[thermionic]

Having started off with an xbox a "few" years ago, and had an ATV running crystalbuntu for some time, and a rpi, I currently have a Fire TV gen2 connected to an AV amp and a 1080p screen, oh, and I have a tvheadend server for recording UK freeview and freesat. Kodi also gets used for playing music. Both music and video databases are on external MySQL mainly so I didn't have to index from the various Android tablets that are also used, and the occasional Windows and Apple laptops.

For all SD and 1080p content, the FireTV is fine, but it does struggle on some 4k content (and yes it's only a 1080p screen at the moment).

Converting the 4k content to 1080p is a possibility, but I would rather have sometheing that will just play the existing content, and not have to bother compressing.

So I'm looking for a replacement, and I think I'm down to to an nVidia Shield or a Vero4k.

I've mostly discounted the idea of an ATV4 running MrMC as it would presumably then require all other clients to also be MrMC to be able to share the database, and I'd much rather be able to "just install kodi version X" on any device.

Have I missed anything ?

[tredman]

I don't find the shield relaible for live TV (i have a tvheadend server with Freeview and Freesat), so would go for the Vero, which will have better PQ for live tv too.

Only reason to go for a shield, imo, is if you want high quality netflix, Amazon apps etc.

[wrxtasy]

I also avoided Android for anything to do with 25 frames per second Live / Recorded TV the likes you would get in the UK, Europe and Australia.

Android Kodi Krypton has broken TV deinterlacing when used with Kodi PVR's too, this was one of the primary reasons I avoid the platform. I do not want to run Alpha Kodi Leia software either as a daily driver.

MrMC on the Apple TV 4K is great. It is a highly modified Kodi Jarvis underneath and the clean, new Ariana Skin is looking really good. Especially now it has PVR support.
MrMC will easily connect to a MySQL database:

https://wiki.mrmc.tv/index.php?title=Main_Page

I believe the MySQL database used can be a Kodi Krypton one.
All other clients do NOT have to be running MrMC. As I said underneath the Skin there is a highly modded Kodi Jarvis media player.

TV deinterlacing and picture output quality is top class with TV channel changing near instantaneous on my Apple TV 4K with TvHeadend. It really is a great TV viewing platform that I've been pleasantly surprised by.

You have to use the 4K version of the Apple TV, the previous 4 only version does not have the CPU ponies to do deinterlacing properly.

Personally I would not discount the Apple TV 4K so easily, it's got a lot of power under the hood, is fast and results in top class picture output quality.
It's tvOS Frame Rate Matching functionality is excellent and a Very welcome addition for use with all sorts of Apps, especially for those of us outside the USA that have to deal with all sorts of video frame rates. This sort of functionality is really pretty poor on Android TV platforms.

Yes the Vero 4K will also do great Kodi Krypton TV deinterlacing. Not quite as fast as the Apple TV 4K but another great platforms with excellent support.

[zgotenz]

MrMC will easily connect to a MySQL database:

https://wiki.mrmc.tv/index.php?title=Main_Page

I believe the MySQL database used can be a Kodi Krypton one.
All other clients do NOT have to be running MrMC. As I said underneath the Skin there is a highly modded Kodi Jarvis media player.

I have Kodi Krypton with MySQL on my NAS and I can confirm that MrMC works perfectly with Kodi MySQL, I'm using it on my iPad, perfectly synchronized with Kodi DB, watched status, resume watch point and all.

Only thing I don't like for ATV4K is the lack of passthrough on HD audios, but Kodi DB connection works perfect.

[willicooper]

I'm from Germany and do have both devices (Shield and Vero 4K). The Vero is a very reliable device for all medias except the Streaming-platforms Amazon, Netflix and SkyGo. The Hardware is limited to the resolution of 720p due to the processor. But all other content is playing very good (didn't test 3D-ISO or full Blu-Ray Folders). And the OSMC-developers are very fast and the community helpful.

The Shield is capable to Play all Streaming-Platforms and I do not have any issues with my PVR. I'm using TVHeadend on a Synology-NAS with a Digibit-Receiver and an Easymouse for descrambling HD+-Content. The only problem i have with the Shield is play back Streaming Content with a framerate of 25 Hz and Resolution 720p or 1080p - it stutters. As a Workaround i switch KODI to the resolution of 3840x1920@25Hz and all is smooth (maybe it's a "feature" of my Sony-TV, which is not capable of playing content with 25Hz - my SamsungTV with the Vero do not have this issue).

All sound-Formats are playing very well on both devices.

So, from my point of view: if you are watching a lot Streaming-Content --> Nvidia, if not --> Vero. (and take a look in the specs of your TV, if it's capable to play all Picture-Formats, you want)

[wrxtasy]

I'm going to disagree strongly here. Because it s well known it is simply impossible to get reliable full motion TV hardware deinterlacing on any Android platform with Kodi Krypton.
That is why you are seeing a 25 fps Frame Rate issue. It is because what is being output is half motion deinterlacing which is frankly garbage for viewing anything with lots of movement like fast sports action.

Hard selecting a 4K resolution as a workaround is a poor solution too because it means the Shield has to do the 720/1080p > 4K upscaling when we know it's upscaled picture quality is below average vs the competition AND you are still viewing half motion deinterlaced TV output, which will not be as sharp to begin with.

The Top three platforms for high quality Full Motion TV deinterlacing:

1) Intel microarchitecture - especially SD TV content because you can use high quality CPU Software picture upscalers like Lanczos-Optimised.
2) Apple TV 4K because SD TV can also be given some post picture processing and TV channel changing is near instantaneous with MrMC.
3) AMLogic S8xx/S9xx hardware running LibreELEC or OSMC Kodi Krypton.

[willicooper]

Sorry wrxtasy,

but I talked about internet-streaming-content, which is having the 25Hz-framerate-issue, not PVR. And only for this content I'm using my described "workaround". And yes, you're right, deinterlacing and upscaling on the Shield isn't as good as the other devices do. Therefore I let the TV do the job for all other content.

[willicooper]

...and btw: I would never gave up my Intel NUC, but unfortunately it isn't capable to play HDR-Movies under LIBREELEC - but i keep finger crosses for the future...

[wrxtasy]

but I talked about internet-streaming-content, which is having the 25Hz-framerate-issue, not PVR. And only for this content I'm using my described "workaround". And yes, you're right, deinterlacing and upscaling on the Shield isn't as good as the other devices do. Therefore I let the TV do the job for all other content.

Ahhh OK got it.
Turn Off all Motion Interpolation settings on any TV if having issues with 25fps IPTV streaming. That is another well known Combo problem on a whole bunch of media players. 25fps really is too slow for fluid motion.

[thermionic]

I've gone with a Vero4k

[Tinwarble]

Because it s well known it is simply impossible to get reliable full motion TV hardware deinterlacing on any Android platform with Kodi Krypton.

Which is easily fixed, just install Kodi Leia. Not to mention that if you want to take advantage of all the Shield features, especially with Oreo, you need v18.

Hard selecting a 4K resolution as a workaround is a poor solution too because it means the Shield has to do the 720/1080p > 4K upscaling when we know it's upscaled picture quality is below average vs the competition AND you are still viewing half motion deinterlaced TV output, which will not be as sharp to begin with.

Again, with v18 you don't need to rely on the Shield to do the upscaling since the Shield is capable of resolution switching.

2) Apple TV 4K because SD TV can also be given some post picture processing and TV channel changing is near instantaneous with MrMC.

  
This is still a Kodi forum, isn't it?

[tredman]

I've gone with a Vero4k

Good choice.

[arel]

just to add my personal impressions concerning KODI / MRMC HW and deinterlacing and so on...and the right way to go in the living room :-).

I can agree to wrxtcy´s opinion, plus...some seetings problems with my SAMSUNG TV...but this is a different story.

My base szenario , watching 1080I INTERLACED LIVE TV (served from a Libreelec ARM64 Server + sometimes media streamed from the EMBY Server) 
AND OFTEN Netflix, AMAZON Video at 4K. My major concerne was to watch this , convinient ! in my living room on ONE SYSTEM, WITH ONE (TV) REMOTE CONTROL.

what I discovered over "month" of investigations....which KODI environment couldt fit best for such a scenario was (= my personal Hitlist after testing) ?:

1) APPLE TV 4K
Why ?: One Remote Control ! , all APPS (also Netflix, AMAZON, for LiveTV MRMC) in "one place". LIVETV AND Deinterlacing (sports !  50hz :-() are working well...too. The Usability is "simple" but easy to handle...biggest WAF ;-)

2) Android TV based  Player (NVIDIA SHIELD TV + KODI 18 !) ...results are nearly the same as (1) from my personal point of view....picture quality are partly not as stable as on 4K ATV. I also had some success with a Mecool M8S L based Android player, but you have to fiddle with many problems before you get what you want...only something for REAL specialists...

3) X86 based "Intel" machines + Kodi 18
   a) Linux based KODI (Libreelec and so on) ... live TV works great, but Netflix + Amazon and so on is a "no go"..Inputstream...
   b) Windows installation based KODI ...works like it should. BUT, to get a "acceptable" usability of NETFLIX/AMZON WITH A TV REMOTE (not mouse !) is a
       hassle...NOGO !  
  
=> maybe in some different scenarios you would have DIFFERENT results. The only thing I can "complain" with ATV 4K at the moment is , that in combination with my SAMSUNG TV I get the impression that I sometimes get not so sharp picture (sports, livetv 50hz 1080 with yadif2x enabled) that it is not as "smooth" and sharp as a "Libreelec Amlogic based" client can do it.

But this is ONLY for this kind of media ! In exchange I got everything I needed in my living room environment..at "one place", with "one remote" A LITTLE BIT better than the "NVIDIASHIELD" could deliver it at the moment.

Hope this could help peaple to decide which way to go....in a comparable scenario at their livingroom :-).

P.S:
I dont use the APPLE Remote in general so I would not get the benefit from "SIRI" ;-)...the SAMSUNG TV REMOTE is the one my family is "used to"...but ATV 4K is delivering a great overall user-experience (even only HDMI CEC is used).

regards
arel