Posted on Monday, October 28 2019 @ 18:43 CET by Thomas De Maesschalck
Two new Shield TV devices from NVIDIA are now shipping in North America and select European countries. The company has a small, tube-shaped Shield TV dongle with 2GB RAM, 8GB storage and a remote for $149, as well as a more console-looking Shield TV Pro model that has 3GB RAM and 16GB storage for $199. Both versions use the Tegra X1+ SoC, which promises 25 percent higher performance than the Tegra X1. You can use these Android TV devices to stream multimedia and you can also stream video games via GameStream (but this requires a PC with an NVIDIA GeForce video card).
NVIDIA today raised the bar higher still for streaming media players — unveiling the next generation of SHIELD™ TV, which delivers unmatched levels of home entertainment, gaming and AI capabilities right into the living room, starting at $149.
The two new SHIELD models — SHIELD TV and SHIELD TV Pro — provide exceptional visual and sound experiences. Their new Tegra® X1+ processor, delivering up to 25 percent more performance than its predecessor, helps bring to life Dolby Vision for ultra-vivid imagery and Dolby Atmos for extraordinary audio. Its computational prowess dramatically improves picture quality by using AI to upscale HD video streams into 4K resolution.
“These new models provide a big step up for SHIELD, which has consistently delivered groundbreaking innovations in the living room since its introduction five years ago,” said Jeff Fisher, senior vice president of the Consumer Business at NVIDIA. “They deliver unquestionably best-in-class entertainment, supported by Dolby Atmos, Dolby Vision and our breakthroughs in using AI to improve video streaming playback.”
The SHIELD additions offer options that will appeal to everyone, from casual streamers to media and gaming enthusiasts.
SHIELD TV has a slim, stealthy design meant to disappear by blending in with, or behind, entertainment centers. It also has Gigabit Ethernet and dual-band Wi-Fi for lightning-fast connectivity.
SHIELD TV Pro takes entertainment to the next level for the most demanding users. It is based on the previous generation’s iconic, sleek design and comes with additional memory and storage, plus two USB ports for running a Plex Media Server and connecting high-capacity hard drives or other USB devices.
Both come bundled with an all-new remote control, powered by two AAA batteries, that features motion-activated backlit buttons, a built-in lost remote locator and a mic for voice search.
SHIELD, as an Android TV™ device, provides access to over 500,000 movies and shows and more than 5,000 apps and games through Google Play. The Google Assistant enables users to quickly access entertainment, control smart devices and get answers on screen with their voice. SHIELD now supports “routines” — with one command, the Google Assistant will complete multiple tasks.
“NVIDIA pushes the boundaries of how media and entertainment are consumed in the home,” said Shalini Govil-Pai, senior director of Product Management for Android TV, at Google. “By bringing together Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos with Android TV, users of the new SHIELD TV media players receive an unmatched experience that well represents our platform’s rich content and capabilities.”
Spectacular Visuals and Sound
Dolby Vision transforms entertainment experiences with ultra-vivid imaging — incredible brightness, contrast, color and detail that infuse movies with refined, life-like images. It can deliver colors never seen before on a screen, with dramatic contrast, highlights that are up to 40x brighter, and blacks that are 10x darker.
Dolby Atmos represents a leap forward from surround sound, transporting listeners into an extraordinary experience with moving audio that flows around them. Listeners will feel like they are inside the action as the sounds of people, places, things and music come alive with breathtaking realism.
AI in the Home
SHIELD benefits from NVIDIA’s AI leadership to offer features lacking in competing devices. In addition to built-in Google Assistant and Amazon Echo connectivity, the new streamers use an AI upscaler to bring HD content to life. Trained on a deep neural network, the upscaler lets SHIELD owners watch 720p and 1080p content in beautiful 4K.
Amazing Games
SHIELD boasts the widest range of gaming content on a streaming media device with support for cloud gaming, local streaming and advanced native games. Gamers can enjoy hundreds of supported games in the GeForce NOW™ beta, including many recent releases and top free-to-play games like Fortnite.
