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Tv box on xiaomi android. Xiaomi Mi Box S review - TV box and media player

*The set-top box comes with the original Chinese firmware, without the included Russian language.

100% performance optimization

The updated Mi Box is equipped with a six-core processor (2xCortex-A72 and 4xCortex-A53) with clock frequency 2 GHz, 2 gigabytes random access memory LPDDR3 and 8 GB eMMC5.0 high-speed flash memory, which is twice as much as the previous model.

Improved audiovisual performance

New Mi Box supports H.265 10bit video [email protected] and has an HDMI 2.0 output for high-speed lossless 4K signal transmission.

Support for Dolby Digital and DTS formats

Also, the novelty supports two formats Dolby Digital and DTS, and when playing video in high resolution produces a smoother and more dynamic sound with an immersive effect.

Powerful GPU

Mi Box 3 Enhanced Edition is equipped with a high-performance GPU The Power VR GX6250, which achieved excellent results in the Antutu benchmark, improved its 3D graphics performance by as much as 240%. It plays both action-packed 4K videos and action-packed 3D games with ease and smoothness. Also, the new Mi Box supports OpenGL3.1/OpenCL, which makes it compatible with heavier games. Now even more gaming content is available to you on your TV screen! Arrange a game battle with your friends in your living room!

Gyro Games

Turn your living room into a gym

The Bluetooth remote control not only has voice control, but also a built-in highly sensitive six-axis gyroscope, capable of capturing any small movement. With it, you can easily turn your living room into a tennis court or golf course. The new Mi Box provides a rich selection of somatosensory games for every taste.

Movie voice search

Updated Mi Box also got new feature voice search for video content. To find the movie you want, just hold down the microphone button and say the name of the movie.

440 thousand hours of video

More than $1 billion has been spent to create the Xiaomi Film Library. It presents a huge selection of TV shows, concerts, feature films, anime, children's programs, of which more than 90% are absolutely free. The film library is updated daily with new series of favorite TV shows and movies.

Specialized TV version

MIUI firmware has got a TV version with numerous features designed for large TV screens. It supports connection with devices from the Smart Home series, allowing you to control your router, air purifier, water purifier and other smart appliances. It already has an app store, game center, TV viewers, numerous games that can be controlled both with the remote control and with the gamepad.

Wirelessly cast photos and videos from your iPhone, iPad, or computer to your TV screen

You can wirelessly stream photos, videos, and other content stored on your iPhone, iPad, or computer directly to your TV screen. This is done very simply, so that none of the household members will have problems with this. Wireless transmission of data from an ultrabook, 2 in 1 device, tablet or smartphone to the TV screen is made possible thanks to the support Intel technologies®WiDi.

Multi-screen control

Thanks to this function, you can find the desired movie using your smartphone, and it will be played on the TV screen. Thus, you can control the TV from any room. Moreover, with the help of a smartphone, you can crop the fragment you like and post it on social networks, search and install applications for TV.

Dual Band MIMO 802.11ac WiFi Antenna

The updated Mi Box uses 802.11a/b/g/n/ac protocol and 2x2 dual-band MIMO antenna, which provide more powerful and stable wifi signal and high data rates over longer distances. Dual-band WiFi makes downloading online games and watching online movies more stable and speeds up to 50% faster than the standard version.

Bluetooth 4.1 Low Energy

Using Bluetooth, you can connect with a gamepad, headphones, audio speaker, and other devices. Bluetooth 4.1 version features low energy consumption, convenience and more reliable connection.

Video playback

Ability to connect a portable hard drive or USB flash drive. With Mi Box you can watch movies on the TV screen directly from a portable hard drive or flash drive.

Notes:

1. Antutu V6.0.4 Benchmark: When the fan is running at maximum speed, Xiaomi Mi Box 3 Enhanced Edition scored 72000 points, and Xiaomi Mi Box 3 scored 36000 points, which proves a 100% performance improvement over the standard version.

2. Antutu V6.0.4 Benchmark: Xiaomi Mi Box 3 Enhanced Edition processor scored 23694 points, while Xiaomi Mi Box 3 processor scored 13117 points. (23694-13117) /13117=0.81, the probability of random scores is excluded. According to the test results, processor performance increased by 80%.

3. Antutu V6.0.4 Benchmark: Xiaomi Mi Box 3 Enhanced Edition GPU scores 13010 in 3D, Xiaomi Mi Box 3 scores 3810. (13010-3810) /3810=2.44, the probability of random scores is excluded. According to the test results, 3D graphics playback improved by 240%.

4. With actual measurements, the maximum data transfer rate via WiFi for Xiaomi Mi Box 3 Enhanced Edition was 300 Mbps, for Xiaomi Mi Box 3 - 200 Mbps, the percentage difference is 50%.

The Xiaomi Mi Box Mini TV box is a device familiar to most readers. Users remember it with the only drawback - the lack of the Russian language. What are the positive aspects of the device and whether it is worth buying at all, discussed below. The article presents an overview of the Xiaomi Mi Box Mini TV box and step by step instructions menu language change.

Description of the prefix

Russian users bypass the prefix Xiaomi Mi Box Mini. The reason for this is the non-Russian menu. To date, this problem is easily solved, but not everyone knows about it.

Model advantages:

Quality Image
High performance
No braking system

The list of benefits goes on. Let's move on to a more detailed review.

What is included

The package includes the following items:

HDMI cable - for connecting to TV
Remote control - to control the device
Documentation - instructions and warranty
Battery tablet - for remote control

Additional accessories (such as headphones) are not included. A budget class prefix, so the rest of the elements are purchased by the user.

What does the device look like?

The whole structure is made in the form of a small white cube with smoothed corners, 46×38×38 mm in size and weighing 38 g. This is convenient when you need to take the console with you.

Technical characteristics of TV set-top boxes

Model Features:

The average cost of the device is $35
Housing made of white plastic
The base is represented by Android 4.4.2
Powered by MediaTek MT8685A quad-core chip (1.3GHz)
RAM takes 1 GB
Data storage is limited to 4 GB
Wireless modules include Wi-Fi and Bluetooth

Performance

The device operates on Android based 4.4.2. This is great operating system with a well thought out interface. Plus, a powerful quad-core MediaTek MT8685A chip.

The performance of the device is characterized by a high level:

Instant response to remote control commands
No freezes or system crashes
Clear work without image slowdowns

Remote Control

The design of the console is simple:

Joystick with central OK button
Volume control "±"
Arrow to return to the previous menu
Home button, return to main menu

The remote control works with a prefix on wireless module bluetooth. It is powered by a tablet from the kit, you do not need to buy a battery.

How to connect Xiaomi Mi Box Mini to TV

To connect the device to a TV, do the following:

Connect the TV and set-top box with the cable from the kit;
Press the "OK" button in the center of the remote control;
Think up and enter a password in the appropriate window;
Confirm the IP address by clicking on the button on the right;
Wait for the transition to the main menu.

Advantages

Not buggy, neither during use, nor after waking up. Fast and nimble.

Great bluetooth remote. Can be glued to the back of the TV with adhesive tape. Bought and forgot.

In the absence of other sources:

No black screen welcome TV "no signal, no cable connected".

Digging in smart applications which was maddening

Waiting for the TV to finally connect to Wi-Fi

Let's think something else, spin the wheel

When you turn on the TV, it immediately welcomes IPTV autostart with the appropriate settings.

The branded prefix gives a feeling of "not being abandoned", on Android 8.0 there is no longer a feeling of dampness.

Technically perfect for 2018 and for years to come. Who needs more, there is NVIDIA SHIELD TV 2.5 times more expensive.

Ability to connect other Bluetooth devices including a remote control with a gyroscope.

Friends with Panasonic Viera Link. Understands remote from Panasonic (2013) when mutually configured.

Allows you to forget about HMS, DNLA, DNS spoofing, and other stray content viewing

It is possible to install a third party app store, such as AptoideTV 5.0.2 (and higher) with an extended set of applications, in most cases, bypassing the installation third party applications from a flash drive.

4K 60fps videos on YouTube spin perfectly, without lags, but with a noticeable overload, noticeable for example in voice search. The resolution is higher, the set-top box is not able to display. I also do not recommend turning off HDR>SDR if the TV does not support HDR. The picture will be faded.

Good anti-greed pill

Flaws

Those who look for flaws will find them. All shortcomings are solvable.

The shape of the "plate" base without clear points of support makes it difficult to mount on a vertical surface.

The flash drive heats up from heat transfer - even when not in use. Plus use as a radiator.

Not suitable for fans "out of the box" like any other media player. This is a tool - you will have to grind the software yourself.

The stock launcher is a perfectionist's nightmare.

It will not replace a slow cooker, does not write comments on YouTube, heats the room poorly and generally does not do what it is not intended for.

Comment

Security: Zyxel Keenetic Extra II, 5Hz (802.11r), 100Mbps (speedtest 92)

Bought for 3 main purposes:

Departure from RT to IPTV from Edem

Quick search and launch of cartoons for children on YouTube

XSMART (FHD, 3D, 4K, 60fps, 120fps)

Having traveled the path since the age of 13 on the Smart Panasonic Viera, it turned out:

TV hardware stuffing plan Smart outdated faster than TV, none of the developers will optimize them for your TV.

Using SMART features today is tantamount to perversely squeezing out push-button telephone smartphone capabilities

Lack of flexibility to install third-party apps if you don't have the "right" Samsung

After the purchase, I expected that the device would be immediately updated forcibly to 8.0, but the device "out of the box" did this only a week later.

On 6.0, there was one significant problem:

YouTube on it tries to hang in the background and this cannot be changed in standard ways, which is accompanied after 3-4 calls to it by going into "out" with a freeze and forced shutdown.

About 8.0:

The problem of falling off Wi-Fi is being solved DHCP setting: Lease time 84600 sec.

The blade of the remote control was observed only when the children begin to hammer on all the buttons, a conflict with the connected smartphone is possible.

Non-sleep when HDMI-CEC is enabled is possible when forced shutdown TV with the power button and simple, it is also incorrect to work with a number of TVs.

In 8.0, full support appeared for control from the remote control of the set-top box to turn on / off the set-top box and the HDMI-CEC TV together

If for someone the lack of LAN is a significant drawback, the problem can be easily solved by purchasing a USB-LAN-4USB hub. The question of the price is about a thousand, but for myself I did not see any advantages.

Theoretically, I studied the issue of using Skype on the device - you can start, call, see, hear the interlocutor, install a Web camera, but Skype will not see this camera. As an option to use TrueConf.

The device copes with all three purposes perfectly, there are no blunts (lag-friezes).

For 120fps, the HW decoder works correctly

In other cases, HW + works correctly

The video was not launched due to inappropriateness:

From other sources (drives)

Test, demo videos, not common formats for Geeks

Rooting and pairing with a smartphone was not performed!

After 3 weeks of use, I can identify a number of applications for this device making life easier:

Perfect Player- the best program for IPTV. The advantage of having a built-in player that allows you to instantly switch channels

MX Player is a player for viewing video content.

ATV launcher - shell. Best for perfectionists. But only the full version.

XSMART - video content service

ES conductor - nowhere without it.

AptoideTV is an alternative to PlayMarket

Xiaomi Mi Box S (MDZ-22-AB) is the direct successor of Xiaomi Mi Box (MDZ-16-AB). There were no significant changes in hardware. Both the box itself and the remote control have been changed in the direction of cost reduction. But in the software part, the box received the Android TV 8.1 system. In general, despite the obvious disadvantages that you will learn about in the review, Xiaomi Mi Box S is still a unique (not to be confused with the words “good” or “bad”) device on the market without obvious competitors in its price niche - a box with certified Android TV system and certified by Netflix.

Xiaomi Mi Box S (MDZ-22-AB) provided by the store for review gear best 79,99$ . The price is quite high, but for various promotions it can reach up to $55.

Specifications

Model	Xiaomi Mi Box S (MDZ-22-AB)
Housing materials	Plastic
SoC	Amlogic S905X
RAM	2 GB
Flash memory	8 GB
USB	1 x USB 2.0
Memory card support	Not
Network interfaces	Wi-Fi 4, 5 (802.11a/b/g/n/ac, MIMO 1x1)
Bluetooth	4.1
Video outputs	HDMI 2.0b (up to [email protected] Hz with HDR)
Audio outputs	HDMI, S/PDIF (Mini Toslink/Miniplug), analog
Remote controller	Bluetooth, with microphone
Food	5.2V/2.1A
OS	Android TV 8.1

Equipment and appearance

Boxing comes in a bright cardboard box.

Inside: set-top box, remote control, HDMI cable, power supply, quick guide in several languages.

Branded power supply (AY11BA). Plug type A (American/Chinese). Voltage 5.2 V, maximum current up to 2.1 A. Cable length approx. 110 cm. DC connector 4 x 1.7 mm.

The board is neat. Works via Bluetooth. Powered by two AAA batteries, they are included.

The materials are not the same as those of the Xiaomi Mi Box remote control - in the hand it feels like a cheaper product. D-pad rattles, i.e. does not sit tight. The D-pad feels less tactile (due to its flat shape) than in previous version.

The microphone hole is on the end.

The box itself is very compact. The case is made of matte plastic. Weight about 150 grams. Size 95x95x17 mm.

On the front there is a barely noticeable white led indicator. It glows when the device is working.

There is nothing on the sides. Rear: analog audio output combined with optical S/PDIF (Mini Toslink/Miniplug), HDMI, USB A 2.0, power jack (DC 4 x 1.7 mm).

On the bottom cover only plastic legs.

Disassembly of the device and cooling system

The bottom cover is very tight on the latches. Removable with any flat plastic tool.

All key elements on the underside of the board are hidden under a metal screen. It's soldered to the board.

Unscrew 4 screws and remove the board.

On the front side of the board, all key elements are also hidden under soldered metal screens. The location of the SoC through the thermal substrate is in contact with a large metal plate in the upper part of the case. The Wi-Fi/Bluetooth antenna is wired on the board itself. The analog sound amplifier is based on the SGMicro SGM89000 controller. You may notice that Xiaomi Mi Box S has lost the IR receiver, which was unofficially present in Xiaomi Mi Box. In general, there is nothing to complain about - the ultimate minimalism (but sufficient) in circuitry.

The 15-minute stress test runs without throttling with consistent peak performance. The maximum temperature is not more than 50 °C.

Software and overall stability

Xiaomi Mi Box S comes with Android TV 8.1 system. This is the standard android system TV based on the Amlogic SDK with some modifications from Xiaomi.

For those who do not know how Android TV 8.1 differs from the usual android versions 8.1, I will briefly list some of the differences:

No navigation bar and status bar.
Hard fixed launcher (home screen) - Google Home Launcher. It displays only those programs and games that are adapted for Android TV. For some terms of Google allows the manufacturer to replace the launcher.
Global voice search in installed programs ah / Google Assistant.
A number of unique features, such as special channels (former recommendations), special alerts, picture-in-picture on the main screen, etc.
The interface is adapted for TV screens and control from the remote control (D-Pad and voice) or gamepad.
Programs and Google services also adapted to TV screens and remote control.
Google Play The Store for Android TV contains only those apps and games that are adapted for Android TV (interface and remote / gamepad control).
There is Google support Cast (on certified boxes).

You can install any programs. But remember that the Google Play Store for Android TV only contains apps and games that are adapted for Android TV. All other programs can be safely installed via apk, Aptoide TV (illegal software), etc. For programs that are not adapted to Android TV, you may need a mouse. Here you also need to take into account that in some programs that require a mouse, it may not work correctly on Xiaomi Mi Box S. These are bugs in the Xiaomi Mi Box S system. For example, the appearance of a phantom cursor, incorrect processing of the left mouse button click, etc.

The ideology of Android TV is based on simplicity. But if you start to fight it (“I need it, like in a smartphone, and I want to control everything with a mouse”), then negative impressions await you. If you accept its ideology, and all your current programs adapted for Android TV, then you will simply enjoy the operation of the system.

It is also important to understand that Android TV is on this moment the only official system boxes from Google. The certification of the regular Android system for boxes has been discontinued for more than two years. In the near future, you will not see boxes from A-brands or from operators with a regular Android system.

Xiaomi has redesigned and merged Settings (in the Amlogic SDK, settings are separated into two programs). Localization into Russian is not complete. Translated elements of the general Android system (i.e. by Google itself) and part of the settings from Amlogic. What is added by Amlogic is mostly untranslated. For example, screen settings, sound output, etc. in English.

Firmware version with all updates at the time of publication of the review OPM1.171019.011.430. The firmware uses the 64-bit kernel version 4.9.61. But the Android layer itself is 32-bit.

The behavior of the Global Search / Google Assistant is slightly different from, for example, the Nvidia Shield TV. Apparently, the difference is in the version of the Google program (it is responsible for the search), which is installed on the box. I will give a particular example. In the Google Play Store, you click the Global Search button and search for Kodi. Nvidia Shield TV prioritizes results from the Google Play Store program (priority is given to the results of the active program), i.e. everything is logically correct. And in Xiaomi Mi Box S, the priority is given to global results, only by pressing Down, you will see other results, including in the Google Play Store. At the same time, in some programs, the priority is still given to the results from the active program.

It is also worth noting that the Google Assistant still does not fully work with the Russian language in Android TV. Those. only basic search and basic commands. Although on smartphones it has been working fully for almost a year.

There is no root support in the system and you cannot add it.

In general, the system works stably. There are no critical mass problems and bugs in the system. On the network, you can find possible complaints about the work of HDMI CEC, sleep mode, Wi-Fi, etc. But it should be borne in mind that in terms of the number of sales, Xiaomi Mi Box S is comparable to sales of all “Chinese” boxes combined for the same period of time. The more sales, the more possible complaints.

Remote, gamepads and HDMI CEC

The board can be called very good. Only the shape of the D-pad (flat) causes criticism. The central button differs tactilely from the ring. The remote works via Bluetooth. Microphone with excellent sensitivity, you do not need to bring the remote control closer to your mouth, voice recognition works clearly. The call button for Global Voice Search / Google Assistant does not need to be held for the microphone to work, just press once to call. The microphone is activated programmatically by the system if necessary.

There is a complaint about the work of the Global Voice Search. The sound level display when you speak a request is delayed, which can be misleading. Those. you start talking, and the level image displays silence and only starts to change after a while.

The launch buttons for Netflix and Live Channels are handled differently on the system. Those. you will not be able to remap them to other programs, for example using Button Mapper or Key Remapper.

The button with nine dots brings up a window of all installed programs in the system.

I note that the menu was not activated in the system earlier running programs for convenient switching between programs, a quick return to the previous program and for forced closing of programs if necessary. Those. neither by double or long pressing Home this menu is called up (although such an opportunity is provided in Android TV), which for some may add discomfort in use.

Pressing the Power button on the remote puts the box to sleep. A long press brings up a ridiculous one-command power menu (this menu is carried over from the Amlogic SDK, and Amlogic has enough sick designers and "wonder" managers).

The box can be brought out of sleep mode only with the power button of the standard remote control. If necessary, you can enable the "Keep screen on" feature in the "Developer Options" settings. The partial sleep mode will work and the box can be woken up by any RF remote control.

Support for different HDMI CEC functions varies from one TV model to another. I have yet to come across any Android box that has perfect HDMI CEC support with all TVs, even different models TV of the same brand. On Amlogic boxes, HDMI CEC support has never been good (mainly due to selective power functions and lack of volume control). Support for HDMI CEC is enabled in the settings.

HDMI CEC operation with test Samsung TV(just an example, because your picture may be different):

You send the box to sleep using the remote control from the box, the TV turns off (goes into standby mode) - yes.
Wake up the box using the remote control from the box, the TV turns on - yes.
Turn on the TV with a regular TV remote control, the box wakes up - yes.
Turn off the TV with a regular TV remote, the box goes to sleep - yes.
The TV remote can control the box - yes.

With boxing, I tested two gamepads - GameSir and Xiaomi. GameSir G3s failed to connect to the box (this is the first case when a specific gamepad fails to pair) - I'm just stating a fact, I didn't understand the problem in detail. Everything worked fine with the Xiaomi gamepad.

Performance

The set-top box uses the outdated Amlogic S905X SoC - 4 ARM Cortex-A53 cores up to 1.5 GHz and a Mali-450 MP GPU. This is a budget SoC. AT general system works acceptable, if you do not load it with several simultaneous tasks. For example, if the system updates the software through the Google Play Store, then it is better to refrain from using the box, because the operation becomes uncomfortable. S912 or S905X2 are just rockets compared to S905X. For 3D games, this SoC is not intended at all due to a weak GPU. You need to understand that the main thing in Android boxes is media functionality, i.e. VPU and implementation of its capabilities in software. But the processor and GPU must have enough power to work with the device comfortably. S905X provides a comfortable level, but on the verge.

The interface is displayed at a maximum resolution of 1920x1080. Even if you select 3840x2160 on your system, the interface and all programs will continue to run at 1920x1080 and scale up to 3840x2160. As with many boxes, only SurfaceView objects can output true 4K resolution (which is what media players and some games use). In fact, it doesn't matter at what resolution to run test programs and games - at 1920x1080 and 3840x2160 the result will be identical.

For convenience and clarity, I will compare performance with boxes on Amlogic S905X2.

	Xiaomi Mi Box S (S905X)	S905X2
AnTuTu v6 (Shared Index / GPU / CPU)
Geeckbench 4 (Singe/Multi)
Google Octane	3100	4100

	Xiaomi Mi Box S (S905X)	S905X2
3DMark Ice Storm Extreme	4200	5500
Bonsai	25 fps	46 fps
GFXBenchmark T-Rex	11 fps	13 fps
GFXBenchmark T-Rex 1080p Offscreen	11 fps	13 fps

Most 2D games worked reasonably well.

Game streaming via Nvidia GameStream (Moonlight), stream 1080p60, 30 Mbps - decoder output latency up to 40 ms for H.265. In this case, a violation of uniformity is visually visible once per second. In principle, you can play many games (here it is important to note that the Keenetic router Ultra, see the network interface test for details).

Internal and external drives

In the fresh Xiaomi Mi Box S system, about 4 GB is available to the user internal memory. Not much, but if you do not install games, then for most tasks it will be enough with your head. Moreover, if necessary, you can use a USB storage device (for example, a flash drive) in the internal memory expansion mode.

The linear and random write speed of the internal flash memory is low. Reading speed is good for boxes.

With the support file systems on the external drives(as external drive) everything is bad.

Network interfaces and network services

There is no Ethernet support in the box. If necessary, you can use USB adapters based on the Asix AX88179 controller (USB 3.0 > gigabit ethernet) and get a speed of about 250 Mbps. The most popular and proven adapters are from Ugreen.

Per wireless network the Broadcom controller responds (I won’t name the exact model, because the controller is hidden under a metal screen) with WiFi support 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, 2.4GHz and 5GHz, MIMO 1x1.

The tests were performed using iperf 3. The iperf server is running on a computer that is connected to local network over gigabit ethernet. Key R is selected - the server transmits, the device receives.

The box was 5 meters from the router through one reinforced concrete wall - this is the place where I test all Android boxes and mini PCs. The line connecting the box and the router runs through the wall at a 45 degree angle. For you to understand, I don’t have a goal to find out the maximum Wi-Fi speed of a particular box 1 meter from a router without obstacles (it doesn’t matter to me whether it will squeeze 200 or 300 Mbps there). I am modeling a typical case and all boxes are tested under the same conditions. I only test with the 5 GHz band (if the box has such support).

This time Keenetic Ultra (KN-1810) and Xiaomi Mi Router 3G (Padavan) acted as a router.

Keenetic Ultra	167 Mbps
Xiaomi Mi Router 3G	108 Mbps

For all the time of testing, there were no complaints about the work of Wi-Fi. The work was stable, there were no disconnections and reconnections.

There are no network file services (server and client) in the system.

Support for direct audio output and audio decoders

The Xiaomi Mi Box S system contains decoders (decoding and mixing in stereo) Dolby Digital and DTS. They are in both MediaCodec and StageFright.

An Onkyo receiver was used for direct sound output tests.

HDMI direct output in Kodi (17.6):

Dolby Digital 5.1	DD 5.1
DTS 5.1	DTS 5.1
Dolby True HD 7.1	Not
DTS-HD MA 7.1	Not
Dolby Atmos	Not
DTS:X	Not

Video decoder support, video playback, auto frame rate

Xiaomi Mi Box S has an HDMI 2.0b output. Resolutions up to 3840x2160 @ 60Hz, 10bit with HDR10 are supported. You can choose color coding in Settings. The interface is displayed with a maximum resolution of 1920x1080. Even if you select 3840x2160 on your system, the interface and all programs will continue to run at 1920x1080 and scale up to 3840x2160. As with many boxes, only SurfaceView objects can output true 4K resolution with HDR support, and they are used in many players.

The system has a non-switchable noise reduction for video(this can be seen with the naked eye even without tests).

I did not notice any problems with HDR10 output (in UHD Blu-ray). HDR to SDR conversion is supported in case you need to watch HDR content on an SDR TV. Amlogic's conversion is not perfect (and it can't be perfect), but one of the best.

Deinterlacing System

Deinterlacing does not work in either StageFright or MediaCodec. Only one of the two fields is displayed. Those. at the output of the decoder for interlaced video streams, you get half the frame rate and half the vertical resolution.

Video playback

Boxing handles almost any current content in Kodi (17.6) on NAS. Any UHD BDRemux played without problems (when connected via Keenetic Ultra). 2160p60 files and streams encoded with H.265 Main10 also play without problems. 2160p60 streams encoded with H.264 (for example, from some action cameras) do not play well because the H.264 decoder in the S905X does not support these options (only 2160p30 or 1080p60 H.264).

Autoframerate

About autoframerate

For those who do not know, I will briefly talk about autoframe rate ... Autoframerate is automatic installation screen frequency (and in some cases resolution) according to the frame rate of the video being played (and in some cases resolution). Autoframe provides uniformity, which is part of the smoothness.

Take for example a movie on a Blu-ray or UHD Blu-ray disc. Most of this content is 23.976 fps (frames per second) content. For simplicity, we will assume it is 24 fps.

Your device (box) outputs data in 3840x2160 mode at 60 Hz (as you set in the system settings). How to output a 24 fps movie at 60 Hz, i.e. turn 24 fps to 60 fps? The most trivial way, and it is also used on the vast majority of media players, is the 3:2 pull down conversion. Here is its meaning in the picture:

Two frames are made from the first frame, three from the second, two from the third, three from the fourth, and so on. Thus, you got a conversion of 24 frames > 60 frames. But this conversion has a negative effect called the judder effect (use Google search to understand the scale of this problem, and what actions are being taken to solve it, which eminent companies are involved in this) - unevenness. Those. in reality, some frames are displayed longer in time than others. Imagine that a ball is flying (24 frames). The first frame is displayed 1/30 sec, the second 1/20 sec, the third 1/30 sec, the fourth 1/20 sec, etc. Uneven flight, "twitching" ball. No problem if there is no dynamics in the video. But as soon as the dynamics begin (does not matter, vertically or horizontally), then all this manifests itself.

But as soon as the sweep frequency is 24 Hz, then everything will fall into place. There will be no transformations, because no need to adjust the 24 fps sequence to 24 Hz. Each frame will display an equal amount of time - 1/24 sec. The balance will be perfect. The ball will fly evenly. This is what autoframerate (a generalized concept) exists for. When starting a video stream, the player program (if it is a modern autoframe rate) or the system (if it is a system autoframe rate) sets the screen frequency so that it matches the frame rate in the stream or is a multiple of it.

Let me also remind you about the types of autoframerate ...

Autoframerate implemented in a particular program specifically for a particular box (i.e. using some proprietary functions or system commands of a particular box). It's old school and the most worst case autoframe implementations on the box.

System autoframe. It can be implemented either through separate StageFright and MediaCodec libraries with output to SurfaceView, or for two at once. In fact, this is a universal crutch. Programs do not even know what autoframe is and that the output mode is changing. Because Since this is a universal solution, this kind of autoframe can cause problems in some cases. For example, in some programs, intermediate switching may occur when rewinding, in IPTV managers, unnecessary switching may occur when switching channels, etc.

The so-called modern autoframe is an API introduced by Google still in the Android 6 system. An API similar in functionality is in the system from Amazon, and is in the tvOS system from Apple. But this API was implemented in the system only by a few box manufacturers. Its essence is that the program can change the resolution and frequency of the display at its discretion. These changes concern only the program itself, and not the system as a whole. This is the most correct and ideal implementation of autoframerate in programs, because everything is under their control, and not a system that cannot take into account special cases. That is why it is sometimes called modern autoframe for simplicity. Most popular programs that support modern autoframe: Kodi, ViMu, Perfect Player, Plex, Archos, Amazon Video, etc. And there will only be more such programs.

Xiaomi Mi Box S does not support any kind of autoframe. Xiaomi recently released a test update for the Mi Box with support for the so-called modern autoframe. So there is every chance that Xiaomi Mi Box S will still receive autoframerate in the future.

MVC MKV and BD3D ISO in Kodi only play in 2D.

DRM, Google Cast and legal VOD services

Xiaomi Mi Box supports Widevine DRM Level 1 and HDCP 2.2, Microsoft PlayReady DRM and CENC. Those. many legal VOD services will work without problems.

There is an official Netflix certification, 4K with HDR10 is supported.

There is full support for Google Cast.

Illegal VOD services and playing videos from torrents directly

With content from HD VideoBox ( different sources) there were no problems in ViMu.

To check the playback of torrents directly, I used TorrServe. If you do not take into account common problems that may occur when playing through TorrServe, then almost all UHD BDRemux that I tried played well using Keenetic Ultra. And with Xiaomi Mi Router 3G, all BDRemux and BDRip that I tried were played.

IPTV

IPTV from EDEM, OTTClub, Rostelecom (Wink), Beeline, etc. worked perfectly. There were no problems. Perfect Player with HW+ decoder switched channels in a fraction of a second.

With torrent TV services (streams with interlaced video of the original quality), everything is bad, because. systems lack deinterlacing in both StageFright and MediaCodec. Those. high-quality reproduction of such channels on Xiaomi Mi Box S is impossible - the frame rate is halved and the vertical resolution is halved. At the same time, there were frequent jams associated specifically with boxing, and not with the work of torrent TV at a particular point in time.

YouTube

2160p60 videos played without problems. In 5.1 audio (AAC) video, only stereo was output. HDR support is still not available in the official YouTube client for Android TV (Google is in no hurry to include it in its own product).

Conclusion

Is it good xiaomi box Mi Box S? More yes than no. For little money, you get a working box out of the box that does not need to be flashed, modified hardware, etc. We took it out of the box, turned it on and went to install desired programs. It will suit consumers who are undemanding in terms of video and sound quality, who want simplicity and convenience, a fresh Android TV system, and the use is limited to watching IPTV (with progressive video streams), legal and illegal VOD services, watching videos from NAS, broadcasting videos and photos on TV, 2D games, etc. For cinephiles who care about high-quality work with media content (auto frame rate, direct audio output, UHD Blu-ray, etc.), this box is not suitable. For those who want to watch torrent TV (a free version of IPTV with excellent quality but low stability), this box is not suitable. For those who like to play games (3D, game streaming), this box is not suitable. For those who like to use a browser on TV (there are still such people), this box is not suitable.

Let me remind you that Xiaomi Mi Box S (MDZ-22-AB) can be purchased at gear best. At the time of publication of the review, its price in the store was

Price: RUB 4,143.15

I bought on Aliexpress such a set-top box for my Xiaomi Mi TV Box 4 TV, this is probably the most best tv box running android-tv 6.0!

Advantages: Russian/Ukrainian interface, intuitive control, convenient voice search in Russian, Ukrainian and other languages!

Possibility for android 6.0 memory expansion due to USB flash drives, or an external screw! further strong and productive stuffing, makes it possible to work without errors and freezes! bluetooth remote control voice search on AAA batteries!

Small, neat, with a matte cover and a weighty attachment 170 gr! I have never seen such a cool and powerful device! satisfied very much! play market, google services out of the box.

Power-on setup in 3 minutes! complete set HDMI cable, remote control, manual, prefix, power supply unit with European plug! it needs to be felt! any formats, 4K, 3D, Dolby digital, 2 GB of RAM, 2 GHz and 4 cores processor, video accelerator! simply a masterpiece product from Xiaomi, for such money! best of the best! Delivery to Kyiv for 2 weeks.

For clarity, I found a video review from YouTube of this console.