Xiaomi Xbox s. Do I Need a Xiaomi Mi Box if I Have a Smart TV

Best Android TV boxes and sticks in 2023

Android TV boxes and sticks can make your ‘dumb’ TV Smart. Here are the best options to consider right now.

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Android TVs are readily available on the market right now, but you don’t necessarily have to splurge on a new TV just to get all the Smart features. If your regular old dumb TV still has some years left in it, then you can consider buying a new Android TV box or a stick to get all the fancy new Smart features, complete with the new and updated Android TV platform.

It’s true that the selection of the best Android TV boxes and sticks on the market is fairly limited, but you can still find some reliable ones to get your money’s worth. So if you want to experience the new Android TV platform but aren’t quite ready to splurge on a new Android yet, then check out my selection of the best Android TV boxes and sticks you can buy in 2023 below.

NVIDIA Shield TV

Google Chromecast with Google TV (4K)

Xiaomi TV Box S (2nd Gen)

Google Chromecast with Google TV (HD)

Nvidia Shield TV Pro

TiVo Stream 4K

Best Android TV boxes and sticks in 2023

NVIDIA Shield TV

Still the Android TV device to beat

The NVIDIA Shield TV runs on the latest version of Android TV and comes with built-in Chromecast support.

• Reliable performance
• Great remote
• A good variety of native 4K content
• Supports Nvidia’s GeForce NOW Cloud gaming

The Nvidia Shield TV has been around since 2019, but it continues to retain the top position thanks to its performance and reliable set of features. It has incredibly powerful specs, and it offers a ton of impressive features, including support for the Nvidia GeForce Now Cloud gaming service.

In terms of specifications, the Nvidia Shield TV is powered by the company’s own Tegra X1 processor with a 256-core Nvidia GPU. It comes with 2GB RAM and 8GB of storage, which is further expandable via a microSD card. It also has built-in voice control, and it supports both Google Assistant and Amazon’s Alexa. The Shield TV runs Android TV and comes with Chromecast 4K built-in, too.

This sounds like a lot, but the Shield TV also has a very compact form factor. It’s significantly smaller than a lot of other Android TV boxes, including its sibling, the Nvidia Shield TV Pro. Its tube-shaped body also makes it stand out from the sea of other Android TV boxes with a generic design.

My favorite aspect of the Nvidia Shield TV, however, is its remote. Not only does this Toblerone-shaped Shield remote fit comfortably in your hand, but it also offers a lot of controls, including Bluetooth and IR controls. There’s also a mic for voice control. The Shield TV offers everything you’d expect from a modern-day streaming box in 2023. As a bonus, you also get support for GeForce Now, Nvidia’s Cloud gaming service that allows you to play PC games on your TV without spending money on a powerful gaming rig.

Google Chromecast with Google TV (4K)

For a no-frills 4K Android TV experience

The Chromecast with Google TV is a simple and relatively affordable streaming device for casual users that’ll also offer you personalized recommendations.

• Affordable price tag
• Google TV interface with Google Assistant
• dedicated compact remote

Google’s Chromecast with Google TV easily stands out as one of the best streaming devices on the market. It may not be as feature-rich as the Nvidia Shield TV, but there’s still a lot to like, especially when it comes to its form factor and its affordable price tag.

The Chromecast is essentially a TV stick that connects via the HDMI port. The device itself is quite portable, which is something I can’t say for a lot of other streaming devices mentioned here. Even though the Chromecast will mostly stay hidden behind your TV, I appreciate Google’s effort to make it in three different colorways: Snow, Sunrise, and Sky. You also get a color-matched remote, which is a very nice touch.

On the hardware front, the Chromecast supports everything you’d expect from a high-quality, modern streaming device. It offers 4K HDR streaming, supports Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, and it’s reliable for all practical streaming needs thanks to the Amlogic S905X3 processor. It also packs 2GB of RAM and 8GB of storage.

It also ships with a Google TV interface that’s very similar to Android TV. Google TV pulls content from your streaming service of choice to offer personalized recommendations. The Chromecast TV stick with Google TV carries a 50 price tag, which is impressive considering everything it brings to the table. That makes it one of the most affordable streaming devices in the US, if not the most.

Xiaomi TV Box S (2nd Gen)

An affordable alternative to NVIDIA Shield TV

The 2nd gen Xiaomi Mi TV Box S is a slightly upgraded version of the original Mi TV Box S that comes with the updated Google TV interface, a better chipset, support for Bluetooth 5.2, Dolby Vision, and more.

• Compact form factor
• Affordable price tag
• Support for 4K, Dolby Vision content

The 2nd Gen Xiaomi Mi TV Box S, as you’d expect, is a slightly upgraded version of the regular Mi TV Box S it’s replacing on this list. The newer model has upgraded internals for better performance, and it also comes with the updated Google TV interface out of the box. This is essentially a more affordable alternative to the Nvidia Shield TV that comes with all the features you’d expect from a modern Android TV box in 2023. The Mi Box S supports 4K output at 60 FPS, along with some noteworthy features like Dolby Vision, HDR10, and more.

Just like its predecessor, the Mi TV Box S also comes with the usual extras like built-in Chromecast, which is something we’ve come to expect from modern streaming devices. You also get a pretty good remote with the Mi Box S with a minimal design, although batteries aren’t included. Overall, it’s a great option to consider if you’re hellbent on buying an Android TV box instead of a Stick and don’t want to spend as much as 150.

Google Chromecast with Google TV (HD)

The best option for those who are still rocking a 1080p TV

The Chromecast with Google TV (HD) is a cheaper Chromecast that can only do 1080p playback, but for a lot of people, that’s all you need.

The Chromecast HD model is essentially just a more affordable version of Google’s Chromecast 4K stick. Just like the one that came before it, the new Chromecast HD also comes with Google TV, which is essentially a version of Android TV that’s made specifically for Chromecast. The Google TV experience is going to remain largely the same, as the only thing that’s changed with the new device is the output.

The Chromecast HD’s body has the same oval design that tucks neatly behind the TV. It has a short HDMI cable that allows it to hang itself off the back of the TV. It also has a USB Type-C port for power, similar to the Chromecast 4K device.

One of the biggest differences between the Chromecast HD and 4K is, as you can imagine, the resolution. The newer device supports basic HD video — or 1920×1080 video — which is perfect for older, smaller, or dumb TVs that don’t necessarily need the 4K support. The Chromecast HD can also handle HDR content, which is a nice touch by Google.

The Chromecast HD also has different internals compared to the one inside the 2020 model. The new one has an Amlogic S805X2 with support for AV1 decoding, which is a big step forward from codecs like H264 and VP9.

Nvidia Shield TV Pro

For those who want the absolute best Android TV box

The Nvidia Shield TV Pro costs 50 more than the regular model but it comes with some additional features to add more value to the overall package.

The standard Nvidia Shield TV is my favorite of the bunch, but what if you’re a power user? That’s where the Shield TV Pro comes into play. This particular streaming device offers everything that makes the regular Shield TV great but with a few noteworthy upgrades.

The first thing you’ll notice about the Shield TV Pro is its bigger form factor. It’s relatively bigger than the regular Shield TV as it has room for its powerful internals. The Shield TV Pro comes with a bunch of ports, including two USB ports for connecting accessories like external storage, keyboards, and more. The Pro model has also received a spec bump compared to the regular one, with 3GB of RAM instead of 2GB and 16GB of storage instead of 8GB. You can also configure the Shield TV Pro as a SmartThings hub and control supported Smart home devices. What I also like about the Shield TV Pro is that it comes with the same remote, complete with the traditional button layout that features dedicated media controls.

And just like the regular Shield TV, the Pro model also supports GeForce Now for game streaming. You can also use the Pro model as a Plex server, which is another great functionality to have. So it’s a more powerful device overall and should be able to keep up with whatever you throw at it.

TiVo Stream 4K

A more affordable 4K TV stick than Google’s Chromecast 4K

The TiVo Stream 4K is one of the best affordable Android TV sticks you can find on the market right now, with one of the best remotes.

If you don’t want to spend too much money to add some smarts to your regular TV, then I recommend checking out the TiVo Stream 4K. You can grab this particular streaming device for as low as 40 from Amazon at the time of this writing, making it even cheaper than Google’s Chromecast 4K with Google TV.

Don’t let the lower price tag make you think less about this device, though. It comes with awesome features, like supporting 4K HDR content that works with Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos. It also comes with its own UI that you can use instead of Google’s stock Android TV. In terms of specifications, the TiVo Stream 4K is powered by an Amlogic S905YE processor, and it comes with 2GB of RAM. You also get 8GB of storage which is the same as what you get with other options, including the Nvidia Shield TV.

As for the hardware itself, the TiVo Stream 4K resembles the Google Chromecast. It’s a small box that sports an HDMI connection on one end, a Micro-USB port for charging, and a USB Type-C port for connecting other accessories and peripherals. It connects to your television through HDMI to turn it into a Smart TV, and it also comes with a remote. The included remote is physically larger than the one included with Chromecast, but it supports more functions. It also has an ergonomic design that makes it easier to hold.

Best Android TV boxes and sticks in 2023: Final thoughts

There are plenty of options on the market to smarten your old TV, but the Nvidia Shield TV is the best one out of the bunch. It’s one of the best-looking Android TV boxes, and it’s compact enough to sit in most setups comfortably. Its tube-shaped design also makes it look unique. It may not be as powerful as the Pro model, but the Nvidia Shield TV is good enough for most users. It also has all the essentials, including support for both Google Assistant and Amazon’s Alexa and a built-in Chromecast 4K. The highlight of Nvidia Shield TV, however, is the support for the GeForce Now game streaming service.

I’ve also added some other budget options in case you don’t want to splurge a lot of money trying to salvage your old TV. This is an ever-evolving list, so I’ll keep an eye on the market for some new streaming devices and see if they can be added to this list. In the meantime, you can also stop by our collection of the best Smart TVs to check out some other options for upgrading your media setup.

NVIDIA Shield TV

The Nvidia Shield TV is the best Android TV box overall as it offers a good set of features and specifications at a palatable price.

Do I Need a Xiaomi Mi Box if I Have a Smart TV?

Xiaomi is one of the top producers of affordable Smart TVs. Xiaomi produces more advanced Smart TVs, which are quite tempting to purchase. However, not every person wants to buy a new Smart TV every few years. In this case, Xiaomi’s Mi Box 4k comes into play.

Xiaomi Mi Box 4K is a gadget that runs on Android TV 9.0 that links to your existing TV. However, The TV Should have an HDMI port to use the Mi Box easily.

over, the Box enables one to watch all content from popular sites like Netflix, Amazon Prime, YouTube, etc.

The Xiaomi Mi Box enables one to access several apps available on Smart TVs. Therefore, one does not necessarily need a box if they have a Smart TV unless the TV is outdated.

The features that come with Mi Box are best for non-Smart TVs because they cannot connect to the internet. However, Mi Box has extra features that are not available on Smart TVs. Therefore, one can buy the Box if they need it.

What Is Mi Box S, 4K For?

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Mi Box S 4K is a tiny gadget that can change any regular TV into a Smart TV. Mi Box can connect to your TV like the Roku TCL-4K through an HDMI which comes preloaded with popular apps.

A quad-core Amlogic Processor runs Mi Box. with 2GB of RAM and 8GB of internal storage. over, it supports HDR 10 format, thus availing high-quality content from apps like YouTube and Netflix.

The Mi Box plays video playback up to 4K and 60fps and supports HEVC video compression. However, the playback resolution depends on the screen you are using and the Xiaomi TV Box.

Irrespective of the screen’s resolution, you can still play 4K videos using USB storage and the YouTube app.

Advantages of Mi Box

The Mi Box comes with a stock Android TV interface that allows users to quickly access whatever content they want. over, the users can customize the TV experience to their liking.

Mi Box is portable. That is, one can take anywhere they like. The playability enables one to connect Mi Box to a projector over HDMI or VGA using a converter.

over, Mi Box supports SDR to HDR options. The feature enables the Box to be compatible with any TV.

Mi Box has a headphone jack for uninterrupted audio output that also acts as an optical audio port.

Click image for more info

Mi Box can also connect to Bluetooth for wireless audio; however, you might experience noticeable audio latency.

Do I Need a Xiaomi Mi Box If I Have a Smart TV?

Whether or not you need a Mi Box depends on which features your TV has and which features you need. Most Smart TVs like Sony X90J already use the Android operating system. Therefore, they should have most features.

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However, Smart TVs like Roku TCL3 Series have different operating systems apart from Android. They include Roku, and Amazon Fire, among others.

Various television companies use different operating systems, and each has its specific features. Popular brands like Sony, Hisense, Philips, Sharp, and more use the Android operating system.

Therefore, it is unlikely that you will need a Xiaomi Mi Box unless you have “special circumstances.”

You Favor the Android Interface

Some people prefer their things a certain way. They have Android phones and tablets, and they generally like the Android look.

They love the user interface because they can operate it with little trouble. Therefore, purchasing a Xiaomi Mi Box is familiar which means they do not need to learn the new operating systems on the TV.

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It Would Be Best If You Had Up-to-Date Software

Some people have older Smart TVs. While most brands offer updates for their older models, they eventually stop. When this happens, one can buy a new Smart TV or carry on using the current TV less the updated apps.

But there is also another option, purchasing a new Xiaomi Mi Box. Because Smart TVs are more expensive than Mi Box, most people opt for them.

Mi Box is a relatively cheap way to keep getting all the current updates without buying a new Smart TV.

You Are Looking For Advanced Features

Some users need the Xiaomi Mi Box because they offer superior features to a standard Smart TV. For instance, Mi Box provides 4K viewing capabilities while many Smart TVs do not.

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If Mi Box has a feature that your Smart TV doesn’t have, you can purchase it.

Can I Use a Mi Box If I Have a Smart TV?

One can use a Mi Box even if they have a Smart TV. Many factors can compel you to get a Mi Box. However, it is not entirely necessary.

A Smart TV like Hisense 50A6G with an HDMI port can support the Mi Box. The setup process is relatively easy.

• Connect the Box with the given cables, place the batteries in the remote and start it up
• You need a Wi-Fi connection for the best experience; however, use mobile hotspots if you do not have access.
• When setting up, make sure your phone and Box are connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
• The instructions on the screen ensure an easy setup process. You need to give access to your Google account from your phone.

Once the setup process is over, The Mi Box 4K takes you to the home screen. The Box will download a couple of different apps from the play store.

Apps like Netflix and Prime Video are already pre-installed. It is easy to use the Mi Box, which comes with a Google voice assistant.

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Final Thoughts

The Xiaomi Mi Box is not essential if you have a Smart TV. Nevertheless, there are plenty of compelling factors to purchase one anyway.

Get a Mi Box if you need an affordable way to update your apps or enjoy the Android interface. The Xiaomi Mi box might be the gadget to advance your general viewing experience. You can contact customer care for additional information and help.

Vance is a dad, former software engineer, and tech lover. Knowing how a computer works becomes handy when he builds Pointer Clicker. His quest is to make tech more accessible for non-techie users. When not working with his team, you can find him caring for his son and gaming.

Xiaomi Mi Box Review

I’ve got Smart apps on my HDTV, Xbox One, Blu-ray player and a Kodi nano PC. There are many redundancies across these machines when it comes to their Smart app suites, but each seems to have at least one feature that makes it indispensable for some reason.

The Holy Grail would be one box to rule them all (forgive my mix of mythological metaphors there), one device that is affordable, easy to use and has all the apps I want with the power to play all my media with high quality. At just 69, the new 4K-capable Mi Box Android TV module from Xiaomi promises to fill at least that first requirement, and maybe all of them.

Xiaomi Mi Box

Android TV is a branch of Google’s open-source operating system that was the tech-giant’s foray into the media player/streamer/server over-the-top (OTT) marketplace a few years ago. The first Android TV device to hit the market was the Nexus player, released in late 2014. Other devices followed, including Nvidia’s very popular and powerful Shield TV, virtually all of Sony’s Smart TV’s since 2015, as well as some HDTVs from Philips and Sharp. So while Google has announced that the Nexus player has been discontinued, Android TV is here to stay, at least for the foreseeable future.

Dimensions:

Length: 3.97 inchesWidth: 3.97 inchesThickness: 0.77 inchesWeight: 0.3 lbColor: Black

Basic specs:

Output Resolution: Up to 4K 60fpsProcessor: Quad-core Cortex-A53 2.0GHzGPU: Mali 450 750MHzRAM: 2GB DDR3Flash: 8GB eMMCSystem: Android TV 6.0Security: Widevine L1 PlayReady 3.0

Wireless connectivity:

Wi-Fi: 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, Dual-Band Wi-Fi 2.4GHz/5GHzBluetooth: Bluetooth 4.0/3.0

Video:

VP9 Profile-2 up to 4K x 2K @ 60fpsH.265 HEVC MP-10 at L5.1, up to 4K x 2K at 60fpsH.264 AVC HPat L5.1, up to 4K x 2K at 30fpsH.264 MVC, up to 1080P at 60fpsSupports HDR10/HLG HDR processing (software upgrade required)

Sound:

DTS 2.0 Digital Out, Dolby Digital PlusUp to 7.1 pass through

Connectivity:

1 x HDMI 2.0a w/HDCP 2.21 x USB 2.01 x 3.5mm shared (analog, S/PDIF)

Other specs:

Remote: Bluetooth voice remote control, powered by 2 AAA batteriesIncluded accessories: Bluetooth voice remote control, HDMI cable, user guidePower input: 100~240V 50/60Hz input, 5.2V, 2.1A output

Company:

SECRETS Tags:

Xiaomi, Streaming, Streaming Box

Chinese tech giant Xiaomi (shee-YAOW-mee), who has been successfully selling high-end smartphones and other tech accessories outside the US for many years, released their first product for the US market in October: the Mi Box Android TV device. So while they are relatively unknown to US consumers, they do bring considerable tech development experience to the table. Why an Android TV box and not one of their highly regarded smartphones? One could argue that the smartphone market in the US is quite saturated at the moment, while the media box market is a little sparser. Also, the US mobile phone market presents many more regulations for a new-to-the-scene manufacturer to navigate. A media player allows Xiaomi to establish a brand presence before bringing their flagship products to the challenging US market.

The current media player market is dominated by four devices – Google’s Chromecast, Roku’s various players, Amazon’s Fire TV devices and the Apple TV. There are a many other devices out there, but these four big ones make up a staggering 99% of this not-so-niche category. (reference).

While Amazon’s Fire TV runs on Android, the experience is quite different from that of a true Android TV box. The aforementioned (and discontinued) Nexus player, and even Nvidia’s amazing (but expensive) Shield TV box, falls into the other slice of the pie, comprising the remaining 1% of the market. Depending on one’s perspective, these stats pose either an insurmountable challenge or an incredible opportunity. Apparently Xiaomi sees it as the latter, and we are lucky for that.

There are dozens of other Android-based media player boxes available from various online sources besides the ones I’ve mentioned above. Most are from brands you’ve never heard of, and would likely never hear from in the event your device required service. An exception may be some of the products from Minix who has a decent following within this tiny niche. Also, most of the other devices (Minix included) don’t run Google’s Android TV operating system, but rather some vanilla version of plain Android, tweaked to work with a remote instead of by touch. The Mi Box runs the Marshmallow version of Android TV, and for the price, specs, and given that Xiaomi is actually a fairly respectable (if somewhat unknown yet in the US) brand, the Mi Box has been garnering a lot of interest since it was announced last May at Google I/O.

On paper, the Mi Box is impressive: It’s tiny! At less than 4 x 4 x 1 inches, this smooth little wedge of rubber and plastic will fit virtually anywhere in or around your entertainment center. To give a better sense of its size, I’ve included a couple common items in the picture.

With Android 6.0 Marshmallow out-of-the-box, it promises not only access to the vast array of media-related apps in the Android Play store, but also enough processing horsepower for 4K/60p video, HDR (High Dynamic Range), Dolby Digital Plus and DTS (notice that DTS-HD/MA and Dolby TrueHD are missing; more on that later). Filling out the specs list are 2GB of RAM, 8GB of flash storage, 802.11a/b/c/n/ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0, HDMI 2.0 and USB 2.0. The included remote is fairly small, about the size of a Roku remote, and has just 11 functions (power, four directions, select, back, home, mic/voice search and volume up/down.)

Right off the bat, the spec and feature list is missing a few key items, namely: 1) there is no hard-wire Ethernet connectivity. Sure you can plug in a USB-to-Ethernet adapter, but then you’re using up the only USB port on the device which would mean no storage expansion. Which brings me to – 2) only 8GB of onboard storage is included. Sure, with Android 6.0 and above you can plug in external USB storage and add it virtually to the system storage, which is great, but USB 2.0 for external storage? In this age of 10 32GB USB 3.0 flash sticks, not only does no one want to connect storage to USB 2.0, but why not bump the price 10% or so and include a comfortable 32GB of flash RAM in the first place? Finally, 3) audio codecs. Maybe it’s due to licensing fees or hardware restrictions, this is probably a cost-saving measure; but the absence of TrueHD and Master Audio from Dolby and DTS are probably deal-killers right off the bat for many HT/AV enthusiasts (again more on this later).

Regardless, the Xiaomi Mi Box Android TV still has a lot going for it for less than 75 out-the-door, so let’s dive in.

Initial setup was incredibly simple: install the remote batteries, connect HDMI and power, and turn on my HDTV and receiver. Xiaomi actually provided a three-image set of instructions showing these steps as part of the in-box literature. I found this to be kind of humorous and wonder if it wasn’t included to be somewhat tongue-in-cheek.

The Mi Box was already up and showing me how to pair the Bluetooth remote which happened very quickly. The system then asked if I had an Android tablet or phone, to which I answered yes. It then directed me to pair my phone (a Nexus 5X) with the Mi Box by entering “setup my device” into the Google search box. This put the phone into a search/pairing mode where it looked for the Mi Box (presumably connecting through Bluetooth at that time since the Mi Box was not yet on the Wi-Fi network.) Pairing the phone took a couple of tries, but on the third attempt it worked. I was then able to confirm my Google account, and all my Google settings were copied from my phone to the Mi Box, slick! Surprisingly this seemed to include the password for my Wi-Fi network, as the Mi Box connected successfully to it and never asked for a password.

Next I was prompted to install the Android TV app (remote control app) on my phone. I don’t normally like to use a touch screen device as a HDTV remote, since you have to look at the screen to see what button you’re pushing. However it does make it easier to type in account searches, credentials and settings, for example when setting up Netflix. As above, pairing was automatic, fast and easy.

After these initial steps were complete, the first thing I did was check for system updates, of which there was one. I selected it, and the system was updated and rebooted a few minutes later. During the update I was presented with a cartoon homage to the Mi Box’s Chinese heritage.

The included remote uses Bluetooth connectivity. I was a little concerned about this at first since my main universal remote, a Harmony 650, is IR-only and I didn’t want to have to use a second remote if the Mi Box was to become a standard part of my entertainment system. However, I noticed what appeared to be an IR receiver port on the front. There’s no indication in the product literature (in-box or online) that the Mi Box supports IR, but the classic dark-red window was there nonetheless.

I fired up the Harmony remote software on my laptop, and sure enough the Xiaomi appeared under the “Media Center PC” category. I typed “Mi Box” in the model category and it was added as a device to my Harmony 650. The original Mi Box remote has 11 functions and all of them were preloaded in the Harmony profile. So setup of the Harmony was very quick. I was also able to dust off and pair my two Ouya Bluetooth controllers (remember Ouya?) which might come in handy for gaming (although I’m not a big gamer). Bluetooth pairing took a while for some reason, but after about a minute of holding the Ouya controller close to the Mi Box with both in pairing mode; it was recognized and paired successfully.

After completing initial setup, I set about the task of installing and configuring my preferred personal media apps. These include things like HBO-Go, Netflix, Vudu, Watch ESPN and Amazon Prime (more on Amazon shortly), as well as some third party apps which I got from the Play store. My media player software of choice is Kodi (formerly XBMC). I also occasionally use Plex, mostly when I’m not at home, but installed it anyway to test and compare to Kodi. I also use an HDHomeRun networked TV tuner which serves as a DVR. The HDHomeRun has its own DVR Live TV app for Android, but it also integrates well with Live TV for Kodi, and Android TV’s Live Channels function, which gives you a schedule grid and Live TV functionality straight from the main screen. Setting up Netflix, ESPN and Vudu was similar to setting them up on any other device, and fairly straightforward: enter credentials, then log in from a PC or tablet and enter a confirmation code to add the new device to your account. Plex client setup is similar. Kodi installed very quickly and without issue, and likewise for the HDHomeRun View/DVR client. (Note: the DVR part requires a backend running on a separate machine with ample storage.) All went smoothly and was similar to the installation and setup of similar device like Roku, Smart TVs, game consoles, etc. I had never set up Live Channels in Android TV before (given this is my first Android TV experience) and it also went very smoothly. The OS saw the HDHomeRun Prime device on my network and offered it up as a content source. I selected it, and within seconds it had loaded the channel list, guide data and I was browsing my Comcast channels. Yes! This is how it should be! We’ve come a long way since the days of xml file editing for channel and guide setup.

Speaking of Comcast, setting up HBO-Go was a big No-Go. Apparently Comcast had a falling out with either Google, HBO or both, as Comcast HBO subscribers cannot install HBO-Go on Android TV. Ironically, HBO-Go is available for, and works fine with the Comcast login on my Nexus 5X phone. But on the Mi Box (and apparently other Android TV boxes too) neither Comcast nor Xfinity come up as a provider option to prove that you are a paying HBO subscriber. This was news to me, and definitely made me feel like I wasn’t getting my money’s worth for an HBO subscription, compared to other customers who pay the same to other providers. At least I have HBO-Go on my Xbox One, and can always cancel and go month-to-month with HBO-Now (which costs more). The other major letdown on the app-side of things was the fact that Amazon Prime Video is not available on Android TV. This is a huge disappointment, as we use Amazon Prime a lot in our household. I found this a bit ironic since Amazon’s Fire OS is basically Android with an Amazonian skin, but Amazon has blocked its app from devices which compete with their Fire brand, apparently. Fortunately, I still have it as a Smart app on my Panasonic plasma, and as an app on the Xbox One. But now we’re down two heavily-used apps for the Mi Box.

So it’s not looking good for its chances to be “one box to rule them all.” Various Internet searches indicate that there may be ways to work around some of these limitations by side-loading various apps onto the device. While this may be fairly easy for some, it’s not a bulletproof solution (usually), so I am not going to consider these kinds of workarounds for this review.

The other option for unsupported apps is Google Cast, which is built-in to the Android TV software, and is therefore ready to go on the Mi Box. This is like Chromecast, or Miracast, except it can be done from any Android phone and does not require a Chromecast (or Miracast) device to be plugged into the TV. To start “casting” from my phone, there was nothing to do on the Mi Box; all I had to do was swipe down on my phone and tap the “cast” icon in the settings tray. This opened a list of local devices that were cast-compatible (the Mi Box was the only one in my house). I tapped the Mi Box, and my TV then became a copy of my phone’s screen. Anything I played on my phone (including both Amazon Prime and HBO-Go videos) was displayed on the big TV too, and the sound came through my A/V system. This was very easy to use, but of course requires you to use your phone to find and manage playback of whatever it is you want to watch. Again, for my preference, this is not ideal. However, for people comfortable with the idea of casting content to their HT system, this may be perfectly acceptable.

Navigation of the Android TV OS on the Xiaomi Mi Box was very smooth and quick. Apps start quickly while menus pop up and go away smoothly. The overall experience so far is excellent and lag-free. Even within apps, navigation seems smoother and faster than my other media-player options (Smart TV, Xbox One, and 2011-vintage NanoPC running Kodi). Kodi is a great example of this difference. Of course my comparison Kodi box is 5 years old now, but it still runs fine and plays every Full HD Blu-ray rip I throw at it with aplomb, not to mention the HDHomeRun DVR software. In fact, until trying out Kodi on the Mi Box, I wasn’t aware I was missing anything on my old NanoPC. But compared to the Mi Box, navigation and use of Kodi on my Kodi box is a little slow and laggy.

Most other apps that I tried out were also very pleasurable to use and navigate: Netflix, Vudu and WatchESPN all worked perfectly. I enjoyed a full episode each of Luke Cage and Jessica Jones on Netflix with no issues whatsoever. In fact, as with Kodi, the experience using Netflix on the Mi Box is actually better than on my 2013 Panasonic Smart TV, or on my Xbox One. Picture and sound quality was comparable between the three Netflix platforms.

One app that did not seem to work well despite my best efforts was Plex. For the uninitiated, Plex is a two-part system: it requires the server half to be running somewhere on your network (mine runs on my Synology NAS) with client apps installed on various devices (tablets, phones, PCs, TVs, game consoles, media players, etc.), which then stream the media from the server to the client. When it works, it’s a lot like having your own personal Netflix, and it’s very cool. When it doesn’t, you go back to Kodi. The Plex client on the Mi Box just isn’t quite working right. I was unable to pass-through any audio tracks from my various MKV rips of Blu-ray movies. When pass-through was implemented, the video would skip and audio would lag by as much as ten seconds. With pass-through turned off, the video skipping was still present, but the audio kept pace with the video. Either way, playback of my movie collection was not acceptable. The Plex “channels” (streaming content from online video sources like PBS, Comedy Central, etc.) seemed to work OK, but Plex channels are largely redundant on most platforms since individual apps for such sources are available from the Android Play, iOS or Windows stores. The fact that Plex is problematic (and it’s not just my particular Mi Box – I’ve seen many similar complaints across various online discussion forums) is concerning, because the same Plex app works well on other Android TV devices (e.g. the Nexus Player, Nvidia Shield and Sony HDTVs.) So this would seem to indicate some problem with the Mi Box itself. That said, it’s about the only app that has proven troublesome for me so far. Plex’s tech and user-based support is usually pretty good, so if I keep the Mi Box, I’ll be working with them to try to resolve this.

For apps that weren’t available (Amazon, HBO-Go) or didn’t work (Plex), I was able to successfully use the Google Cast feature. I’d just start up a cast session from my phone and then play whatever content I wanted while watching and listening to it on my main system. Granted, the image quality was limited to the phone’s resolution, and the sound was decoded to Pro Logic 2.0; but I was able to watch an episode of Amazon’s The Man in the High Castle and overall A/V quality was acceptable. I also tested HBO-Go and Plex and both worked. But workarounds like this really just aren’t ideal. It’s part of the reason Google’s Chromecast never appealed to me. I don’t want to use two devices just to watch content on my main home entertainment system. I do like casting to the big screen when I want to share what’s on my phone with the whole family (or guests) simultaneously.

The voice search feature is only available if you use the included Bluetooth remote. Since I prefer to use a Harmony, which lacks the necessary microphone, I don’t actually use the voice search much. I did try it out though, and it works quite well, as anyone familiar with Android phones and “OK Google” would agree. The voice search is essentially (as far as I can tell) the same as is included in Android Marshmallow on mobile devices which is quite good. It gets even better with Android Nougat and word is there’s a Nougat build of Android TV forthcoming.

One big problem with the Mi Box that I briefly mentioned above is audio codec compatibility, or lack thereof. The Mi Box is not able to pass any lossless audio formats like Dolby TrueHD or DTS-HD Master Audio. The best it can do is Dolby Digital Plus (EAC-3, which is lossy like AC3 but with more bandwidth and channels) and traditional DTS 5.1. This is true even when playing files via Kodi which is capable of passing these audio formats. It’s hard to know if this is a software or a hardware limitation; meaning – could it be fixed with an update of the firmware and/or OS? I have sent a query to Xiaomi regarding this, but as of publication have not heard back from them. I’ll update this issue in the Комментарии и мнения владельцев below if and when I learn anything new. Regardless, without at least Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio (let alone Dolby Atmos or DTS:X), the Xiaomi Mi Box is unlikely to feature prominently in any home theater enthusiast’s main system.

I have one final gripe about usability: there are no standard transport controls (play, stop, pause, fwd, rwd, skip) on the remote, nor in the Harmony profile. So, every time you want to execute a standard transport function it’s a two (or three) button process: first push the select/enter button which brings up an on-screen display of the video’s timeline along with the standard transport function icons. Then navigate to the function you want and select it. This is annoying and cumbersome. Roku works the same way and I don’t like it. Media players should have direct transport function buttons, period.

I do not have an Ultra HD television or monitor, let alone one with HDR. My reference display is a Panasonic TC-P60VT60 1080p plasma. So while I could not directly observe the UHD and HDR capabilities of the Mi Box, I was actually able to confirm its ability to easily play back UHD video material using a download of the Elysium movie trailer. Using Kodi as the playback software, the UHD signal was down-converted by my TV to 1080p and played smoothly and looked fantastic. When I repeated this test on my old NanoPC Kodi box, the video played, but dropped many frames and stuttered and skipped all over the place. The old NanoPC’s hardware was not able to process the UHD video material and maintain the proper frame rate. Incidentally, UHD material down-converted to 1080p can look fabulous if done well. The 4:2:0 chroma sampling results in full 4:4:4 chroma space in the 1080p down-conversion. So for those of you with an eagle eye for color fidelity (and a high quality monitor to display it) you should give this a try some time. Most people won’t be able to see the difference but some will.

Xiaomi Mi Box S USB Supported Video Formats

Xiaomi Mi Box S is a popular TV Box that loved by more and more users. This Android TV remote streaming media player can help you to play streaming media or local media. If you have downloaded some movies on your computer already, you can transfer these movies to USB flash drive or USB external drive, and then you can play movies on 4K TV through Xiaomi Mi Box S. If you have purchased Blu-ray and DVD discs, you can rip Blu-ray and DVD to unprotected videos with Acrok Video Converter Ultimate, and then you can play Blu-ray or DVD on Xiaomi Mi Box S with HD video formats. Just follow the content below, you will know Xiaomi Mi Box S USB supported video formats, and you will get the best Blu-ray/DVD/4K Video Converter to use.

Free download best format converter for Xiaomi Mi Box S

Xiaomi Mi Box S is one of the most popular media players on the market, it is loved by fans all over the world. The Xiaomi Mi Box S has many amazing features, such as the support for Netflix and Prime, High Clarity 4K HDR, High Performance with Storage Capacity, Remote Control, Wired Wi-Fi connections, Dolby and DTS support, Google Assistant support, etc. it is a good media player for your new 4K TV.

What are the supported formats of Xiaomi Mi Box S?

Hello, I bought Xiaomi Mi Box S one week ago to play videos and movies on my TV, I have bought many Blu-ray and DVD discs in the past five years and now I am looking for the way to transfer Blu-ray/DVD disc movies to Xiaomi Mi Box S for playing on TV, but I don’t know the software to get Blu-ray/DVD to Xiaomi Mi Box S, can you share the easiest way to play Blu-ray/DVD/4K with Xiaomi Mi Box S on TV? Can you also share the supported formats of Xiaomi Mi Box S, thank you!

What are the supported formats of Xiaomi Mi Box S? I want to get 4K videos and Blu-ray/DVD disc movies to Xiaomi Mi Box S and then play on my TV, but I don’t know the best supported format of Xiaomi Mi Box S, can you tell me? I will use Acrok Video Converter Ultimate software to convert all my movies to Xiaomi Mi Box S USB supported video formats, so that I can store all my movies on USB external drive, which is very convenient to use and take, thank you for your help.

The questions showed above are asked by Xiaomi Mi Box S users, they want to get Blu-ray, DVD or 4K movies to Xiaomi Mi Box S USB supported video formats for playing on TV, but they don’t know the Xiaomi Mi Box S USB supported video formats, please don’t worry, below are the supported formats of Xiaomi Mi Box S, the information is from its official user manual.

Xiaomi Mi Box S supported video formats: H.264/MPEG-4 MP4, H.264/MPEG-4 MKV, H.264/MPEG-4 MOV

From the information above you can know Xiaomi Mi Box S USB supported video formats, once we converted Blu-ray, DVD or 4K videos to the supported formats of Xiaomi Mi Box S, we will be able to play converted movies smoothly, and you don’t need to worry about the compatibility issues anymore.

Best Blu-ray/DVD/4K Converter for Xiaomi Mi Box S

As the Xiaomi Mi Box S is an ideal device for you to watch videos and movies, there are a few of users have bought it to play their movies. As more and more users get the Xiaomi Mi Box S, many users have encountered the issue to play movies on TV through Xiaomi Mi Box S, especially for Blu-ray/DVD movies. In order to convert Blu-ray/DVD/4K movies to Xiaomi Mi Box S supported formats for watching, we recommend you to use Acrok Video Converter Ultimate, this software is the best Blu-ray Ripper, DVD Ripper and 4K Converter for Xiaomi Mi Box S, below are the main features of this software.

Main features of Xiaomi Mi Box S Video Converter:

Rip purchased Blu-ray and DVD discs to unprotected formats Convert 4K UHD and 1080p Full HD or HD videos to any formats Convert Blu-ray disc, Blu-ray ISO, DVD disc, DVD ISO Convert any videos to Xiaomi Mi Box S best supported format Convert and play Blu-ray/DVD on TV via Xiaomi Mi Box S frely NVIDIA and AMD video card acceleration technology supported Optimized formats for TVs, smartphones, tablets and editing programs

Convert Blu-ray/DVD/4K movies to Xiaomi Mi Box S USB supported formats

Get Blu-ray Ripper for Xiaomi Mi TV

Download and install Acrok Video Converter Ultimate software on your computer, launch it as the best Xiaomi Mi Box S video converter, it is the best Blu-ray/DVD Ripper and 4K video converter on the market, which can rip the latest Blu-ray and DVD disc, ISO and folder movies to any unprotected common videos for you, such as rip Blu-ray and DVD to Xiaomi Mi Box S USB supported formats.

Load Blu-ray movies

After you launched this Blu-ray/DVD/4K to Xiaomi Mi Box S converter, please click Load Disc button to import Blu-ray or DVD disc that you want to convert, besides Blu-ray and DVD discs, Acrok Video Converter Ultimate can also support ISO image file and folder file. If you want to convert 4K UHD videos or other HD videos, you can click Add Files button to load them.

Set output format

After you loaded the Blu-ray or DVD movie into this Xiaomi Mi Box S video converter, you can just select the main title in the file list to convert, and then please choose output format you need. In the output format column you will see there are rich output formats, you can choose output format according to your need. To play Blu-ray/DVD/4K on TV via Xiaomi Mi Box S with supported format, you can choose Common Video. H.264 MP4 Video (.mp4), this format is supported by Xiaomi Mi Box S and nearly all the media players, it is compatible format for most devices.

Tip 1: If you want to backup Blu-ray discs or DVD discs and maintain all the original subtitles, audio tracks and languages, you can select Multi-track. Multi-track MKV output format, this format is one of the best choices if you want to backup Blu-ray and DVD with original quality, it will produce bigger file size.

Tip 2: Besides Xiaomi Mi Box S, you can also use Acrok Video Converter Ultimate to convert Blu-ray, DVD and 4K movies to popular devices, for example, you can also convert Blu-ray/DVD/4K to Xiaomi Mi TV, convert Blu-ray/DVD/4K to Xiaomi smartphones, convert Blu-ray/DVD/4K to iPhone 13 Pro Max, convert Blu-ray/DVD/4K to iPad Pro, iPad Air, Apple TV 4K, MacBook Air/Pro, etc. you can try this powerful software as you want.

Settings

Before you convert Blu-ray/DVD/4K to Xiaomi Mi Box S, you can click Settings button on the main interface to change the output parameters, such as video resolution, bitrate, frame rate, codec, etc. you can adjust these parameters according to your need, if you don’t need to adjust the parameters you can skip this step.

Start ripping Blu-ray

The final step is to click convert button on the main interface to start Blu-ray/DVD/4K to Xiaomi Mi Box S conversion process. Acrok Video Converter Ultimate has equipped with NVIDIA and AMD video card acceleration technology, so it will convert your videos at top speed, it will save time for you.

Play movies on TV from Xiaomi Mi Box S

Just wait some time, when the Blu-ray/DVD/4K to Xiaomi Mi Box S conversion is finished, you can transfer converted videos to USB flash drive, USB external drive or NAS, now these videos are in Xiaomi Mi Box S supported video formats, so you can play these movies with Xiaomi Mi Box S on your TV smoothly, there will be no playback issues anymore, just try it, hope it can help you to play movies with Xiaomi Mi Box S easily.

Users Reviews

This is a great user friendly software. I love the ability to change the language of the Blu-ray movies. A great program to safe a backup copy of your favorite movies Blu-ray. Thanks Acrok studio to develop it.Beauchesne, Marcel

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Xiaomi Mi Box S…

Description

Description Powered by Android 8.1 for Superior Functionality Mi Box S is powered by Android 8.1, easy to use and supports Google Assistant and Chromecast as well as delivering a world of content the whole family can enjoy.

Access Tons of Content Compatible with thousands of apps, giving you access to tons of premium video services and a constant stream of fresh new content.

SmartCast Dive into a bigger, better viewing experience

Google Assistant With the Google Assistant, you can quickly access entertainment, get answers and control devices around your home. Just press the mic button on your remote to get started.

High Clarity 4K HDR Features the latest 4K HDR technology and high-speed 4K processing for up to 60fps playback. Enjoy an ultra high-definition, lifelike viewing experience. Requires a HDR TV and HDR-enabled video content.

Premium Audio puts you in the action Dolby and DTS deliver crisper, three-dimensional surround sound.

High Performance Storage Capacity Install tons of awesome apps, watch extended cuts, and play more games while enjoying faster performance and stability.

Easy to use Easily connects to a portable or shared hard drive. Play your favorite movies, music, games and more.

HDMI2.0a Enjoy high resolution video and high bitrate audio playback with superior reliability.

Wi-Fi 2.4GHz/5GHz Download and transfer HD video and large data files quickly and easily.

Bluetooth 4.1 Wirelessly connect game controllers, headphones, speakers, and other Bluetooth-enabled devices.

Get up and running in 3 simple steps Attach Mi Box to TV Connect to internet Start streaming

Technical Specifications Android 8.1 Cortex A53 CPU – Quad-Core Mali 450 GPU 2.4GHz 5.0GHz dual-Band Wi-Fi 2GB RAM 8GB Internal Storage