The age of the Internet has changed a lot of things, including how we consume content. A few decades back, you had to buy a TV, get cable, and pay huge monthly bills just to watch a few shows every week. But the Internet has changed all this.
With the rise of streaming platforms like Netflix, Hulu, Prime, Disney+, and others, it’s now possible to access tens of thousands of new and classic content anytime you want. But it doesn’t even end there. Android TV boxes like the Nvidia Shield also give you the chance to transform any TV into a streaming device, especially with our Nvidia Shield TV tips and tricks.
This kind of versatility is simply unprecedented. It has opened up new doors for new content all over the world and to be fair, we are all spoilt for choice. In this post, we will focus on one of the major Android TV streaming devices – the Nvidia Shield TV.
We will highlight some important Nvidia Shield TV tips and tricks that will ultimately make it easier for you to fully use this device.
1. Take Advantage of the Aurora Store
So, we all know that the most important things as far as the Android TV box goes are the apps available. Yes, it’s indeed the apps that make these Android boxes useful. As you can imagine, you can find the majority of apps on Google Play Store. You may still download third-party apps and install them using APKs from official sites.
But if you still want to access Play Store Apps without necessarily going through Google, then the Aurora App store is the way to go. This store has everything you can find on the Play Store.
And we are not just talking about apps specifically designed for Android devices. We are talking about all the apps available on the Google Play Store.
2. Use a Virtual Mouse
There are several ways to control your Nvidia Shield TV. However, a lot of people would probably agree that a mouse is far easier to use. I mean, just hover over the app you want to open and click.
But in case you don’t have a USB or Bluetooth mouse in hand, don’t worry. You can get a remote-controlled virtual mouse using our Nvidia Shield TV tips and tricks.
Just double click the play button on your Nvidia Shield remote and a mouse cursor will appear on the screen. You can then use the up and down buttons on the remote to move the cursor and the central button to click on what you want.
However, for this to work, you need to download the “Mouse Toggle” app from the app store and install it. Once the installation is done, hit the home screen button and go to settings. Scroll down the Settings menu until you see “Mouse Toggle.” Ensure it’s turned on and head back to the home screen.
3. Control Your Shield TV with Your Phone
For those of you who have used the Shield TV for years, you probably know about this trick. It’s possible to use your smartphone to control your Shield TV.
The only thing you need to do here is to download the Shield TV app from the Google Play Store and install it on your phone. Once the app has finished installing, click to launch it.
It will start scanning for any Shield TV devices. As long as your TV box is connected to the same network as your phone, the app will find it. Click to pair it and you will now be able to see all the applications installed on the Shield TV right there on your mobile phone.
To launch any app on the TV, tap it on your phone and it’ll open. Using a smartphone to control the TV box is way more convenient compared to other control options and is one of the best Nvidia Shield TV tips and tricks.
4. Find Your Remote
So, it’s not uncommon for most of us Android TV users to forget where the remote is. It could be behind the sofa or anywhere else in the house.
But every one of us has gone through a period where they couldn’t find the remote no matter how hard they look. Well, the Shield TV app that you’ve just installed on your device can help you with this.
Once the app is launched, head to the Hamburger button on the top right corner and tap it. On the drop-down menu that appears, you will see the command “Find My Remote.” Just click on it.
The app will start scanning for the remote and in just a few seconds, you’ll hear beeping. This should then make it easier to locate the remote if it’s in the house.
5. Play Games on Google Stadia
Google Stadia is a cloud-based gaming platform that gives users access to thousands of free games through the Chrome browser. No downloads are needed here. Just login with your Google account and start playing. Well, you can do this on your Nvidia Shield TV using the installed Chrome browser.
The great news here is that you don’t need special gaming pads to play. Your Shield TV remote should be enough. You will also not be required to pay for anything.
Google is giving users a free 1-month trial. That should be all the time you need to enjoy this amazing service. The only downside, for now, is that the service is only available in select countries in Europe and North America.
6. Expand Storage
In case you’re among the many of us who love to download content and watch it later, then you’ll need a lot of space. Remember that Nvidia Shield has about 8 GB of internal storage.
This isn’t enough for 4K videos so at some point you will need to expand that storage. The best Nvidia Shield tricks to use here are MicroSD cards.
Please also note that the Shield doesn’t have a USB port so you cannot use a flash disk. When you’re buying a MicroSD card, try to go for the highest capacity possible. And you might also want to learn how to clear cache on NVIDIA Shield.
There are SD cards that go as high as 256 GB and they should offer you enough storage for all your stuff. As for folks using the Nvidia Shield Pro, you’re in luck because the device comes with two USB ports. This makes the idea of adding more external storage easier.
7. Turn on AI Up-Scaling
It’s also important to ensure that your Shield TV can automatically navigate to the most high-quality version of the content.
For example, if you’re watching a movie on Netflix, you want it to stream on Ultra 4K or the highest resolution possible. In most cases, users will need to select the resolution they’d prefer every time they stream.
But you can set this to happen automatically by turning on AI up-scaling. Just hit the Settings buttons and on the drop-down menu that appears, click on AI up-scaling.
On the drop-down menu, ensure Enhanced AI is turned on. These Nvidia tricks ensure that you get the highest possible video quality on everything that you stream on the device.
8. Send Content from Other Devices to the Nvidia Shield
Unlike the Nvidia Shield Pro which has two USB ports, the Shield has none. This means that you may find it challenging to send files from your PC or phone to the device.
Well, there’s a workaround for this. The first thing to do is to download an app called X-Plore. This is a file management app that’s available on the app store. Install the app and launch it.
On the bottom right corner, you’ll see an option for Wi-Fi sharing. Turn it on and you should be able to share content to and from the various devices connected to the network.
Now, there are many apps out there that work the same way as X-Plore. Nonetheless, we think X-Plore is easier to use. The app also works for the Shield Pro in case you don’t have a thumb drive to transfer stuff from your PC and other devices to the box.
Conclusion
The Nvidia Shield TV is one of the best Android streaming boxes in the world. It’s built to deliver excellent performance and provide a massive variety of quality content for users. But we all know that unlocking the full potential of this device is easier said and done.
Well, no need to worry because the practical Nvidia Shield TV tips and tricks above should help you out with this. These are also not the only tricks. A good rule is to always learn new things about your Shield TV as much as possible.
If you need any help on how to go about this, we are here for you. Let us know in the comments below and we will get back to you!
If there are other tips and tricks that we haven’t covered above, do also let us know below!
