Comparison NVIDIA SHIELD TV Pro vs Apple TV 4th Generation 32GB

— Proprietary system. The operating system of the device is represented by the proprietary software shell of the manufacturer. Usually, such operating systems have an attractive and convenient menu. A proprietary operating system is developed directly by the manufacturer for the hardware resources of a particular model or a whole line, but has limited capabilities.

— Android (AOSP). This type of operating system is a modification of the popular Android OS, mainly notable for being open source. It is a versatile operating system that gives the user much more freedom to create changes and customizations within the system itself. At the same time, the installation and stability of certain applications on this platform are not guaranteed, and the overall system management was not specially “tailored” for large screens, which may cause some inconvenience. First of all, such solutions will interest users who understand the features of the Android OS, like to customize and control everything for themselves, and have time for this.

— Android TV. Devices of this type have full-fledged Android TV software, specially adapted to work on large screens. In accordance with the name, it is a type of Android OS, specially designed for such equipment. In addition to the common features of all Androids (such as the ability to install additional applications, including...even games), it has a number of special features: an optimized interface, integration with smartphones (including the ability to use them as a remote control), voice search, etc. Thanks to this, TVs with this feature are significantly superior in functionality to models with a “regular” Smart TV. Of course, a dedicated processor, graphics subsystem and memory are provided for the operation of a multifunctional OS, and the presence of such hardware resources is reflected in the overall cost.

— Google TV. Rebranding of the Android TV platform for TVs and smart consoles, or rather, a new shell on top of the operating system under the sign of the “green droid”, introduced since 2021. Among the innovations, it has a redesigned user interface, an improved knowledge base that more efficiently distributes content by genre and collects search information from the entire list of installed applications and subscriptions. The voice assistant now understands the needs of the audience better and provides a detailed list of what was found. A separate tab in the interface contains live broadcasts of current events, whether it be sports events or a rocket launch to Mars. Among other things, the aspects that involve the use of TV as a command post for managing a single ecosystem of a “smart” home have been improved in the system.

Bluetooth is a technology used to connect various devices wirelessly directly. In media centers and TV receivers, it can be used to broadcast sound to wireless headphones and acoustics, to work with wireless mice and keyboards, to use a smartphone / tablet as a remote control, etc.; specific functionality should be specified separately. Also note that the supported version of Bluetooth can be specified here. The newest and most advanced is Bluetooth 5.0, but here is a more detailed description of the different versions:

• Bluetooth v4.0. The version in which the "Bluetooth Low Energy" (LE) format was first introduced — in addition to regular Bluetooth (version 2.1 functionality) and the high-speed HE standard for transferring large amounts of information (introduced in version 3.0). Bluetooth LE allows you to significantly reduce power consumption when transmitting small data packets, such as request-responses about connection activity in idle mode. For the media centers and TV receivers themselves, this is not particularly important, but for portable equipment (especially miniature ones, where battery capacity is very limited), such functionality will be useful.
• Bluetooth v 4.1. Development and improvement of Bluetooth 4.0. One of the key improvements was the optimization of collaboration with 4G LTE communication modules so that Bluetooth and LTE do not interfere with each other. In addition, this ve...rsion has the ability to simultaneously use a Bluetooth device in several roles — for example, to remotely control an external device while simultaneously streaming music to headphones.
• Bluetooth v4.2. Further, after 4.1, the development of the Bluetooth standard. It did not introduce fundamental updates, but received a number of improvements regarding reliability and noise immunity, as well as improved compatibility with the Internet of Things.
• Bluetooth v5.0. Version introduced in 2016. One of the most notable updates was the introduction of two new modes of operation for Bluetooth LE — with an increase in speed by reducing the range and with an increase in range by reducing the speed. In addition, a number of improvements have been introduced regarding simultaneous work with numerous connected devices, as well as work with the components of the Internet of Things.

The technology of broadcasting audio and video signals through a Wi-Fi connection. Widely used in Apple electronics, the media centre with AirPlay will make it easy to duplicate a “picture” on a TV, for example, from an iPhone or iPad. The main disadvantage of this technology compared to similar Miracast is the need for a local network with a wireless router.

The original name is Google Cast. A technology for broadcasting content to external devices developed by Google. Allows you to transmit a signal from a PC or mobile device, broadcasting is standardly carried out via Wi-Fi. Note that in signal sources (smartphones, tablets, PCs, etc.), Chromecast is implemented at the level of individual applications. For example, at the time of its creation, this feature was available, among others, in the YouTube and Netflix apps for Android and iOS, as well as in the web versions of these apps for Chrome. Thanks to this format, this technology is extremely widespread nowadays, and the ability to connect a particular gadget to a media player with a Chromecast is usually limited to the ability to install appropriate applications on this gadget.

A wireless technology that allows you to directly broadcast video and audio from one device to another directly over a Wi-Fi connection. At the same time, unlike AirPlay, transmission does not require a router and building a local network — it is enough that the receiver and transmitter are compatible with Miracast. One of the most popular ways to use this technology is to output a “picture” from a smartphone / tablet screen to a TV, and vice versa. A media centre or TV receiver with Miracast is useful if the TV itself does not support this function.

Built-in browser that allows you to browse the Internet on the TV screen to which the device is connected. Some specific features may not be available, but they are usually not critical for this type of Internet surfing; in addition, the capabilities of built-in browsers are constantly expanding.

IPTV service support — broadcasting by the IP protocol, using computer networks (including the Internet).

This feature should not be confused with online TV: in fact, IPTV is a type of cable television, where not an antenna cable is used to transmit the signal, but network equipment. Otherwise, IPTV and cable TV are completely similar: broadcasting is carried out through the operator; the choice of channels is limited by the assortment presented by the operator; and additional charges may apply for access. At the same time, the possibilities of IPTV are much wider than those of traditional cable broadcasting. Most specialized applications have a Time Shift feature (see below); any excerpt of a recently watched broadcast can be re-watched; in addition, it is often also possible to rewind the broadcast to a point in time before the start of viewing (if you turned on such a TV later than you planned). Other features may be provided for additional convenience, such as favorite channel lists, parental guaid, etc.

HDMI is the most common modern interface for working with HD content and multi-channel audio. Video and audio signals with this connection are transmitted over a single cable, and the bandwidth in the latest versions ( HDMI 2.0 and HDMI 2.1) is enough to work with UltraHD resolution and even higher. Almost any modern screen (TV, monitor, etc.) with HD support has at least one HDMI input, which is why most media players and TV receivers have outputs of this type. However, there are also models without HDMI — these are mostly outdated or the most inexpensive solutions that use only analogue video interfaces. There are also models for several HDMI and in most cases one of these ports is for the incoming signal, while the HDMI ports differ in versions.

— v 1.4. The version presented back in 2009, however, does not lose popularity to this day. Supports 4K (4096x2160) video at 24 fps and Full HD at 120 fps; the latter, among other things, allows you to transfer 3D video over this interface. In addition to the original v 1.4, there are also improved versions v 1.4a and v 1.4b, where the possibilities for working with 3D have been further expanded.

-v 2.0. Version released in 2013. Among other things, it introduced the ability to work with 4K video at speeds up to 60 fps, compatibility with ultra-wide format 21: 9, as well as support for up to 32 channels and 4...audio streams simultaneously. HDR support was not originally included in this release, but was introduced in v 2.0a and further enhanced in v 2.0b; media players from this category can support both the original version 2.0 and one of the improved ones.

— v 2.1. 2017 version, also known as HDMI Ultra High Speed. Indeed, it provides a very solid bandwidth, allowing you to work even with 10K video at a speed of 120 fps; in addition, a number of improvements have been made to HDR support. Note that the full use of HDMI v 2.1 is possible only with a special cable, but the functions of earlier versions remain available when using conventional wires.

The number of USB-C connectors in the design of the device.

This interface differs from the full-sized USB host ports (see above) primarily in the design of the connector: it is much smaller and made double-sided (the plug can be inserted in either direction). There are also a number of notable differences regarding application specifics. The most common option is the same as for conventional USB — connecting external peripherals, primarily drives like flash drives and external HDDs. But for charging gadgets, such connectors are used extremely rarely. In some models, USB-C plays the role of a service input for managing settings from a computer (that is, it actually works in the USB slave format — see "Inputs"). Also, this connector may provide an Alternate Mode mode, when other interfaces are implemented through the USB-C hardware port — for example, DisplayPort or HDMI for video broadcasting, or Thunderbolt for connecting some accessories. In media players, this mode is practically not used yet, but in the future the situation may change.

Summing up, we can say that the features of using USB-C in each model should be clarified separately. As for the number, such connectors are rarely provided for more than one — this is quite enough in most cases.