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Been looking a the Shield for the last few days and haven't pulled the trigger yet. I have a Droid DNA and Moga controller, so I am not sure if its worth it on the Android side of the Shield. And then my main gaming PC is a laptop with a 750M GPU (kepler) and I don't want to get stuck with the mobile GPUs not being supported. So I am wondering if it is worth it for just he Android games (given I have a phone/controller already) or uif I should gamble that I would be able to stream PC games in the future?
Character Zero said:
Been looking a the Shield for the last few days and haven't pulled the trigger yet. I have a Droid DNA and Moga controller, so I am not sure if its worth it on the Android side of the Shield. And then my main gaming PC is a laptop with a 750M GPU (kepler) and I don't want to get stuck with the mobile GPUs not being supported. So I am wondering if it is worth it for just he Android games (given I have a phone/controller already) or uif I should gamble that I would be able to stream PC games in the future?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Personally I would wait. I bought it for both, but unless emulators of old games will endlessly occupy you, PC streaming is the star of the show (even though I'm having system requirement issues and haven't tried it yet).
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
Yeah that's what I am afraid of. Its a lot of money to spend to not know if I will be able to take full advantage of it (outside of building a PC).
Character Zero said:
Yeah that's what I am afraid of. Its a lot of money to spend to not know if I will be able to take full advantage of it (outside of building a PC).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There are some other reasons just besides gaming device to buy this.
If you watch a lot of Netflix the Shield is worth it. You can prop up the screen, and watch videos without having to hold up a tablet. The miniHDMI makes it easy to plug the Shield into the TV and use apps like XDA. It could be used as a mobile home theater device. It's even great as a portable boombox because of the loud speakers.
In addition my PC streaming problem is processor specific.... My processor exceeds the requirements by almost twice what they say (I have two Xeon processors).
Sent from my Nexus 4 using xda app-developers app
Character Zero said:
Been looking a the Shield for the last few days and haven't pulled the trigger yet. I have a Droid DNA and Moga controller, so I am not sure if its worth it on the Android side of the Shield. And then my main gaming PC is a laptop with a 750M GPU (kepler) and I don't want to get stuck with the mobile GPUs not being supported. So I am wondering if it is worth it for just he Android games (given I have a phone/controller already) or uif I should gamble that I would be able to stream PC games in the future?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have a SGS3 and a GameKlip. So I kind of under stand where you are coming from.
IMO the shield is a premium device. Its like my SGS3/Gameklip is Folger's coffee and the shield is fresh ground Starbucks.
The controller. The speakers. The huge battery. Its all top notch stuff that may be overkill in most ppls mind but if you really enjoy gaming it might be for you. The PC streaming for me is a bonus. I may build a PC to get streaming set up on but its not a priority.
Mostly for me this thing was bought for emulation of old consoles, android gaming and as a media player for around the house (using to play Pandora around the house IS NICE). Sure my phone will do all that. But the shield will do it all so much better.
s0me guy said:
I have a SGS3 and a GameKlip. So I kind of under stand where you are coming from.
IMO the shield is a premium device. Its like my SGS3/Gameklip is Folger's coffee and the shield is fresh ground Starbucks.
The controller. The speakers. The huge battery. Its all top notch stuff that may be overkill in most ppls mind but if you really enjoy gaming it might be for you. The PC streaming for me is a bonus. I may build a PC to get streaming set up on but its not a priority.
Mostly for me this thing was bought for emulation of old consoles, android gaming and as a media player for around the house (using to play Pandora around the house IS NICE). Sure my phone will do all that. But the shield will do it all so much better.
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Click to collapse
You make a good point about the media player aspect. I have a Vita and a 3DS along with all the consoles that I just have no time to play. I am kind of crazy with game consoles, but not sure if I need another one.
Character Zero said:
You make a good point about the media player aspect. I have a Vita and a 3DS along with all the consoles that I just have no time to play. I am kind of crazy with game consoles, but not sure if I need another one.
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Lol. you sound a bit like me.
I literally just bought a brand new in sealed box Nintendo DSlite to play slot 1 & 2 flash carts with. Then I buy this thing. To be honest every other console I own is about to get neglected for the foreseeable future. My phone is also starting to get neglected too. Browsing the web is much more fun with shield than my S3. Still not as good as my laptop but the using the anolog sticks and triggers make for a pretty nice way to navigate the web browser.
Posting this fro shield too FYI.
I've definitely enjoyed my Shield. Originally, I was planning to use it mainly for media consumption, but then I downloaded GTA III of the Play Store and it was on. I've spent hours playing GTA just messing around with the cops and driving around.
It still is a good media consumption device too. I can sit it down and watch it, or hold it up while keeping my hands comfortable by adjusting the screen. Once you get the hang of the little analog stick clicking and flicking to pull down menus, scroll, etc. it's pretty great.
The WiFi implementation is superb. It peaks at 300 Mbps on 5 GHz (full 2x2:2 802.11n). The speakers are very loud. I can usually keep my volume set at about 30% when using the device in my house.
The only drawback is that it's pretty heavy. It doesn't really bother me because I'm usually resting my arms on something when I use it, but if you're expecting the weight of a 3DS or Vita, you're going to be disappointed.
cgutman said:
I've definitely enjoyed my Shield. Originally, I was planning to use it mainly for media consumption, but then I downloaded GTA III of the Play Store and it was on. I've spent hours playing GTA just messing around with the cops and driving around.
It still is a good media consumption device too. I can sit it down and watch it, or hold it up while keeping my hands comfortable by adjusting the screen. Once you get the hang of the little analog stick clicking and flicking to pull down menus, scroll, etc. it's pretty great.
The WiFi implementation is superb. It peaks at 300 Mbps on 5 GHz (full 2x2:2 802.11n). The speakers are very loud. I can usually keep my volume set at about 30% when using the device in my house.
The only drawback is that it's pretty heavy. It doesn't really bother me because I'm usually resting my arms on something when I use it, but if you're expecting the weight of a 3DS or Vita, you're going to be disappointed.
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Click to collapse
Speaking of the weight, based on the thread title, I was going to respond: It is 1.5 pounds- You can dooo iiiitt!
I am tempted to get this, but might wait for a price drop to $250.... I wish Best Buy stocked these puppies to try out in store.
rushless said:
Speaking of the weight, based on the thread title, I was going to respond: It is 1.5 pounds- You can dooo iiiitt!
I am tempted to get this, but might wait for a price drop to $250.... I wish Best Buy stocked these puppies to try out in store.
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If you are lucky enough to have a Microcenter near you I believe they have them on display top try out. They did before launch anyway.
Unfortunately no Microcenter and no Gamestop with display for me. But all of the reviews are raving, I can't seem to find one bad review. Except the game streaming is a huge part of the glowing reviews, and since I have a laptop (with a Kepler GPU, so capable) I don't know if I want to gamble on being able to stream down the line. I do like the idea of a Dedicated Android hand held. Using a Moga with my phone just doesn't seem right, plus it kills battery.
Character Zero said:
Unfortunately no Microcenter and no Gamestop with display for me. But all of the reviews are raving, I can't seem to find one bad review. Except the game streaming is a huge part of the glowing reviews, and since I have a laptop (with a Kepler GPU, so capable) I don't know if I want to gamble on being able to stream down the line. I do like the idea of a Dedicated Android hand held. Using a Moga with my phone just doesn't seem right, plus it kills battery.
Click to expand...
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The Austin area has one at GameStop (as well as me having one)
Made the impulse purchase this morning. Newegg had the case in stock and had a bundle with the shield, case, faceplate, and HDMI cable for 347. Not a bad deal since I wanted the case anyway. Looking forward to using it when mobile GPUs are supported but for now I have some Android games I can't wait to play.
Check out Ebay guys, I just got the cheapest one posted thusfar (you can see all the old auctions by looking at the completed listings in the filters), an in-box shield in great shape which is already in the post for 250 flat, including shipping, and it has the receipt and hasn't had the warranty registered yet.
You may get lucky like me and find one that someone wants gone fast.
I thought about getting one of these things once. I was gonna beat the crap out of someone and take it so I could put it on eBay. ^_^
I am still waiting to get one problem is we need to pay about £55 custom fees to have it shipped to uk.
i have the first Moga controller + S3/S4. Also pair PS Dual Shock controller + S3.
Moga controller pairing is a nightmare.
With an additional controller, it always take time to setup the phone to play, with Shield you just need to open screen and play.
I can say Shield is definitely a much better experience IMO
The emulator runs great, no lag in controls (especially Mario)
I can finally play Dead Trigger with proper controls (weapon selection need a bit of tweak)
Also trying some of the Shield compatible games and was quite satisfied.
And i didn't even consider about the PC streaming feature.
Btw i have 3DS XL and Vita as well
xtrememorph said:
i have the first Moga controller + S3/S4. Also pair PS Dual Shock controller + S3.
Moga controller pairing is a nightmare.
With an additional controller, it always take time to setup the phone to play, with Shield you just need to open screen and play.
I can say Shield is definitely a much better experience IMO
The emulator runs great, no lag in controls (especially Mario)
I can finally play Dead Trigger with proper controls (weapon selection need a bit of tweak)
Also trying some of the Shield compatible games and was quite satisfied.
And i didn't even consider about the PC streaming feature.
Btw i have 3DS XL and Vita as well
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have to agree, I never once wanted this for pc streaming. Got it for emulation. Not sure if i like it more than my 3DS but definitely better than my vita. I love mine but their are still people that wont like it because of looks or because it's because it's basically a phone/tablet and controller. I can't think of one thing negative about it. Best emulators in my opinion are DraStic and m64/Super N64 (anything but mupen) My Boy! and Retroarch. Also as far as android games go I like me some Shadow gun dead zone. Needs more levels though. Also I hope an update comes out soon to use the shield controller or emulate the touch screen controls with non-shield optimized games (Minecraft PE, Call of duty Zombies etc.)
I was worried about getting the shield at first aswell.... out of all my retro and new consoles it has been my goto console for the last month.... it me made respect android gaming, there are some really fun console quality games on the play and shield store plus more to come.... can't wait for Dead Trigger 2 to release.
I can emulate my entire retro console library, it has a beautiful retinal screen plus I use miracast adapter to game on my smart tv wirelessly. Plus I use Onlive to stream AAA PC titles..... the shield is a gaming beast.... as of right now it is also my mediahub for music and movies .... since my tv is connected to my sound system.... I sort of use it as my media remote control.... on top of all that it PORTABLE... no handheld right now packs as much power that can be carried around anywhere you go.
Don't think twice just get one, I promise you wont be disappointed.
james.wilder said:
I was worried about getting the shield at first aswell.... out of all my retro and new consoles it has been my goto console for the last month.... it me made respect android gaming, there are some really fun console quality games on the play and shield store plus more to come.... can't wait for Dead Trigger 2 to release.
I can emulate my entire retro console library, it has a beautiful retinal screen plus I use miracast adapter to game on my smart tv wirelessly. Plus I use Onlive to stream AAA PC titles..... the shield is a gaming beast.... as of right now it is also my mediahub for music and movies .... since my tv is connected to my sound system.... I sort of use it as my media remote control.... on top of all that it PORTABLE... no handheld right now packs as much power that can be carried around anywhere you go.
Don't think twice just get one, I promise you wont be disappointed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What hardware do you use for miracast i want to do something like that wirelessly
It's been a little more than 14 months since the Ouya was released last year on June 25th, 2014, which is a decent amount of time to let the device mature.
I bought the device with XBMC in mind, with a chance of a little game development if I ever had the time (I haven't had the time, unfortunately). Today, I still use my Ouya almost daily, but it's almost exclusively for XBMC.
As an XBMC box, I am fairly happy with it, although the streaming and overall UI performance of the overall device could be better. I was into emulation early on when I first bought the Ouya, and it played some retro games sufficiently although it wasn't spectacular with performance and bug issues in the emulators. The controller lag on my Ouya has been unbearable at times, but I had a few controllers replaced by Ouya Inc, which alleviates some of the issues.
As far as installing custom firmware and tweaks, I haven't had too much time to research into an effective combination to improve my experience with the device. In fact, I haven't had a chance to research into the cool things I can do with this little box yet.
All in all, I am fairly happy with my Ouya, and I don't regret the purchase at all, but I am curious what the community thinks of the Ouya after being out in the wild for a year.
Do you still use your Ouya? How so? What apps and programs are you running on it? What games do you play on it? What custom firmware do you run on it?
For xbmc it is OK, I upgraded to a chromebox for my main unit. Kids like playing with it. Emulators work decent. It is now in my kids playroom and they mainly watch cartoons on it. Some Mario and king of monsters. No custom software. I wouldn't say I regret it but I probably should of read up more before buying
nice paperweight
When I first got my ouya I tried some games from the Discover section. They were alright but overall I felt I was just paying too much for android games just because this was boasted as a console. I had hoped for controller support for apps like Minecraft PE or Terraria but neither ever came. It sat in my room for several months as a paperweight and a reminder to not be so quick to back things on Kickstarter. Finally I went to update it and then flash a custom rom onto it and the microusb port was shot. I had to get it replaced so they gave me a refurbished Ouya... not a new one, not even an old one with my KS case back, just a plain case. I updated it and honestly haven't done much with it since. I tried setting it up as a chromecast but it didn't work so it's back to being a paperweight and still works to this day when it comes to keeping me from binge-funding on Kickstarter.
Some games I have enjoyed on it are Amazing Frog, Final Fantasy III (even though it's the same graphics as the Nintendo DS... which I have), and a handful of emulators. I would've bought Towerfall if it wasn't the same price as the PC version. Nothing justifies paying $15 for an android app imo
I bought my Ouya a year ago and I never regret it. I use it every day with XBMC. But these days I tried to play some retro games on emulator SFC NES etc. Super Metroid is fun. Honestly,Ouya platform lacks amazing games. Townfall is great but will you pay almost $15 for it? The only app I bought on Ouya is a sleep app that can emulate sounds of sea waves and stream. The steam machine would replace my Ouya in the future. I'd rather pay money for PC games because of the quality and game experience.
Sent from my Galaxy Note 2
eluong said:
It's been a little more than 14 months since the Ouya was released last year on June 25th, 2014, which is a decent amount of time to let the device mature.
I bought the device with XBMC in mind, with a chance of a little game development if I ever had the time (I haven't had the time, unfortunately). Today, I still use my Ouya almost daily, but it's almost exclusively for XBMC.
As an XBMC box, I am fairly happy with it, although the streaming and overall UI performance of the overall device could be better. I was into emulation early on when I first bought the Ouya, and it played some retro games sufficiently although it wasn't spectacular with performance and bug issues in the emulators. The controller lag on my Ouya has been unbearable at times, but I had a few controllers replaced by Ouya Inc, which alleviates some of the issues.
As far as installing custom firmware and tweaks, I haven't had too much time to research into an effective combination to improve my experience with the device. In fact, I haven't had a chance to research into the cool things I can do with this little box yet.
All in all, I am fairly happy with my Ouya, and I don't regret the purchase at all, but I am curious what the community thinks of the Ouya after being out in the wild for a year.
Do you still use your Ouya? How so? What apps and programs are you running on it? What games do you play on it? What custom firmware do you run on it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I painted mine like rubix cube
So yeah its got XBMC on it ... but i dont know maybe throw KK on it if i can try to use it to play some emulators
Buh-bye Ouya...got an Amazon FireTV and never looked back. Dammit, I even paid 20$ to get a Noctua silent fan (the original was driving me nuts). Any takers?
One year later I'm still using my Ouya regularly.
I’ve had my Ouya for over a year and have had a great experience with it. The system was ‘as advertised’ where you get a base system and with research, effort, a “do it yourself attitude”, a little know how, and patience can get something good out of it. It was designed for the casual gamer, designers, and modders. A selective audience, so I wasn’t expecting the instant gratification of a 5 star product with all the bells and whistles or components that weren’t yet released. In the end, the system is as good as YOU make it.
Currently I’m using it as a media center as well as a gaming platform with CM11 being the primary OS with the Ouya Everywhere framework on top (it works!). When I’m not using a hub for keyboard and mouse I keep a micro 64GB Drive for additional storage in the USB port.
Additional Apks for performance and operation tweaking such as Folder Mount, Screen Rotation, RamExpander, Ouya Mod Collection, ES File Explorer, Clean Master, Air Droid, Shutdown Menu 2.1, Tincore Keymapper, and QuickShortcutMaker.
Media includes: XBMC, Crackle, Viewster, CW, Fox Now, CBS, NBC, History, PBS Kids, Watch Disney, UVideos, WatchESPN, Netflix, Hulu Plus, YouTube, FilmOn, Giniko TV, SPB TV, Twitch, AllCast Reciever
Games include (Note: no “tweaking” needed to be done. Just install and enjoy.): SoulCalibur (Android Version), Asphalt 8, Shadowgun, Dead Trigger 2, Dream League Soccer, Skiing Fred, Sonic CD(Amazon), Sonic 4ep I & II, Cordy 2, Tiny Little Racing 2, N.O.V.A.3, EDGE Extended(Amazon), Riptide GP2, ,Zen Pinball, PPSSPP, Neon Shadow(Ouya Store), Tetris Battle Fusion(Ouya Store), Other Emulators(Ouya Store)
Now there were some setbacks where there were some Google/Amazon games that have controller support but I have not yet been able to get to work on Ouya even with CM11. (Respawnables, Shadow Fight 2, Transformers: Age of Extinction, ShadowGun: DeadZone)
Are there better things out there now? Yes. With effort, can this product still be useful for video and gaming? Yes.
Not a gamer, well exceded my expectations for video/server
Very happy with it, played with games a bit but was underwhelmed. To be fair I get bored with current gen consoles too.
I've got CM11 with Kodi (XBMC 14), Netflix, google music, and assorted A/V apps.
Also have sickbeard, nbzget, transmission, and a few other Linux untils installed via optware.
I bought to replace a pogoplug running Arch linux and an older wd frontend device.
Works phenomenally, even plays 10bit mkv without major issue.
To be fair any decent current android stick/STB could likely handle what I need. When bought is was the best performance per dollar.
If buying now I'd get a http://www.solid-run.com/ cubox-1 eSata, 2 usb, gigabit lan.
Probably still run android on the top, linux userland on the bottom.
Controller is hopeless though. Hausbell h7 is good and only $15, just a minor twaek to the .kl file and great
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00B9996LA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
How much?
Ipse_Tase said:
Buh-bye Ouya...got an Amazon FireTV and never looked back. Dammit, I even paid 20$ to get a Noctua silent fan (the original was driving me nuts). Any takers?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wouldn't mind another ouya for my camp. How much ya want?
dougunder said:
Wouldn't mind another ouya for my camp. How much ya want?
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Click to collapse
Would be too much trouble to ship to US...I am in Canada.
New to OUYA and loving it !
Goal:
To have media center and information KIOSK in Smart Electric Vehicle.
The OUYA is 12 volt and I am using Insignia HDTV also 12 volt.
Next step is to check power quality of DC to DC (12v) converter in car.
OUYA rumored to be at risk on noisy power in ICE vehicle.
Samsung Tab 2 on Verizon will be HOT Spot with Beagle Bone Black as Web Server.
Also installed XDA One with limited use due to navigation hassles.
I'm considering buying one soon
Was fun to tinker with, but gets no use now
The ouya was a cool idea that never really paid out. I bought mine last xmas, downloaded xbmc, rooted it and played a few ps1 games on an emulator and never used it again. It never receieved the support it deserved and was forgotten mostly because of that. I still check in on these forums time to time just to check if anyone has completed any useful custom roms, but no luck yet(still waiting on that Android TV port). I have a chromecast, netflix and a macbook so XBMC feels pretty bad to me tbh. Everytime I want to use XBMC it has to update all the addons, then half the time the primewire app doesn't even work, and I'll have to try project free TV(which only works about half the time as well). So netflix or streaming off my macbook via chromecast is almost always the better option. I would like to see some more life in my ouya again, but just about all my other devices function better. An Android gaming system is a very cool concept, it sucks that the execution was so poor/supporting apps are so few.
Disappointed...
The device has potential but or the lack of software or the fact that are cheap Android Sticks out there that can do almost the same makes me feel disappointed...
Have one and i only use it for XBMC/Kodi, but my Raspberry Pi is able to handle that too so...
Bought it like many others as the best hardware for the price at the time. Primarily for XBMC with the potential for Android Apks to unleash further potential
Probably wish I had gone with Amazon Fire TV in hindsight.
It now sits gathering dust - Chromecast is used for all the kids stuff - cartoons etc
And I have an AMlogic Minix X8H for XBMC/SPMC - which I like and may look to install alternative ROMs etc.
It's nice. I can't say I love it, but I don't hate it, either. I had some fun with three or four games, and I sometimes emulate something on it. I wouldn't recommend it to anybody, but I don't regret buying it.
The Ouya is a good dust-collector now.
The fan is too loud for using it as TV Multimedia player. The lags are too big for using it as SNES-Emulator. There is still no easy-to-install Linux port, since the community wasn't interested in the Ouya.
So all in all it is a big fail. But the controllers are good, I use them when I emulate SNES in Windows now (where it works fine and without lags).
Pkmns said:
It's nice. I can't say I love it, but I don't hate it, either. I had some fun with three or four games, and I sometimes emulate something on it. I wouldn't recommend it to anybody, but I don't regret buying it.
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Nicely said. Never understood why they did not include Netflix, Hulu, Amazon? This made it so I had to shut off my Ouya and use another box for these apps or sideload them (much cleaner on Fire or android tv anyway). The lack of leadership in the public eye has really hurt them?Have heard next to nothing from Julie in a good while? Then there is the outdated chipset to me putting the old model back in stock would not be a good business move for Ouya just my opinion. I have had issues with there forum very poor additude!
so its time for me to upgrade, i owned a g box and it was cool at the time year or 2 later it starts to give me problems its slow most things dont work ect so iv been using my pc to watch movies via xbmc, now i want to stop and look for a new xbmc media player and seen the nexus player and looks promising, and been looking around a bit about xbmc for it, is this recommended buy? id like a box that is fast able to use xbmc and more less problems lol
DayDaysTech said:
so its time for me to upgrade, i owned a g box and it was cool at the time year or 2 later it starts to give me problems its slow most things dont work ect so iv been using my pc to watch movies via xbmc, now i want to stop and look for a new xbmc media player and seen the nexus player and looks promising, and been looking around a bit about xbmc for it, is this recommended buy? id like a box that is fast able to use xbmc and more less problems lol
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
At this time I would wait just a few weeks as both Razer Forge and Nvidia are releasing new boxes which have better specs.The Nvidia is a little more pricey at $199 the forge will be $99 according to the options you choose. Both will be better boxes if I had to choose. Roku is also due with the Roku 4 anytime now. There will be allot of choices by June.
Im currently using my nexus player solely for xbmc, ive unlocked and rooted it. And ive installed xbmc launcher. Actually im technically using the alpha nightly of kodi. Its amazing. Ive installed genesis, and aeon nox skin. I use the nexus player remote to control kodi. Unles you plan on using the nexus player for kodi, it's useless. But running kodi its damn near perfect.
i love my nexus player. it is not great for everyone though.
first of all you need a mouse and keyboard. and a gamepad.
second and most important you must have a thirst for tinkering to appreciate what you have.
if you just want to consume media stick with chromecast or a cheaper roku.
Kodi runs great on the Nexus Player...the only 2 things for me is the frame rate is locked to 60fps and the inability to play VC-1 (it plays but its pretty unwatchable as I believe it uses software instead of hardware).
What about if you want to play emulators?
if a tablet will run it you can most likely get it to run on the nexus player with some hackery.(lollirock rom will run most tablet apps without much fighting).
my bluetooth controllers work great with the emulators ive tried.
I still think for gamers there are better options coming up. I have the adt1 its a great box guess I am just waiting for the Android Tv box with strong specs. Nvidia Shield?
Don't buy it, I've had mine since 1/22/2015 and I have been having issues with it.
Netflix crashes when I try to choose a show/movie.
Slow at times, including having to fully reset it due to extreme slowdowns.
Remote feels very fragile, buttons feel bad.
Unresponsive when using the remote sometimes.
Voice search is terrible, it's laggy and unreliable. Not to mention it doesn't work with many of the apps.
Wifi connection only, unless you get Micro USB to Ethernet adapter.
No normal sized USB connector, meaning you absolutely need a Micro to Normal USB adapter.
Rooted apps require a mouse and keyboard, the remote most of the time does not work on them. (and remember to hook up a mouse and keyboard you need micro to normal usb adapter)
I feel bad for this Asus/Google product, and wish I could take back my purchase of this item.
Edit:
Most of these issues weren't noticeable when I first got it, but after a while all these things become a big issue.
Here is my take on the Nexus Player:
I've rooted, and installed Droidmote. This allows for controlling sideloaded apps. I have entered custom DNS values to allow for region restricted apps. I transfer apps using the SendAnywhere app. There is much more flexibility with this box than with ones that are locked down. It is more what it can do, than what it does out of the box. There are weaknesses with all streaming media players, but this does everything I need in one box. I haven't had any problems with the Netflix app. For those that like to tinker with android, the Nexus Player is ideal. For those that want an out of the box solution, time will tell.
I regret buying the Nexus Player. It freezes,Bluetooth controller/remote disconnect all the time,lack of apps even with side loading, various app crashes (Netflix mostly),voice search sucks and it just feels like a beta product at best.
DayDaysTech said:
so its time for me to upgrade, i owned a g box and it was cool at the time year or 2 later it starts to give me problems its slow most things dont work ect so iv been using my pc to watch movies via xbmc, now i want to stop and look for a new xbmc media player and seen the nexus player and looks promising, and been looking around a bit about xbmc for it, is this recommended buy? id like a box that is fast able to use xbmc and more less problems lol
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Click to collapse
I think the Android TV platform is great. But the nexus player doesn't seems as good as what is coming soon hardware wise. I'd wait for the Razer forge tv or nvidia shield console.
cheeto said:
I think the Android TV platform is great. But the nexus player doesn't seems as good as what is coming soon hardware wise. I'd wait for the Razer forge tv or nvidia shield console.
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Click to collapse
Yeah the nvidia looks pretty sweet.
I love it!!
I have had many devices including ATV1,2,3 and the WD TV. The Applee 3 is still used for mirroring from Idevices. The WD was second device as it had and external HDD port but it was constantly rebooting. With my Nexus player I enabled devleoper mode and enabled the USB support. I bought an USB to go cable and installed file explorer. Now it's my favourite device. It can do HDD movies, netflix and Kodi.
Well worth it in my mind. Also had custom roms available if you don't like android TV and want to go to lollipop.
If you can find an Android ADT-1 (the developer's Android TV box), then you'd be better off with that. Much better specs - I've been using mine for nearly 2 months now and since the 5.0.1 update about 7 weeks ago it's been running flawlessly.
Lokke9191 said:
Im currently using my nexus player solely for xbmc, ive unlocked and rooted it. And ive installed xbmc launcher. Actually im technically using the alpha nightly of kodi. Its amazing. Ive installed genesis, and aeon nox skin. I use the nexus player remote to control kodi. Unles you plan on using the nexus player for kodi, it's useless. But running kodi its damn near perfect.
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Hi there,
Were you able to get Navi-X up and running?
This is my main reason for wanting to buy the nexus player. This way, I'd not need to hook my laptop up to the TV and could just access Navi-X from the Nexus Player.
Please advise if you (or anyone else) has been able to get Navi-X running on the nexus player.
Thanks!!
I think the biggest plus for the nexus player would be regular android updates directly from google for a long time.
I currently have multiple Chromecasts, a laptop, and rotate between Androids and iPhones.
What can this do that I cannot do with the above?
I see this is on sale for 69 bucks at best buy, and I believe it is rootable, many of the reviews say its ok but literally just a chrome cast with a few more limited apps.
IS it worth the buy or is this another Google item that we are just Beta Testers for?
I just got one and will be keeping it. Here's what it has over just using Chromecast with phones:
1) You can play games from the Nexus Player. You can't really enjoy a game like NBA Jam from your phone while trying to cast the screen. But Nexus Player can play NBA Jam and many other games natively. So you get to play possibly some of your Android Game library on the big screen easily. The only other way I've been able to do this, is hooking a cable into the TV from a device. So Nexus Player makes playing some games much easier.
2) Suggestions from apps on the Player Home screen. The more content you play on the Nexus Player, the better the suggestions on the Home Screen get. For content you may want to see. The suggestions can be disabled per app.
3) Easier to have other people use than your phone/table, when they want to watch something on your TV. And Nexus Player supports Restricted Profiles.
Far as streamers go, I use my Roku more because it has way more channels. But the Nexus Player has better games than Roku. And the channel apps that are supported on the Nexus Player, look nicer than their Roku equivalents. The only thing Nexus Player needs to be make it better than Roku, is more channels. Especially since Roku has nothing such as Restricted Profiles.
Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk
Darnell_Chat_TN said:
I just got one and will be keeping it. Here's what it has over just using Chromecast with phones:
1) You can play games from the Nexus Player. You can't really enjoy a game like NBA Jam from your phone while trying to cast the screen. But Nexus Player can play NBA Jam and many other games natively. So you get to play possibly some of your Android Game library on the big screen easily. The only other way I've been able to do this, is hooking a cable into the TV from a device. So Nexus Player makes playing some games much easier.
2) Suggestions from apps on the Player Home screen. The more content you play on the Nexus Player, the better the suggestions on the Home Screen get. For content you may want to see. The suggestions can be disabled per app.
3) Easier to have other people use than your phone/table, when they want to watch something on your TV. And Nexus Player supports Restricted Profiles.
Far as streamers go, I use my Roku more because it has way more channels. But the Nexus Player has better games than Roku. And the channel apps that are supported on the Nexus Player, look nicer than their Roku equivalents. The only thing Nexus Player needs to be make it better than Roku, is more channels. Especially since Roku has nothing such as Restricted Profiles.
Sent from my Nexus 10 using Tapatalk
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Are you referring to side loading games and playing them via emulators you side loaded, or games actually made for/compatible with the nexus player via the dedicated app store?
CashmereEsquire said:
Are you referring to side loading games and playing them via emulators you side loaded, or games actually made for/compatible with the nexus player via the dedicated app store?
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Games actually made for the Nexus Player/Android TV, and are in its play store. There are emulators there too, but I don't use them.
Be sure you get the Game Controller when buying a Nexus Player. Or you won't be able to enjoy many games.
---------- Post added at 03:57 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:50 PM ----------
Games for Android TV/Nexus Player
I bought a Nexus Player to cut the cord. I installed Kodi on it, and enjoy it mostly for streaming of video through that, Plex, and Netflix.
I think it brings everything together nicely and easier to navigate than say a PC.
MaesterB said:
I bought a Nexus Player to cut the cord. I installed Kodi on it, and enjoy it mostly for streaming of video through that, Plex, and Netflix.
I think it brings everything together nicely and easier to navigate than say a PC.
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Yea, I use things like Popcorn time and stuff via chrome cast from my Mac, never used Kodi, but I hear its set up where you have "live channels" and such.
I use Kodi(XBMC) on mine as well. There's a Kodi add-on called US TV VOD which basically lets you easily stream shows off of the TV Stations' websites. It's pretty slick. So with the NP, I have a single box that does everything we need (Netflix, Hulu, youtube, chromecast, games, music, and Kodi for local streaming and current TV episodes). If you have a backend DVR like MythTV, Kodi will also stream live TV and any shows that you've DVR'd. The only thing missing is Amazon Prime, but we don't use it very often.
bakaz said:
I use Kodi(XBMC) on mine as well. There's a Kodi add-on called US TV VOD which basically lets you easily stream shows off of the TV Stations' websites. It's pretty slick. So with the NP, I have a single box that does everything we need (Netflix, Hulu, youtube, chromecast, games, music, and Kodi for local streaming and current TV episodes). If you have a backend DVR like MythTV, Kodi will also stream live TV and any shows that you've DVR'd. The only thing missing is Amazon Prime, but we don't use it very often.
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Do you run your games via emulators? Outside of Casting, netflix, and Kodi I would like to be able to run emulators and games (Reicast for Dreamcast stuff would be the biggest thing I`d want along with other stuff). From what I understand the Nexus Player only has 5 or so gb out of 8gb total of free space, and you CANT expand the storage, is this true? That would be a deal breaker compared to me just getting a tablet to use as a Nexus Player type device.
CashmereEsquire said:
Do you run your games via emulators? Outside of Casting, netflix, and Kodi I would like to be able to run emulators and games (Reicast for Dreamcast stuff would be the biggest thing I`d want along with other stuff). From what I understand the Nexus Player only has 5 or so gb out of 8gb total of free space, and you CANT expand the storage, is this true? That would be a deal breaker compared to me just getting a tablet to use as a Nexus Player type device.
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I don't use emulators on my NP. Can the storage be expanded via and external drive or thumb drive on the USB port? I know the NP will recognize a USB hub, but I've only used that for network adapters and keyboards/mice.
bakaz said:
I don't use emulators on my NP. Can the storage be expanded via and external drive or thumb drive on the USB port? I know the NP will recognize a USB hub, but I've only used that for network adapters and keyboards/mice.
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AFAIK, you can't expand the storage. I've read plenty of attempts, but nothing I've read is reliably successful. Storage is the one matter to keep in mind with the NP. Although it's a 8GB drive, only 5GB is supposedly usable. But I just got another new NP yesterday. Soon as I did the initial setup, I checked storage and only 4GB was free, since 1GB of that "5GB usable" had already been consumed by auto-downloaded stuff. And I didn't want to remove the auto-downloaded stuff, it was stuff I wanted. So pretty much out the gate, 4GB for me for other software.
Imagine a phone or tablet with just 4-5GB of space. How much can you get on it? You won't have some of the big apps you may use on a phone or tablet, like GPS navigation map apps. But there are some games, that can consume half or nearly all of the available space. Especially since some games in the Play Store may claim to use maybe 500MB, but after startup, they take up over 1GB additional.
Having said all that. I've read that Android M may bring some reliable expandable storage support. But there's no telling for certain.
It's good enough for me and the kids ,so I'll be getting more. I already have plenty of Rokus. But the Roku can't do what the NP does. And I doubt channels like Haystack TV will ever be implemented on Roku. So I'll have to enjoy the best of both NP and Roku and have both.
If you have extra money, and you want the Nexus Player Experience and then some, go with the Nvidia Shield Android TV. It's got everything the Nexus Player has and then some.
Sgt.JimmyRustles said:
If you have extra money, and you want the Nexus Player Experience and then some, go with the Nvidia Shield Android TV. It's got everything the Nexus Player has and then some.
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Sure does, and there are games such as Sonic, which appear from advertising to play on the Shield, but not NP.
I went ahead and bought 2 nexus players, since Best buy has them for 69, and I had a 10 dollar coupon. Signed up for Sling TV which seemed cool, will look more into the Hacks too
CashmereEsquire said:
I went ahead and bought 2 nexus players, since Best buy has them for 69, and I had a 10 dollar coupon. Signed up for Sling TV which seemed cool, will look more into the Hacks too
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Amazon has them for $66.83 and Best Buy does price match. Maybe you could get a little of your money back ?
A little background. I am looking at the black Friday deals and asking myself is this a irrational purchase worth making. I have a shield tablet with no controller, or to be honest my son does. I have used grid on free trial over the last year but to be honest it was fun but not worth a monthly subscription to me, the game choices I felt were somewhat limited. I realize I would get 3 months if I get a Shield TV for free.
I am a big user of Kodi, my main box is a HP Chromebox hooked up in my living room. I also have a recently purchased Nexus Player in my bedroom that I picked up for $49.99. In the grand scope of things I have no need for the shield tv other than a want for the shiniest new toy. I have owned an Ouya before with thoughts that emulation would lead to hours of fun but to be honest never played much. If purchased this would likely replace my chromebox which would move to my bedroom and I would likely give my nexus player to a family member or friend. I am not sure this would out perform the chromebox running Kodi as a standalone using openelec as android although fully functional is not as good in my experience as a linux based distro.
$149 is not allot of money but I struggle with am I buying something that will perform on par with my current setup and add some gaming which in theory I already have with my shield tablet, or am I underselling the capabilities of this box.
so I reach out to the community for opinions
I am interested in this as well. I too have a Nexus Player. I debated on getting the Shield but I decided against it at the time, especially being I picked up the Nexus Player for only $49.00. I like the Nexus Player, I just don't game on it at all. I only use it for Netflix, HBO GO, and to play MP4 movies via Kodi mainly.
The Black Friday deal on the Shield is awesome in my opinion. $150 and you get the $50 remote for free! I really like the looks of the shield remote as well. The headphone jack is a nice touch. The shield would be replacing my Nexus Player, which is hooked up to my 32" 1080P T.V wall mounted in my bedroom. The 4K capabilities kind of make it feel like overkill, but I think it would be perfect for my situation. Provide all my streaming needs and some moderate gaming as well. Also, my cable modem and router are in my bedroom right by my TV. So it would be nothing to snake an ethernet cable up inside the wall with the existing power cord and hdmi. ( I have heard that wired net connection is hands down better for the Shield vs WiFi) I am sure my 60mbps net, wired would be fine for the game streaming.
I personally think it is worth it, and I am strongly considering it as well. There are only two issues for me if I do it. One, I know I will end up buying a 4K TV and selling my existing. lol. Two, the sale price is a pretty steep discount, making me kind of wonder if a Shield Console 2 is going to pop up in a month or two. What do you think?
A few weeks ago, I began my search for a streaming device that I could use to run Kodi on my main TV. During that time, I've gone from a Fire Stick (received as a gift last year) to a Nexus Player and finally to a Nvidia Shield TV. I was generally pleased with the Nexus Player, but the frequent buffering issues when playing HD movies started to annoy me. My internet ISP is not the issue, as my TWC plan has great speeds (300MB/20MB). Really wish the Nexus player had a ethernet port.
While I was looking for a USB/ethernet hub for the Nexus Player, I saw that a few retailers were selling the Shield TV for $174.99 w/ the free remote. I decided to pull the trigger and have been 100% happy with my purchase. The Nexus Player isn't slow, but the Shield TV absolutely flies. No lag anywhere and no more buffering issues.
For $150, the Shield TV is a great buy.
Well I bit the bullet. Should pick up my shield tomorrow. Little early Christmas present I guess.
mcord11758 said:
Well I bit the bullet. Should pick up my shield tomorrow. Little early Christmas present I guess.
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I want to get it, I think it is an awesome device, and the sale is on point. However, I decided to stick with my Nexus Player. At the end of the day, the Shield is overkill for my needs. The more I thought about it the more I realized how I would rarely use it, especially for gaming. Which is another thing, after 3 months the $8 a month would be a complete waste for me.
So I decided to just stick with my Nexus Player. It more than does what I need. I literally use 4 apps on it. Netflix, HBOGO, YouTube, Kodi.
Still though, congrats to you and good choice! If I had more use for one I would so be buying one as well.
Site ate my post, but I'm sticking with my Nexus too.
I wish NVIDIA promoted its native talents over streaming. And also by blocking exclusive titles like Half-Life (and possibly Borderlands, TBD) from other Android devices - it hurts high performance Android from getting traction. I have an XPS 12 running the ancient Console OS KitKat builds - and it out benchmarks Shield. Probably would play Borderlands 2 great too... but I can't sync my purchase? No, thanks... really.
Original post was much more eloquent, not worth the carpal tunnel to rewrite.
I just made the upgrade from the Nexus Player to the Shield TV this weekend with the $150 deal. I am very happy with it so far. Main highlights:
- 8GB of storage was very tight. 16GB gives you a good amount of breathing room and the MicroSD + full-sized USB ports for expandable storage is great.
- There are a number of Android games that work on the Shield TV but not the Nexus Player. Not just due to specs, but simply compatibility.
- The controller is much better. Much more responsive, better overall feel to it.
- In addition to the gaming-focused improvements, I've had a much better streaming experience as well. I'm still using Wireless-AC for my connection like I was with the Nexus Player but I'm no longer running into streaming issues. With my Nexus Player I had problems with Youtube become pixelated, Hulu freezing while moving from an ad to the show or vice versa, video "stuttering." I'm not running into any of these with the Shield TV.