[Shield Android TV General] mythamp:
Mythamp's Review of the Roms

Stock Rom

Pros:

1. Ideal for basic 4K TV owners who want to stream all current channels of 4K content

2. Can play Nvidia specialized games - Doom 3/Metal Gear Solid/Android based or Geforce Now streamed

3. Remote and Controller work great

4. Kodi allows you to stream content directly to your TV

Cons:

1. Small selection of Android TV Apps

2. Browsers and Non-Android TV apps need to be side-loaded

3. Cannot install most Non-Android TV apps

4. Keyboard and Trackpad devices do not produce too much efficiency due to rom limitations

5. Unable to remote desktop into the device incase you wish to send remote instructions to download content so that you can come home and enjoy.

Overall:

The Stock Rom is unable to take advantage of Android. It is a cumbersome process for people who like quick responses. I would say it is as limited as any other 4k TV's with Android built-in apart from a few Nvidia games. Trust me, this does not justify the $150 investment.

Stock-Restyle Rom

[IMG="Stock-Restyle Rom Screenshot"]http://i.imgur.com/FoNW5cU.jpg[/IMG]

Pros:

1. All of the pros of Stock Rom including full controller and remote support plus

2. Install unlimited Android Apps taking full advantage of the Google Play Store

For Example:

• Use "Airdroid" app (root required) to remote mirror your device from work and have all the content ready when you get home.

• Play thousands of Android games on your 4k TV

• Use Chrome in full desktop mode (root required) without ads (download adaway) - almost as good as a desktop Chrome. Great for quick browsing.

3. Less cumbersome to move around by using a Keyboard with Trackpad (I personally use the "Logitech K400 Plus")

Cons:

1. Multitasking may look limited - yet you can use Alt-Tab on the keyboard to switch between apps

2. Many Android apps (mostly games) require touch, which can be done using android mobile device with Droidmote installed. Some games can be played using the Keyboard/Trackpad combo but its a hit & miss.

3. No Android Navigation (softkeys) or Status Bar (Eg. You do not get to see notifications/download progress/etc)

4. It is technically not a Full/Clean Android as it has Nvidia's framework still builtin

5. Some easy fixes FYI

• Settings App: First step after install - Go to Widgets> Nova Activity and selecting Settings app so that is shows up on desktop

• Remote/Controller Friendly Navigation: Nova-launcher setting for App-Drawer needs to changed from Vertical to Horizontal

Overall:

The Stock-Restyle Rom is in my opinion the best rom for the Nvidia Shield TV. It opens the device to all the Android & Google Play Store goodie-ness, while allowing you to use the fantastic shield controller and remote to play/stream all nvidia and some android games. I have also personally found that android games run smoother on this rom than on the Full Android Rom (Maybe its because the rom is based on the nvidia framework, I could be wrong.)

Bottomline - install this rom before trying the rest.

Full Android Marshmallow Rom

Pros:

1. Amazingly smooth, fast, responsive rom

2. You get the full Android experience

3. Includes all the pros of the above Roms

Cons:

1. No support for Nvidia controller wirelessly, you can use it by plugging in the cable and installing keyboard drivers

2. Noticed some slower performance (framerates) in games from stock-restyle (feedback based on Rom ver. 1.0, not sure about 1.1)

Overall:

The Full Android Marshmallow Rom is a great solution for Android purists. You will miss-out on the seamless (wireless) experience of playing all the Nvidia/Android Games. If someone can get the wireless controllers to work here, I will be the first one to shift over from stock-restyle rom.

- This is just my opinion on the roms based on my usage, I am sure many users have their unique needs which might not match my feedback, so please take all this with an open mind -