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.
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.
Which Shield device do you have?
You could get great improvements replacing the internal mechanical hard drive for a SSD.
Did it for mine, and the speed improvement is very noticeable. Specially when updating or rebooting the device.
I used this guide, and I’m still seeding the drive image torrent: https://xdaforums.com/t/nvidia-shield-tv-ssd-done.3402580/
I opened it last night to blow out the dust and there wasn’t a physical drive. I know it’s old and could likely be the 2017 Pro.
It doesn’t have an AI upscaler option in settings so I think it’s 2017
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.
Wouldn’t the Google TV Streamer be plenty for you? I think it’s quite a bit cheaper than the Shield too. However, you’re gonna be hard pressed to find a device more powerful than the Shield so if it’s sluggish there might be something wrong with it.
They are definitely sluggish devices. They don’t hold up in 2025, and it’s absurd Nvidia hasn’t released a successor.
I don’t mind spending money. I have been looking at building an x86 android TV and getting a mini pc. But Netflix wouldn’t be supported without hacks.
My shield is a 2017 pro model. Maybe I’d benefit from a 2019?
I’ve had both the old pro and the new non-pro and I’ve noticed no difference. Plex crashes sometimes, that’s pretty much it.
@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
