Nvidia unwrapped its newest media streaming box, the Shield TV, at CES 2017 earlier today. Even though the new Shield TV uses the same Tegra X1 chipset and 3GB RAM that were used in last year’s model, the company has added a lot of features on the software front. The Android TV-based streaming box can now stream 4K HDR videos from content providers including Amazon, Google Play, Netflix, VUDU, and YouTube. It can also stream 4K HDR videos from GeForce-powered PCs to a connected TV.
Nvidia claims that the Shield TV is three times more powerful than any other streaming box in the market. It features a 64-bit quad-core Tegra X1 processor, 3GB RAM, 16GB or 500GB internal storage (depending on the model), 2×2 MIMO dual-band Wi-Fi ac/b/g/n, Bluetooth 4.1 (with LE), gigabit Ethernet port, an HDMI 2.0b port, and two USB Type-A 3.0 ports. It runs Android 7.0 Nougat-based Android TV operating system. It comes with built-in support for Android TV apps and games as well as Chromecast functionality.
The Nvidia Shield TV also comes with Nvidia GeForce Now, Nvidia GameStream, Nvidia Share services for an enjoyable gaming experience. The Nvidia GeForce Now service lets you stream high-end games from Nvidia’s servers directly to your TV, while the Nvidia GameStream service lets users stream games from compatible PCs with GeForce graphics cards to their TVs. Users of this streaming box, which was leaked late last year, can also share in-game videos on social media websites using the Nvidia Share feature.
The streaming box is also compatible with Google Assistant and Samsung’s SmartThings Hub for controlling a smart home. The Nvidia Shield TV is priced at $199.99 (around ₹13,645), while the Nvidia Shield TV Pro is priced at $299.99 (around ₹20,469.1) in the US. It will be available later this month. The latter also comes with a Shield Controller and a Shield Remote controller with an inbuilt microphone and a 3.5mm headphone jack. The company will also sell an Nvidia Spot microphone accessory that can be placed anywhere in the home for controlling smart home products through voice commands.
[Source: Nvidia]
