What you need to know
- NVIDIA just dropped a surprising update for its Shield TV experience that's still going nearly ten years later.
- The update, titled as the "second hotfix," solves a GeForce Now crash problem, fixes an issue with "Match Frame Rate," and more.
- The NVIDIA Shield TV has remained in contention amongst the best streaming devices in 2024 — and it's no surprise why.
We bet you didn't see this coming; NVIDIA is rolling out a fall update for its Shield TV experience.
NVIDIA detailed the patch notes for the October update for its Shield TV (Android TV-based) streaming experience. The company packages this update as a hotfix, which is reportedly a continuation of the initial v9.1.1 variant from July 2023. Starting from October 8, users can begin downloading/installing the "second hotfix," version 33.2.0.252.
NVIDIA states it's updating the "Match Frame Rate" beta feature for its Shield TV devices. The October patch also rectifies an issue with the "SHIELD drive filling up." A "no audio" problem experienced on Shield TV via headsets connected to a controller should also be fixed.
A crash concerning GeForce Now was fixed alongside a "distortion" effect seen when using the "RGB 8-bit Rec.709" display mode.
The remainder of NVIDIA's changelog is as follows:
- Ability to clear HDMI 1.4 flag via factory reset
- Resolved USB HDD/Flash drive showing corrupted after hotplug
- NAS folder info shows 0 B and not the actual capacity
- Mounted storages aren't listed after upgrade
- Fixes occasional crashes in DRM apps
It's a wonder the NVIDIA Shield TV is still receiving upgrades nearly ten years after its original model launched. The company has continued to improve the series as it released a 4K variant in 2020. What's keeping this device relevant is its amazing upscaling capabilities for 4K content, thanks to AI. There was even the Pro model from 2019, which arrived as a secondary choice to the base version.
In 2019, it was stated that the NVIDIA Shield TV was an Android device with the longest support life that wasn't a phone. Keep in mind this was when phones received an abysmal two years of OS and security updates. Now, we're seeing upwards of seven. What's funny is that NVIDIA's Shield TV is still a long-living Android-supported device. It's nearly 2025, and the original model launched in 2015.
The device has also continued to find ways to remain in contention for one of the best streaming devices of 2024 (at #4).
A stunner
It's no surprise that the NVIDIA Shield TV is still here. The company doubled down and provided the streaming device with a lengthy number of years for software support. On top of that, continuous, small upgrades have kept it in contention with some of the best devices on the market.
