So I’ve been using Jellyfin for a while now. I have a NAS running with a jellyfin server and I watch stuff on my PC or on my TV. This is concerning the TV… As is often the case with these low-to-mid tier smart TVs, the OS is slow and the UX terrible. The network adapter is also bad. Jellyfin and everything else about the UI and OS in general, is slow. The jellyfin client occasionally crashes, and some files sometimes stutter or otherwise struggle when streamed, despite working just fine when streamed on the same network on my PC (wired both).
I was thinking of doing a bit of a brain transplant on my TV here by running my TV needs through Nvidia Shield or similar. Now, as I understand it, of the common options, Nvidia Shield is more or less the ultimate option for this. However, it is somewhat expensive, and I don’t really care about anything other than having a responsive UI, support for all the usual codecs, HDR, 4K and preferably also Dolby and Atmos. I also want to be able to use my soundbar. I don’t need any of the gaming features, storage space etc. that the Shield also markets…
Are there other cheaper alternatives that would do just as well, or should I just get the Shield?
Update in the comments.
I got a shield a while back because I was having issues with the built in chromecast on my TV. It worked fine for about a year, but I’ve been having issues with lag and apps crashing for the past 2-3 years. Meanwhile my girlfriend’s cheap roku puck still works fine, and she bought it around the same time I got the shield and it was way cheaper. I wouldn’t recommend the shield based on that. The only annoyance is jellyfin on the roku isn’t as feature complete, multiple language audio tracks aren’t supported, but if that’s not an issue for you I’d recommend getting a roku over a shield.