NVidia Shield TV as an emulation box? Best or better options?

[Deleted member 42501]

I really miss the old OG Xbox and its emulators as it did so many systems so well but the lack of HDMI really puts a crimp on it as the picture looks terrible on new screens so I'm looking at a Shield TV as it seems to be the best option in terms of size, ease, updates, compatibility etc.. as it can handle GC/Dreamcast/PSP easily and even Sega Saturn has been optimized for it:



More videos to illustrate my thinking:





Its quite incredible what they've managed to crank out of this tiny, silent device and the Deus Ex inspired controller just ices the cake:

As its actually quite decent to use. Overall this does seem to be the OG Xbox successor in terms of emulation quality, range of devices, support etc... as the rPi just doesn't appeal at all due to its inherent input lag and excruciating boot up time.

Anyone modded one? If so, hows your experience? Worth the price? Any tips and ticks? Thanks

 

[fvig2001]

I bought one for this purpose but I haven't had the time to set it up. It works well for DS and pre n64 stuff. I was planning to use it for DS, 16 bit and older games and maybe some n64, dreamcast and gamecube games. I mostly use it as a TV box. I wanted to root it but it seems it's a hassle since you lose updates, so it's literally the only device I own that I never rooted.

 

[Tom Bombadildo]

You don't need to "mod" a Shield TV to do anything regarding emulation with it, they're all supported natively...cuz it's just Android. You can install Retroarch and be on your way.

Regarding the experience, there's absolutely no other Android TV box around that meets, or beats, the Shield TV in terms of performance really. If you want the best Android TV box for emulation, then it's basically Shield TV or nothing.

Is it worth the price? Absolutely. But if you're thinking of buying one, it might be best to wait and see what the refresh of the Shield TV is going to look like. Should be announced in a few months I would imagine, could be slightly more powerful than the current 2 versions.

 

[Deleted member 42501]

Thanks, that was my next question about rooting it or if it all worked straight out the gate as I've never used anything Android based before.

Can you download the apps themselves from the playstore or do you have to transfer from the computer and sideload?

Looks like a no brainer of a deal yet it doesn't seem to have that much traction in various communities as people never seem to speak about it. The fact that it was so well supported/has active devs/updates really caught my attention and the emulation quality seems to be really good as well.

 

[Tom Bombadildo]

Retroarch is on the play store, so you don't have to sideload anything, just install, transfer ROMs however you want to do that, and just go.

 

[fvig2001]

Rooting isn't needed. This isn't an Apple TV after all. All emulators are either on the playstore or you just install it through a 3rd party application. Although if you are patient, maybe you can wait for the supposed new Shield coming out. There's the mdarcy model that the supposed Switch Pro may also be based off

 

[Deleted member 42501]

Thanks, just looked and it seems the update will be the same as the 2017 model mostly but may have a higher maximum GPU clock speed:

https://www.xda-developers.com/nvidia-shield-android-tv-refreshed-tegra-x1/

Not exactly a huge leap as I'd hold off if they were going for a proper spec bump.

 

[slaphappygamer]

You really don’t need hdmi if you emulate 16bit consoles. I guess it’s really only needed if your tv only has hdmi inputs. Anyhow, a wii would be more cost effective. Then again, only up to GameCube can be achieved.

 

[Deleted member 42501]

You really don’t need hdmi if you emulate 16bit consoles. I guess it’s really only needed if your tv only has hdmi inputs. Anyhow, a wii would be more cost effective. Then again, only up to GameCube can be achieved.

Useless post is useless. I'd say reread the OP again but its evident you didn't comprehend it in the first place!

 

[spotanjo3]

Impressive but can it run PCSX2 emulator ? I don't think so, lol!

 

[proffk]

Dolphin emulation of gamecube & wii games is hit or miss. Some gamecube games work great. Most wii games I tried have a lot of slowdown.

 

[CORE]

Shield is your best option for emulation and all round Media device on the low end of things atleast next would be an ODRoid or Raspberry Pi.

 

[LuigiXHero]

@op

Dude was just trying to help and you insult him? I guess you aren't aware with how good component cables look if your TV supports them? Pretty much as good as hdmi. So next time don't be an ass since the dude took time out of his life to try to help.

 

[Deleted member 42501]

Impressive but can it run PCSX2 emulator ? I don't think so, lol!

What can for a similar price/size? Hmmm? Omar listening...

Dolphin emulation of gamecube & wii games is hit or miss. Some gamecube games work great. Most wii games I tried have a lot of slowdown.

Thanks for that, real world insight is always appreciated. Its mainly DC/PSP that has my interest as I have a Wii U for Nintendo stuff but thanks for mentioning that as the videos don't speak about it and make it seem like GC/Wii is perfect?

Shield is your best option for emulation and all round Media device on the low end of things atleast next would be an ODRoid or Raspberry Pi.

Nice one, I'm inclined to agree as it does seem to offer the best value/quality of emulation all round. ODroid did look decent but it seems to be a "not quite" in many respects.

@op

Dude was just trying to help and you insult him? I guess you aren't aware with how good component cables look if your TV supports them? Pretty much as good as hdmi. So next time don't be an ass since the dude took time out of his life to try to help.

Tuck your cape in, social justice warrior. The post was entirely facile as I'd covered my reasoning in the OP quite clearly and Xbox OG Component cables are uber expensive (£50 upwards on eBay for the real deal, not those cheapo ones with interference all over the place) and it still isn't as crisp as HDMI plus my emulation interests need more grunt for DC/PSP - once again as I said. Now STFU and go sit down somewhere before you think of addressing me again.

 

[The Real Jdbye]

I really miss the old OG Xbox and its emulators as it did so many systems so well but the lack of HDMI really puts a crimp on it as the picture looks terrible on new screens so I'm looking at a Shield TV as it seems to be the best option in terms of size, ease, updates, compatibility etc.. as it can handle GC/Dreamcast/PSP easily and even Sega Saturn has been optimized for it:



More videos to illustrate my thinking:





Its quite incredible what they've managed to crank out of this tiny, silent device and the Deus Ex inspired controller just ices the cake:

As its actually quite decent to use. Overall this does seem to be the OG Xbox successor in terms of emulation quality, range of devices, support etc... as the rPi just doesn't appeal at all due to its inherent input lag and excruciating boot up time.

Anyone modded one? If so, hows your experience? Worth the price? Any tips and ticks? Thanks

A Wii U makes a great emulation box. You can emulate PSX, N64 and DS with ease and run GC and Wii games natively. The gamepad works great for DS games that need touchscreen input. Plus they are cheaper than a Shield TV. But the Shield TV is good for media consumption as well, Wii U is not quite as good for that.

 

[Tom Bombadildo]

What can for a similar price/size? Hmmm? Omar listening...

A PC, that's about it. There's still nothing Android based that will run PCSX2 well enough to be considered at all viable.

For $100, you could pick up a cheap Dell Optiplex that will have like a 4th gen Core i5, 8GB of RAM, and a 500GB HDD with it which would be enough for most PS2 games. And you could even pick up a budget low profile GPU, stuff that in there, and get a half decent gaming PC

 

[slaphappygamer]

Useless post is useless. I'd say reread the OP again but its evident you didn't comprehend it in the first place!

Could’ve just ignored a post if you don’t like it.

 

[Kioku]

Thanks, just looked and it seems the update will be the same as the 2017 model mostly but may have a higher maximum GPU clock speed:

https://www.xda-developers.com/nvidia-shield-android-tv-refreshed-tegra-x1/

Not exactly a huge leap as I'd hold off if they were going for a proper spec bump.

Better power consumption and higher clock speeds may benefit your specific emulation needs. I'm in the same boat, here. Looking at a Shield TV for a compact emulation box. My next option is a RasPi... But, I'd rather not.

 

[Deleted member 42501]

A PC, that's about it. There's still nothing Android based that will run PCSX2 well enough to be considered at all viable.

For $100, you could pick up a cheap Dell Optiplex that will have like a 4th gen Core i5, 8GB of RAM, and a 500GB HDD with it which would be enough for most PS2 games. And you could even pick up a budget low profile GPU, stuff that in there, and get a half decent gaming PC

That is very interesting, thanks. As much as I dislike PCs they really are the best when it comes to emulation and at that price it seems to be worth consideration. I'd also read that people use Mac Minis a lot for at home arcade machines due to how well they handle the emulation so that is also something I'd appreciate more info on if anyone has went that route.

The appeal of the Shield is its form factor, silent operation, range of support and how well it emulates what I want to play but you've really got me thinking now...

Could’ve just ignored a post if you don’t like it.

The aim of the feedback was to attempt to alleviate your idiocy by allowing you to see how pointless what you said was because everyone else who has ignored your dirge so far has done neither you nor your lack of comprehension any favors because at least from now on you'll pause to read/consider before satisfying your urge to hit reply. The intent was to help you become a better poster but you're free to take it how you want.

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A Wii U makes a great emulation box. You can emulate PSX, N64 and DS with ease and run GC and Wii games natively. The gamepad works great for DS games that need touchscreen input. Plus they are cheaper than a Shield TV. But the Shield TV is good for media consumption as well, Wii U is not quite as good for that.

It does and its an excellent platform all round but RetroArch recently caused my card to corrupt by crashing and it was a major pain setting it all up again so I'm considering other options as I prefer not wasting time. That and Wii U isn't the most supported platform in the world! Absolutely stunning for Nintendo stuff though, they knocked it out of the park.

Better power consumption and higher clock speeds may benefit your specific emulation needs. I'm in the same boat, here. Looking at a Shield TV for a compact emulation box. My next option is a RasPi... But, I'd rather not.

They may just be but given what I read online I'm not really expecting that huge a bump and can pick up a 2017 model for quite cheap at the moment. Ultimately at the price I'm paying I could use it and if the new one turns out to bring something more than a negligible processing increase I could trade up and still recoup my investment.

At the moment it does look like the Shield TV is truly the successor to the OG Xbox on many fronts. Still surprised at how much power they got in such a small form factor, very impressive, as is how well its supported because everything has quick and dirty ports of emulators on but STV is one of the few with optimized builds and that is what sets the OG Xbox apart to this day as it all worked so smoothly for something with such low specs.

 

[spotanjo3]

I forgot one thing.. It cannot run Wii U emulator at all. A Cemu, nah.