NVIDIA‘s speedy SHIELD TV is a go-to choice for enthusiasts that want excellent Android streaming and high-caliber gaming. The latest SHIELD TV 9.1 update aims to improve users‘ experiences with thoughtful enhancements for both gaming and viewing content.
In this post, we‘ll cover everything you need to know about what‘s new in version 9.1 and how to manually update your SHIELD. You‘ll see why it‘s worth keeping your SHIELD TV firmware up-to-date.
What Does the SHIELD TV 9.1 Update Include?
SHIELD Experience Upgrade 9.1 contains:
- New auto game mode for smoother, lag-free gaming
- Night listening mode to balance audio levels
- June 2022 Android security patches
- Remote and controller wake options
- Volume matching for consistent loudness across content
Now let‘s explore these changes in greater detail.
Auto Game Mode Minimizes Lag
Gamers will appreciate the addition of automatic game mode in the 9.1 upgrade. This feature automatically activates low latency game mode when launching a compatible game.
Game mode reduces input delay and lag by minimizing video processing overhead. Tests by NVIDIA show game mode can decrease latency by up to 30% compared to normal mode.
With game mode kicking in automatically, you don‘t have to remember to toggle it on before playing. This results in a smoother gaming experience right from the start.
Considering gaming is one of the SHIELD TV‘s main highlights, auto game mode is an important evolution. It brings SHIELD more in line with dedicated gaming consoles that prioritize low latency without sacrificing image quality.
According to a 2022 survey, more than 80% of SHIELD TV owners use their device for gaming. As services like GeForce NOW, Xbox Cloud Gaming, and Google Stadia grow, game mode will become even more beneficial.
Consistent Volume with Night Listening Mode
The SHIELD‘s new night listening mode helps balance audio for a more comfortable listening experience. It dynamically adjusts loud and soft sounds to minimize drastic volume fluctuations.
We all know the annoyance of constantly raising and lowering volume during movies and shows. Loud action scenes force you to turn it down, then dialogue becomes too quiet. Night listening mode aims to solve this problem.
This feature is especially useful for night viewing. You can set a lower base volume without having to strain to hear whispers or get blasted by explosions.
Night listening mode processes audio in real time, so you get consistent sound that doesn‘t distract from the content. While not a full replacement for a true sound compressor, it‘s a handy feature to have built into the system software itself.
June 2022 Security Updates
Like your other smart devices, keeping your SHIELD TV‘s firmware up to date is important for security. The 9.1 update includes Google‘s Android security patches for June 2022.
These patches address dozens of vulnerabilities found in the Android framework, system components, and NVIDIA components. Many of the fixed issues are rated high severity.
Updating eliminates security flaws that could otherwise be exploited by malware or allow unauthorized access. It‘s recommended to install security updates as soon as possible rather than putting them off.
Remote and Controller Options
If you find your SHIELD TV randomly waking due to remote or controller input, the 9.1 update adds helpful new options.
You can now configure your SHIELD remote or game controller to only turn on the device when pressing specific buttons, such as the power button. This prevents accidental activation from inadvertent stick or button presses.
The update also includes a handy new microphone indicator that‘s displayed whenever an app is accessing your mic. This allows you to see at a glance when the mic is active.
Volume Matching for Consistent Loudness
Lastly, you now have the ability to match audio volume levels across content. This tweak makes loudness more predictable between apps, so you won‘t get blasted changing from Netflix to Plex or Hulu.
The volume matcher syncs audio to standard reference loudness levels used in film mixing and broadcast. Turning this on avoids huge variations in perceived volume as you switch media.
How to Manually Install the NVIDIA SHIELD TV 9.1 Update
While the SHIELD 9.1 update is rolling out automatically, you can proactively check for it by following these steps:
- From the SHIELD TV home screen, open Settings.
- Choose Device Preferences -> About -> System upgrade.
- Select Check for upgrade.
- If an update is available, download and install it.
- Finally, restart your SHIELD TV to finish the upgrade process.
Once updated to 9.1, you‘ll be able to enable and customize the new gaming, audio, and system options to your liking.
If for some reason you encounter issues installing the OTA update, try restarting your SHIELD or check for network problems. Temporarily disabling VPN connections, resetting the SHIELD to factory defaults, or using the recovery image are other troubleshooting steps for a stubborn upgrade.
Get Better Gaming, Audio, and Security
The NVIDIA SHIELD TV remains one of the most robust streaming media players thanks to ongoing support and new features from NVIDIA. The 9.1 update brings meaningful enhancements that improve real-world use.
Gamers will appreciate smoother performance with auto game mode. Night listening enhances your viewing experience with balanced audio. And important security patches keep your system safe.
Be sure to install the SHIELD TV 9.1 upgrade as soon as possible to take advantage of all the latest additions. Enjoy an even better entertainment hub!
