Owners of the NVIDIA SHIELD (either the 2015 or 2017) will be familiar with just how small the SHIELD Remote is. Not only is it small, but it is thin. Adding to its likelihood of getting lost or consumed by the couch. To be fair to NVIDIA, this is not just an NVIDIA problem, as the remotes for Android TV boxes in general seem to be pretty small. Although it is generally fair to say that the SHIELD’s Remote is the smallest overall – both in terms of height and in depth. Making it a prime candidate to be lost.
However, there are workarounds to this issue and Rocko_taco over on Reddit has one to offer you. Probably like a lot of SHIELD owners, Rocko_taco got bored “of digging my Shield TV remote out of the couch.” Which led to Rocko_taco creating a 3D printed casing for the SHIELD Remote. Unlike a case for your smartphone though, this SHIELD Remote case is not designed to be thin, to be transparent, or to blend into the design so that it goes largely unnoticed. Instead, this one is designed to be bulky and to be seen. More importantly, designed to be less likely to finding its way down the back of the couch. That is, in addition to also being a more hand-friendly remote, one which does not slip out of the hand quite as easily as the SHIELD Remote does in its natural state.
In addition to creating a 3D printed case for the SHIELD Remote, Rocko_taco also made available a Thingiverse file so anyone with the right tools can follow the instructions and make their own SHIELD Remote couch-protector. So if you do feel like this could be the sort of product you need, then providing you do have a 3D printer, there is nothing to stop you putting your own one together. More so, customizing the design even more to your liking, decor, or general style. If you don’t have your own 3D printer, then this file could still be of use – as there are a number of places you could order a customized case through.
Some things to note: Rocko_taco does explain that the “the inside edges” had to be filed down to get a proper tight fit. Also, based on this design it seems as though the standard NVIDIA-provided USB cable does not fit, due to its ‘huge end.’ However, Rocko_taco had no issues with using other third-party cables it would seem – with Anker cables specifically mentioned as fitting easily. Which does bring us on to another specific issue, as this design is based upon the 2015 version of the NVIDIA SHIELD Remote. If you own the later 2017 model, then aspects like the USB port will not be of a concern to you. Although, that does also mean you might want to omit the port from the design altogether. While also ensuring the IR blaster has its own open slot. Other than that, Hatchbox wood was the material in use for this design, and once printed, the remote case required sanding, staining, varnishing, and polishing to get the finished look you see in the images. For those interested in giving this one a go, all details and the Thingiverse file download are available through the link below.
Thingiverse File & Instructions
