Hello,
There are several Nvidia Shields. I currently have the 2019 Pro version and I am very happy with it.
There are several versions of the Shield and I was wondering what limitations are to the other. I know the cylindrical 2019 version is one to avoid when considering as a plex client (not server).
How about the other versions? Are they worth considering if they become available for a reasonable price?
2015 SHIELD TV
2015 SHIELD TV Pro
2017 SHIELD TV
2017 SHIELD TV Pro
sure.
only the 2019’s support dolby vision, if that is important to you.
the only thing I would be concerned over an older/used shield, is the life of the internal flash disk. I don’t think I have heard anyone had the internal run out of writes, but that doesn’t mean it hasn’t or won’t happen.
Thank you for your reply TeknoJunky.
Dolby Vision is not essential to me.
So except for Dolby Vision, all Shield TV Pros are basically the same?
Does this also include those that are not Pro as well?
For the most part the pro versions are the same. There’s a slightly upgraded chip in the 2019 pro but I doubt you’d ever see any difference
For someone trying to run a server I would recommend the 2019 pro, but since you’re just using it as a client you could probably get away with an older pro version.
I’ve heard of people having issues with Plex using the non-pro tube models. They would probably be fine for someone using Netflix, but an extra GB of ram seems to make a noticeable difference using Plex
2019 has Bluetooth 5.0 vs. 4.1. Probably not a deal breaker
The biggest difference is probably the AI upscaling feature. The 2019 pro is the only pro version that has that feature. I have a 2015 pro and haven’t tested it, but some people seem to really like that. If you have a lot of 480p,720p,1080p content and have a 4k tv it might be something to consider
I think it comes down to how good a deal can you get. For me an extra 30 or 40 bucks for the 2019 pro would be worth it. An extra 75 or 100 bucks? Maybe not
I’ve had good luck with some used electronics for people just looking to upgrade, and bad luck with people putting a band aid on half-broken devices. Cost vs. aggravation is also a factor
Thank you JaysPlex7 for your explanation. I’ve also heard about the issues with the tube model. I’ll stay away from that one then 
I have 3 2019 tubes that work quite well with Plex. I can stream 4K and all of the HD audio formats as well (I don’t have an Atmos or DTS-X setup but my receiver shows that that is the stream coming in). I haven’t tried to stream DOVI so I can’t comment on that. I don’t really notice a difference with the AI upscaling so I tend to leave it off. The Beta-Match Frame Rate does work quite well though.
They do have issues with the Mpeg encoding of a few DVDs and some OTA 1080i broadcasts. I think that it is an issue with the encoder being used by the studio/network and it causes the frames to stutter and tear to the point it is unwatchable. Having Plex transcode from 1080i to 1080p does clear it up somewhat so that you can watch the program.
As for OTA TV with HDHR Prime, Connect and ATSC3.0 tuners, it works very well too. I can watch all OTA and subscribed channels even with DRM flags and ATSC3.0 comes through with perfect AC4 audio.
I don’t record with them so I can’t comment on that either. I installed a 64GB mSD card and made that part of the system storage and haven’t come close to running out of space. I also don’t game with them so again, no comment.
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