Before I buy Shield

Plex Media Server NAS & Devices
1

I’m fed up with PS4 subtitle problems (and power consumption) and want to buy Shield. Before I need to know:

My setup - Plex server on Synology 918+. Most of the library full hd with bitrate up to 15 Mbits. Just a few 4k movies. Recently I have problems to play on PS4 any movie with subtitles (SRT or others included in the file). 2-3 months ago it work well only except to 4K movies.

  1. Will I get rid of problems with subtitles by using Plex client on Shield?
  2. I’m confused - is there any difference between Shield 2017 and 2018? I thought that there is no new version of shield but some websites mentioned Shield 2018.
  3. I need only 16GB version with remote. 500GB version is not needed if I want use only Plex client (not server)?
  4. If I want to play 4K movie on my TV (when I buy 4k) and listen to audio from my amplituner which is 3 years old and probably does not support 4 k) how should I connect it?. HDMI to tv and… I don’t see any audio output in Shield. Really? They forgot about it?

Thanks in advance for any support with these questions.

Piotr

2

Edit:

I think there is a hope for audio (no. 4) I checked specs of receiver (Yamaha RX-773) and I see something like this: 4K Pass-Through and upscaling for next-generation high resolution images.
So maybe I can use just HDMI for both audio & video. Am I right?

3

Hi Piotr,

  1. srt subtitles external and/or embedded work very well with the Plex app for android tv.
  2. Latest version is 2017.
  3. Worth checking out the version with the controller as is often discounted.
  4. if as you say your A/V receiver supports 4K passthrough then try to connect them as follows:
    Shield TV (HDMI)–> Yamaha HDMI 1 BD/DVD–> Yamaha HDMI 1 Out (ARC) --> TV HDMI ARC and enable audio passthrough on the shield.

Good luck,
vangeliis

4

Sorry to jump in @Vangeliis
I have a Shield and a Yamaha RX-V581 so I guess I should be connecting the same way?

Shield -> AV -> TV

I did have both the RX-V581 and the Shield going to HDMI inputs on the TV. Doh!

5

Most definitely and make sure you enable audio passthrough on your shield’s settings.

good luck.