Choosing a TV box for a gamer: NVIDIA Shield, Apple TV or Xiaomi Mi TV Box? Nvidia Shield TV takes cloud gaming to the next level

Which TV box should you choose if you are into video games? We understand the market for similar devices.

Gambling addiction https: //www.site/ https: //www.site/

Iron workshop

Although TVs are getting smarter every year, and their capabilities are not limited to watching cable channels from the nearest provider, set-top boxes are still popular. It's not even that buying a small box for an old TV is easier and cheaper than buying a new Smart TV, it's just that set-top boxes allow you to get functionality that smart TVs don't have and most likely won't.

In this article, we will compare set-top boxes from well-known manufacturers that officially supply their devices to Russia. Of course, taking into account the specifics of the site, we will also consider the gaming capabilities of the devices.

Apple TV 4K

In September 2017 Apple announced a new set-top box Apple TV 4Kwhich supports 4K resolution and high dynamic range (HDR). Unlike most other similar devices, the media player received a proprietary tvOS operating system. Starting from the fourth generation (Apple TV 4K is the fifth), the set-top box supports the installation of adapted applications from the App Store, including games.

In addition to the set-top box itself, the Apple TV 4K comes with a user manual, a network cable, a remote control, and a Lightning cable for recharging it. There is no HDMI cable included, you have to buy it. Apple TV 4K uses the A10X Fusion processor (like the iPad Pro) to ensure fast playback of any content and great gaming performance. The manufacturer offers models with 32 and 64 GB of memory, but when buying a set-top box, you need to remember that you will not be able to increase the amount of internal storage.

Of course, the main advantage of Apple TV 4K over competitors is the ability to work with the company's branded services - iCloud, iTunes and the App Store. Users accustomed to the Apple ecosystem are unlikely to trade it for anything else. Apple TV 4K supports streaming music, video, and desktop from other Apple devices using AirPlay technology. As for the standard features for any set-top box, here Apple TV 4K is in no way inferior to devices on Android, providing support for a variety of content formats and the ability to work with a lot of streaming services.

NVIDIA Shield TV

TV box NVIDIA Shield TV is built on the basis of SoC Tegra X1, which includes four computing cores Cortex A57 and Cortex A53. Thanks to this chip, the set-top box works significantly faster than similar Android devices like Amazon Fire TV (not officially sold in Russia).

The NVIDIA Shield TV Remote only comes with a power supply, remote control, and user manual. In addition, you can buy a set with a wireless controller, but it costs 3900 rubles more. The controller, if necessary, can be purchased separately, as well as some accessories - for example, a stand for vertical positioning of the console.

NVIDIA Shield TV supports a variety of video formats and content transmission from Russian and foreign streaming services, as well as can work with 4K and HDR formats. The set-top box has a voice control function, the ability to work with USB-drives and Google Cast technology, which can transfer images from all compatible devices to the TV without a wired connection.

But the main advantage of NVIDIA Shield TV is its gaming capabilities! The set-top box supports GeForce Now technology for streaming from the NVIDIA cloud service, which allows you to enjoy a variety of PC games without installing them and, importantly, even without a computer. Among other hits on the list are The Bureau: XCOM Declassified, BioShock 2 Remastered, Outlast 2, Deus Ex: Human Revolution, Thief and other worthy projects. Those who have a productive computer at home will love the ability to stream games from PC to set-top box using GameStream technology. Finally, it's worth mentioning the Android ports adapted for NVIDIA Shield TV by the studio. NVIDIA Lightspeed Studios... Here and Metal gear solid 3and Super meat boyand Half-Life 2: Episode Two... In general, it will be enough for the first time.

Xiaomi Mi TV Box

In our review Xiaomi Mi TV Box not only the smallest and lightest, but also the most affordable TV box. Of course, Xiaomi Mi TV Box is even cheaper in Chinese online stores, but there is a risk that later you will have to carefully study third-party sites and find out all the nuances regarding flashing the device.

The Xiaomi Mi TV Box comes with a power supply, remote control, HDMI cable and user manual. The AMlogic S905 processor with four Cortex-A53 cores and a Mali-450 graphics subsystem roughly matches the MediaTek MT6737 in benchmarks, which makes it not the most suitable solution for high-performance games, but in many cases it is quite enough. When it comes to video playback in 4K resolution, the Xiaomi Mi TV Box copes with it without problems.

GS Gamekit

Own set-top boxes are produced not only by well-known hardware manufacturers, but also by satellite TV operators. For example, "Tricolor TV" offers a device called GS Gamekit, which the company calls a game console with a digital satellite TV reception function.

Compared to other TV boxes, the GS Gamekit looks quite modest. It is designed to work with Tricolor TV services and cannot even offer support for 4K resolution, not to mention any additional functionality. As for the gaming component, Tricolor TV promises more than seven dozen games in the catalog, including applications for two gamepads, which cannot be compared with the App Store or Google Play.

If you consider buying a TV box from a gamer's point of view, then the NVIDIA Shield TV is by far the best choice. In this case, take the version with a wireless controller. Of course, NVIDIA Shield TV is more expensive than competitors, but for this amount you will get not only a hybrid of a TV box and a productive Android console, but also the ability to play PC games without a computer or stream them from PC to set-top box wirelessly. Just remember that GeForce Now needs a fast internet connection, and GameStream needs a powerful computer with a GeForce graphics card.

Apple TV 4K will be chosen by those who are already accustomed to the Apple ecosystem and actively use other gadgets from this manufacturer. Xiaomi Mi TV Box is perfect for getting all the Smart TV features without buying a new TV. As for the GS Gamekit, the purchase of this TV box looks dubious from any point of view.

• Processor: NVIDIA Tegra X1, 64-bit, 20 nm process technology, 64-bit, four Cortex-A57 processor cores (with 2MB L2 cache) and four Cortex-A53
• Graphics: NVIDIA, 256 cores
• Memory: 3 GB RAM, 16 GB internal + external drives
• OS: Android 7.0 (Nougat) based on Android TV and Google Cast (Chromecast built in)
• Network: Wi-Fi b / g / n / ac MiMO, Dual Band, Gigabit Ethernet, Bluetooth version 4.1, HDMI-CEC 2.0b (HDCP 2.2 + HDR10)
• Sound: Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby Atmos 7.1 / 5.1 Pass-though
• Gaming Capabilities: NVIDIA GeForce NOW ™ Game Streaming Service, NVIDIA GameStream ™, NVIDIA Share
• Weight and dimensions of the console: 250 g, 158x98x9-25
• Controller weight: 260g
• Remote weight: 55g

Introduction

Not so long ago, NVIDIA presented on the Russian market an advanced set-top box with wide multimedia features: from playing almost any video format in any resolution to streaming games from your PC to a TV screen. In addition, the Shield TV is equipped with the latest Android operating system, allowing you to use all Google services, be it movies, music, books or games. Among the original features that no other media console can boast is the ability to play cloud-based PC games through the GeForce Now service. Moreover, the gadget allows you to control the "smart home": adjust the lighting level, temperature, turn on or off music, control the locks in the doors and much more.

At the moment, there are two versions of the device on our market. One is called Shield TV (on board 16 GB of internal memory and less dimensions), the other - Shield TV Pro (500 GB disk and more dimensions). The first version will cost you 18,000 rubles, and the second - 26,000 rubles.

Contents of delivery

Inside a nice white dense box are a set-top box, a Shield controller, a Shield remote control, an AC adapter, a UBS-microUSB cable, a European plug, a quick guide and safety information. Please note that there is no HDMI cable here. Everything is packed reliably and with high quality.

Shield Stand must be purchased separately. The device and its accessories will be sold only and exclusively on the NVIDIA website under the "Buy" section.

Appearance of the set-top box, controller and control panel

I had quite a lot of set-top boxes on the test, and they all, as a rule, looked the same: either a rectangular box or an oval type Xiaomi Mi TV. NVIDIA Shield has taken a slightly more original path: the shape can hardly be called correct rectangular, as if visually skewed on its side; consists of separate non-isosceles triangles that are located somewhere above, somewhere below. The larger triangle has a glossy finish, the rest of the top panel is matte. There is a green insert under this triangle. When you turn on the gadget, it is highlighted. It looks very original and cute. The glossy NVIDIA logo is embossed at the bottom right. The side edges are glossy. Frankly speaking, I am an opponent of glossy surfaces in such things: one way or another, the surface will quickly become covered with dust, other marks, scratches will be more noticeable, and so on.

The lower part of the device also consists of geometric shapes, covered with something like a soft-touch for stability. There are ventilation holes on the back, the same ones are present on the back of the gadget.

Additionally, you can purchase a special Shield Stand dock so that the console takes a vertical format. Worth, you will not believe, 2,500 rubles.

On the back of the NVIDIA Shield, the following connectors are located: power input (very similar to Type-C, but not it, I tried to connect a cable - nothing came of it), standard Ethernet for connecting to the Internet, HDMI-CEC 2.0b (support for digital content protection protocol HDCP 2.2 + HDR10) and two USB 3.0 ports.

The controller looks quite typical for such things, but the texture and relief are similar to a polygonal grid, reminding us that the gadget is designed for toys. Despite this appearance, the controller is comfortable to hold, you don't feel any discomfort. The surface is matte, slightly rough, all the indentations and bulges are made so that the palms just clasp the gadget.

The top sticks are rubberized; buttons, cross, bumpers and triggers are glossy. Between the two sticks there is a touch strip for adjusting the volume, below it - "Back" "Start" and "Home". The last two buttons also have other functions: "Start" - play / stop music or video, "Home" - launch the broadcast menu (recording video from the screen, screenshots).

Below them is a 3.5 mm headphone jack. On the front side there is the NVIDIA logo, which is also a button for activating the voice assistant, next to it is a microphone (you can record gameplay on it). On the reverse side - microUSB for charging the gamepad. Since I only have the console for about a month, it is difficult to track how long the controller works on a single charge, but definitely more than three weeks (officially about 60 hours).

The gamepad is assembled very well, there is nothing to complain about. There is vibration feedback.

The remote control ("friendly" with the set-top box via Bluetooth) is made of plastic and metal (back side). Part of the front panel of the remote control is glossy. The central area is responsible for the touch volume control. Frankly speaking, this is the biggest fail, since almost always, when I grabbed the remote control, I accidentally increased or decreased the volume.

The remote control has, in my opinion, not the best ergonomics. Firstly, I have already described: the volume is accidentally adjusted. Secondly, most often you still need a joystick, and not a large button of the voice assistant, but in order to reach it, you need to shift the remote control into your palm. Thirdly, the shape of the case is not very convenient.

In the lower area there is a slot for two CR2032 3V batteries.

Dimensions of the set-top box in comparison with Apple iPhone 5

Remote control dimensions compared to Apple iPhone 5

The technical component of the console

The novelty is powered by the NVIDIA Tegra X1 processor. The announcement of this chip took place back in 2015 at the Consumer Electronics Show, and was presented by NVIDIA CEO Jen-sen Huang.

The Tegra X1 chip (codenamed NVIDIA Erista) is the sixth generation of the Tegra family and is manufactured by Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company. What X1 is: Isolated power rails, fourth-generation switching system, 20nm, 64-bit process technology, four Cortex-A57 processor cores (with 2MB L2 cache) and four Cortex-A53.

The NVIDIA Shield TV graphics system has a 256-core GPU with NVIDIA Maxwell architecture, supports DirectX 12, OpenGL 4.5, NVIDIA CUDA, OpenGL ES 3.1, Vulkan API and AEP (Android Extension Pack).

Performance test

The chipset handles 4K video H.265, VP9 at 60fps, 4K x 2K @ 60Hz, 1080p @ 120Hz.

Below are two tables with the capabilities of the set-top box and a comparison with the closest competitors:

The device read all test videos without any problems.

Video

• Playback in resolutions up to 4K HDR at 60 FPS (H.265 / HEVC)
• Playback in up to 4K resolution at 60 FPS (VP8, VP9, \u200b\u200bH.264, MPEG1 / 2)
• Playback in resolutions up to 1080p at 60 FPS (H.263, MJPEG, MPEG4, WMV9 / VC1)
• Supported formats: Xvid / DivX / ASF / AVI / MKV / MOV / M2TS / MPEG-TS / MP4 / WEB-M

Sound

• Dolby Atmos multi-channel audio and DTS-X surround sound via HDMI
• High-definition audio playback up to 24-bit / 192 kHz via HDMI and USB connectors
• USB upscaling up to 24 bit / 192 kHz
• Supports: AAC, AAC +, eAAC +, MP3, WAVE, AMR, OGG Vorbis, FLAC, PCM, WMA, WMA-Pro, WMA-Lossless, DD + / DTS (pass-through), Dolby Atmos and Dolby TrueHD (pass-through) , DTS-X and DTS-HD (pass-through)

There are no questions about the speed of the set-top box, everything works quickly, without delays, lags and brakes. Games for Android run easily and easily :) Everyone runs at maximum settings.

Working with a prefix

The first thing worth noting is the presence of a PLEX application for streaming any video to your TV. This program is available in both the TV version and the TV Pro version. The idea is very simple: you download content from a PC or Mac to a set-top box and stream to TV. Everything is simple and straightforward.

GeForce Now

The next trump card in the NVIDIA Shield is the GeForce Now feature. It's in the NVIDIA Game section of the home screen. By visiting this section, you will find many different PC games: for example, Just Cause 2, The Witcher 3, Trine, Tomb Raider, Hitman, Doom 3, Resident Evil 5, BorderLands 2, Mad Max, Saint Row, Dead Island, Sniper Elite , Sonic, Star Wars, Portal and eternal games like Half-life 2 Episode 1 and 2. List of games.

It only remains to start.

I want to warn you right away that this service will require high-quality fast Internet with a decent router, because all information will be streamed from different servers. As far as I understand, there are no such servers in Russia yet.

I tested a Samsung SUHD TV 7000 series and a 5 GHz router. Under all favorable conditions, almost all toys start very quickly. You choose the resolution in the game itself.

If the network does not slow down and the connection speed is more than 50 Mbit / s, then the detail in the game is quite high. However, in some games I was not able to get a 4K picture, so the image was HD (what is the reason for this is not entirely clear, since PC games calmly "understood" at least FullHD). As for the delay, it is, but in most cases you can play without problems, especially in games that do not require quick reactions.

In general, the original feature of GeForce Now, which allows you to play PC games at maximum parameters (albeit not always the freshest ones) without a powerful computer (at the time of the test I still had an iMac, you know, you can't play much on it).

Screenshots from Metro 2033 (GeForce Now technology)

Screenshots from MadMax (GeForce Now technology)

The gadget worked very quickly, there were no problems with toys even in 4K resolution and with almost all graphics parameters turned on. Launched Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain and, of course, GTA V.

To stream GameStream games, you need the GeForce Experience app. After installing the application, install the game and add it to GE. Next, the game icon will appear on the console in the GameStream section. You can run it both on a PC and through a set-top box.

In this case, the quality of the picture on TV will depend not only on the network speed, but also on the power of the computer from which the game is transmitted. There were no problems with the MSI GT62VR. Tested GTA V at maximum settings in 4K resolution.

Streaming toys from a PC was, of course, more fun: firstly, you can play any games (well, almost, there is a list), and secondly, the image is much better than in GeForce Now mode. I did not observe delays, at least I calmly went through several missions in GTA. Yes, I saw lags, but they were sporadic. Another question is that I'm not used to using a gamepad, so it was completely unusual to play :)

Example of streaming Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain with MSI GT62VR

Example of streaming GTA V with MSI GT62VR

Media Extender with Game Services

The first public announcement of the Nvidia Tegra X1 SoC took place over two years ago. Unfortunately, the implementation of real products, despite the impressive hardware characteristics, went very slowly. However, the company continued to make efforts in this direction and recently introduced a new model in the series - Nvidia Shield TV, which is already available for purchase, including in our market.

This compact device is positioned as a multifunctional set-top box for TV, so it's not easy to convey all its capabilities in a few words. Among its key features, the company notes support for 4K and HDR, a powerful graphics subsystem, voice control, games via the GeForce Now cloud service and broadcasting games from a computer via GameStream, complete with a remote control and a game controller, running Android TV and support for streaming video services.

Note that the company uses one word "Shield" to refer to several devices of different generations and their controllers at once, which may confuse users a little. This article focuses on the model with part number P2897.

Specifications

The box is powered by the Nvidia Tegra X1 SoC. This microcircuit is made using the 20 nm process technology, has two blocks of four computing cores (Cortex A57 and Cortex A53), implemented in the ARM big.LITTLE architecture. Their maximum operating frequency is 2 GHz. Apparently, this chip implements a migration mode between clusters, so only four cores work at a time. Note that there is an option to select performance in the system settings. At the same time, this parameter does not significantly affect the speed in applications.

The SoC also has a powerful graphics processor - 256 Maxwell cores operating at 1 GHz, support for API DirectX 12, OpenGL 4.5 and OpenGL ES 3.1, video decoding up to 4K inclusive with 60 fps and H.265 and VP9 codecs, video output up to 4Kp60 and 1080p120. There is also a video encoding module, which can be useful for organizing video broadcasts from a set-top box. In terms of computing performance, this unit surpasses the gaming consoles of previous generations and is comparable to the top-end PC video cards of ten years ago.

The set-top box's RAM is 3 GB. Today this value can hardly be called exclusively flagship, but taking into account the predominantly single-task mode of operation, there should be no problems. For storing firmware and user data in the regular model, a 16 GB flash drive is installed, on which about 11 GB is available to the user. If you plan to use Android games intensively, you may need to install additional storage.

Note that the line also includes the "Pro" modification, which has a larger body. It uses a 500 GB hybrid hard drive. Note that we are talking about the main drive of the device, including the system partition. Such a volume can be useful for storing Android games and applications, as well as recording media files. Also, this version is equipped with a slot for microSD memory cards and supports infrared control.

You can increase the amount of local storage using USB drives - the set-top box is equipped with two ports supporting version 3.0. They can also be useful for connecting various peripherals. But there is no memory card slot in this model.

For connecting to a local network and the Internet, the device has a gigabit wired port and a built-in dual-band wireless adapter supporting 802.11n / ac protocols. The latter has two antennas implemented on the main printed circuit board. So in a MIMO configuration, it is capable of providing a connection speed of 867 Mbps. But of course this will require an appropriate router. We also note the presence of Bluetooth 4.1 with BLE support, which, in addition to servicing regular remotes, can be used to connect headphones, keyboards and other equipment.

Connection to a TV or other display device is carried out via HDMI 2.0b with HDCP 2.2 and CEC support. Note that the maximum video output mode here is 4Kp60. There is also support for HDR technology.

A centrifugal fan is used to cool the powerful filling. It has an automatic speed control and in most cases (from idle to work under load, running graphics tests, games and other resource-intensive programs) it was not heard. Although the body of the device heats up a little in some places, no negative effects were noted. The formal TDP value for the processor used is 15W.

The standard power supply has a power of 40 W. The actual power consumption of the test unit without connected external devices, measured "from the wall", ranged from 5 W in sleep or idle mode to about 20 W during the 3DMark Sling Shot Extreme test.

The set-top box runs on the Android 7.0 operating system in a special version of Android TV focused on connecting to TVs. The firmware has an item for online updates. Testing was carried out with version 5.1 (24.27.403.124). Note that the company clearly pays serious attention to supporting its products after their release. The outgoing OTA updates not only fix the shortcomings of previous versions, but also add new features and capabilities.

Completion and appearance

Formally, Nvidia cannot boast of a wealth of experience in delivering its mass-market products to retail stores. However, close cooperation with partners on these issues has borne fruit - there are no comments on the packaging of the Nvidia Shield TV: strong cardboard, strict design in the style of minimalism, glossy inserts in the photos, a brief description and all that.

I only disliked that it is not so easy to open the box - its two parts fit very tightly to each other.

The box contains all the accessories in special inserts: the device itself, a proprietary power supply unit for it with replaceable blocks for sockets of different standards, minimum documentation, a remote control and a gamepad with a charging cable (standard USB-Micro-USB 1.5 m long) ...

The parameters of the power supply unit of the set-top box are 19 V 2.1 A. It has a non-standard connector, and the cable length is 1.8 m. On the one hand, this allows a stable power supply and reliable connection, and on the other hand, it requires the use of only the original version.

We will tell you more about control devices below. In any case, we should admit that such a package should be included in the advantages of the device. Additionally, you can purchase the same remote control and controller, as well as a special stand for vertical installation of the device. The full version of the documentation is available on the manufacturer's website in the form of hypertext documents. Note that there is a version in Russian.

The prefix received a body made of black plastic with strict geometric shapes. Its overall dimensions are 158 × 98 × 26 mm, and the weight of the device is about 250 g. In general, this is comparable to common models of media consoles and is significantly smaller than modern stationary game consoles, not to mention computers. So, if you wish, you can even take it with you on trips.

The plastic is mostly matte, but the sides and the insert on the top panel are glossy. Under its protruding corner is a status indicator, as you might guess, green. By the way, its brightness can be adjusted through the settings. It glows during operation of the set-top box and turns off in sleep mode. The flat part of the bottom is covered with a rubber insert, which ensures a secure hold of the device on the shelf.

The ventilation grilles are visible on the back and on the underside. Please note that the device uses a powerful enough filling, so it is strictly not recommended to close the grilles.

All connectors for connection are located on the rear panel. Here you can find: two standard USB 3.0 ports, HDMI port, LAN port, power supply input. The standard consoles operate over a radio channel, so it is not required to install the set-top box in an open space and provide a line of sight.

When working in set-top box mode, you can use the supplied remote control. It has compact dimensions (143 × 36 × 9 mm) and light weight (52 g). The bottom of its body is made of matte metal, while the top panel is made of matte black and glossy plastic. Power is supplied from two CR2032 batteries, which are installed in a specially shaped tray at the end closest to the user. According to information from the manufacturer, they are enough for a year of work.

The front end of the remote control has an IR LED designed to control a TV or other equipment. We will discuss these features in more detail later in the text. There is a Bluetooth pairing indicator next to it. The following controls are installed on the upper part - a navigation cross with a confirmation button in the center, the Back and Home buttons, a voice search / command button, and the vertical margin between the matte inserts at the bottom of the remote control is used to adjust the volume and the Play / Pause". All buttons have a matte finish and are easy to touch.

As we can see, the traditional set for Android devices is fully implemented here. In addition, double-clicking on "Home" allows you to access the list of recently launched applications, and long-holding it opens the settings of the service for recording and online broadcasts of video from games that supports voice and video comments.

Note that a slightly modified remote control can also be sold separately - without an IR transmitter, with an output for connecting wired headphones and powered by a battery.

Since one of the main scenarios for using the console is games, then, of course, it was not without a proprietary gamepad. High quality workmanship and reliability you understand immediately, as soon as you take it in your hands. The matte black plastic construction looks completely monolithic, as if hewn from a single piece of material.

The dimensions can be considered standard for this class of devices. The width is approximately from 11.5 to 15 cm. The maximum thickness of the handles is about 4 cm. The weight of the controller is slightly higher than that of the console itself - 262 g. Power is supplied from the built-in battery, the manufacturer claims 60 hours of battery life. A standard USB-Micro-USB cable is used for charging. The adapter requires about 450mA, so any model will do. Vibration motors built into the controller will help add realism to games.

The set of main controls includes a cross on the left, A / B / X / Y buttons on the right, two analog joysticks with support for pressing, on the bumper and an analog trigger on the left and right. This device also has a built-in microphone and a button for activating the voice search / control - it is located at the top in the center of the gamepad on a silver plastic insert. There is a pairing LED above the button.

In the bottom center, between the joysticks, there are two Android control buttons ("Back", "Home"), as well as "Play / Pause". The glossy strip above this block has a volume control sensor. Additional actions with "Home", as well as on the remote control, implement the transition to the list of programs and control the recording or broadcast of video from games. In addition, this controller also has a built-in IR transmitter for controlling external audio-video equipment.

At the top in the center there is a Micro-USB port for charging and connecting to a PC. On the opposite side, below, there is a standard 3.5 mm mini-jack for connecting headphones or a headset (in the second case, the LRMG / OMTP standard is used). Note that the headset buttons do not work in this case. However, the loss is small, since the control is on the controller itself. Considering the many ways to connect devices for playing and recording sound, it is worth familiarizing yourself with the table in the documentation, indicating the priorities for different modes.

At the moment, the device can also be used with computers when connected via a wire. Support for work via Bluetooth is promised to be implemented soon. In total, the set-top box supports the simultaneous connection of four controllers.

It is also worth mentioning that the controllers have their own firmware with the ability to update through the console. In the same menu, you can find out their battery level.

Software

The set-top box uses a proprietary Google launcher focused on working with Android TV, which is somewhat unusual for users of "regular" Android. The appearance of the home page resembles other TV-connected devices. There are several zones with large icons on the screen. If there are enough of them, then each zone will have its own scrolling to the right.

The upper block displays dynamic recommendations from the programs installed on the device. This can be applications, movies, TV shows, games and other similar information, as well as information about the availability of updates for the console or controllers. Moreover, the results depend on the actions in your account on all devices linked to it. If necessary, you can "exclude" specific applications from publication in this block.

The second block consists of icons of programs installed on the console. The third block presents gaming applications, including the Nvidia Games portal program. Everything goes as a single list without the possibility of grouping, but their order can be changed. You can also enable automatic sorting according to run frequency. For the names of the platform-optimized games, visit.

The final block - access to device settings, view information and connected controllers, wireless connection status, power management (go to sleep and reboot).

In addition, from this screen, you can start the search service with voice input or keyboard input. Note that search on the Android TV platform is supported not only in Google services and well-known sources on the device, but also in applications if this was implemented by their developers. The user can disable in the settings the service's access to certain programs.

The firmware, as expected, fully implements Google services. Note, however, that the Android TV app store differs in content from the “regular” mobile app store. This version of the operating system tries to "hide" its internal structure even more from the user.

In addition, the menu does not display some applications that are already installed on the STB. So to access them, you may need to install a third-party manager such as Sideload Launcher. In it, in particular, the Google Chrome browser will be visible. If necessary, you can try to fix the situation by installing programs through APK files, but this may be unsafe. Also, the question of single-app purchases in the Android and Android TV stores remained unclear. It is likely that special versions of programs optimized for Android TV may be sold separately.

The following programs are installed in the standard firmware: Google Play services (Store, Movies, Music, Games), YouTube, Netflix, Plex (client and server), Photos & Videos and, of course, the most important one - Nvidia Games. It is the last utility that opens access to catalogs of games in various versions - local, streaming from the GeForce Now service and from a personal computer, and also provides information about the most interesting projects for this platform.

In addition, the firmware has many background utilities that are used to maintain controllers, broadcast games, organize video recording, and other tasks. There is, of course, no root access here. You can find instructions on how to obtain it and other similar operations on the net. As for the developer menu, you can open it in a standard way.

In addition to the options described above, the company also indicates the ability to act as an element of the "Smart Home". The January CES announced the integration of Google Assistant and SmartThings Hub technologies into the device in the next software updates. In this case, it will be possible to control the system with a voice from any room using the Nvidia Spot accessory - installed directly into the wall outlet of a special wireless module.

Connection and configuration

The minimum connection option for work is the power of the set-top box and an HDMI cable (not included in the package) to the TV. Optionally, you can use a wired network and various USB devices. Note that the device does not have an explicit power button. In the shell menu there is an item "Go to standby mode", and if you go a little deeper into the settings, then you can find "Power off" there. But you won't be able to turn the device back on from the remotes, so it is likely that most users will have it in standby / sleep mode when not in use. By the way, there are no reset or restart buttons here either. The manufacturer is probably confident in the reliability of his product. During testing, we never needed these features.

When interacting with TVs, it can be useful to support the HDMI-CEC protocol, so that you can control the volume of the TV with the remote control. There is also the opposite option - navigation through the menu and video control from the TV remote control. In addition, the standard console of the set-top box can be taught to transmit IR signals for volume and power control for your audio-video equipment. To do this, you need to select the appropriate code through the menu. The list includes many popular brands of TVs, receivers and soundbars. But you shouldn't expect all this to work for your equipment.

In addition to the standard remote controls, you can also use Google's proprietary utility for remote control of Android TV devices. It has a navigation implementation, touchpad emulation, and an on-screen keyboard. Plus you can use your Logitech Harmony Bluetooth remote controls.

The USB 3.0 ports of the set-top box can be used to connect storage devices, webcams, input devices, sound cards and other equipment. If you need to work with more than two devices, you can use hubs.

The drives support NTFS, FAT32 and exFAT file systems. In this case, you can implement not only access to files on them, for example, to a large media library, but also apply a special mode of replacing the standard built-in external storage with an external drive. In the second case, the drive will be formatted and encrypted to work only with this STB.

If you have a USB-USB cable with the same Type A ports (note that this is a rather rare option), then you can connect the set-top box to your computer to write content to its memory, as happens with ordinary smartphones. The first of the two ports is used for this.

In addition, there is an interesting option for providing network access to the built-in memory from other devices in the local network using the standard SMB protocol (username and password for protection can be specified in the settings). The speed when working in a gigabit network in this case will be at the level of 50 MB / s.

Webcams require UVC compatibility. For example, the Logitech C920 or even the older C525 will do. High resolution models can also be used. Support for input devices allows you to connect standard keyboards, mice and even gamepads. For example, we have a wireless Logitech F710 working out of the box, allowing you to add a second character while playing from the LEGO series. If you do not have a conventional keyboard connected, a standard on-screen one appears if necessary.

Interestingly, the firmware provides for a standard method of remote access to files - built-in support for network storages. So you can mount your NAS (or several) to the set-top box via SMB. As a result, new virtual folders will appear and all programs on the device will be able to use files from them. This is one of the simpler options for implementing a network media player for your existing media library. Although there are a couple of remarks - the list of available resources on the NAS is generated only at the moment of connection. If you later add some new shared folder on it, you will need to delete and re-create the connection. In this case, it will contain all the folders available to the specified user on the network drives in one large list. In addition, the STB creates service folders named "Android" on each share. We also encountered loss of resources after rebooting the device, which of course is unacceptable for a permanent use scenario.

The set-top box uses the standard Android TV settings. In general, this menu is similar to the version in regular Android. In particular, there are options for setting the time, language (Russian is present in full), keyboard, speech, search, network connections, managing applications and their rights, and so on.

We have already mentioned some of the specific parameters - the processor mode and the brightness of the indicator (you can turn it off completely). There is also a pair of options setting for the main screen, controllers control, screensaver setting, video output options, control of external devices and other features. As for access to services and synchronization, it supports Google and Nvidia accounts.

When you turn it on for the first time or after a factory reset, there are two options for starting work with the set-top box: local configuration using a remote control or controller and using another device with Android and Google services. The second option allows you not to use the on-screen keyboard of the set-top box to enter account data and other parameters. After setting up Android itself, you will need to specify the Nvidia Games account information to access its resources.

Performance

Considering that we have a device that is unique in its characteristics, there is no particular point in evaluating its performance for comparison with other models in traditional Android tests. The Nvidia Shield TV will be chosen for 4K support and Nvidia's gaming services, not benchmarks. But traditionally, we still pay attention to these moments, so we won't miss it this time either.

First of all, we note that for this device the issue of operating speed has a rather specific meaning. If we talk about the scenario of a media player, then it is more important to have a high-quality video decoding unit that will cope with the required formats. For streaming gaming services, the speed of the processor cores and graphics units is also not significant. The only scenario where a fast platform is important is for Android games. But here we often encounter a situation when developers of gaming applications are guided by the middle level of devices and therefore the real requirements of their projects are small, as well as the quality of graphics. Nvidia has branded a couple dozen under the Nvidia Lightspeed Studios brand to provide the "best experience" for its platform users, which take advantage of the Tegra X1 SoC and look very impressive.

For comparison, the table below shows the results of the Xiaomi Mi Note 2 smartphone on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 821 quad-core platform with the Adreno 530 graphics accelerator and the media player indicators found on the network on the common Amlogic S912 platform.

Nvidia Shield TV was tested in two available modes - “Max. performance "and" Optimized ", which were selected in the settings. The benchmarks used were 3DMark, PCMark, GFXBench, AnTuTu and GeekBench. The results are shown in the table.

The superiority over the Adreno 530 in graphics tests ranges from 50% to 110%. In PCMark, Nvidia's solution is also noticeably faster than the product with Qualcomm's SoC.

At the same time, the gain in AnTuTu is relatively small, and in GeekBench, which takes into account mainly the capabilities of the processor cores, we see the expected lag behind the Nvidia solution, which operates at a lower frequency. The media player on the Amlogic chip lags very far behind in these tests and cannot be regarded as a competitor. However, such products cost several times less.

We also tested the speed of the set-top box's wireless controller. The check was carried out in conjunction with the Zyxel Keenetic Ultra II router, which supports connection speeds of 300 Mbit / s and 867 Mbit / s in the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands, respectively. The test was carried out at a distance of about five meters through one non-capital wall and a wooden door.

As we can see, due to regional restrictions in the 2.4 GHz band, the device can only use a 20 MHz channel, which affects performance. In this case, it is 25-40 Mbps. This will be enough for many streaming services, but it won't be enough for streaming games in maximum quality. Switching to the 5 GHz band makes a big difference. In this case, the maximum speed of receiving data by the set-top box exceeds 100 Mbit / s, which makes it possible to implement all the stated scenarios of its use.

As for the wired connection, the set-top box, for example, when working with a network drive, provides the maximum speeds for a gigabit connection of more than 900 Mbps.

Additionally, we present the results of the Speedtest.net test obtained on the cable, 5 GHz and 2.4 GHz (three runs in each mode). The Internet access channel had a speed of 100 Mbps.

Using in media player mode

The SoC installed in the set-top box is one of the few solutions on the market capable of decoding video with the H.265 codec in 4K format at 60 fps and displaying it on TV via HDMI 2.0b in the same mode, and using HDR technology. The question of the existence of such records and their advantages is beyond the scope of this material, but maximalists will definitely like this model. The general list of capabilities of the microcircuit includes decoding of popular H.265, H.264, VP9, \u200b\u200bVP8, MPEG4, MPEG2 codecs and support for all popular audio codecs, Hi-Res audio up to 24/192 inclusive, as well as multi-channel digital audio output (including Dolby Atmos and DTS: X) via HDMI to the receiver. In addition, the set-top box supports external sound cards / DACs with USB interface. But there is no license for decoding multichannel audio in the product. To solve this problem, you will have to use the capabilities of third-party software.

Note that we checked the device for this article with several TVs, including the Samsung UE40KU6020K model, which has both 4K and HDR, as well as a receiver not of the latest generation, but with support for common HD sound options. 4Kp60 resolution on a compatible TV turned on immediately, and to activate HDR, it was necessary to change one item in the settings through the TV menu. From the photo above, you can estimate the comparative sizes of the set-top box and a 40 ″ TV.

Testing in Kodi and Plex has shown that the specified hardware capabilities can indeed be implemented in this set-top box. 4K video with H.264 and H.265 codecs plays smoothly. The Main10 profile for H.265, which implements 10-bit color depth, is also decoded correctly. There are no problems with high bitrate (100-200 Mbps) content.

On special videos with gradients, if you try very hard, from a couple of meters you can notice differences in output in modes with different color depths. But you just need to try very hard and believe that they are.

Multichannel sound is successfully output to the receiver, including in HD versions, automatic selection of the frame rate of the video output, depending on the file parameters in Kodi, works. The company does not say anything about the 3D format, and interest in it has dropped significantly recently, so we will not check it. In any case, "half" formats, which in fact do not differ from regular media files, can be viewed, including 3D mode on the TV side.

Software plays an important role in this scenario. Oddly enough, except for Plex, which we will talk about later, there are no interesting media players for ordinary files in the base firmware. There is only the standard Android "Video Player", which in combination with the "Photos & Videos" explorer can theoretically be used to solve this problem, but the process will be very inconvenient. However, in addition to Kodi and Plex, the store also contains MX Player, VLC and other well-known products, so there is a certain freedom of choice here.

As for Plex, both the client and the server of this brand are installed on the device, which is a good option for those users who need a beautiful media library design, a convenient player, compatibility with different platforms and remote access. In this ecosystem, you can create several servers and provide work with them from different players through the mechanism of one account. Everything works according to a well-known scheme, but you may have to spend time selecting server and client parameters to obtain maximum quality. Note that in this case it is the client that is of interest, which can connect to servers located, for example, on a network drive. We would not seriously consider the scenario of using a server on a console. Although with the connection of external USB large drives, it is also possible.

For the sake of fairness, it should be said that for "heavy" 4K video, we found it more convenient and stable to work through Kodi with connecting remote folders on a network drive using standard means of this shell. At least in this case, no one is trying to transcode anything and the SoC capabilities are revealed as efficiently as possible.

The reason for the unusual situation with local players is easy to understand if we recall the current trends in the transition to online services. Indeed, the Android TV platform is focused specifically on streaming services. It could be noted that for this option, the decoding capabilities in SoC are redundant today, but, remembering the speed of technology development, they no longer seem superfluous.

Foreign services in this format broadcast, in particular, Netflix and Amazon Video. In the first, a monthly subscription with Ultra HD costs 11.99 euros (regular - 7.99, HD - 9.99). It is possible to check the work within a month. From the technical requirements, in addition to the player itself, the minimum network access bandwidth is 25 Mbps and HDCP 2.2 in the TV. Real users note that noticeably less bandwidth is often used, comparable to HD versions. As for the available content, there is not as much of it as we would like. At the end of last year, there were about 80 titles on the list (half of them are series, a quarter of documentaries, and an eighth of them are films). Also it should be noted the presence of content with multi-channel 5.1 sound. Amazon Video only streams 4K in select countries. At the end of last year, it featured 33 films in this format. This service can be obtained separately as Prime Video ($ 8.99 per month) or as part of Prime ($ 10.99 per month or $ 99 per year), but some movies require a separate payment. There are other 4K-enabled services including YouTube, UltraFlix, Hulu, Vudu, and Sony Ultra. Content of this format is expected to appear on Google Play Movies. By the way, it implements an interesting feature - while watching films (not all films at the moment), you can view information about the actors on the screen and the music used.

As for domestic services, the catalog of programs for Android TV already contains a lot of options - Megogo, Showjet, SPB TV, Videomore, Amediateka, Beeline TV, NTV, Channel One and others. Interestingly, many programs have a completely identical interface. This is probably due to Google recommendations for the application interface for this version of Android. Note that, of course, all these services exist for other platforms, and using them with the Nvidia Shield TV set-top box does not have significant advantages, except for the convenience of control in Android TV. There is practically no complete information about broadcasts in 4K format in these programs. There was such data only about the Showjet service, but due to the lack of a filter by format, it is impossible to confirm the presence of 4K content in it and estimate its amount.

The manufacturer also notes the possibility of watching live broadcasts using an external digital tuner, but no details about this mode, including the list of compatible equipment, are provided. If there are many IPTV services, this option may be interesting only in the absence of fast Internet access.

In addition to the described capabilities, the set-top box can act as a receiver for broadcasting video, music and applications from mobile and portable devices using Google Cast technology (Chromecast), including for 4K format. Interestingly, with the Xiaomi Mi5 with a Qualcomm chip, the screen transfer function did not work, but on the Zopo ZP920 on Mediatek everything worked out. Of course, you will not be able to play, since delays are noticeable, but for presentations, viewing photos, sites and videos, the function can be useful. Note that sending data via this protocol is also implemented in programs for iOS and desktop PCs. However, we did not find an option to disable this mode or protect access with a password. It turns out that any user of the local network at any time can interrupt your game, which is still wrong.

Conclusion

Based on the testing results, we can definitely say that the new product made a very good impression and can deservedly be called a unique solution. The device has compact dimensions, interesting design and excellent controllers in the basic package. Working under Android TV is really noticeably more convenient when connected to a TV. In most cases, there is no need to connect a keyboard or mouse. Plus, voice control is provided. In addition, here we have a powerful hardware platform, especially in the graphics part - both in video decoding tasks and in 3D games. Other features of the platform include a fast wireless controller, two USB 3.0 ports and a Bluetooth adapter.

The set-top box has shown itself to be excellent in video viewing tasks and may well take the place of a universal source for a home theater, but the user will still have to spend some time on choosing the software that is convenient for himself and setting it up. This is one of the very few options that can keep up with modern 4K and HDR TVs. There remains, of course, the issue of the availability of the relevant content, but having a margin in this case, perhaps, will be useful. As for streaming services, at the moment most of them are capable of massively providing only Full HD and the prerequisites for a sharp change in the situation are not visible.

Appreciating the cost of devices with such a wide range of diverse capabilities is always difficult. And in this case, the set-top box also has unique functions that are available only on it. At the time of preparation of the article, the price of the reviewed version of Nvidia Shield TV in the official Russian online store was 18 thousand rubles with free shipping in Russia. The price is noticeably higher than that of mass media players, but lower than that of 4K solutions from well-known brands. Direct comparison with game consoles is still not very correct from the point of view of the performance of the latter, as well as the presence of exclusive projects and some additional technologies. If we consider Nvidia Shield TV a "device for games" without taking into account these features, then this set-top box outperforms consoles in cost. Gaming computers may not be mentioned here. An additional plus in this case will be support for the GeForce Now service, which allows you to get access to many projects, although there may not be a particular benefit in terms of the price of games. If we talk about the totality of the characteristics, and given the possible distribution of 4K content and the expansion of the Android TV ecosystem, as well as the increase in the number of games supported by the GeForce Now service, we would say that the current price of the Nvidia Shield TV is justified.

The company managed to create a truly unique device, which cannot be found on the market. So, despite some rough edges in some of the features, the Nvidia Shield TV deserves our Original Design editorial award.

In conclusion, we suggest watching our video review of the Nvidia Shield TV media and game console:

To the editorial board of the portal website the test got a miniature set-top box from the company NVIDIA - SHIELD TV is an advanced media player for gamers that allows you to play and stream movies, as well as run games both through streaming and on your own hardware. But first things first.

Specifications:

• Unit size: 98 x 159 x 26mm
• Weight: 250 grams
• Graphics: NVIDIA Tegra X1 based on 1 GHz Maxwell architecture with ARM Cortex A57 (4 cores) and ARM Cortex A53 (4 cores), 2.0 GHz
• Memory: 3 GB
• Storage for programs: 16 GB
• Connection: Wi-Fi 802.11ac dual-band, 2x2 MIMO Bluetooth 4.1 LE
• Ports: USB-A 3.0 (2 pcs), Gigabit Ethernet, HDMI 2.0b HDCP 2.2 CEC
• Operating system Google Android TV (Android 7.0) with support for Google Cast
• Sound formats: AAC, WMAPro, AMR, DTS, FLAC, MP3, Ogg Vorbis, PCM, WAV, WMA
• Video formats: ASF, AVI, MPEG-4, VC-1, VP8, VP9, \u200b\u200bWMV9, XviD, DivX, H.263, H.264, H.265, M2TS, MKV, MOV, MPEG-2
• Warranty: 1 year

NVIDIA SHIELD TV comes in two configurations, the main differences of which are in size, amount of built-in memory for storing information and, accordingly, price. In the PRO version, users have access to 500 GB, while the standard models are equipped with 16 GB. At the same time, 5 GB is reserved for the operating system. Additionally, the PRO version has a Micro USB 2.0 port for connecting to a computer, an infrared sensor and a Micro SDXC slot.

Recently NVIDIA announced a new version of the standard version kit, without a gamepad, which will cost significantly less (13,500 rubles versus 18,000 rubles for the standard version with a joystick).

We received the standard version, which included a 16 GB version of the console, a remote control, a SHIELD game controller, a cable for charging the controller and a wire with an external power supply that is built into the plug. The plug itself is integral and allows you to rearrange the nozzles - depending on which sockets you use (two nozzles are included in the kit).

It is important to note that HDMI is not included in the kit, so in order to display 4K HDR and 60FPS on a new UltraHD panel, you will need to purchase an HDMI 2.0 cable.

The console is neatly packed in a tight, stylish box that reliably protects the contents from external influences.

The new NVIDIA SHIELD TV is very compact. If we compare this version of the device with the 2015 model, then it has become not only smaller, but also two and a half times lighter. The gadget is about the size of the Nintendo Switch screen, but slightly thicker. The top of the case is decorated with a volumetric relief that resembles the letter N and in front during operation glows green.

All connectors - HDMI, power, 1GB Ethernet LAN and two USB 3.0 - are located on the back, which is very convenient when it comes to connecting the power cable, wired Internet, HDMI and memory card, and completely inconvenient when you want to charge a gamepad or connect keyboard and mouse.

As noted above, there are only two USB slots, which is clearly not enough for comfortable use of the console, especially considering that the free internal memory of the base model is only 11 GB, and some games and applications require a keyboard mouse and refuse to work with a gamepad and SHIELD remote control ... All connectors are located very compactly, so if you use non-standard flash drives, they may not fit in width with other wires.

The joystick's design looks funny and unusual - due to the use of cyberpunk-style triangular elements. Despite the ruggedness, the controller fits well in the hands and resembles an Xbox One gamepad, only with the arrangement of the sticks like the PlayStation.

The joystick's unusual features include a built-in microphone for voice commands and a touch-sensitive volume bar between the sticks.

Slightly below the buttons "Back", "Play / Pause" and "Return to the main menu of the console" are located. They must be pressed gently as there is a great chance of missing, especially if you use your thumb.

The remote control also has a touch-sensitive strip and microphone, which turns off to save power when not in hand.

As for the gamepad, the internal battery lasts for a long time. In a month of using NVIDIA SHIELD TV, we charged the joystick only once.

When you start the device, you are greeted by a simple Android TV menu based on the Android 7.0 operating system. Quick setup, which includes creating a profile and choosing an avatar, involves connecting the main Gmail mail, but to fully use NVIDIA SHIELD TV, you also need to connect the console to your NVIDIA account.

The design of the main menu is very clear - the operating system sorts the content in three lines: New, Applications, Games. Additionally, at the very bottom there is a line with small icons for settings, monitoring of connected controllers and turning off the device. And at the very top of the screen there is a voice search button, keyboard activation and time.

It's worth noting that for quick access to voice search, you can simply press the center button on your gamepad or remote control. Speech recognition is at a high level, so there are no problems with search.

Detailed settings slide out from the right side of the screen in the manner of the Xbox One and PS4 quick menu panels and allow you to display an image of any quality level, check the network status, connect to accounts and much more.

The menu is very fast and fluid - even in 4K resolution. Launching applications and navigating through tabs occurs either instantly, or almost instantly - depending on the application.

The only thing that saddened us was the absence of a gift card activation item in the store menu (because of this, you have to use a smartphone), as well as a pixelated standard background and the inability to replace it. You can choose from three options for the screensaver, but the picture in the main menu cannot be changed - you will see a low quality image that shines with pixels and compression artifacts - especially noticeable on UltraHD displays. Hopefully NVIDIA will change this in the next updates.

And there will be updates. After unpacking and connecting to the network, the console prompts you to upgrade to the new firmware version. Also patches for controller and remote are available. The company has already announced the integration of Google Assistant technology, which allows you to control your smart home through voice commands using microphones built into the remote and gamepad, as well as special sensors that can be purchased separately. The technology is not available at this time. NVIDIA promises to reveal more details in the future.

SHIELD TV accepts all known video codecs, therefore it copes with playing movies from a flash drive or through the cloud in 4K HDR format at 60 FPS without any problems. It no longer plays 8K video.

The built-in Android and Plex players either take a long time to load videos, or may freeze for a moment when playing 4K HDR content at 60 FPS (similar videos at 30 FPS run smoothly, but also take a long time to load in PLEX). Therefore, it is highly recommended to immediately download VLC Player from the Google store built into the console menu. This player loads instantly, has a more user-friendly menu and smoothly displays heavy videos at 60 FPS.

As for lovers of high-quality sound, NVIDIA does not have licenses for decoding multi-channel Dolby, so you have to use an external receiver or DAC.

For those who do not want to strain, the SHIELD TV menu contains NETFLIX and Amazon Video applications, and from the Google store you can download ShowJet, ivi and other services for streaming movies and TV series, including those with Russian soundtracks.

A funny observation: YouTube channels with allegedly HDR / Dolby Vision content actually don't have real HDR / Dolby Vision - even despite the high brightness and powerful contrast - and even if you download the original files with a special 4K Downloader program. This is evidenced by the absence of a pop-up window with the inscription HDR / Dolby Vision when the file is included.

At the same time, recordings with real HDR can be found on the gaming site GamerSyde, which from time to time posts them in its news.

First of all, we tried NETFLIX, which has a simple interface and quick registration with a free first month of use. The main advantage of the service is a huge library of excellent quality. There is not only UltraHD movies and TV shows, but in some cases, HDR support. In this way, you get a crystal clear picture with bright light where you need it and more detail in dark scenes.

Unfortunately, there is still no option in the service menu to display only 4K HDR content - you have to search for lists on the Internet.

The connection is not always stable. We did not find the hang-ups typical of cheap TV boxes, but sometimes the signal quality drops temporarily and details are lost. Obviously, the whole point is not in the console, but in the heavy weight of 4K files that are streamed from Western servers and which even the fastest Internet cannot handle. Fortunately, this rarely happens.

It is important to note that NETFLIX offers Russian users only subtitles in Russian, but sometimes they don't even exist (there are, for example, Finnish ones). We did not find any voice acting in Russian. Moreover, there is no option in the menu to change the subtitle color from white to gray. Because of this, when HDR is on, subtitles shine too brightly at you from the screen, which is not very pleasant when watching dark scenes with the lights off. With the lamp on, there are no such problems.

We tested the performance against the performance of LG's premium OLED 55C6V TVs and found that both SHIELD TV and LG's built-in hardware do a great job with 4K HDR 60 FPS video. At the same time, LG can display video in the premium dynamic range Dolby Vision, while NVIDIA SHIELD TV displays the same video, but only in a simpler HDR.

We also checked out the less expensive Samsung MU6470, which was also capable of displaying 4K HDR content at 60 FPS without any problems.

As a result, we came to the conclusion that streaming and playing videos on SHIELD TV, provided that you have an advanced TV with Smart TV functions, does not make any sense. The TV itself does an excellent job with these functions (although SHIELD TV has many times more convenient menus).

The only exception can be video in not the most popular formats that the TV may not support. In this case, SHIELD TV with its ability to “have” everything comes in handy. But this is a rather rare case that only applies to local playback and does not apply to services like NETFLIX.

On the other hand, some screens, such as 4K monitors (for example, the Viewsonic XG2700-4K, which we tested a year ago), do not have the filling necessary for independent video playback. It is obvious that SHIELD TV was created for users of such relatively budget options.

Games are also an important feature of the console. NVIDIA SHIELD TV works with Android games from the Google Store, and interestingly enough, it also supports streaming PC games and offers the GeForce Now streaming service. The latter is worth mentioning separately, but a little later.

We tested the system's capabilities using the 3DMark program available in the Google store built into the console menu.

The Sling Shot Extreme Unlimited test gave 4059 points (maximum - 4120 points) and the rating “Good news! It is one of the most powerful devices and everything works fine. ”

The Ice Storm Extreme test gave 14160 points (maximum reached) and the rating “Good news! It is one of the most powerful devices and everything works fine. ”

The console's stand-alone graphics rating in this test was 13663 points (maximum reached) with 59.9 and 58.9 FPS in two graphics tests. Physics processing rating - 16223 points with 51.5 FPS in physics test.

In a separate table of records, NVIDIA SHIELD TV is in second place, behind only the new iPad Pro 2017 in the 12.9-inch version.

The system is potentially quite interesting as a standalone console, as it is based on the latest version of the NVIDIA Tegra GPU - X1. This GPU is the heart of the Nintendo Switch system. Moreover, the lack of a portable mode - SHIELD TV must be permanently connected to the power supply to function - allows the set-top box to work at maximum frequencies at any time, which simplifies optimization and, in theory, allows you to achieve a better picture.

Unfortunately, major publishers don't release their own big games on it - most of the products in the store are dedicated Android ports created by NVIDIA's in-house Lightspeed Studios.

The store has Portal, Half-Life 2 and two episodes for it, Resident Evil 5, Super Meat Boy, Doom 3: BFG, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, Tomb Raider 2013, Q.U.B.E., The Witness and other projects.

We tried to play The witness, a concept adventure from Jonathan Blow, but ran into trouble starting the game. When enabled, the port takes a long time to load, and then reports that the license could not be verified. When trying to repeat or close the application, the console freezes and does not allow access to the main menu. Due to the fact that SHIELD does not have a physical on / off button on the console body and the only way to turn off the system is to press the virtual button in the main menu of the system, then we had to unplug the power cable ... After rebooting and checking the network connection and Google / NVIDIA accounts we tried again and again faced the same problem ...

Fortunately, neatly carried over Doom 3: BFG Edition works great on NVIDIA SHIELD TV. We did not find any technical jambs. The game is rendered at 1080p @ 60fps, so it looks crisp and offers fast and responsive gamepad controls. Moreover, in this version, you can flashlight and shoot at the same time, downloads are very fast and there is no terrible PC version soap filter on SHIELD.

But we were disappointed with the very noticeable texture compression artifacts. Some objects are extremely sharp, while others look very “pixelated” - clearly worse than in the PC version.

Obviously, the problem is not at all in the power of the console, which is more than enough to handle graphics of the Doom 3 level, but in the need to cut the weight of the files so that the game takes up as little space as possible on the 11 GB of the device's internal memory. Doom 3: BFG Edition weighs roughly 2GB on SHIELD versus 11GB on PC and 7GB on PS3 / Xbox 360. The incredibly pixelated loading screens support this theory.

As for the publicly available Android applications, the storefront, as it turned out, does not adjust to the console, so we are offered to download games that cannot be played without a touch screen ... Fortunately, projects that work with the pad are marked with a special tag. You cannot play World of Tanks: Blitz on NVIDIA SHIELD TV. This is sad.

Works great on SHIELD TV on a gamepad at maximum graphics settings, delighting with an excellent frame rate and the clearest picture of all projects we tested.

Nevertheless, the mobile origin still makes itself felt - due to the poor elaboration of some details, such as car windows, small objects and characters' hands. It was not conspicuous on the smartphone screen, but is clearly visible on the 55-inch OLED panel.

Aim control with the right trigger works with a slight delay, which is compensated for by moving the character using the left trigger. This allows you to aim more accurately. As a result, you can quickly get used to playing on TV and, after 10 minutes of playing, give your enemies headshots.

And here Modern Combat 5: Blackout for some reason, it does not allow you to change the definition settings, which are set to 80% by default, which is why the image is full of pixels. You can raise the frame rate up to 60 frames per second, but the pad controls are very crooked. As a result, we turned off the game at the second level.

It looks good from EA and runs smoothly. But the simple, albeit clean environment is replete with huge ladders, and in the options we did not find the settings for increasing the resolution.

It is worth noting that all three games have problems with adapting the menu to the gamepad, since they were created for touch screens of smartphones and tablets.

The best impressions of playing on TV in Android applications were left by Telltale Games projects, which look like real kings against the background of a mobile trash can and immediately absorb into history, delighting with interesting characters and cinematic production.

Works great on SHIELD and is perfectly adapted to the controller. At the same time, the game looks nice - not only due to good clarity, but also excellent work with stylistics.

Perhaps the most interesting feature of NVIDIA SHIELD TV is still the streaming of games from a computer and specifically the GeForce Now service. The first works provided that you are using an NVIDIA graphics card. To get the best picture quality with 4K and HDR, you need a top card like a GTX 1080 or 1080 Ti and GeForce Experience. You can connect SHIELD TV to your computer either by air or by wire. The second option is preferable, but in general Wi-Fi at a frequency of 5 GHz is also suitable.

It is only natural that SHIELD TV allows you to play your games even when you are far from your computer - and this is the main reason for streaming on SHIELD TV in our opinion. In this case, the main thing is to leave your PC on.

For those who do not own a powerful PC or do not have a computer at home, NVIDIA has created a special service - GeForce Now. The preinstalled application allows you to stream computer games at the maximum detail settings. Graphics are processed on NVIDIA servers and sent to SHIELD TV over the Internet. The picture can be of any resolution - depending on the game itself. Some projects do not support resolutions higher than 1080p. Others support it. You can change the graphics level manually in the options if available.

It's important to note that most games have an HD 1080p icon, but that doesn't mean you will be limited to that resolution. Some projects with this tag are only misleading - and in fact, these games can run in a higher resolution. For example 1600p in Ultra street fighter iv... However, to be honest, we did not notice any special difference in picture clarity between 1080p and 1600p.

The first month subscription is free. Then they will ask you 650 rubles a month. For a subscription, you will get free access to a large number of projects, such as Tomb Raider 2013, the re-release of the original BioShock, The Witcher 2, Deus Ex: Human Revolution, Saints Row IV, Borderlands, Batman: Arkham City, Spec Ops: The Line, Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons and Ultra Street Fighter IV noted above.

And for some games, like The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Game of the Year and Batman: Arkham Knight, you will have to pay separately. The cost of paid games varies from project to project. Simple arcades like Snake Pass or Lumini can be bought for 250 - 450 rubles. Large projects cost from 900 to 2000 rubles. The most expensive games of the service at the moment are The Surge and No Man's Sky, for which they ask for 2,000 rubles. The full version of The Witcher 3 costs 1,500 rubles.

All paid games come with a Steam download code. Except for The Witcher 3. If you buy it from GeForce Now, you will receive a GOG version key. Unfortunately, the versions are not related in any way. You won't be able to use your Steam saves or transfer your GeForce Now saves to it.

Ubisoft games and uPlay integration are coming to GeForce Now soon.

We have tested several projects. The first turned out to be a MOBA from Epic Games with incredibly beautiful graphics that runs on the latest version of the Unreal Engine 4. The game supports a gamepad, but only after you complete registration, which can be done by connecting a keyboard to the console. The gameplay is superbly optimized for the pad.

We couldn't find the graphics settings, but it looks like the game in the version for the GeForce Now streaming service runs at maximum detail and pleases with great textures, luxurious character models and beautiful lighting.

However, the quality of the video stream is far from perfect - compression artifacts can be clearly seen - especially in dark silhouettes. And there is a slight lag.

The lag is felt and Ultra Street Fighter IV. Characters perform actions with a slight delay of about half a second. At the same time, the picture in this game looks much cleaner. Compression artifacts are not visible, although the image looks a little “soft” relative to games that are rendered on the console itself. At the same time, at maximum graphics settings, the game runs at 298 frames per second.

Ultra Street Fighter IV also lets you discover the inside of the GeForce Now server. As it turned out, this is a 64-bit system on Windows 8 Datacenter Edition with an Intel Xeon CPU E5-2697 v4 @ 2.30 GHz processor with 15251 Mb of memory and an NVIDIA Tesla P40 video card. The price of the latter is 400,000 rubles ...

We also tested Tomb raider 2013, which in GeForce Now produces a stable 60 frames per second at maximum graphics settings in 1080p resolution. It is impossible to raise the resolution higher. If you disable vertical sync, then the NVIDIA server will process the game at an average speed of 107 frames per second, walking in the range of 76 - 134 FPS.

The picture looks very clear and pleases with high details. The realistically flowing hair of the main character looks especially beautiful.

In this game, the "softness" of the video stream is almost invisible, artifacts are visible only if you take a good look at the dark areas of the picture, and there is no delay in control at all.

It is important to note that during the entire period of using the service, there have never been any technical problems or errors. NVIDIA servers are stable and games are always smooth.

After a month of heavy use, NVIDIA SHIELD TV leaves a mixed impression. On the one hand, this is a high-quality, sophisticated device with support for 4K HDR 60 FPS, which is ahead of all other similar solutions on the market in performance and playback capabilities of various video formats, can perform a variety of tasks and is perfect as a set-top box for those who have no screen with Smart TV functions.

On the other hand, most modern UltraHD panels already have the ability to play 4K HDR 60 FPS content and have built-in video streaming services like NETFLIX.

From the point of view of games - the library of Android applications is severely limited on SHIELD TV by the lack of a touch screen, most projects from smartphones are still rubbish, and looking for pearls that are optimized for a gamepad is a rather thankless task. Although for the same games from Telltale Games, the device is great. There are still too few ports from NVIDIA for large projects, and there are no interesting exclusives at all.

The main trump card of the device, as we see it, remains the streaming of games from the PC and the GeForce Now service, which works perfectly, which can be an excellent solution for those who do not want to spend a lot of money on buying a new computer or want to have access to games from their PC in anywhere in the world, subject to the availability of a high-quality Internet channel.

And, of course, it will be very curious to see the potential of the gadget to become a smart home hub when NVIDIA launches the system in conjunction with Google Assistant and SmartThings Hub.

NVIDIA SHIELD Android TV: a media box with gaming services

Today there is a huge selection of TV boxes that are manufactured on Android OS. They are mainly represented by Chinese brands. Nvidia Shield TV is a product of an American company. This device is highly versatile. It is positioned as a multifunctional TV set-top box. Its main feature is support for 4K resolution and High Dynamic Range Imaging technology. Among other consoles, this model stands out for its powerful graphics subsystem and voice control.

Specifications

There are two versions of the presented TV box. They differ only in the amount of internal memory. All other characteristics are identical.

The set-top box is powered by SoC Nvidia Tegra X1

Basic parameters of Nvidia Shield TV:

• support for the HDMI 2.0 interface standard with HDCP 2.2 content protection system;
• CPU - 64-bit Tegra X1 chip;
• OS - Android 7.0 (based on Android TV);
• the amount of RAM - 3 GB;
• standard for wireless local area networks - 802.11ac;
• support for Bluetooth 4.1;
• 16GB (Shield) and 500GB (Shield Pro) storage
• frame transfer technology - Gigabit Ethernet;
• there are connectors for USB 3.0 x 2, micro-USB 2.0 and micro-SD.

Extra options:

• voice assistant, which is already available on consoles from other manufacturers;
• a new standard that supports 4K resolution (30 and 60 fps), created for digital TV and graphics (the highest image quality is provided);
• nVIDIA GRID cloud technology for gaming, which allows streaming video games from the Internet;
• a large selection of entertainment applications;
• the ability to install Android games;
• wireless updates available.

Equipment

The TV box from Nvidia comes in a box with the classic black and green design for the devices of this manufacturer. On the side of it are the characteristics of the device.

The box contains special inserts for all the components: the device itself, a proprietary power supply unit for it with replaceable blocks for sockets of different standards, minimal documentation, a remote control and a gamepad with a charging cable

The kit contains the following elements:

• power Supply;
• shield Controller wireless game controller using Wi-Fi Direct standard;
• cable for high-definition multimedia (HDMI) and USB 3.0 interface.

The standard kit is small, but it is enough for the device to work properly. But if you wish, you can purchase additional accessories, for example, the Shield remote. It has a stylish design, headphone port, voice command support and easy operation. However, its capabilities do not apply to games. This accessory communicates with the main device via Bluetooth. Its price ranges from 4500 rubles.

There is one more accessory - a stand for the Smart Box, which is purchased separately. Its cost on the official website is 2.5 thousand rubles. It allows you to mount the Nvidia Shield vertically (the device has a very thin body). The demand for this device is low, since not everyone is ready to purchase this expensive auxiliary element.

Prefix appearance

Both versions of the multifunctional device have the same design, where glossy and matte surfaces are combined. It is made in a futuristic style. The compact body has a large number of sharp edges and lines. The small size of the set-top box allows you to place it anywhere. On the front of the case there is a touch button, decorated with the manufacturer's logo. When the device is turned on, a green V-shaped indicator lights up.

The plastic is mostly matte, but the sides and the insert on the top panel are glossy

Remote Control

The gamepad comes in one set with the console. It is one of the key elements of the device. The Controller has a stylish design, but it is not compact. It contains triggers, 2 analog sticks, a 4-way button and 2 buttons on the front. In addition, there is a location on the body with navigation touch keys. A headphone jack is also provided. Autonomous operation of the device is possible for 40 hours due to the built-in battery. It is rechargeable via a micro-USB port.

The technical component of the console

Nvidia is a giant in the graphics accelerators and processors industry, as well as chipsets. Therefore, the manufacturer did not save on the technical component of the new smart set-top box. At the heart of the device is a powerful sixth generation Tegra X1 processor. It was released in 2015 and has 8 cores split into 2 parts. One half is designed for high loads, it consists of 4 cores and is made on the Cortex-A57 architecture. The other half is used at times of low load and is more energy efficient. It is based on the Cortex-A53 architecture.

A similar method of dividing cores in a processor into classes has long been practiced in chips of mobile devices. This allows you to reduce the consumption of battery power, which does not matter for the presented set-top box, since it functions only when connected to the network. These characteristics allow you to play games with high system requirements.

The set-top box uses a proprietary Google launcher focused on working with Android TV, which is somewhat unusual for users of "regular" Android

Another important technical component of the system was the microarchitecture for the Maxwell GPU. It operates at 1000 MHz, which is superior in performance to devices from Qualcomm.

The Shield TV game console is equipped with 3 GB of RAM. The memory size on the storage device is different for the two device versions. So, in the Shield it is 16 GB, and in the PRO - 500 GB. The graphics subsystem supports the 4K image resolution standard (30 and 60 fps), developed for digital cinema and computer graphics. It provides the highest image quality.

The set-top box from Nvidia works under the control of a specially adapted OS "Android TV". The system is updated regularly. But there are not many apps for it in the store. Not all browsers are adapted for this OS, so you have to install programs from third-party resources or resort to installing the standard Android system. The Shield PRO model runs on Android Nougat OS, which appeared in 2016 and is constantly being improved.

Device performance

The presented set-top box, due to its performance, competes with similar devices from other manufacturers. In addition to standard functions, it allows you to install Android games. There is a specialty store that has a separate offer for gaming applications compatible with the Nvidia Shield.

There are several zones with large icons on the screen

The hybrid TV box supports any programs from the Play Market. Some PC releases are also gradually adapting to Shield TV. The manufacturing company is establishing cooperation with various game developers, which indicates the preparation of new gaming products compatible with the console.

The console works in conjunction with the GeForce NOW cloud service. It opens up new possibilities for games that no longer need to be downloaded or updated. The excellent performance of the Pascal GPUs installed on the SHIELD device is made possible by this service. Nvidia's servers themselves process and display images on the user's screen using the console. This process only requires a continuous internet connection.

Games are released every year with higher requirements for the characteristics of the playback device. The new generation of set-top boxes, which is Shield TV, does not require the owner to constantly purchase more powerful components. The first 30 days of the GeForce NOW subscription are free, but later you will have to pay 650 rubles per month for it. If there is no desire to purchase a subscription, then you can only place an order for specific game releases.

With a good Internet connection, the high quality of the picture during the gameplay is ensured. But, as with any device, dynamic battles can cause some delays in data processing.

Interface

On the back of the case there is a micro-USB port used for connecting a computer or charging. The model is also equipped with multiple connectors for USB 3.0 and HDMI, which transmits high definition digital video data. The set-top box can be connected to cable Internet. Additionally, the Nvidia Shield TV has a slot for a micro-SD card (max. 2 TB).

The upper block displays dynamic recommendations from programs installed on the device

The presented device combines the following functions:

• chromecast service (a digital media player designed to play streaming video or audio content using Wi-Fi from the Internet or from a local network);
• SteamLink, which broadcasts a picture from a computer to a TV;
• a full-fledged console console;
• servers that process audio and video signals, media streams and files, which allows your TV to work with a variety of Internet content sources.

Games

The console received active cooling, which is represented by a small cooler. It blows air out through the holes located on the back wall and the bottom of the case. This cooling system allows you to run games without overheating the device.

Access to game content is provided through a special service from NVIDIA. It uses the same subscription principle as in the Xbox and PlayStation consoles. The difference is that in the first case, not only games are rented out, but also virtual facilities. GeForce Now provides a free 1 month trial, after which the subscription fee becomes a must.

The client can use any available product. In this case, you do not have to download anything, since the launch takes place instantly. All data about backups, installations, etc. is located in the NVIDIA cloud storage. The set-top box only acts as an intermediary, exchanging data between the user and the company's servers. This is very convenient, since the content does not take up much space, as when downloading and installing, and boring games do not have to be deleted, freeing up space for new ones. In addition, video processing does not load the device.

The only drawback is the not too large selection of games in the NVIDIA library. It is not yet filled with as much content as the Steam service or the PS4 store. But the developers do not stand still and are gradually replenishing the game library.

Conclusion

Today we can safely say that Nvidia Shield TV is a very tempting proposition in the hybrid set-top box market. The developers keep up with the times, so they have released a product that has many useful features. The exclusivity of some of them attracts more and more people who want to buy this set-top box. For example, playing Android releases on a gamepad, playing modern games without spending a lot of money to buy a powerful PC - all this can be offered by a simple smart console. Such devices are the future, because the easier it is to perform standard functions, the more popular the console becomes in consumer circles. The Nvidia Shield TV fits seamlessly into a smart home. The manufacturer was able to implement a high standard of multifunctional equipment in the presented device.