[JakeF]

3) Should I be running Krypton, Jarvis or SPMC on this new box? Will all my existing things like the Amber skin and add-ons function the same on the Shield as they do on the Windows PC with Krypton, and do I get this from the Play Store or do I have to side-load? I've heard conflicting things and this is all VERY new and strange to me.

I use Jarvis 16.1 RC Koying "hacked" edition. The last one he published before going SPMC. It's works nicely except for the odd DTS movie (1 in a 100). SPMC should be even better on paper, but I didn't feel like migrating. The point to note is it plays very well with Denon AVR's and passthrough.

I'm sure Kodi 17 is great too. I'm just a bit cautious with upgrades. I like them to mature a bit before installing.

[DXer]

1) My media is stored in two locations: A NAS server in the basement, and two hard drives on my existing HTPC, which will be moved to a different room for a second TV. I'm guessing that adding a NAS share will be easy enough since it's NFS, but how can I add paths to the Windows based NTFS-formatted drive(s) across the LAN? The internal 500 GB HDD won't be nearly enough storage space for my media (I'm around 6 TB between all my devices).

Just add them as a SMB share.

I'm not sure what that means. As I said, this is all new to me, and very much dark magic. Do you mean just share the folder from within the Windows 7 box and the Shield will find it? What about permissions--anything specific I have to set up?

Also, is it possible to run a VPN with the Shield? I'm not comfortable doing anything without a VPN if at all possible.

[JakeF]

DXer,

SMB is a standard windows share. Just use your windows credentials to log in.

Map the network location first using smb://IP-address/shared folder/

Then add sources for each kind of material, movies, TV-shows etc.

http://kodi.wiki/view/Adding_video_sources

http://kodi.wiki/view/SMB/Windows

[Powerhouse]

1) My media is stored in two locations: A NAS server in the basement, and two hard drives on my existing HTPC, which will be moved to a different room for a second TV. I'm guessing that adding a NAS share will be easy enough since it's NFS, but how can I add paths to the Windows based NTFS-formatted drive(s) across the LAN? The internal 500 GB HDD won't be nearly enough storage space for my media (I'm around 6 TB between all my devices).

Just add them as a SMB share.

I'm not sure what that means. As I said, this is all new to me, and very much dark magic. Do you mean just share the folder from within the Windows 7 box and the Shield will find it? What about permissions--anything specific I have to set up?

Also, is it possible to run a VPN with the Shield? I'm not comfortable doing anything without a VPN if at all possible.

I run a VPN (TorGuard) without any issues, you just have to make sure that the VPN you choose has an Android version available.

[Powerhouse]

@DXer Glad you are looking into the Shield. To answer some of your questions...

1. As explained above, if you share the drives on your Windows system, you will be able to see them on the Shield (within Kodi). However, there is a bug in Kodi 17 where you will have to input the IP address of your Windows Box to access the shares (I've read this is fixed in Kodi 17.1). So on the Windows Box that has the 2 drives, you will need to make it's IP a fixed address.

2. Remember 4k is the bleeding edge, so expect there to be issues. Although it sounds like you have the perfect 4k setup, I haven't read of anyone up-scaling to 4k on the shield, so be sure you post back if you get this to work.

3. Personally I run Krypton, but I also have a backup SPMC installed, just in case. The big thing to remember is, SPMC is based on Jarvis, so you don't get some of the benefits from Krypton (Music and Joystick support to name a few).

4. Here is my own personal note on running android apps from within Kodi (works in SPMC as well)...
How to Launch Netflix from within Kodi. So you can launch any Android app on your Shield TV, by going to ProgramsAndroid programs, then make the App a Favorite. You can also create a shortcut for these apps, so you can launch them from your home screen within Kodi (Need a Skin like Aeon MQ7 to do this). The best part is, when you exit the application, you are automatically back within Kodi.

5. I know you use Harmony remotes, so you might want this info as well...

Harmony Smart Remote? To use the Harmony Smart (or Elite) remote, requires a 2 device setup within the Harmony Software (works on the Phone, but not within the Windows software).

- First you will add the Shield TV as a Device. From the Harmony App on the Phone, Edit Activities. Add entertainment device. Choose Nvidia, then Shield (and will be listed as a Nvidia Game Console).

- Then you will add a MS Windows PC. From the Harmony App on the Phone, Add device, Add Computer (Windows). You should then rename it to Windows bluetooth keyboard – so it’s easy to identify what it really is used for in your Harmony setup).

- In the Shield TV, go to SettingsRemote & Accessories and Add the Harmony Bluetooth Keyboard.
- To change What Buttons on the Remote Do. On your Phone with the Harmony software, go to Edit Activities, and select Shield TV. Then click Customize Remotes.

[DXer]

@DXer Glad you are looking into the Shield. To answer some of your questions...

5. I know you use Harmony remotes, so you might want this info as well...

Harmony Smart Remote? To use the Harmony Smart (or Elite) remote, requires a 2 device setup within the Harmony Software (works on the Phone, but not within the Windows software).

I'm using an older IR remote, the Harmony 659, which is programmed via older Harmony Remote 7 software.

As for VPNs, I use PIA. I don't know if they have a client for the Shield. I would be far more comfortable if I could operate behind that.

[cscoppa]

2. Remember 4k is the bleeding edge, so expect there to be issues. Although it sounds like you have the perfect 4k setup, I haven't read of anyone up-scaling to 4k on the shield, so be sure you post back if you get this to work.

What I tend to do is leave the display settings of the Shield on 1080p / rec 709 for daily, live TV use... and then switch to 4K / BT.2020 when I'm going to watch 4K HDR content from the Shield. I find the colors more accurate and it lets the TV do the upscaling, which in my case is an LG 65" OLED B6. An added bonus is my AVR's volume overlay works this way. (mine can't overlay anything over 4K)

I should add Kodi / SPMC can perfectly playback 4K content in HDR10 mode as long as you have the Shield and your TV's input setup correctly. Here's a sample file you can download to test that HDR mode is working correctly: http://demo-uhd3d.com/fiche.php?cat=uhd&id=145

[DXer]

I would generally prefer to do that, however the upscaling on my Vizio P65-C1 is atrocious for anything less than 1080p. Most of my source material is 720p and 1080i broadcast recordings that I'd like to sharpen up a bit more than the Vizio can do.

[cscoppa]

I would generally prefer to do that, however the upscaling on my Vizio P65-C1 is atrocious for anything less than 1080p. Most of my source material is 720p and 1080i broadcast recordings that I'd like to sharpen up a bit more than the Vizio can do.

Kodi on the Shield does a very respectable job of upscaling from my experience. There's some great tips here:

https://github.com/koying/SPMC/wiki/Reco...ith-4K-GUI

[DaMacFunkin]

I would generally prefer to do that, however the upscaling on my Vizio P65-C1 is atrocious for anything less than 1080p. Most of my source material is 720p and 1080i broadcast recordings that I'd like to sharpen up a bit more than the Vizio can do.

Scaling 720/1080 to 4K on the shield is awful, even the Kodi devs agree on that, if you use SPMC you can enable High Quality scalers via modified XML file, this will make the picture look a lot better but still not as good as other android 4K media players, I personally with my 65" TV would output 1080 and switch to 4K for 4K material.

[DaMacFunkin]

I would generally prefer to do that, however the upscaling on my Vizio P65-C1 is atrocious for anything less than 1080p. Most of my source material is 720p and 1080i broadcast recordings that I'd like to sharpen up a bit more than the Vizio can do.

Kodi on the Shield does a very respectable job of upscaling from my experience. There's some great tips here:

https://github.com/koying/SPMC/wiki/Reco...ith-4K-GUI

Hi, you say Kodi on the shield does a great job of up scaling, then link to settings for SPMC...?

[cscoppa]

I would generally prefer to do that, however the upscaling on my Vizio P65-C1 is atrocious for anything less than 1080p. Most of my source material is 720p and 1080i broadcast recordings that I'd like to sharpen up a bit more than the Vizio can do.

Kodi on the Shield does a very respectable job of upscaling from my experience. There's some great tips here:

https://github.com/koying/SPMC/wiki/Reco...ith-4K-GUI

Hi, you say Kodi on the shield does a great job of up scaling, then link to settings for SPMC...?

Most of those settings apply to both.

[wrxtasy]

Kodi on the Shield does a very respectable job of upscaling from my experience. There's some great tips here:

https://github.com/koying/SPMC/wiki/Reco...ith-4K-GUI

Hi, you say Kodi on the shield does a great job of up scaling, then link to settings for SPMC...?

Most of those settings apply to both.

Yes the settings are in the same spot but you are kidding yourself if you think you are going to achieve high quality upscaling with Kodi Krypton's - Nearest Neighbour and Bi-Linear upscaling only algorithms vs Lancos3 - Optimised - SPMC uses at a 4K Android Resolution setting.

The other point is no other 1080p Android Apps gets to use SPMC high quality Lancos3 - Optimised when displaying 720/1080p content at a 2160p Android resolution. You are better as @DaMacFunkin said to leave everything at an Android res. of 1080p and only manually switch Android resolutions when you want to playback 2160p content. Particularly if you are not using SPMC.

Let modern 4K TV's handle 720/1080p > 2160p upscaling to produce a higher quality, sharper picture output for 720/1080p Android Apps and Kodi Krypton.

Ultimately the Android OS needs Auto, user selectable App - Resolution switching to achieve the highest quality results without PITA manual Resolution switching.
With LibreELEC for example on my 4K TV the Kodi GUI is left at 1080p and Auto Resolution switches only when I fed it 2160p content. My TV produces nice, sharp high quality 720/1080p > 2160p upscaling picture output.

[cscoppa]

Hi, you say Kodi on the shield does a great job of up scaling, then link to settings for SPMC...?

Most of those settings apply to both.

Yes the settings are in the same spot but you are kidding yourself if you think you are going to achieve high quality upscaling with Kodi Krypton's - Nearest Neighbour and Bi-Linear upscaling only algorithms vs Lancos3 - Optimised - SPMC uses at a 4K Android Resolution setting.

The other point is no other 1080p Android Apps gets to use SPMC high quality Lancos3 - Optimised when displaying 720/1080p content at a 2160p Android resolution. You are better as @DaMacFunkin said to leave everything at an Android res. of 1080p and only manually switch Android resolutions when you want to playback 2160p content. Particularly if you are not using SPMC.

Let modern 4K TV's handle 720/1080p > 2160p upscaling to produce a higher quality, sharper picture output for 720/1080p Android Apps and Kodi Krypton.

Ultimately the Android OS needs Auto, user selectable App - Resolution switching to achieve the highest quality results without PITA manual Resolution switching.
With LibreELEC for example on my 4K TV the Kodi GUI is left at 1080p and Auto Resolution switches only when I fed it 2160p content. My TV produces nice, sharp high quality 720/1080p > 2160p upscaling picture output.

If you look at my post above the one that's quoted you'll see that's what I currently do. (normally leave the Shield set to 1080p so my TV does the upscaling)

I agree that SPMC's Lancos3 is awesome, the bummer is you have to turn off Surface acceleration to use it, which breaks HDR. So no matter what I always have to make a manual change to switch between 1080p legacy and 4k HDR content. Some kind of auto resolution switching would be VERY helpful.

[glauber.herbert]

Hey guys, wondering if anyone has come across this...I just tried RC1 of Krypton on my 2015 Shield TV. I have it hooked into my Samsung UHD TV. I have the shield set at 4K but if I try and change the gui in Krypton to 4K it either immediately freezes, or it blacks out, comes back still set at 1080p and freezes. I have tried different refresh rates, uhd colour, even switched hdmi ports. It just won't switch. For comparison, SPMC is running fine in 4K. Any help or suggestions would be welcome, thanks.

dreamer

Just select another skin, change the resolution and come back to the original .
I think that's a bug of default skin.

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