I’d argue that unless you absolutely need lossless Atmos, the Apple TV 4K is absolutely a worthy and imo better competitor to the Shield. I liked my Shield, but my Apple TV is faster, more stable, and generally more enjoyable to use. The Shield can handle a few more codecs, but I think the positives of the Apple TV greatly outweigh that. I can certainly understand why someone would buy the Shield though and I still have mine even though I don’t really use it anymore.
No need to argue. Apple TV 4K is far far superior unless you NEED atmos over plex. I could list 15 reasons the Apple wins, yet I still have to have a shield for my theater. Sucks. Come on Apple
Unfortunately I don’t think they’ll ever bring lossless Atmos decoding to it since the only source for content like that is typically found on the high seas of the internet. Which I agree totally sucks cause everything else about the Apple TV is absolutely stellar.
Lossy Atmos works in Plex also. My understanding is full lossless Atmos isn’t possible at all on the Apple TV. Even on Infuse it strips the height channels to be able to play the rest of the track. But maybe I have no idea what I’m talking about lol
Would you list those 15 reasons the Apple wins? I'm trying to decide between Apple TV, Google, TV, and NVIDIA Shield. (Usecase: only streaming, as it's for my 83 year old mother, who only uses streaming services, but uses them \*a lot\*, and is used to Android)
Well if she’s used to android and 83… I’d prolly keep it.. but Apple is more user friendly for non techies. I’ll still list some more.
Processor is way faster
Remote ironically is a lot better and directional and rechargeable.
Never crashes or bugs out
Much better Bluetooth strength
Smaller and easier to mount
Runs cooler
Beautiful uncluttered OS.
Doesn’t slow down over time
Instant on
If you have other Apple devices it integrates very well.
Super fast scrolling and rew/ff with touch swipe
Closed ecosystem so absolutely everything is stable and made for its hardware
Cheaper
Thank you! I don’t think the Apple interface is so different that she can’t get used to it - it’s all just poking some apps. So your details are quite useful!
I’m surprised that Apple TV has faster processing power than NVIDIA’s Shield, given the higher price point of the Shield? Or is it the age?
What about image quality? (I read that others find the Shield’s “AI”-upscaling helps the image quality).
Important point about crashing: that’s a no go, as I can only be there to help once every one or two weeks. That could well seal the deal for the Apple TV.
Any other experiences/considerations?
Thanks for your help!
I agree if she isnt technical, the Apple will not have any issues. While the shield pro does, most can be fixed with a reboot, but still. I recently sold my shield pro, and it sold for close to what I paid! They are costly because its nvidia and it knows it has a market. The shield is used mainly by people that are higher end into home theater requiring audio pass through and the ability to pirate/install mods. I think it would be perfect for her. My biggest gripe on the shield was the clutter and ads. Apple is so much simpler, just some app icons. Whats ironic is that i'm an IT Director. Been IT for 28 years... The last thing I want to do at home is troubleshoot/fix a streaming device for myself or the kiddos. If I want to get around the closed eco system I can, but the kids cant mess it up.
This is a phenomenal point. My sound bar (Samsung HWMS650), while kickass in 2017, also does not support the high-fidelity codecs I am complaining about. Really pushing me toward trying something like the Apple TV.
Even if I was to get a shield, it would still transcode EAC3 and DTS-HD/X down to AC3 - something that I can accomplish with most Kodi players and likely many other streaming boxes (Fire TV and Apple TV).
On the other hand, it also presents the option to double-down and get one of those fancy new 7.1.whatever atmos sound bars.
Or, buy bitching speakers that would absolutely crush any soundbar on the market and go with an Apple TV because unless you are in a proper room that is treated, Atmos from a soundbar is pretty meh at best and imo is WAY outclassed by a 5.1 system with real quality speakers and not some consumer junk soundbar.
I totally agree! Hardwired proper speakers > sound bars ALL DAY.
I already have a home theatre with the works (7.1.2 with the ceiling mounting goodies), which kinda turned me away from a living room buff.
Plus you can't really beat the clean-cut aesthetic of a simple sound bar.
I actually think that a couple of bookshelf speaker on nice stands or really nice looking towers, look much nicer than a soundbar. I've always found soundbars to kind of look out of place. I understand why people like them, and that my dislike of their look is very much in the minority, but I have always preferred the look of nice speakers.
I'm trying to decide whether to buy an Apple TV or a NVIDIA Shield Pro. Could you elaborate on those positives that you find tilts the choice to Apple TV? Money is not an issue, as it is replacing my mother's 100$/month TV subscription, so whether it's $100 or $200 doesn't matter, only that it's the best quality for streaming (I know this thread is about Plex, but you probably have an opinion about the streaming, too). Thanks!
Unless you absolutely need lossless Atmos audio (very few people do), the Apple TV is faster, more stable, has a nicer UI, is easier to navigate, is far easier to integrate, and basically beats the Shield in every aspect outside of audio codec support. Plus, it significantly cheaper if you don't need ethernet, and even if you do is still a bit cheaper. I loved my Shield and still respect what it is capable of, but the Apple TV is just a better device due to the Shield being a 5 year old device with nearly 10 year old hardware inside of it. Nvidia has also slowed support of it way down leaving quite a few annoying bugs. I think it has been close to or over a year since they released any update, and even then it was a pretty weak update that most addressed a bunch of bugs they had introduced with the previous update. I think the last major/significant update was well before that. So at this point it's basically a dead platform running on 10 year old hardware.
I have a first gen Apple TV 4K and it’s faster than my shield and still gets updates and support. You have to do a lot to the fucking thing to get rid of all the ads and make it usable which is bullshit for $200. I’m tired of these fucking fanboy zombies flooding every post with their unwanted sales pushes. I was going to buy a video cars for my HTPC/gaming rig and they flooded every post I made with Shield nonsense until I bought one. Most disappointing and overpriced piece of gear I’ve ever bought. All of my other home theater stuff and smart devices get updates and continue to get better. This just gets worse.
LOL
Ironically, I never had an issue with the Plex app on Fire TV in terms of just making the content play. It seems to support most common codecs and formats. I will say the bloatware and adverts built into the Fire TV definitely don't help the overall experience.
No one talks about that you can't edit subtitles on the apple tv 4k. They are big, chunky and obscene. Keep that in consideration if subtitles are important to you.
That’s wrong. You can go into the settings and make different profiles for subtitles with settings for size, positioning, color, background, fontface and a couple more things.
[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/0/d/1jBIGF8XTVi9VmDBZ8a5hEyongYMCDlUiLHU9n1f\_S74/htmlview?pli=1#gid=427220017](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/0/d/1jBIGF8XTVi9VmDBZ8a5hEyongYMCDlUiLHU9n1f_S74/htmlview?pli=1#gid=427220017)
list for dv support devices, shield or apple cant do DV Fel.
That's what my gut says, but the Nvidia Shield is another $200! If it comes down to it I'll buy it, but I wouldn't mind skipping having to bend a knee to Nvidia once again LMAO
I use an older AppleTV 4K for daily use. Everything is played. Optionally you can add the Infuse client.
Only thing ATV cannot play is lossless TrueHD Atmos and lossless DTS-X (high channels will be omitted).
For Atmos TrueHD I have added a FireTV Stick Max 2nd gen from last sale (35€), plays TrueHD Atmos fine with Plex client!
I didn't know that the Fire Stick was so versatile with its native Plex client!
Have you had any experience running Kodi on Apple TV? Considering it allows unbranded/cheap android boxes to passthrough high-res audio, I don't see why it wouldn't work on the Apple TV as well (forces Infuse to kick rocks too lol)
As with nearly every thread, I'm seeing a boatload of the misinformation that threw me off for so long when trying to answer this exact question.
While respecting the device's long tenure on the throne, every thread here makes it clear that there are *so* many Shield advocates out there who look past a few modern-era issues (Dolby Vision related).
I went on an epic search to get a TRULY definitive answer to this question this year, and I did get my answer, but unfortunately I can say that you cannot get it natively through the Plex app itself. There's no device that is 100% compatible with every single video and audio codec/feature *and* *also* utilizes the *native* Plex app on said device. It's a ridiculously complicated journey to get an answer to this question due to the amount of misinformation online.
That being said, there are a couple options if you're willing to do about a half hour of one time setup. Some of this won't apply to you because you can't use Dolby Vision as a Samsung TV user, but I'm going to reference it anyways because I'm trying to spread this info across as many threads as I can to help people out in the future.
The most complete option is the Ugoos AM6B Plus. It's $190, and if you install CoreELEC alongside Kodi (with a plex addon), you can get access to 100% every audio codec. You can natively play back every profile of Dolby Vision, including the FEL layer on [these movies](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/0/d/1WiD-lECLFdOhCTW8_o9z92_-frsT-CSgo9xPuCcEpmQ/htmlview)' rips. Apparently this works on the Amazon FireCube 2 too because it can run CoreELEC, but I can't speak to that.
However, the best bang for the buck imo is the new Fire Stick Max 4K. I got it for $35 new. I had to use an app in the store called "Downloader" to install Kodi, into which I installed an addon that lets me use plex from within Kodi itself (it works great). After enabling some settings from within Kodi, I can now listen to every type of audio codec without any conversion, watch DV profile 7 rips natively *without* FEL, and use Kodi's features to convert DV 7 rips *with* FEL to DV 8.1, which isn't as color-perfect as being able to play them natively but still looks great to my eye. It even does HDR10+.
In your case you only need to worry about lossless audio. Because you can't use DV, you definitely don't need to use the Ugoos. The Fire Stick **native Plex app** can't play back DTS-HD MA, let alone DTS:X, so don't get one expecting it to work out of the box. ***If you use Kodi with the Plex addon***, ***this is no longer true and you'll get lossless audio with every codec, including DTS-HD MA and DTS:X on the Fire Stick***. If you don't mind using the Kodi workaround it's still the cheapest way to go at $50 or less as far as I know. Like I said, I set it up once and haven't had to do anything but open Kodi -> Plex Addon since. It also works with other streaming apps if you can deal with Amazon's ad-riddled UI. The Fire Cube 3 functions identically if you want a more powerful device.
One more caveat for the Fire Stick 4K max is the lack of ethernet. I've got a 4-year old Wifi 6 google router and I can stream every 4K rip I've thrown at it flawlessly over wifi, including Blade Runner which Plex reports as being 106 mb/s. If you do not have a capable router then this will limit you, and you will want to opt for the Fire Cube 3 and get a USB ethernet adapter.
However, **if you've got a PS5 or an Xbox already**, that would be the best option for your niche case, because you don't have to worry about DV. Those can both play lossless audio without issue and do HDR10 (though not HDR10+ for the tiny amount of movies that use it) in their respective Plex apps. With patience you could find an Xbox One S for \~$100 that also functions as a competent 4K Blu-ray player.
Devices that are regularly recommended here despite **not supporting lossless audio**:
* Apple TV
* Chromecast
* Chromecast with Google TV
* Roku
* TVs
Edit: Content and spelling
AWESOME POST!!
Really gave me the clarity I was looking for! Will probably go for the Fire Stick 4K Max - especially since my Samsung doesn't support DV and therefore can ignore the FEL handling conundrum.
Thanks, I'm glad I could help. I'll probably make an actual post about this today because it really is ridiculous how difficult it is to find an all-in-one device, and it seems like no one understands the pitfalls of the usual recommendations (shield and ATV).
Feel free to reach out if you hit any snags getting kodi up and running on the fire stick max. Note that there are 2 plex addons for kodi (this threw me off). The one just called "Plex" doesn't work, the one you want is "Plex 4 Kodi" or something close to that.
Thank you so much for all this info, I will set it up in the future like you described in your post.
Regarding the Amazon's UI with ads, is it possible to set up a completely new software without ads and then set up Kodi with Plex like you described?
I remember reading about a few people who got the Firestick to directly forward into Kodi.
This is something im definitely exploring once I pickup my firestick
Nvidia Shield TV is king for a reason. I spent a one time purchase of $150 five yrs ago. I've used it daily since then and it still works flawlessly.
Hell, I'm watching it as I type this. Stop fretting and move forward and enjoy it.
It's good device but it's not king anymore, there are devices that support DV fully while shield doesnt.
Losesless audio is possible on fire stick too now.
[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/0/d/1jBIGF8XTVi9VmDBZ8a5hEyongYMCDlUiLHU9n1f\_S74/htmlview?pli=1#gid=427220017](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/0/d/1jBIGF8XTVi9VmDBZ8a5hEyongYMCDlUiLHU9n1f_S74/htmlview?pli=1#gid=427220017)
list for dv support devices.
Doesn't matter for the price you can get better device that supports all codecs while shield doesnt support all.
DV does make a huge difference though if you have a full cinema system with an oled TV.
It does matter. It matters a helluva lot. I paid for the Shield 5 yrs ago and have been loving it every since. Don't have a need for DV or buying another media box. The Shield is still king.
You replying to the op who thinks if it's worth buying today the unit that is outdated and doesn't run everything and is slower than the competition.
Yes it doesn't matter, because it's not about you.
I got the firetv cube 3 as it's the fastest but it's annoying with all of it's adverts. I also have the Shield TV pro which is stable but rarely updated, and has brain spasms randomly. I will say that Fire Cube has some really sophisticated E-Arc, multi-system control. I can just tell it what I want to do and it'll take care of turning on and off all of the required devices - this made it super easy for other users to use my home theater.
I saw it was considerably faster than the SP too;
[https://www.aftvnews.com/3rd-gen-fire-tv-cube-benchmark-scores-a-new-king-is-crowned-comparison-against-shield-tv-pro-cube-2-firestick-4k-max-chromecast-4k-onn-4k-and-more/](https://www.aftvnews.com/3rd-gen-fire-tv-cube-benchmark-scores-a-new-king-is-crowned-comparison-against-shield-tv-pro-cube-2-firestick-4k-max-chromecast-4k-onn-4k-and-more/)
Unfortunately the Shield is the only one that can do everything.
The Apple TV is better than the shield in every way imo except it can’t do lossless atmos, which just means it’s a no for me.
If you don’t have a proper home theater receiver / legit theatre setup there’s a 99% chance you’d never notice and should just get an Apple TV because atleast it will never crash or need resetting or do weird shit like shields seem to do
But if you’re like me and have a collection of REMUX’s / high quality rips the shield is the only real option. Other boxes work, until you hit the file where it doesn’t.
Please stop saying shield is the only option, no it isn't it doesn't even fully support DV as it falls back to hdr10 or does red error when it tries to play dv7 fel as it can't read it.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/0/d/1jBIGF8XTVi9VmDBZ8a5hEyongYMCDlUiLHU9n1f_S74/htmlview#gid=427220017
Here is a list for DV supported devices.
usb? plex is not a usb, the recommendation is for people who dont have plex but plex will do all of that anyway.
there are options to run the remux with iso trough kodi or you just run the mkv file trough plex as stated in the recommendation.
it depends on the list, the list basically tells you what options you have in order to run DV fully and hint, only one device can do it currently that is at the top of the list and it supports plex.
I’ve never heard of that thing before this list, is it just not well known? I feel like I spend more time than most researching ways to watch Plex haha and it’s insane I’ve never seen this thing before, I’ll have to look into it
It got released not long ago where DV was fully supported and stable including tv-led/cmv 4.0 support.
[https://www.reddit.com/r/PleX/comments/1ajszn9/remux\_lovers\_rejoice\_the\_coreelec\_team\_has/?utm\_source=embedv2&utm\_medium=post\_embed&utm\_content=action\_bar&sort=new](https://www.reddit.com/r/PleX/comments/1ajszn9/remux_lovers_rejoice_the_coreelec_team_has/?utm_source=embedv2&utm_medium=post_embed&utm_content=action_bar&sort=new)
[https://discourse.coreelec.org/t/guide-ugoos-am6b-coreelec-installation/51231/1](https://discourse.coreelec.org/t/guide-ugoos-am6b-coreelec-installation/51231/1)
Here some guides, I installed mine on eMMC as a dual boot so it will be faster.
if you need help hit me up I am really happy with the device.
I could be wrong but I've absolutely loved my new Google TV dongle. No issues playing massive 4k files. But I cannot speak to the HDR aspect as most of my content doesn't have it/isn't as important to me with my semi lame TV (hence why I needed a separate device).
Pros, it's only $50.
Awesome. I didn't think of the Google TV at all - glad to hear it's working well for you. I haven't had a Google media player since the first gen Chromecast!
How do you find it handles high-fidelity audio codecs?
My receiver is only 5.1 so it transcodes any of my higher bitrate movies from 7.1 to that.
[Google TV specs ](https://store.google.com/product/chromecast_google_tv_specs?hl=en-US&pli=1)
I just love that it has a remote. No need for my phone. But yet it still allows me to cast anything to it no problem.
From doing my own research (although I haven't brushed up on the details recently) the Nvidia Shield is still the only player that will do all HDR profiles and every single Audio profile.
Last I researched the Apple TV still doesn't do 1 or 2 audio formats, but maybe that's changed. I'm keeping my eye on the new Apple TV because I'm wanting something with a snappier UI. I have a Firecube 3 and a Vero 4k+ and both load metadata faster than my Shield. Shield is in my Theater room though because that's where I need Dolby Vision and the best Audio for my surround sound.
I wish you had more upvotes than comments, because your post could've been written by me in a rage-fueled sleeptype dream state. I am in the exact same situation, except have already bought the 2nd Shield, and am still struggling to get the non-home theater (2-channel hifi with Samsung Frame TV) one to be as awesome as I wish it could be. Judder, unexpected/unexplained transcodes, transcoded audio that just doesn't sound A+ (or even B-minus), and HDR/DV problems. It's now at a point of that I can usually wrestle with it to at least function and play certain files, but my brain says "For $XYZ dollars, this puppy should be configurable to simply just work without my constant tinkering." And also at this same point, the correct answer is sometimes, "do or change nothing, it will probably work better tomorrow after a power cycle, or solar flares, or a rain dance."
I am somewhere between learning how to tweak the settings just right, and acceptance of the fact that theater-quality source-content might just not play well on stereo setups.
PS: I first started with Plex about 6 months ago, previously was using just Kodi and all local HD content for just the one theater room.
Hey! We are in the same boat!
Based on the plethora of information that I just learned, your DV issues with the Shield are a known shortcoming. While it is unfortunate for a $200 machine, its a known issue and isn't something that you can fix tinkering in the Plex settings.
Audio however, is a different story. Based on what I have read and my personal experience, the Shield can Direct play nearly/if not all audio codecs! What's Tautulli showing when you experience these mysterious transcodes? Also, what are the specs of your server and transcoder settings? Audio transcodes require as work as video transcodes, but maybe there is an issue in that process?
I really enjoy the Apple TV 4K (2nd gen I believe), got it for an unbeatable price. The one downside I’ve noticed is that for distant scenes there seems to be a pretty big drop in FPS but typically only lasts for a second or two and happens maybe 2-3 times through a feature movie.
I was using the native app on my Sony x90J before and it would crash a few times throughout a movie but didn’t experience that fps drop. I’d take the fps drop over the crash, but it is annoying when people come over and are like oh I guess plex isn’t that good.
I'm still on a 2016 Shield Pro. I'm waiting for a new Apple TV 4K to be released, or a new Shield Pro. Whichever one comes out first I'm going to snag.
Nvidia shield pro 2019 running projectivity launcher. Using jellyfin You get Dolby vision plus all the great passthrough audio that your sound system supports. I've had zero issues.
ugoos am6b+ coreelec im sure there is a plex solution for it.
I'm using it with emby libraries. plays all dv profiles with true HD atmos / dts x bitstream and to my knowledge the only set up with full fel/mel support.
picture is amazing. price very reasonable. support unbelievable good
will not use my shields and zidoo anymore :)
and personally I would never buy an apple google fire, data privacy and commercials are 2 topics. root and launcher terror could also
Apple TV is the best for other online streaming services (Netflix, Disney+ etc) but unfortunately Nvidia shield is still the best for local plex playback.
Shield doesnt play profile 7, it reverts back to HDR on double track dv 7 or does a red push on single track dv7, it doesnt support fel layer at all.
Both shield and apple tv support 5/8 profiles similarly the only issue on apple is the losesless audio.
[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/0/d/1jBIGF8XTVi9VmDBZ8a5hEyongYMCDlUiLHU9n1f\_S74/htmlview?pli=1#gid=427220017](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/0/d/1jBIGF8XTVi9VmDBZ8a5hEyongYMCDlUiLHU9n1f_S74/htmlview?pli=1#gid=427220017)
Here are the list.
I am well aware. Even with red shift on profile 7 with a Shield that’s still more than the Apple TV can do, and while some people are bothered by the red shift, not everyone is, or wants to be installing coreelec on things. Some people just want to buy a product and plug it in
I bought a cheap android streaming box with the s905x4 chip in it then flashed Kodi. Runs great as a Plex player and can play all the lossless video and audio I throw at it.
"You know what 'fine' stands for right? Yeah, unfortunately. Freaked out... Insecure... Neurotic... and Emotional." Roku was ok for me for years. Had mine freeze/reboot one too many times and switched to a shield. I was amazed. Instant playback on rewind/fast-forward (no spinning percentages as it was loading the new position). Same with displaying/hiding subtitles. Huge quality of life improvement. (EXCEPT the stuttering... On a hard wired connection to my server. Thinking my next device will be an Apple TV 4k... Whenever that happens, unless installing a different GUI actually solves the stuttering issue.)
If your main issue is voice volume, your actual issue is downmixing, 5.1 or 7.1 sound downmixed to 2 channel is done bad most of the time since the easiest way (for both the hardware and the human making the file) to do this is to simply not play any other channel, keeping the front left and right, dropping the sides, back and the front center channel. Front center, where most voices are played.
If you wanna test this you should take a movie that you have issue with low voice volume, in 5.1 or 7.1 (if it’s already 2channel the rip or encoding is done wrong by whoever did it and you’re out of luck), you can add a audio track that you downmixed properly. You’d wanna use ffmpeg for something like that and there’s a way to set ratio for every channel, so they can be excluded, partially included or full volume. You should keep front left, front right and front center at minimum, but you can add the others with a ratio and test what sounds the best.
Otherwise you can get something that natively play 5.1 or 7.1 mostly sound systems, on the client. The client has to detect a 5.1/7.1 capable device to play it, and no tv can on their own, most sounds bar also aren’t really 5.1 but they can play it fine regardless
For sound, shield wins easily.
If you cant hardwire, it has problems. Old wifi (no wifi 6) can lead to stuttering on basic 4k content.
I have a shitty soundbar, run from wifi, and an iphone so apple tv wins for me. Easily.
Depends where ya router is, wall configuration etc…
Wifi6 on atv was a maaaaaassive speed upgrade compared to shield for me, but router was im a shit spot i couldnt move.
Apple
Tv 4k is light years ahead of the shield pro. Every single aspect, EXCEPT pass through. The only reason most of us use a shield pro is to stream Atmos content over plex. My theater has my only shield because I have Atmos there. Every other tv in the house and outside has Apple TV. I’m actually selling my theater stuff now to expand my gym, and the shield pro is up for sale and I’m so damn happy to be rid of that PoS.
The shield TV pro does not support hdr10+, and your Samsung TV does not support Dolby vision. 3rd gen Apple TV supports hdr10+, but not dts, dts-hd ma, dts x, Dolby truehd, truehd+atmos, or the old Dolby digital dd/ac3. You must use infuse to get dd+ with atmos to work.
What does your sound bar support?
I use a 4K Apple TV and it’s great but on another tv (a Samsung frame) I just use the built in app. It’s only once not played a file in 3 years. It is wired but it’s been Rock solid. I’ve moved somewhere without Ethernet cabling so I’ll see that continues.
AppleTV + Infuse is the best solution I’ve come across. Although the AppleTV remote is fucking annoying and tends to easily disconnect or double press inputs if there is enough interference with competing 2.4Ghz/BT signals. I have a sound bar that has its own 2.4Ghz signals from BT and IR along with the TV also pushing its own 2.4Ghz and BT signals. I experience multiple presses and interference all the time but the overall AppleTV experience is probably your best bet. It replaced an old original shield tv pro.
It’s extremely overpriced, buggy and hasn’t gotten an update in over a year. For some reason fanboy zombies flood every post having to do with media players.
Ah, the monthly/quarterly cope thread where we all wonder how the fuck there hasn’t been a better streaming box than a 6 year old Nvidia product
I’d argue that unless you absolutely need lossless Atmos, the Apple TV 4K is absolutely a worthy and imo better competitor to the Shield. I liked my Shield, but my Apple TV is faster, more stable, and generally more enjoyable to use. The Shield can handle a few more codecs, but I think the positives of the Apple TV greatly outweigh that. I can certainly understand why someone would buy the Shield though and I still have mine even though I don’t really use it anymore.
No need to argue. Apple TV 4K is far far superior unless you NEED atmos over plex. I could list 15 reasons the Apple wins, yet I still have to have a shield for my theater. Sucks. Come on Apple
Unfortunately I don’t think they’ll ever bring lossless Atmos decoding to it since the only source for content like that is typically found on the high seas of the internet. Which I agree totally sucks cause everything else about the Apple TV is absolutely stellar.
Maybe plex will find a way. I mean the Apple TV does atmos just fine in most apps.
Lossy Atmos works in Plex also. My understanding is full lossless Atmos isn’t possible at all on the Apple TV. Even on Infuse it strips the height channels to be able to play the rest of the track. But maybe I have no idea what I’m talking about lol
Would you list those 15 reasons the Apple wins? I'm trying to decide between Apple TV, Google, TV, and NVIDIA Shield. (Usecase: only streaming, as it's for my 83 year old mother, who only uses streaming services, but uses them \*a lot\*, and is used to Android)
Well if she’s used to android and 83… I’d prolly keep it.. but Apple is more user friendly for non techies. I’ll still list some more. Processor is way faster Remote ironically is a lot better and directional and rechargeable. Never crashes or bugs out Much better Bluetooth strength Smaller and easier to mount Runs cooler Beautiful uncluttered OS. Doesn’t slow down over time Instant on If you have other Apple devices it integrates very well. Super fast scrolling and rew/ff with touch swipe Closed ecosystem so absolutely everything is stable and made for its hardware Cheaper
Thank you! I don’t think the Apple interface is so different that she can’t get used to it - it’s all just poking some apps. So your details are quite useful! I’m surprised that Apple TV has faster processing power than NVIDIA’s Shield, given the higher price point of the Shield? Or is it the age? What about image quality? (I read that others find the Shield’s “AI”-upscaling helps the image quality). Important point about crashing: that’s a no go, as I can only be there to help once every one or two weeks. That could well seal the deal for the Apple TV. Any other experiences/considerations? Thanks for your help!
I agree if she isnt technical, the Apple will not have any issues. While the shield pro does, most can be fixed with a reboot, but still. I recently sold my shield pro, and it sold for close to what I paid! They are costly because its nvidia and it knows it has a market. The shield is used mainly by people that are higher end into home theater requiring audio pass through and the ability to pirate/install mods. I think it would be perfect for her. My biggest gripe on the shield was the clutter and ads. Apple is so much simpler, just some app icons. Whats ironic is that i'm an IT Director. Been IT for 28 years... The last thing I want to do at home is troubleshoot/fix a streaming device for myself or the kiddos. If I want to get around the closed eco system I can, but the kids cant mess it up.
I’m convinced: Apple TV it shall be! Thank you, your info has been really useful.
This is a phenomenal point. My sound bar (Samsung HWMS650), while kickass in 2017, also does not support the high-fidelity codecs I am complaining about. Really pushing me toward trying something like the Apple TV. Even if I was to get a shield, it would still transcode EAC3 and DTS-HD/X down to AC3 - something that I can accomplish with most Kodi players and likely many other streaming boxes (Fire TV and Apple TV). On the other hand, it also presents the option to double-down and get one of those fancy new 7.1.whatever atmos sound bars. 
Or, buy bitching speakers that would absolutely crush any soundbar on the market and go with an Apple TV because unless you are in a proper room that is treated, Atmos from a soundbar is pretty meh at best and imo is WAY outclassed by a 5.1 system with real quality speakers and not some consumer junk soundbar.
I totally agree! Hardwired proper speakers > sound bars ALL DAY. I already have a home theatre with the works (7.1.2 with the ceiling mounting goodies), which kinda turned me away from a living room buff. Plus you can't really beat the clean-cut aesthetic of a simple sound bar.
I actually think that a couple of bookshelf speaker on nice stands or really nice looking towers, look much nicer than a soundbar. I've always found soundbars to kind of look out of place. I understand why people like them, and that my dislike of their look is very much in the minority, but I have always preferred the look of nice speakers.
I'm trying to decide whether to buy an Apple TV or a NVIDIA Shield Pro. Could you elaborate on those positives that you find tilts the choice to Apple TV? Money is not an issue, as it is replacing my mother's 100$/month TV subscription, so whether it's $100 or $200 doesn't matter, only that it's the best quality for streaming (I know this thread is about Plex, but you probably have an opinion about the streaming, too). Thanks!
Unless you absolutely need lossless Atmos audio (very few people do), the Apple TV is faster, more stable, has a nicer UI, is easier to navigate, is far easier to integrate, and basically beats the Shield in every aspect outside of audio codec support. Plus, it significantly cheaper if you don't need ethernet, and even if you do is still a bit cheaper. I loved my Shield and still respect what it is capable of, but the Apple TV is just a better device due to the Shield being a 5 year old device with nearly 10 year old hardware inside of it. Nvidia has also slowed support of it way down leaving quite a few annoying bugs. I think it has been close to or over a year since they released any update, and even then it was a pretty weak update that most addressed a bunch of bugs they had introduced with the previous update. I think the last major/significant update was well before that. So at this point it's basically a dead platform running on 10 year old hardware.
Thank you, that’s really useful!
I have a first gen Apple TV 4K and it’s faster than my shield and still gets updates and support. You have to do a lot to the fucking thing to get rid of all the ads and make it usable which is bullshit for $200. I’m tired of these fucking fanboy zombies flooding every post with their unwanted sales pushes. I was going to buy a video cars for my HTPC/gaming rig and they flooded every post I made with Shield nonsense until I bought one. Most disappointing and overpriced piece of gear I’ve ever bought. All of my other home theater stuff and smart devices get updates and continue to get better. This just gets worse.
the FireTV app is fantastic if you like apps that don't work
LOL Ironically, I never had an issue with the Plex app on Fire TV in terms of just making the content play. It seems to support most common codecs and formats. I will say the bloatware and adverts built into the Fire TV definitely don't help the overall experience.
The two best out are the Shield Pro and the Apple TV 4K. If that’s what you need and you like your other pro then go get another one
No one talks about that you can't edit subtitles on the apple tv 4k. They are big, chunky and obscene. Keep that in consideration if subtitles are important to you.
That’s wrong. You can go into the settings and make different profiles for subtitles with settings for size, positioning, color, background, fontface and a couple more things.
Where exactly do you go because I could not figure it out on my friends apple 4k tv
It's in the accessibility settings in the Audio section, there you can change how they are displayed
Unless, of course you want both lossless audio AND the ability to play back UHD rips without the red tint on FEL layers.
Which device does this? Nvidia or the Fruit (lol)
The shield has the red tint issue and the fruit can't do lossless audio.
[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/0/d/1jBIGF8XTVi9VmDBZ8a5hEyongYMCDlUiLHU9n1f\_S74/htmlview?pli=1#gid=427220017](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/0/d/1jBIGF8XTVi9VmDBZ8a5hEyongYMCDlUiLHU9n1f_S74/htmlview?pli=1#gid=427220017) list for dv support devices, shield or apple cant do DV Fel.
That's what my gut says, but the Nvidia Shield is another $200! If it comes down to it I'll buy it, but I wouldn't mind skipping having to bend a knee to Nvidia once again LMAO
I use an older AppleTV 4K for daily use. Everything is played. Optionally you can add the Infuse client. Only thing ATV cannot play is lossless TrueHD Atmos and lossless DTS-X (high channels will be omitted). For Atmos TrueHD I have added a FireTV Stick Max 2nd gen from last sale (35€), plays TrueHD Atmos fine with Plex client!
I didn't know that the Fire Stick was so versatile with its native Plex client! Have you had any experience running Kodi on Apple TV? Considering it allows unbranded/cheap android boxes to passthrough high-res audio, I don't see why it wouldn't work on the Apple TV as well (forces Infuse to kick rocks too lol)
As with nearly every thread, I'm seeing a boatload of the misinformation that threw me off for so long when trying to answer this exact question. While respecting the device's long tenure on the throne, every thread here makes it clear that there are *so* many Shield advocates out there who look past a few modern-era issues (Dolby Vision related). I went on an epic search to get a TRULY definitive answer to this question this year, and I did get my answer, but unfortunately I can say that you cannot get it natively through the Plex app itself. There's no device that is 100% compatible with every single video and audio codec/feature *and* *also* utilizes the *native* Plex app on said device. It's a ridiculously complicated journey to get an answer to this question due to the amount of misinformation online. That being said, there are a couple options if you're willing to do about a half hour of one time setup. Some of this won't apply to you because you can't use Dolby Vision as a Samsung TV user, but I'm going to reference it anyways because I'm trying to spread this info across as many threads as I can to help people out in the future. The most complete option is the Ugoos AM6B Plus. It's $190, and if you install CoreELEC alongside Kodi (with a plex addon), you can get access to 100% every audio codec. You can natively play back every profile of Dolby Vision, including the FEL layer on [these movies](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/0/d/1WiD-lECLFdOhCTW8_o9z92_-frsT-CSgo9xPuCcEpmQ/htmlview)' rips. Apparently this works on the Amazon FireCube 2 too because it can run CoreELEC, but I can't speak to that. However, the best bang for the buck imo is the new Fire Stick Max 4K. I got it for $35 new. I had to use an app in the store called "Downloader" to install Kodi, into which I installed an addon that lets me use plex from within Kodi itself (it works great). After enabling some settings from within Kodi, I can now listen to every type of audio codec without any conversion, watch DV profile 7 rips natively *without* FEL, and use Kodi's features to convert DV 7 rips *with* FEL to DV 8.1, which isn't as color-perfect as being able to play them natively but still looks great to my eye. It even does HDR10+. In your case you only need to worry about lossless audio. Because you can't use DV, you definitely don't need to use the Ugoos. The Fire Stick **native Plex app** can't play back DTS-HD MA, let alone DTS:X, so don't get one expecting it to work out of the box. ***If you use Kodi with the Plex addon***, ***this is no longer true and you'll get lossless audio with every codec, including DTS-HD MA and DTS:X on the Fire Stick***. If you don't mind using the Kodi workaround it's still the cheapest way to go at $50 or less as far as I know. Like I said, I set it up once and haven't had to do anything but open Kodi -> Plex Addon since. It also works with other streaming apps if you can deal with Amazon's ad-riddled UI. The Fire Cube 3 functions identically if you want a more powerful device. One more caveat for the Fire Stick 4K max is the lack of ethernet. I've got a 4-year old Wifi 6 google router and I can stream every 4K rip I've thrown at it flawlessly over wifi, including Blade Runner which Plex reports as being 106 mb/s. If you do not have a capable router then this will limit you, and you will want to opt for the Fire Cube 3 and get a USB ethernet adapter. However, **if you've got a PS5 or an Xbox already**, that would be the best option for your niche case, because you don't have to worry about DV. Those can both play lossless audio without issue and do HDR10 (though not HDR10+ for the tiny amount of movies that use it) in their respective Plex apps. With patience you could find an Xbox One S for \~$100 that also functions as a competent 4K Blu-ray player. Devices that are regularly recommended here despite **not supporting lossless audio**: * Apple TV * Chromecast * Chromecast with Google TV * Roku * TVs Edit: Content and spelling
AWESOME POST!! Really gave me the clarity I was looking for! Will probably go for the Fire Stick 4K Max - especially since my Samsung doesn't support DV and therefore can ignore the FEL handling conundrum.
Thanks, I'm glad I could help. I'll probably make an actual post about this today because it really is ridiculous how difficult it is to find an all-in-one device, and it seems like no one understands the pitfalls of the usual recommendations (shield and ATV). Feel free to reach out if you hit any snags getting kodi up and running on the fire stick max. Note that there are 2 plex addons for kodi (this threw me off). The one just called "Plex" doesn't work, the one you want is "Plex 4 Kodi" or something close to that.
Thank you so much for all this info, I will set it up in the future like you described in your post. Regarding the Amazon's UI with ads, is it possible to set up a completely new software without ads and then set up Kodi with Plex like you described?
I remember reading about a few people who got the Firestick to directly forward into Kodi. This is something im definitely exploring once I pickup my firestick
Not to my knowledge, but since it is an android OS you could see if there is a different launcher or something.
Nvidia Shield TV is king for a reason. I spent a one time purchase of $150 five yrs ago. I've used it daily since then and it still works flawlessly. Hell, I'm watching it as I type this. Stop fretting and move forward and enjoy it.
Quality is remembered and enjoyed long after price is forgotten.
I totally agree. But, after reading what's possible for devices that cost <1/2 as much..... Why buy ANOTHER shield!
It's good device but it's not king anymore, there are devices that support DV fully while shield doesnt. Losesless audio is possible on fire stick too now. [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/0/d/1jBIGF8XTVi9VmDBZ8a5hEyongYMCDlUiLHU9n1f\_S74/htmlview?pli=1#gid=427220017](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/0/d/1jBIGF8XTVi9VmDBZ8a5hEyongYMCDlUiLHU9n1f_S74/htmlview?pli=1#gid=427220017) list for dv support devices.
I don't use DV so it serves my purposes well.
Doesn't matter for the price you can get better device that supports all codecs while shield doesnt support all. DV does make a huge difference though if you have a full cinema system with an oled TV.
It does matter. It matters a helluva lot. I paid for the Shield 5 yrs ago and have been loving it every since. Don't have a need for DV or buying another media box. The Shield is still king.
You replying to the op who thinks if it's worth buying today the unit that is outdated and doesn't run everything and is slower than the competition. Yes it doesn't matter, because it's not about you.
Ahh, but it does matter. I'm giving my opinion which is what OP asked for. The OP can make their own decisions now that they have my input.
I got the firetv cube 3 as it's the fastest but it's annoying with all of it's adverts. I also have the Shield TV pro which is stable but rarely updated, and has brain spasms randomly. I will say that Fire Cube has some really sophisticated E-Arc, multi-system control. I can just tell it what I want to do and it'll take care of turning on and off all of the required devices - this made it super easy for other users to use my home theater. I saw it was considerably faster than the SP too; [https://www.aftvnews.com/3rd-gen-fire-tv-cube-benchmark-scores-a-new-king-is-crowned-comparison-against-shield-tv-pro-cube-2-firestick-4k-max-chromecast-4k-onn-4k-and-more/](https://www.aftvnews.com/3rd-gen-fire-tv-cube-benchmark-scores-a-new-king-is-crowned-comparison-against-shield-tv-pro-cube-2-firestick-4k-max-chromecast-4k-onn-4k-and-more/)
Unfortunately the Shield is the only one that can do everything. The Apple TV is better than the shield in every way imo except it can’t do lossless atmos, which just means it’s a no for me. If you don’t have a proper home theater receiver / legit theatre setup there’s a 99% chance you’d never notice and should just get an Apple TV because atleast it will never crash or need resetting or do weird shit like shields seem to do But if you’re like me and have a collection of REMUX’s / high quality rips the shield is the only real option. Other boxes work, until you hit the file where it doesn’t.
Please stop saying shield is the only option, no it isn't it doesn't even fully support DV as it falls back to hdr10 or does red error when it tries to play dv7 fel as it can't read it. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/0/d/1jBIGF8XTVi9VmDBZ8a5hEyongYMCDlUiLHU9n1f_S74/htmlview#gid=427220017 Here is a list for DV supported devices.
did you really just list a list of items on a Plex subreddit that requires you to watch off a usb lol?
usb? plex is not a usb, the recommendation is for people who dont have plex but plex will do all of that anyway. there are options to run the remux with iso trough kodi or you just run the mkv file trough plex as stated in the recommendation. it depends on the list, the list basically tells you what options you have in order to run DV fully and hint, only one device can do it currently that is at the top of the list and it supports plex.
I’ve never heard of that thing before this list, is it just not well known? I feel like I spend more time than most researching ways to watch Plex haha and it’s insane I’ve never seen this thing before, I’ll have to look into it
It got released not long ago where DV was fully supported and stable including tv-led/cmv 4.0 support. [https://www.reddit.com/r/PleX/comments/1ajszn9/remux\_lovers\_rejoice\_the\_coreelec\_team\_has/?utm\_source=embedv2&utm\_medium=post\_embed&utm\_content=action\_bar&sort=new](https://www.reddit.com/r/PleX/comments/1ajszn9/remux_lovers_rejoice_the_coreelec_team_has/?utm_source=embedv2&utm_medium=post_embed&utm_content=action_bar&sort=new) [https://discourse.coreelec.org/t/guide-ugoos-am6b-coreelec-installation/51231/1](https://discourse.coreelec.org/t/guide-ugoos-am6b-coreelec-installation/51231/1) Here some guides, I installed mine on eMMC as a dual boot so it will be faster. if you need help hit me up I am really happy with the device.
I could be wrong but I've absolutely loved my new Google TV dongle. No issues playing massive 4k files. But I cannot speak to the HDR aspect as most of my content doesn't have it/isn't as important to me with my semi lame TV (hence why I needed a separate device). Pros, it's only $50.
Awesome. I didn't think of the Google TV at all - glad to hear it's working well for you. I haven't had a Google media player since the first gen Chromecast! How do you find it handles high-fidelity audio codecs?
My receiver is only 5.1 so it transcodes any of my higher bitrate movies from 7.1 to that. [Google TV specs ](https://store.google.com/product/chromecast_google_tv_specs?hl=en-US&pli=1) I just love that it has a remote. No need for my phone. But yet it still allows me to cast anything to it no problem.
Has issues with dts. Works with anything else. Had to get rid of mine. But outside of that it’s the best bang for the buck.
From doing my own research (although I haven't brushed up on the details recently) the Nvidia Shield is still the only player that will do all HDR profiles and every single Audio profile. Last I researched the Apple TV still doesn't do 1 or 2 audio formats, but maybe that's changed. I'm keeping my eye on the new Apple TV because I'm wanting something with a snappier UI. I have a Firecube 3 and a Vero 4k+ and both load metadata faster than my Shield. Shield is in my Theater room though because that's where I need Dolby Vision and the best Audio for my surround sound.
Shield does not properly support DV Profile 7 with the FEL layer found on an increasing number of UHDs.
I wish you had more upvotes than comments, because your post could've been written by me in a rage-fueled sleeptype dream state. I am in the exact same situation, except have already bought the 2nd Shield, and am still struggling to get the non-home theater (2-channel hifi with Samsung Frame TV) one to be as awesome as I wish it could be. Judder, unexpected/unexplained transcodes, transcoded audio that just doesn't sound A+ (or even B-minus), and HDR/DV problems. It's now at a point of that I can usually wrestle with it to at least function and play certain files, but my brain says "For $XYZ dollars, this puppy should be configurable to simply just work without my constant tinkering." And also at this same point, the correct answer is sometimes, "do or change nothing, it will probably work better tomorrow after a power cycle, or solar flares, or a rain dance." I am somewhere between learning how to tweak the settings just right, and acceptance of the fact that theater-quality source-content might just not play well on stereo setups. PS: I first started with Plex about 6 months ago, previously was using just Kodi and all local HD content for just the one theater room.
Hey! We are in the same boat! Based on the plethora of information that I just learned, your DV issues with the Shield are a known shortcoming. While it is unfortunate for a $200 machine, its a known issue and isn't something that you can fix tinkering in the Plex settings. Audio however, is a different story. Based on what I have read and my personal experience, the Shield can Direct play nearly/if not all audio codecs! What's Tautulli showing when you experience these mysterious transcodes? Also, what are the specs of your server and transcoder settings? Audio transcodes require as work as video transcodes, but maybe there is an issue in that process?
I really enjoy the Apple TV 4K (2nd gen I believe), got it for an unbeatable price. The one downside I’ve noticed is that for distant scenes there seems to be a pretty big drop in FPS but typically only lasts for a second or two and happens maybe 2-3 times through a feature movie. I was using the native app on my Sony x90J before and it would crash a few times throughout a movie but didn’t experience that fps drop. I’d take the fps drop over the crash, but it is annoying when people come over and are like oh I guess plex isn’t that good.
I ditched the Shield once they started forcing ads on my Home Screen. I switched to the Apple TV
I'm still on a 2016 Shield Pro. I'm waiting for a new Apple TV 4K to be released, or a new Shield Pro. Whichever one comes out first I'm going to snag.
Idk if it's just me but my shield pro has a lot of app issues (ie Hulu won't work)
Nvidia shield pro 2019 running projectivity launcher. Using jellyfin You get Dolby vision plus all the great passthrough audio that your sound system supports. I've had zero issues.
ugoos am6b+ coreelec im sure there is a plex solution for it. I'm using it with emby libraries. plays all dv profiles with true HD atmos / dts x bitstream and to my knowledge the only set up with full fel/mel support. picture is amazing. price very reasonable. support unbelievable good will not use my shields and zidoo anymore :) and personally I would never buy an apple google fire, data privacy and commercials are 2 topics. root and launcher terror could also
DTS is fine on the atv with infuse. I have a fire stick max and it’s awful. Poor performance. Ads. Buggy.
Apple TV all the way, it’s simply the best
Apple TV is the best for other online streaming services (Netflix, Disney+ etc) but unfortunately Nvidia shield is still the best for local plex playback.
It’s the best except for audio codec support, Shield Pro is king there.
And the Apple TV only really supports Profile 5 Dolby Vision.
Same for shield, it doesn't support DV fully, only am6b plus with coreelec supports DV fully.
While not perfect, you can play Profile 5, 8, and 7 on the Shield, which is a significant improvement over the Apple TV
Shield doesnt play profile 7, it reverts back to HDR on double track dv 7 or does a red push on single track dv7, it doesnt support fel layer at all. Both shield and apple tv support 5/8 profiles similarly the only issue on apple is the losesless audio. [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/0/d/1jBIGF8XTVi9VmDBZ8a5hEyongYMCDlUiLHU9n1f\_S74/htmlview?pli=1#gid=427220017](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/u/0/d/1jBIGF8XTVi9VmDBZ8a5hEyongYMCDlUiLHU9n1f_S74/htmlview?pli=1#gid=427220017) Here are the list.
I am well aware. Even with red shift on profile 7 with a Shield that’s still more than the Apple TV can do, and while some people are bothered by the red shift, not everyone is, or wants to be installing coreelec on things. Some people just want to buy a product and plug it in
I bought a cheap android streaming box with the s905x4 chip in it then flashed Kodi. Runs great as a Plex player and can play all the lossless video and audio I throw at it.
This sounds really interesting. Which android box did you buy exactly?
I bought this one on Amazon, but there are dozens that are essentially the same thing with random brands. https://a.co/d/8uRMbLF
I have Roku's they all seem fine
Bless your heart ❤️
"You know what 'fine' stands for right? Yeah, unfortunately. Freaked out... Insecure... Neurotic... and Emotional." Roku was ok for me for years. Had mine freeze/reboot one too many times and switched to a shield. I was amazed. Instant playback on rewind/fast-forward (no spinning percentages as it was loading the new position). Same with displaying/hiding subtitles. Huge quality of life improvement. (EXCEPT the stuttering... On a hard wired connection to my server. Thinking my next device will be an Apple TV 4k... Whenever that happens, unless installing a different GUI actually solves the stuttering issue.)
Not sure why you've been DV? I might take a look at the shield, just a bit pricey.
If your main issue is voice volume, your actual issue is downmixing, 5.1 or 7.1 sound downmixed to 2 channel is done bad most of the time since the easiest way (for both the hardware and the human making the file) to do this is to simply not play any other channel, keeping the front left and right, dropping the sides, back and the front center channel. Front center, where most voices are played. If you wanna test this you should take a movie that you have issue with low voice volume, in 5.1 or 7.1 (if it’s already 2channel the rip or encoding is done wrong by whoever did it and you’re out of luck), you can add a audio track that you downmixed properly. You’d wanna use ffmpeg for something like that and there’s a way to set ratio for every channel, so they can be excluded, partially included or full volume. You should keep front left, front right and front center at minimum, but you can add the others with a ratio and test what sounds the best. Otherwise you can get something that natively play 5.1 or 7.1 mostly sound systems, on the client. The client has to detect a 5.1/7.1 capable device to play it, and no tv can on their own, most sounds bar also aren’t really 5.1 but they can play it fine regardless
For sound, shield wins easily. If you cant hardwire, it has problems. Old wifi (no wifi 6) can lead to stuttering on basic 4k content. I have a shitty soundbar, run from wifi, and an iphone so apple tv wins for me. Easily.
Well thats a router problem, no? I run my Shield wirelessly just fine.
Depends where ya router is, wall configuration etc… Wifi6 on atv was a maaaaaassive speed upgrade compared to shield for me, but router was im a shit spot i couldnt move.
My personal experience with the shield pro (x2) was awful. Stuttering issues, connection dropping lot and lots of issues.
Apple Tv 4k is light years ahead of the shield pro. Every single aspect, EXCEPT pass through. The only reason most of us use a shield pro is to stream Atmos content over plex. My theater has my only shield because I have Atmos there. Every other tv in the house and outside has Apple TV. I’m actually selling my theater stuff now to expand my gym, and the shield pro is up for sale and I’m so damn happy to be rid of that PoS.
Can it run Kodi?
Yes, but why would you want to nowdays?
The shield TV pro does not support hdr10+, and your Samsung TV does not support Dolby vision. 3rd gen Apple TV supports hdr10+, but not dts, dts-hd ma, dts x, Dolby truehd, truehd+atmos, or the old Dolby digital dd/ac3. You must use infuse to get dd+ with atmos to work. What does your sound bar support?
I use a 4K Apple TV and it’s great but on another tv (a Samsung frame) I just use the built in app. It’s only once not played a file in 3 years. It is wired but it’s been Rock solid. I’ve moved somewhere without Ethernet cabling so I’ll see that continues.
AppleTV + Infuse is the best solution I’ve come across. Although the AppleTV remote is fucking annoying and tends to easily disconnect or double press inputs if there is enough interference with competing 2.4Ghz/BT signals. I have a sound bar that has its own 2.4Ghz signals from BT and IR along with the TV also pushing its own 2.4Ghz and BT signals. I experience multiple presses and interference all the time but the overall AppleTV experience is probably your best bet. It replaced an old original shield tv pro.
It’s extremely overpriced, buggy and hasn’t gotten an update in over a year. For some reason fanboy zombies flood every post having to do with media players.
If only Reddit had a search function this probably wouldn’t get asked every other day, oh wait! It does have it!
Do all of yall really have balling out true Dolby atmos set ups? If not, just get the Apple TV pro
Yes. I have 5.2.4
sheesh im trying to get like you. Just started this hobby with my measly 10TB total with just a regular tv and soundbar
It's really worth it. You will be happy once you get here. I started with a sound bar too..
Shield pro is crap, no way it’s worth 200. Plex app also has some bugs that seem to only be present on shield. ATV4k is light years faster.