical consumption)
- Dimensions & Weight
- Shield – 16.5 cm x 4 cm ∅ ; 137 grams
- Shield Pro – 15.9 x 9.8 x 2.6 cm; 250 grams
Both run Android TV 9.0 (Pie) with Chromecast 4K built-in, “SHIELD Experience” firmware upgrades directly from NVIDIA, Google Assistant and Alexa support, as well as premium apps such as Netflix, Prime Video, or Vudu.
The included SHIELD remote works over Bluetooth and is equipped with a microphone for voice search and commands, motion-activated backlit buttons, an IR blaster for control of volume and power on TVs, soundbars, or receivers, as well as a remote locator for finding a lost remote. It is powered by two AAA batteries which are included in the package.
The Shield TV and Shield TV Pro can be purchased on NVIDIA, Amazon and other shops for respectively $149.99 and $199.99, but you’d have to be a little more patient for the PRO version as it will only start shipping on November 5, 2019. More details about both models can be found on NVIDIA website.
Jean-Luc started CNX Software in 2010 as a part-time endeavor, before quitting his job as a software engineering manager, and starting to write daily news, and reviews full time later in 2011.
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Cylindrical? For what purpose…
That’s what the press release reads about the new design:
Maybe it’s just meant to look like a speaker.
Its good to see that Jony Ive can still find work!
Probably that it will be used with the feces image analyser in the other article, and will be sold as a kit with the camera directly mounted on it for use when people experience constipation. Sorry but I couldn’t resist 🙂
It’s designed to go behind your TV cabinet, although I’m not quite sure why…
Overpriced just for streaming… and for gaming is a ps4 way better…
herp t derp
8GB ROM, for such money as any Chinese set top box has 32GB or even 64GB. what a stinginess
Throw a quality 512gb Micro SDcard in and format to internal storage and won’t have to worry about downloading too many apps and games. The 2GB Ram / 8GB Storage for the streaming-tube Shield is most likely influenced by Google with the majority of Certified AndroidTV OS devices only coming with 2GB/8GB, almost like it is a requirement to build them that way.
Nice theory but it’s not a requirement.
Plenty of 16GB certified ATV STB in the market, as well as 32 or 64 in the case of the Mecool KM3 and KM9 Pro.
buy a mecool then!
LOL I just spent 1/2 an hour looking for the mythical unicorn with 16GB certified ATV STB Throw us up a link to a few or STFU…
A few of those with 16GB flash or more:
https://www.cnx-software.com/2019/10/31/buy-minix-neo-t5-google-android-tv-certified-media-hub/
https://www.cnx-software.com/2019/04/04/mecool-km3-android-tv-9-0-certified-tv-box/
https://www.cnx-software.com/2018/01/10/geniatech-atv598-max-is-a-certified-android-tv-hybrid-tv-box-with-atsc-dvb-t2-dvb-c-or-isdb-t-digital-tv-tuner/
buy a Chinese on then mate!
I see it can use ir blaster to control the tv channels from your tv, mine unfortunately uses Bluetooth to control my tv and information is vague if the remote can do the same as the ir blaster with Bluetooth to control the tv channels.
How does one side load apps on the round one as there are no usb ports?
I’m still waiting for my old 2009 TV to brake to upgrade to something new and test those fancy new 4K stuff. Even if it brakes, though, I’ll first try to fix it and if I can’t, I will finally upgrade.
TX1 is extremely overpowered for a TV box…