What do you mean by "streaming the services directly"?
I mean the Sony TV has lots of Apps for streaming services installed on delivery. Which Apps are installed would vary by region, but here in Australia they include Netflix, Amazon video, Google Play, Stan, iView and other catch up TV services for OTA TV Channels, and so on. Running those Apps on the TV allow me to stream the service directly from the provider onto the TV.
Good explanation Connersw. Some points of clarification.
A DLNA environment includes a Server, a Controller, and a Renderer. MC can act as any one, or all three. A MC Client connected to a MC Server can act as a Controller to send media to a separate Renderer, or could act as a Controller and Renderer at the same time. Basically, just a terminology thing; there is no such thing as a DLNA Client. What is often called a DLNA Client is a Controller and Renderer combined. Minor point.
My Sony Android TV has a DLNA Renderer built in, and a DLNA Controller. I'm sure if I plugged in a USB drive it could act as a DLNA Server as well. I haven't tried that. No doubt Sony are providing the DLNA capabilities themselves, if they aren't built into Android TV. I think I read that somewhere in fact.
For example, without installing any new Apps onto my Sony TV, with my HTPC running MC Server (including the DLNA server), my workstation MC Client is able to act as a DLNA Controller and direct the MC DLNA Server to send a movie to the Sony TV, which then acts as a DLNA Renderer. I just did that, and even though the TV was set to an input of HDMI4, it switch to acting as a Renderer and played the movie no problem. Well, as a Renderer over a Wi-Fi connection it was a bit laggy, but MC may have been doing a conversion of the video, which could explain that.
I also just used the Sony menu system, selected video, selected Devices, and was able to chose my HTPC as a source, acting as a DLNA Renderer, and play the content. The same for audio. So the Sony is acting as a DLNA Controller and Renderer in that case, without additional Apps. All driven by the TV IR remote control.
Note that there has been a major update of the Sony Android TV recently, so that is works differently, if not a bit better. But all the above capabilities existed in the previous version. I have a KD-65X9300D Sony TV.
So Tyler69, I think you do need to research the NVidia Shield a bit more, and work out if it adds value over MC plus a good TV.
I would love MC to be able to connect to all the media provider services, such as Netflix, Stan, etc., so that I had only one interface to work with. But that isn't going to happen. I like the MC interface and capabilities, and lose a lot by just using it as a DLNA Server, which is why I don't do it. That is why I have my HTPC (MC Server) next to, and directly connected to my TV. I could chose to use the Sony TV as a source for external (streaming) services, and send the audio to my receiver, but I haven't bothered to do that up to now. I have enough material to play/watch without it.
Have fun researching what you want to do!
PS: If you have a look at the
Android TV site, the Sony Bravia is listed almost next to the NVidia Shield. Perhaps compare the capabilities of each. They may be the same.