I recently bought an NVIDIA Shield TV to use as my primary PLEX client. I’ve been unable to get video of any kind to run smoothly using the Plex app on the device without occasional subtle visual hiccups in the playback that I describe as a stutter or dropped frame in the video. It’s subtle enough that my partner and I watched an entire movie together and she didn’t notice it but for me it stood out like sore thumb.
My Plex server is running on a QNAP NAS. My media is also on the NAS. My home is wired with CAT6 with a Gigabit router. All device connections to network in my testing were tested with both Wired and Wireless connections. No difference either way.
Shield is at latest version, Plex App is at latest version, Plex Server is at latest version
Different scenarios/options I’ve tried as part of my troubleshooting. There is likely other combinations I’ve tried but this is the general range:
1.) Shield connected to Sony receiver via HDMI and then connected from receiver to Sony X850C TV via HDMI. – Using Plex app, stutter/ dropped frames present.
--a. Direct Play / Transcoding tested both ways - Stutter/ dropped frames present.
--b. Bitstream audio to receiver tested both ways - Stutter/ dropped frames present.
--c. Auto refresh rate change tested both ways - Stutter/ dropped frames present.
2.) Shield connected to Sony receiver via HDMI and then connected to Sony X850C TV via HDMI. – Using KODI / SPMC apps, video plays perfectly.
3.) Shield connected to Sony X850C TV directly via HDMI. – Using Plex app, Stutter/ dropped frames present.
--a. Direct Play / Transcoding tested both ways - Stutter/ dropped frames present.
--b. Bitstream audio to receiver tested both ways - Stutter/ dropped frames present.
--c. Auto refresh rate change tested both ways - Stutter/ dropped frames present. TV displays 24P in corner when enabled for 24FPS video confirming that refresh rate switched correctly.
4.) Using android Plex app running directly on Sony X850C TV - video plays perfectly.
5.) Shield connected to Sony W700B TV directly via HDMI. – Using Plex app, Stutter/ dropped frames present.
6.) WDTV connected to Sony W700B TV directly via HDMI – Using DLNA to access Plex media - video plays perfectly.
7.) Shield connected to Sony W700B TV directly via HDMI. – Using Plex app, and installed local Plex server on the shield and copied across a couple of video files to test. - Stutter/ dropped frames present. (I also tested disconnecting the shield from the network while using the local Plex server on the shield just in case a network broadcast of some sort was causing the Shield to trip in some way).
8.) NVIDIA Shield – Factory reset – Using Plex app, Stutter/ dropped frames present.
9.) Reviewed both Plex Server logs and LogCat files from shield. No errors that I can see at the time I witness the frame drop.
For now I’ve returned to using my WDTV for video playback but will hold on to the shield in the hope that future patch might fix the issue I’m seeing.