Since its launch in 2015, the Nvidia Shield TV has been the top Android TV device. Through innovative updates, it has remained one of the best gadgets running the Google TV operating system.
So impressive are the updates and enhancements that the Guardian referred to it as “the best Android TV box with brilliant AI upscaling.” Consumers were impressed also. The Nvidia Shield TV drove a whopping 53% revenue growth for the company in 2020.
However, many of the consumers are yet to get them. Many ask questions about the AI upscaling technology, customizing the home screen, improving the gaming experience, installing Chrome on Nvidia Shield, switching between apps, and many more.
We’ve put together some tips to help you get the most out of your Nvidia Shield TV.
Learn the virtual keyboard tricks or attach a keyboard and a mouse
Now that you have your Shield TV, the next step is to figure out how to enter information like email addresses and passwords. You can plug in a keyboard and mouse or navigate your way using the virtual keyboard.
If you want to use the virtual keyboard, it is essential to master some of the tricks. For example, pressing down the right thumbstick flips caps lock on / off. Pressing the left thumbstick, on the other hand, brings up the special characters. Bumpers on the left and right move the cursor, and the X button is a delete command.
Sounds like too much to master? You can attach a keyboard and mouse to your Nvidia Shield TV through the USB ports. The Nvidia Shield TV also supports Bluetooth wireless connections.
A friendly piece of advice. Stick to high-quality peripherals so that you have the best experience.
Locate your remote
With the Nvidia Shield TV all set up, the next is to find your remote. The remote has a triangular shape which is comfortable to hold. But the really cool feature is the audible beep that it can make if you have misplaced it. Just activate the remote finder button above the HDMI port, and it will start to beep.
Remapping the remote
The Nvidia Shield TV remote comes with default functions. If you don’t like the preset mode, you can remap it.
Go to Settings > choose Remotes & Accessories > adjust the menu button settings to pick a new function.
Alternatively, you could install a button mapper and remap the buttons on your remote. But, you may need a paid upgrade to access and remap some buttons.
Customizing the home screen and recommendation row
Apart from the remote, you can also easily rearrange the apps on your home screen. Just long-press the icon of the app, and you will get options on where to shift it. Then choose the “Done” option.
If you are not into YouTube, you can easily disable them.
Go to Settings > scroll down to Home screen > choose Recommendations row > from the list of installed apps, choose which one to Toggle on / off.
Downloading and switching between the apps
Unlike downloading game apps on a PC, you will not find all apps on the Nvidia Shield TV. To download other apps on the device, you can sideload them using specialized apps like the Freemium File Commander.
To switch between Apps, the Nvidia Shield TV has a quick option that feels so natural. Just double-tap the home menu and navigate to the App Switcher. Once there, you can pick one or more frequently accessed apps or close them.
Checking out the AI upscaling
The AI upscaling is an impressive innovation available on recent models of the Nvidia Shield TV.
What does it do?
It offers an AI-enhanced upscaling option that adds detail to frames and enlarges them.
Every Android TV or set-top box can upscale content (stretching HD to fit a 4K screen). However, Nvidia Shield TV AI upscaling puts it a level higher than the rest, especially when viewing content with detailed scenes. Not only does it impressively scale automatically, but the differences between it and 4K content are hard to spot.
Just run a side-by-side comparison on your device to see the detail.
How do you improve the picture quality?
Go to the Device Settings screen > select AI upscaling > choose AI improved. You may pick the High, Medium, or Low options. Then activate the demo mode and toggle the switch on the remote to display the side-by-side view.
The original Nvidia Shield is at par (if not better) with peer devices like Amazon’s Fire TV Stick (3rd Gen) and Roku Streaming Stick. However, the new AI upscaling and other improvements set it a level higher. The tips above will help you experience the full power of the Nvidia Shield TV with upscaling and access apps, not on Google Play Store.
