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Xiaomi Mi TV Box 3 [Global Version] 4K/BT/Wi-Fi/Android 6 US $69.99 (~AU $97.94) Delivered @ AliExpress
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Pricebeat on 21/12/2016 - 13:20 aliexpress.com (3289 clicks)
Last edited 22/12/2016 - 00:40 by 1 other user
Last edited 22/12/2016 - 00:40 by 1 other user
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Wi-Fi only sucks
Err… explain?
yes, go on why does the wi-fi suck?
I think they're after a lan port.
I was reading you can get a USB to lan adapter
Usb is cpu intensive so a usb lan adapter is not a good idea.
I'm using one purely on the inbuilt WiFi and it's fine.
In his review, Lon Seidman actually got better results over WiFi than using an adapter on this unit as it happens.
Yep, makes sense the usb adapter would perform poorly.
yea an adapter would be cpu based rather than having dedicated hardware processing. a LAN port integrated into the motherboard would be heaps better than wi-fi.
Can play 4k netflix and 4k youtube without an issue on this with AC wifi..
Wifi only sucks for people with crappy routers/AP's
yeah, crappy routers and misconfigured routers. I can see over 30 wifi networks in my lounge room but still have decent wifi myself. All about picking the right channel!
Wifi did suck on my Mi Box with large files (Plex/Kodi 1080p larger files were stuttering). Switched to 5Ghz network and now silky smooth.
Its not about a router, but IEEE 802.11 standard itself.
Speed and duplex are the keys.
With Lan you easily can get 1000Mbps. 802.11ac theoretically can provide more, but it depends on number of antennas on your client device.
This guy has 2 antennas and can reach up to 800Mbps which is great. However, if there is wall or number of walls between router and tv box - speed will be lower.
Half duplexing might be an issue when you have many devices (who doesnt?). To simplify - device sends part of data and pause to check if someones want to sent another data to it, then continue. It might increase latency.
You'll struggle with any decent file size (20-30Gb) over wifi
LAN is preferable for video streaming - better speed and full-duplex.More about wifi speeds
http://www.forbes.com/sites/gordonkelly/2014/12/30/802-11ac-…More about duplex
http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/what-is-half-duplex-and-full-du…Lol 4k streaming on WiFi nothing beats lan sure you will have buffering issues
@stussy:
LMFAO. What bandwidth do you think you need for 4k h.265 video. 10 Mbps is about it. 20-30 Mbps for video with lots of action@Phoebus: lol I was getting buffering issues streaming from my PC to my minix x8 plus box at 1080 never mind 4k thru wifi
@AlbyDuck: is that from your PC? I have a lot of trouble transferring a 60GB file over wifi to my Macbook and most UHD movies are 40-60GB on my PC so i'm not sure this box would be up to the task.
@Agret: Mostly from Netflix. I've got two uhd movies on my computer and neither of them is high bit rate. Only about 5Gb each. Don't know what's up with the encoding there… I'm not sure the Netflix stuff is that high either. Looks great though. My internet connection is pretty good (NBN).
There is still a huge difference between quality of wifi in routers and APs all using the same standards.
@AlbyDuck: oh yeah if it's from Netflix that would be fine as this thing from memory runs Android TV so should be able to receive 4K Netflix. Netflix has some crazy encoding system where it matches the bit rate to your available download speed on the fly to avoid excessive buffering. Netflix UHD movies are pretty low bitrate though but they'd have to be to stream at such a high resolution.
5G WiFi is no issue at all. Fairly congestion and interference proof and plenty of bandwidth
5G WiFi is no issue at all. Fairly congestion and interference proof and plenty of bandwidth
if anyone sources a replacement power cable with an au plug let me know - the adapters are hideous!
I got one from Jaycar, went to the store with the original adaptor and asked for a similar one. Works fine eventhough the one the they have was only 5v, instead of 5.2v. It might be this one:
https://www.jaycar.com.au/5vdc-1000ma-ultra-slim-switchmode-…
If you buy from AliExpress, good luck if you get a faulty item, their "buyer protection" is actually seller protection, and they side with seller in dispute, you can see the reviews here: https://au.trustpilot.com/review/www.aliexpress.com
I personally would only buy low value items from AliExpressI've had one decent experience with AliExpress, where they sided with me, the buyer and refunded my money, but not the postage.
However, I had my credit card number stolen, and I strongly suspect is was via AliExpress.
if youre checking out with alipay, the seller doesnt see your credit card details
why the hell would alibaba risk its reputation and steal your CC details
oh we've had 4 disputes, happy with the outcome of all. 3 full refunds, 1 partial refund (at my suggestion).
Thoughts on this over a Amazon Fire TV (Gen 2)?
Pros/Cons?
Got mine waiting at the post office to pick up today after buying from this seller 3 weeks ago… super keen to start playing with my new toy :)
FFS. Keep replying to the guy above and post keeps getting put under this comment. Weird. I'll keep it here and hope he sees it!!
"Well it runs AndroidTV not Fire OS which some think is a plus. However there's not been a single update to it since launch so security wise it is probably behind a firetv.
Personally I actually like the fact FireTV is tied to your Amazon account instead of Google account as it makes getting out of region apps easier (eg BBC iPlayer). The FireTV also allows adb connection over the LAN without messing around rooting which makes side loading apps and otherwise pushing data to it easier.
Also being a 'proper' AndroidTV device, this unit expects apps to be certified leanback to get on the apps list which is also a pain of you're side loading (you may find yourself installing a launcher).
Main benefit of this is Chromecast built-in, but this isn't as good as a dedicated Chromecast in many regards (few glitches here and there, Netflix demands the local app installed and bugs out when casting every so often).
Firetv is the only device which will stream Amazon Prime Video natively/properly if you want that.
So pros and cons with each…
Oh, CEC not brilliant with this unit either."
it's happening to my comment too, weird
Thanks for the info.
I currently have an Amazon Fire TV (Gen 1) with Kodi and Fire-starter installed. Working well so far.
But was thinking of upgrading. Might wait and see what new AndoridTV devices come up early next year.I don't need a 4k player just yet, still waiting for a 4k 65inch HRD10 TV for under $2k. It's getting mighty close.
This is much snappier than you have presently. But if you're happy with your current navigation speed I'd see no compelling reason to upgrade from what you have.
CEC issues fixed with the latest 7.1.1 android TV update. Vouch for this plus talked to head Dev of android TV who confirmed
Great! Let's hope Xiaomi push that out then.
Cool, I didn't know CEC support had been added to Android. What about HD Bitstreaming?
Paid $125 for this from Geekbuying and thought that was worth it. This is a sweet deal.
is this a good solution for for youtube/netflix/kodi and usb playback
Yes it is. All supported out of the box plus it acts as a chromecast.
thanks, thought so, just wanted to double check. Purchased!
Got mine yesterday. It's great for that stuff only thing is catch up services like ABC iView aren't available from appstore. Have to use them through Kodi, which is probably better anyway. As for the device, Quality remote and simple setup are big pluses I think.
can you sideload them? (i.e. download to another android device, then backup the APK file, and upload that to the box?
@supabrudda:
Yeah you can install them from USB drive with ES file explorer. iView works ok but the app crashes when I search. But you can surf through the menus and watch content. Realistically if you know what you are looking for it's much better to use the Kodi plugin.You can sideload pretty much anything I guess but of course you don't get updates etc unless you hunt them down yourself.
I would be interested to know as well…would this be any better than the $50-60 android boxes?
Mainly for kodi
yes much better. only negative is hevc 10bit videos play with a green screen at present but if you dont know what that is it wont effect you. Normally aquired videos play fine even 4k blurays
what's much better about it?
The $50 android boxes play hevc 10 bit using hardware decoding without a problem. Many also have a real ethernet port. I'd love to hear what is better - it seems double the price for largely the same thing.
@factor: No chromecast on cheap boxes, no android tv either which means your Netflix etc is limited to 480p whereas this mi box plays 4k netflix.. Its a certified box running a tv os vs a cheap box running the tablet android interface on your tv.. same same but different. If all you want is a kodi box then the $50 ones are perfect, however i need a little more than that
@garvani: cheers.
Guess I'm not seeing the benefit as I have a chromecast already (which does chromecast, without being glitchy). I see the Android boxes to merely be stop-gap until everything I want to use supports chromecast. I also use my Android box for playing HEVC - the TV is too old to natively cope with that compression. It's also my foreign TV solution.
The chromecast concept of touchscreen interface with big-screen non-interactive display suits me well. I'll prefer that long-term.
Be happy with the more polished interface and "certification". I'll be happy with cheaper for now :).
@factor:
Yeah I guess it depends on what you want. there's nothing wrong with a cheap box if it does what you need it to. I think for what I do one of those would have done the job. I bought this box because I knew it had a decent bluetooth voice remote and HDMI CEC would just work without hassles. Also the wifi in it is good so you can dispense with extra cables. I'm enjoying mine but I haven't had an Android box to compare it to. Android TV seems restrictive so far.the $50 boxes have normal Android and a launcher, once I won does have the old Google TV interface.
This comes with Android TV so it's a bit more optimised interface for use with remotes rather than touch screens or wireless keyboards.
Sad thing is Google doesn't have a reference Android TV product like they used to have their Nexus player, Google TV never really took off, so I guess Google is letting other take the risks in uptake…. so "certification" is a broad term if you can't download and run the OS from Google on a device, unlike Nexus where the OS comes from Google.
Would be nice to get one and try it against my $50 Android 6 TV box in regards to look and feel, and the voice activated remote looks interesting.
I'm looking for something that plays 10bit hevc effortlessly with dolby digital, true HD sound compatibility.
much, much better mate. The Mi box comes with Android 6.0, whereas the cheap android boxes come with essentially a mobile version of android.
Mainly for kodi
For Kodi, not really. But for everything else, yes. Notably hi-def netflix and youtube.
(standard android netflix client is 480p and designed for touchscreen)If you just want Kodi, try a Raspberry Pi.
Mi box comes with Android 6.0
Matters not for Kodi.
I've got a Pi and a Beelink MXIII II. The Beelink is cheaper overall but you really have to put the latest AMLogic LibreElec on it for best results. Actually there's a bit of stuffing around with both of these options, but you get great Kodi (and nothing but).
the other boxes use the same binaries as phones, so if it's in the play store for a phone, it plays on the "generic" android TV boxes.
Not sure about the Android TV version of android …..but then it's all Linux under the hood.
IMHO, the best solution is to install Kodi and Stream Torrent Videos on your Android Phone and miracast it to your TV.
Pros:
- No additional hardware needed.
- Touch screen and gesture controls and on your phone is far superior than remote.
- Plugging in a headphone to not disturb sleeping family members.
Cons:
- Cyberlockers are throwing every trick in the book to block Kodi users as they see Kodi users as leechers. Lots of them go under without enough ad revenue. This is 'thief' use theft prevention tools in an effort to keep his pirated stuff from being stolen by other thieves!
As a result, you tend to see less and less 1080P sources in Kodi unless you subscribe to a paid streaming URL sniffing and deobfuscation service.
Solution: When no 1080P sources available in Kodi, you can easily use Stream Torrent Videos to stream the full HD video torrents and miracast to TV.
2.Battery drains quickly. Wireless charging would be handy.
I've bought 4 of these for 4 different people (and 20+ workmates) and its been amazing. Preloaded Kodi and Exodus etc etc. Aus help and warranty.
http://pclive.com.au/store/miibox-quad-core-2ghz-android-4.4…
What's the advantage or the Xiaomi?
That box is limited to SD Netflix though right, and is not running Android TV?
Main advantage of the Xiaomi is it is 'real' AndroidTV not Android. so you get the official loeanback interface which may or may not be useful depending how good a launcher there is on the box you've been getting. This one is also 'certified' for 4K with NetFlix if that's important. Also acts as a Chromecat (kind of, sort of) if you want to cast things to it from other devices.
Just of a search for AndroidTV vs Android and I'm sure you'll see what the difference is. However the box you've linked to does look good, spec wise. No idea how good the updates have been to it though.
4K on here is rubbish check Long Seidman review of it. Plus the old Nexus player is actually faster than this.
I have both the Mi Box and Nexus Player.. and the Mi Box feels much much faster. Maybe my NP is getting old, but the difference is night and day for me.
@JoelT: getting old perhaps or optimization. I know benchmarks aren't everything but they're night and day there too. Xiaomi usually optimise the shit out of their UI on their phones
Thinking of getting this one - thoughts anyone
https://www.zapals.com/h96-pro-tv-box-android-6-0-kodi-3g-16…Depends if you want the 'Android TV' interface or not.
Official Android TV has much nicer native apps for Netflix (4K approved)/Plex/Youtube etc - plus voice search, plus it works as a Chromecast.If you just want to use Kodi/XBMC, then you have a million boxes to pick from.
Err…. no. Avoid the s912 SoC (according to everyone at Kodi).
how does xbmc run on this?
Via the Kodi app
So this has Kodi, can someone let me know if you can install the Optus FetchTV app on this? Kind of insterested to get it as a cheaper alternative to FetchTV box.
You can sideload heaps of different Android apps (download the .apk files) - but most are built for touchscreen, so you'll need to use a mouse to interact.
@JoelT: Great to know you can still install APKs, just wanted to check if fetchtv was natively support first was all, if it isn't I would probably just get a normal android box instead.
@JoelT:
Its worth getting an air-mouse (wiimote style) if using such apps from the couch. e.g. ABC iView.@manic:
Yep air mouse is a good idea for non-native apps, but I moved to AndroidTV to never have to use a mouse again lol. My current Mi Box setup with AndroidTV apps and Kodi can be 99% controlled with the included remote.Also, ABC iView and SBSonDemand have native Android TV apps, just need to find and download the Apks.
Also, ABC iView and SBSonDemand have native Android TV apps, just need to find and download the Apks.
That settles it. I'm ordering this now :-)
@manic:
ABC and SBS are available here if anyone is interested http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum-replies.cfm?t=2447003&p…
Not to mention both apps are also Chromecast-able now.@JoelT:
"Not to mention both apps are also Chromecast-able now."Wow - finally SBS - less than a month ago. So far only possible from the Android app, next year from the iOS app (according to the SBS FAQ).
How well does it's chromecast work? SBS on demand hadn't seemed so impressive to date. Why the two government broadcasters needed different apps and streaming infrastructure is beyond me.
Does this play local 4K Uhd Hevc files on a hard drive? Eg USB stick .
Guys I am a novice at these things.
Can this thing do Chinese / Japanese shows like TVpad? Also…the screenshot shows an NBA logo as a choice.
Can this thing watch NBA streams for free or you still have to pay for the subscriptions?
I think you should be able to watch those through KODI
Chinese channels (CCTV) and other video add ons that can provide access to variety shows, dramas, and movies.
Japanese is tougher as there is no NHK dedicated add on, however, you are at the mercy of add ons that provide access to Japanese dramas/movies/anime. I've yet to find one that provides straight up Japanese channels like CCTV.
Thanks. I have Kodi 16.1 installed in my TV box. How do I install CCTV?
I just bought a ChromeBox 4Gb on eBay yesterday…. would this have been better?
I bought one of these from geekbuying and it arrived yesterday, initial impressions are generally pretty good.
Love that voice search can find items in your Plex library as well as Netflix/Hulu/Google Play.
It's fairly easy to sideload apps to it and using something like HAL Launcher makes them available to load from the interface, there are plenty of guides on how to do fairly simple hacks to get things working.
I did notice some problems with the Youtube app though, videos seemed to stutter a bit. Also noticed the same issue when using the device as a Chromecast receiver, maybe there'll be an update that fixes this though.
Did you sideload the hulu app? I can't manage to get the US play store to work (even with PIA VPN app)
Otherwise, I agree with your assessment—great product, blows other's out of the water, despite minor playback setbacks.
Yeah, sideloaded, downloaded it from APK Mirror, installed X-Plore (because ES File Explorer is dodgy as hell these days), connected it to my Dropbox and installed from there.
Make sure you get Hulu for Android TV and not regular Hulu, it's a different APK.
What's the best value non 4K player for kodi at the moment?
I'd still say this is the best value non 4K player for kodi at the moment, even though it does 4K as well.
Even the $50 905x players do 4k.
I'd say anything with a S905 or S905x SoC. They do 4k as well. I like the Beelink MXIII II. If you prefer wired to wireless try to find the older MXIII model.
What u guys think about this android box
MECOOL BB2 Pro TVBox Amlogic S912 64 bit Octa core ARM Cortex-A53 3G/16G Android 6.0 Tv Box WiFi BT4.0 2.4G/5.8G kodi 4K Player
http://s.aliexpress.com/zErqyQnI
(from AliExpress Android)3 Gb DDR4 Ram
Good CPU n GPU
Based on Android 6.0
Comes with Kodi 17.0(latest ver)
Almost same price but with better specsI personally prefer this
If you only want Kodi/XBMC, then any box is good - go for power.
If you want official 'Android TV', then it's a choice of this Mi Box, Nvidia Shield, or Razor Forge (or buy a new Sony or Sharp TV).
I think people hope that a major brand like Xiaomi means regular updates and long term support….. But this might not be true, some of the other boxes are on Android 6 already.
the mibox is android 6.0—it's 7.0 that we're waiting for. Just for clarity's sake.
Must have been a pricing error? WRONG OOPS Showing 30% off giving total of AU $97.81, excluding delivery - 2 days left.
Edit: I checked the heading five times looking for a code, and all I saw was the 69.99 lol. Bloody Ozbargain gene.
That's what the title says
US $69.99 (~AU $97.94)
is this the same as the deal that was posted last week?
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Xiaomi-MI-BOX-International-…
spriggan43 on 21/12/2016 - 13:21 Comment score below threshold.
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