New Nvidia Shield TV running Android 9 Pie pops up in Play Console device catalog

[Nintendo]

I saw this in my news feed and thought it was interesting. Could it be using the new Switch model GPU?

https://www.androidpolice.com/2019/...9-pie-pops-up-in-play-console-device-catalog/

A new variant of the Nvidia Shield has popped up on the Google Play Developer console. The new hardware goes by the hardware codename "mdarcy," in contrast to the current model's "darcy," and it will run Android 9 Pie.

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There are a few differences between the two hardware listings, but chief among them is support for the Android 9 SDK on the new version, which would indicate it will be launching with Android 9 Pie. The new "mdarcy" listing has the same Tegra X1 T210 SoC listed as the current Shield TV, but that doesn't necessarily mean the hardware is unchanged. This could just be a placeholder, and an updated t210b01 Tegra SoC has been spotted in connection with it, though it could also go by the same X1/T210 product name.

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A few months back, XDA spotted two new remote hardware codenames from Nvidia: "stormcaster" is a new Shield controller, and "friday" is a new Shield remote. That hardware could also debut with this new Shield TV.

 

[Dest]

This is NVidia Super.

I'm not an informant, but I can make the educated guess based off of iirc the last couple of teases for new GPU ranges/products from nvidia have shown it off in some way. Usually showing the shroud of the card. Super shows off a large flat surface implying that it's likely a tablet/box like this.

 

[Lashley]

I love my 2017 shield. Probably wouldn't update but glad they're improving upon it

 

[Bowl0l]

The SOC name is still X1. Any reason why Nvidia doesn't give it a new name?

 

[Charpunk]

I love my shield tv and all, but I would kill for a new shield portable.

 

[vestan]

I love my shield tv and all, but I would kill for a new shield portable.

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Same

 

[Instro]

The SOC name is still X1. Any reason why Nvidia doesn't give it a new name?

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Could be a placeholder, could be the X1 at a smaller node, etc. A number of possibilities.

 

[BassForever]

My shield tv is been having some synch issues lately with the controllers, I wouldn't mind a new unit.

 

[Ogawa-san]

I don't see a reason for a Shield refresh. The only thing it's missing is hardware VP9 decoding - the reason why there's no YT HDR.

 

[Hasney]

I don't see a reason for a Shield refresh. The only thing it's missing is hardware VP9 decoding - the reason why there's no YT HDR.

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I've got an LG C9 so I'm hoping for HDMI 2.1 with 120Hz output, VRR over HDMI and also Dolby Vision. Was thinking the Shield was a bit of a dead brand and was going to jump on one next week, but now I'm certainly willing to hold off and see what they come out with.

This is NVidia Super.

I'm not an informant, but I can make the educated guess based off of iirc the last couple of teases for new GPU ranges/products from nvidia have shown it off in some way. Usually showing the shroud of the card. Super shows off a large flat surface implying that it's likely a tablet/box like this.

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NVidia Super is certainly new GPUs, there's too much smoke. However, they could also put the branding on a Shield.

Speculation is that the GPUs will be announced next week and if that is the case, this could also form part of the announcement.

 

[Elfotografoalocado]

I don't see a reason for a Shield refresh. The only thing it's missing is hardware VP9 decoding - the reason why there's no YT HDR.

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Perhaps they are simply updating it to have lower power consumption, cheaper cooling, etc.
The funny thing is that we know Nvidia is making a Jetson module with the T214 Mariko, since they got it validated with the Khronos group and there is code for it in the Linux distro the Jetson modules use, but this seems to still be using a version of T210...

 

[TitanicFall]

Seemed like Dolby Vision was the only thing they had missing from the original. From a software perspective hopefully they got better at their upscaling capabilities.

 

[not_smiff]

Just bought a shield last month smh.

 

[Pancakes R Us]

Just bought a shield last month smh.

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I was going to recently, but I'm glad I held out. I hope this model makes it to the UK.

 

[Oregano]

I'd love a new Shield tablet.

 

[BeI]

I kinda wish this kind of thing would launch with hardware that supports Windows, rather than Android stuff.

 

[Possum Armada]

I love my Shield TV. Best media streamer out there.

 

[Executive Taxi]

It still says Tegra X1 as the SoC? Not sure what's newsworthy about this

 

[Hasney]

It still says Tegra X1 as the SoC? Not sure what's newsworthy about this

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HDMI 2.1 spec would be hella newsworthy to me

 

[Pottuvoi]

Really hope they will finally have turing based tegra.
Would be amazing little GPU.

 

[Onix555]

In news unrelated to this, they've also slashed Jetson prices in half (excluding the Nano)

-AGX (Xavier) now costs $699
-TX2 now costs $399

Still too much imo, however the TX2 does make a nice mini-pc. I've actually had friends who straight up use it as their workstation.

 

[Thraktor]

A few things I've got from the Linux 4 Tegra source code:

• The m in mdarcy stands for Mariko. This is generally referred to as T210B01 in the L4T source code, but occasionally referred to as T214, and at least once as Mariko. It's the same chip referred to in the Switch firmware and expected in a future Switch device (there it's referred to as both Mariko and T214).
• The mdarcy platform seems to be a slightly modified darcy (which is the code name for the 2017 Shield TV), but with a Mariko chip (hence the name).
• There's a newer platform code named sif which appears to be a dedicated Shield TV design with the Mariko/T214/T210B01 chip.
• The Mariko chip runs at higher clocks & lower voltages than the T210, which would be expected from a newer manufacturing process, but there doesn't appear to be any indication in the publicly available code on CPU or GPU architecture or configuration.

Basically, mdarcy seems to be a test system for the new chipset, and sif will be the actual one released to the public. As to why the developer page refers to the old X1, old clocks, etc., it could simply be that this is an early development platform, so they don't want to reveal the specs until they've publicly announced the new Shield TV.

 

[not_smiff]

I'd love a new Shield tablet.

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This please. Loved the 2015 model. GOAT android tablet.

 

[TastyBurger666]

A few things I've got from the Linux 4 Tegra source code:

• The m in mdarcy stands for Mariko. This is generally referred to as T210B01 in the L4T source code, but occasionally referred to as T214, and at least once as Mariko. It's the same chip referred to in the Switch firmware and expected in a future Switch device (there it's referred to as both Mariko and T214).
• The mdarcy platform seems to be a slightly modified darcy (which is the code name for the 2017 Shield TV), but with a Mariko chip (hence the name).
• There's a newer platform code named sif which appears to be a dedicated Shield TV design with the Mariko/T214/T210B01 chip.
• The Mariko chip runs at higher clocks & lower voltages than the T210, which would be expected from a newer manufacturing process, but there doesn't appear to be any indication in the publicly available code on CPU or GPU architecture or configuration.

Basically, mdarcy seems to be a test system for the new chipset, and sif will be the actual one released to the public. As to why the developer page refers to the old X1, old clocks, etc., it could simply be that this is an early development platform, so they don't want to reveal the specs until they've publicly announced the new Shield TV.

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Mariko?

Now, there's a name I've not heard in the long time.... long time.