Chinese Chromecast KILLER

[James]

Buy Mi Box S on Amazon: http://geni.us/6QKtj0Z
 

Android TV Boxes aren’t just for pirates anymore: the Xiaomi Mi Box S is a Google certified – and Google Assistant enabled – 4K HDR streaming box for watching Netflix and playing games.  

 

 

[SansVarnic]

interesting but I think ill stick with my Roku Stick.

[ichihaifu]

Since its an android device, did you try out Steam Link app?

Since Steam Link hardware was pulled from store, this could be a very real alternative with added features.

[SupaKomputa]

Google certified doesn't mean that it cannot use kodi. You can even pirate in a pixel 3 if you want to.

That is not a chromecast killer, that is apple tv killer.

[Pasha]

By the way, if anyone want to buy this device, the older MiBox (MDZ-16-AB) basically has same internals and can be cheaper.

The biggest difference would be the remote.

[Wh0_Am_1]

Linus mentioned at around ~5:45, that you can't have Ethernet AND external storage. My thoughts are, "What about a USB Hub?".

[Onknight]

Yeah I'll pass I built a nice htpc that handles everything I need

It runs 4K HDR and has Dolby Atmos

And with an Android emulator I can have best of both worlds Windows and Android

[LeapFrogMasterRace]

Way to go James keep it up

[Daniel644]

Android TV with a Roku grade Processor and no Amazon Video support, nah I'll keep my Shield TV. also Android TV is really ignored by many streaming services, I've had Sling TV, Playstation Vue, DirecTV Now and now Philo, Sling was the first to add Android TV support, Vue took forever and a day to add it, DirecTV Now promised it was coming to a TV brand they made a deal with that has Android TV on there TV's but later offered those that bought there TV's as part of the promotion they did an alternative streaming device as they flat out cancelled plans to support Android TV and Philo is a year old now with plans to support it at some point in the "near future", once you get away from basic "industry standards" like Youtube and Netflix, app support is pretty garbage for Android TV, heck many NETWORK CHANNELS didn't have apps for Android TV and when they did add them they neutured them, like the Android TV HGTV app didn't allow Live streaming where the regular Android app did, so I had to sideload the Android app on the Android TV and use a MOUSE to navigate.

 

I really wish there was better app support for Android TV, I mean shit Google made it super easy to add to your existing apps, there is no excuse not to do it.

[rewen]

SOME WORDS OF WARNING TO THOSE CONSIDERING THIS

 

I had the previous box and I loved it but ended up getting rid out of due to a handful of frustrations that came along with it. I can't say for sure that this new model has the same problems, but I suspect that they haven't changed at all since they are not hardware issues (the hardware seems the same anyway) and not all specifically Mi Box issues either. The problems I can remember are:

 

• The Chromecast built-into Android TV is not functionally the same as a physical Chromecast. Casting certain apps to it doesn't actually "cast" them at all. This is not specific to the Mi Box, but seems to be the case with Android TV boxes and Android TV televisions. This also limits what Google Assistant can do in some cases.
• Casting Netflix results in the built-in Netflix App being remote-controlled, instead of cast. When that works it's great and you cant even tell. When it doesn't work you want to throw your phone at the TV. And it will fail to work a lot of the time if you don't live alone, because if the built-in Netflix app was last used by a different Netflix profile than the one trying to cast something, it will usually shit the bed on you and require you to find the remote and switch Netflix profiles on the TV.
• When the Mi Box goes to sleep, it takes down the Chromecast with it! This was the worst part of it. I bought a Mi Bax specifically so that I would have a Chromecast + a remote-based UI for guests/kids/emulators/etx. But you simply cannot cast while the box is sleeping. You can try to avoid sleeping the box but then you lose the convenience of using just a single remote (the Mi Box remote) and have find your TV remote to turn off the TV alone. But wait! If you are using HDMI-CEC, which you need to in order for casting to turn on your TV and set the input automatically, then your TV will turn off the Mi Box with it! I tried playing with the HDMI-CEC options but there are no options that help.

I can't recall the other unresolved others issues I had. Hopefully they've remedied them or will remedy them soon. However only the 3rd point above is something that can be addressed by Xiaomi. The others are Google's and or Netflix's to resolve, and they are not quick to fix things. It took years to be able to ask the Google Home/Assistant to cast things to Netflix on Android TV (probably a similar issue to my 2nd point above). It worked fine on Chromecast. 

 

As to not be all doom and gloom.. one area where the Mi Box works better then a Chromecast is HDMI-CEC volume control, which came in an update on the model I owned. The original firmware used software volume control (like Chromecasts do) which is not ideal. Also the box was generally fast and fun to use. I loved the size and feel of the remote. It's such a great product. Easily would choose it over a Roku or a Chromecast if it weren't for the issues I mentioned. It's so close to being perfect. 

 

Also for those asking, yes you can install Steam Link, and RetroArch, and Kodi, and many other things. They are in the Android TV/Google Play Store. And things that aren't in that don't appear in the store can be sideloaded. Many regular android apps work fine. Bluetooth controllers such as the Xbox One S controllers work great in RetroArch etc as well.

 

To those saying that they'll stick with Roku.. I don't know what your point is. The video is targeted towards people who are thinking of getting or already own a Chromecast. I have a Roku as well, but it's gone to live with my parents. They're great. Very simple to use. They just work. Chromecasts work differently and have more capabilities. 

 

To those saying they'll stick with Shield TV.. well.. of course you would. It's a higher end Android TV device! Why would you downgrade to a lower end Android TV?

[kuro68k]

One really important thing that every review always misses. Can it do refresh rate switching?

 

If not video is going to judder badly. 95% of Android TV boxes have that flaw.

[Noyu]

4 hours ago, Wh0_Am_1 said:

Linus mentioned at around ~5:45, that you can't have Ethernet AND external storage. My thoughts are, "What about a USB Hub?".

Not sure if rhetorical but I'll answer, USB hubs will generally work.

Although from my research, it seems the Mi Box is actually pretty picky with USB Hubs, specifically on the ethernet port.

 

Personally, I'm not using it enough to justify ethernet, as it already works just fine with 5GHz AC.

[Sakai 121]

Clickbait works well huh? Cant you just freaking put the product name into the title like "Chinese Chromecast killer - Mi Box S Review"?

 

 

Am I accually concern about how ltt clickbait. Other clickbait media like Bright Side and 5 Minutes Craft at least get their clickbait right and get millions of views but Ltt's clickbait accually prevents potential new viewers from finding their video, even their own subscribers.

 

(If you cant underdtand my screenshot: I subscribed to ltt but when i search "Mi box s" review, it didnt show me their video cuz of their misleading and completely out of topic title. I am not hating on the clickbait as linus explained it during the latest honest answer but I am just disappointed that they didnt spend the extra step of try to search up their video to make sure that their clickbait accually works, just simply putting the product name into the title could've works)

[Guest]

Ill stick with my Apple TV thanks none of this expensive peasant nonsense

[Canada EH]

Not only will google read and sell your info within Gmail but now they will sell your info on the shows you watch.

 

Ouch!

 

 

Quote

Google certified – and Google Assistant enabled

 

[Nicnac]

But does it boost your social score?

[Deividas Cerniauskas]

I hate it when they dont do proper research or testing of the product. It does support Atmos and DTSX. Here is a short video I did at midnight  Sorry for bad english

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMI226YeIY0

[lewdicrous]

4 hours ago, Sakai 121 said:

- Snip -

Please consider using spoilers to hide the pictures, it adds to the readability of your post.

[jyling16]

2 hours ago, Deividas Cerniauskas said:

I hate it when they dont do proper research or testing of the product. It does support Atmos and DTSX. Here is a short video I did at midnight  Sorry for bad english

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMI226YeIY0

it seems that the "2018" version have no Atmos (search the keyword "atmos")

https://cordcuttingreport.com/2018/10/18/mi-box-review/

https://www.flatpanelshd.com/news.php?subaction=showfull&id=1539147219

"2016" version have atmos

https://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=275083

however, i can't guarantee that the source are correct as the information about atmos on this device is hard to find

 

[Drak3]

8 hours ago, Sakai 121 said:

Clickbait works well huh?

It works well for flash in the pan popularity and new views. It's a very short term solution.

[Wh0_Am_1]

23 hours ago, Noyu said:

Not sure if rhetorical but I'll answer, USB hubs will generally work.

Although from my research, it seems the Mi Box is actually pretty picky with USB Hubs, specifically on the ethernet port.

 

Personally, I'm not using it enough to justify ethernet, as it already works just fine with 5GHz AC.

I was just pointing out a pointing out a potential flaw that may affect possibly affect present and future customers of such a product, honestly I prefer Roku.

[AdmiralKird]

Last summer I did a bunch of research on the best cheap setup to replace my Roku with a better setup for my home theater. It came down to one fact - a lot of these boxes don't work well with Plex and native audio passthrough. The only options I could find to get a 1:1 experience was by getting an Nvidia Shield, which is expensive, or going the cheaper route and building my own android TV with an ODroid C2 ($70 after board, case, remote, SD card) that has the necessary hardware built in for passthrough. I went with the ODroid because of the price but... it took a LOT of time to setup. Eventually I got everything figured out after hours and hours of work, and a dual boot with AndroidTV and the powerful OpenPHT Client was worth it overall, but I probably should have just gotten the Shield and saved the time.

[Perringtonbear]

What will the live tv button do in the uk? will it just be Freeview? or will it just not work?