NVIDIA thinks it can offer a better TV experience than Apple and Amazon, as the company unveiled its first TV streaming box. The Nvidia Shield Android TV offers up to 30 times the performance of any other set-top-box currently in the market, a feature that entertainment fans might find quite appealing.
Nividia spent around five years for the technology behind the Shield-based streaming box. Shield (now called Shield Portable) has established itself as one of the top performing gaming platforms, but now the company wants to push the technology beyond that. After recently launching the Shield Tablet – a mobile device teeming with options for gamers – Nvidia seems ready to expand into the TV industry.
“Any computing device has to be snappy and fast,” explained Matt Wuebbling, Shield’s marketing director. “We see Shield as more than just a gaming device.”
And it has to be said, Nvidia spared no expenses on Shield Android TV in terms of performance. The streaming box comes with a 256-core NVIDIA graphics card and a 64-bit processor, putting it well ahead of competition in terms of hardware. Additionally, it offers a storage capacity of up to 500 GB, which makes other devices look like dwarves by comparison.
Wuebbling argued that the time is right for Nvidia to enter the TV market, as what he described as “the third display” (after PC and mobile devices) finally seems to be getting the apps it deserves, such as the new HBO Now. With Shield Android TV, users can still benefit from the Shield gaming experience, as more than 200 Android games can be downloaded directly to the set-top-box.
However, the real innovation can only be seen after watching high-definition TV shows. Nvidia’s streaming box is focused around the HD and 4K content available from publishers such as YouTube and Netflix. According to early reviews, Shield Android TV can render high-definition shows without any issues, but the device still experiences some latency problems when displaying some 1080p games.
However, one of the main drawbacks of the streaming box is the Android-based user interface. Shield TV was presented at the Google I/O conference on Thursday, and some tech experts fear it might share the same fate as the unpopular Google Nexus Player.
Nvidia Shield Android TV was launched in US and Canada in two versions. The standard version comes with a 16 GB internal storage for $199, while the more expensive Shield Pro offers 500 GB for $299. Additional accessories, such as voice remote control, can be purchased separately.
Image Source: Android Central
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