I have been wanting to buy a Smart tv box for a long so i am going to buy this one. I had a few questions about the nvidia shield tv (not the pro, like the tube). Is there a solid way to get third party apps and play/watch them.
Please let me know because it seems like android is patching up the easy ways to get third party apps.
Yeah, it's relatively easy, and there are several ways to do it. First, I downloaded a wifi transfer app and a file explorer on my nvidia "tube". Then I used a browser on my phone to connect with the "tube" and paste an apk. I then used the file explorer to install the apk.
Easy. I think you could even put the apks on your sd card and plug it in too
You can install chrome on the shield. The phone app has a keyboard and mouse so you can drive the TV from your phone. Download whatever you want direct from publisher website. It's amazing.
depends on the apps
You will need a mouse for a few of the apps not designed for Android TV. And for the Tube the only option is a bluetooth air mouse which is about $30 on Amazon
Some apps just refuse to run on Android TV, some are blocked on Android TV but for the most part most apps can work if You have an Air Mouse. Well the Shield also has a mobile app to use the a Mobile Phone as a mouse and keyboard but I don't find it that good.
You also will need to expand the internal memory of the Tube version with a MicroSD Card as 5GB is a joke and that's what you get of space for apps.
As for transferring files, you do get a network share on your shield that you can use on other Devices or PC to transfer files to it
Right now You will not find the Pro for Sale and probably won't for a long while, so the Tube version is all you will find still.
I mean any app you could want is basically on the Google Play Store. Kodi, X-plore, VLC, Plex, RetroArch, etc. You could always enable sideloading if there is something missing and copy it over from a USB stick (oh the tube doesn't have USB, lame, my 2017 Shield TV has one).
Noobs ;D
Download file commander on your mobile and on shield tv Log in to get 5 gb storage free storage
Whatever third party apps u can download on phone transfer to the file command drive Apkpure store ,popcorn, Aptoide,
Install the apks on your shield from file command.
Wifi transfer etc are also available . There's other apps that do this too.
X plorer will let you access shared drive folder from your laptop ..
Buy it without hesitation, I have no.idea about tube/ pro. I have an Android TV Toshiba it's nice but I think I will later get a shield if it can easily use 4 TB drives and can run games smoothly via retroarch.
If you plan to use the Shield for gaming using an emulator you should get the pro not the tube version.
The tube version does not have USB ports, and the USB ports are essential for attaching external storage or wired game controllers...I've even used a wired keyboard and mouse on occasion.
Everyone has their own favourite app for getting files onto their Shield. The best file manager in my opinion is Solid Explorer, it costs a little money but it works well on a TV without a touch interface, and will let you transfer files to and from your Shield to a PC on your network... Solid Explorer will also let you transfer files from FTP, DropBox, OneDrive, and even Google Drive.