Nvidia's 10-year effort to make the Shield TV the most updated Android device

Desire for a Hardware Refresh

• Many want a new Shield but struggle to define a “must-buy” upgrade beyond:
  • Newer codecs (AV1, better Dolby Vision including FEL), modern Wi‑Fi/WPA3, USB‑C.
  • Better frame rate detection/auto switching and more horsepower/connectivity.
  • Clear signal the product line isn’t dead, plus more consistent security updates.
• Others say the current devices remain “good enough”: 4K remux playback, Jellyfin/Plex, game streaming, and upscaling still work very well.
• Some report issues: overheating requiring repasting, weak Bluetooth, and occasional bricking after updates.

State of the Android TV / Streaming Box Market

• Commenters describe the broader Android TV box ecosystem as “frozen in time”:
  • Most mainstream boxes use old SoCs with minimal performance gains.
  • Cheaper boxes have weak support, DRM incompatibilities, codec gaps, or flaky firmware.
• Nvidia’s decade-old Tegra X1 is still regarded as competitive versus newer certified SoCs, highlighting market stagnation.

Alternatives: Apple TV, Niche Boxes, PCs, and TVs

• Ugoos AM6B Plus + CoreELEC is praised for accurate Dolby Vision Profile 7 FEL playback and local media, but:
  • Poor for mainstream streaming services and depends on custom firmware.
• Apple TV is praised for speed, smooth UI, and fewer ads, but criticized for:
  • Limited codec/audio pass-through support and some HDR/bitstreaming gaps.
  • Several users counter that Infuse/Plex handle most formats they care about.
• Mini PCs offer flexibility and power (e.g., with Jellyfin) but usually lack Widevine/DRM for high-quality streaming.
• Some rely on TV-native OSes (e.g., LG) which are “good enough” for basic apps and Jellyfin.

User Experience, Ads, and Launchers

• Strong resentment toward Google TV’s ad-heavy, sometimes auto-playing home screen.
• Many install alternative launchers (Projectivy, Flauncher) and use ADB “debloat” steps or freeze launcher updates.
• Debate over whether such tweaks are simple and safe or lead to hard-to-maintain, unknown system states.
• Some explicitly downgraded firmware versions to avoid later UI/ads regressions.

Why Long-Term Support Happened (and Why It’s Rare)

• One view: long-term Shield updates were only possible because Nvidia controls the SoC and device (vertical integration) whereas vendors relying on Qualcomm are blocked when SoC support ends.
• Another view: vertical integration alone isn’t enough; Shield longevity mainly happened because leadership explicitly prioritized and funded it.
• Comparisons with phones (Samsung, others) and anecdotal horror stories highlight how unusually good 10‑year support is in the Android world.
• Some note this commitment hasn’t extended to all Nvidia hardware (e.g., Shield tablet, Jetson boards).

DRM, Codecs, and Self‑Hosted Media

• DRM and certification are seen as the core reason set-top SoCs stagnate:
  • Studios impose strict requirements; certification is costly, complex, and SoC makers dislike repeating it.
• DRM also blocks:
  • Using generic mini PCs or LineageOS/Linux while retaining high-quality Netflix/Disney+/etc.
  • Easy adoption of something like SteamOS with full streaming app support.
• Users split between:
  • Accepting DRM to satisfy family/kids and mainstream content.
  • Rejecting DRM, relying on self-hosted media and *arr tools, and questioning why they pay for inferior streaming quality vs Blu‑ray.

Reliability and Hardware Design Opinions

• Some Shields have run daily for ~10 years with minimal issues; others report early deaths (sometimes after storms) or buggy updates that temporarily broke NAS/live TV use.
• The 2019 “tube” design is disliked by some because ports on opposite ends complicate cable management and placement; older flat designs are preferred.
• There is broad sentiment that, if Nvidia ever released a modernized Shield with fewer ads and updated codecs, many would buy it immediately—but most doubt Nvidia will prioritize this over AI and datacenter business.