Long time plex user. Looking for suggestions for a replacement plex client, which offers the highest playback quality and features. Currently have a Tivo Mini in each room, and only after then I learn of its 720P / 4 Mbps / DTS playback restrictions. Boo. Tivo is from the cable company, and they don’t offer the newer Tivo hardware (i.e. TiVo Mini VOX).
Requirements
Not buying a new TV with app support for Plex (Sony, LG, etc).
Not a console user, so no Playstation, Xbox, Shield
Not an Apple user
Want native H264 playback
Ideally can playback H265 content natively
Want Dolby & DTS support
Want dedicated remote (or ability to program into an existing smart remote) aka no phone.
Ethernet port ideal.
WiFi 5 Ghz MIMO minimum
HDMI v2+
With all of those requirements, it seems like the few remaining options are:
Not sure why Mi Box makes the cut but Shield doesn’t? Even though it’s made by Nvidia, it is fundamentally just a very well spec’d Android TV unit. I have both, and they both work well, though I have added a USB ethernet adaptor to the Mi Box. The Shield is better as it continues to receive android upgrades and is a bit snappier.
You would want the version without the game controller.
It seems bizarre to ask for recommendations for a client with highest playback quality & features & then to arbitrarily rule out two of the three best clients for Plex currently available (Apple TV 4K & Nvidia Shield).
@nigelpb said:
It seems bizarre to ask for recommendations for a client with highest playback quality & features & then to arbitrarily rule out two of the three best clients for Plex currently available (Apple TV 4K & Nvidia Shield).
Apple TV will now allow Plex sync. Android boxes (like the aging Mi Box) do is you keep the UI in “mobile mode.” – STUPID, as that should be available for both interfaces.
@jfreiman said:
Apple TV will now allow Plex sync. Android boxes (like the aging Mi Box) do is you keep the UI in “mobile mode.” – STUPID, as that should be available for both interfaces.
The Mi Box 3 runs Android TV and has the same Plex as the Shield, if I interpret you correctly.
To the OP -as you are seeing from these replies, the Shield might be the device for you.
I’m very happy with my Nvidia Shield. Supports all necessary audio codecs. The HDR material I have is all HDR10, so lack of Dolby Vision is not an issue.
The 3rd-party Plex client MrMC transforms the Amazon Fire TV 4k & Apple TV 4K into the best available Plex client boxes available alongside the Nvidia Shield with audio passthrough & the ability to Direct Play all forms of media. MrMC is basically Kodi without the naughty addons with a nice UI for Plex. It’s also available for the Shield so you don’t have to live with the ghastly Android TV official Plex client.
Infuse is a 3rd-party Plex client for the Apple TV designed from the ground up & also gives a nice UI plus audio passthrough & the ability to Direct Play all forms of media.
The Apple TV 4K with MrMC or Infuse is probably the best Plex client box currently available with audio passthrough & HDR10 & Dolby Vision.
Alrighty, sounds like I should take another look at the Shield. Wasn’t really looking to spend $180 on a streaming media player… but certainly sounds like its has the most forward looking feature set among all the options (sans building/buying a HTPC).
Any need to get the Shield 16 GB version or standalone will suffice?
I don’t know why you are so set on the Shield even though the Amazon Fire TV 4K with MrMC provides the same features & is less than half the price but if you do get one then at least do yourself a favour & pay the trivial amount it costs for MrMC. The official Plex client on the Shield is awful as it shares the same horrid Android TV app with the Amazon Fire TV. whereas MrMC provides a decent Plex client with a reasonable UI.
