[wrxtasy]

If you have a UHD TV, you should configure the Shield TV settop for the maximum 4K output. With the configuration below, you can then view the SPMC GUI at 2160p. In addition to SPMC, you can watch 4K (and potentially HDR) content in other apps such as Netflix, Amazon, VUDU, and YouTube."

Lets add a bit here shall we....

Because 99% of Android external media player devices cannot Auto resolution switch 1080p/4K depending on the resolution of the source video content being played - setting a Android system resolution of 4K will result in the media player upscaling any video content that is less than a 4K resolution using its own inferior upscaling hardware.

This will produce inferior picture results compared to what a modern 4K TV can do. Even 4K Apps like Netflix and Amazon Video when playing 1080p content at a Android system resolution of 4K will display inferior picture quality compared to using those exact same Apps on an actual 4K Smart TV.

Google and all the 4K Android TV - external media player companies are hoping end users do not notice "too much". After all you are paying for Apps and media player device convenience and usability over picture quality.

[ProjectVRD]

If you have a UHD TV, you should configure the Shield TV settop for the maximum 4K output. With the configuration below, you can then view the SPMC GUI at 2160p. In addition to SPMC, you can watch 4K (and potentially HDR) content in other apps such as Netflix, Amazon, VUDU, and YouTube."

Lets add a bit here shall we....

Because 99% of Android external media player devices cannot Auto resolution switch 1080p/4K depending on the resolution of the source video content being played - setting a Android system resolution of 4K will result in the media player upscaling any video content that is less than a 4K resolution using its own inferior upscaling hardware.

This will produce inferior picture results compared to what a modern 4K TV can do. Even 4K Apps like Netflix and Amazon Video when playing 1080p content at a Android system resolution of 4K will display inferior picture quality compared to using those exact same Apps on an actual 4K Smart TV.

Google and all the 4K Android TV - external media player companies are hoping end users do not notice "too much". After all you are paying for Apps and media player device convenience and usability over picture quality.  

You're second sentence confused me, 4K Netflix on a 4K Android TV plays 4K worse than 4K Netflix on an Android 4K TV? Or using those apps on an android box capable of 4K will display worse than running the app natively on an actual 4K TV?

[wrxtasy]

Hard select an Android Screen Resolution of 4K2K in Android display settings.

Use a large screen 4K TV, preferably 65" or above, the bigger screens show poor quality upscaling pretty much straight away.

Now play 1080p video in Kodi at that output screen resolution of 4K2K > result the Andoid media player upscales 1080p picture output to 4K

Next for a comparison select an Android Screen Resolution of 1080p in Android display settings.

Play 1080p video in Kodi at that output screen resolution of 1080p > result the 4K TV upscales 1080p picture output to 4K using its superior upscaling hardware.

SPMC 17.6a2 running on the NVIDIA Shield now does auto resolution switching to match the source video content's resolution so 4K TV's do all the upscaling. This is needed because the Shield produces below average upscaled picture output.

Modern Sony 4K TV's have very good picture upscalers. The new Apple TV 4K produces above average upscaling results as well. Intel machines running Kodi have always had very good CPU software upscalers.