Xiaomi Mi TV Stick Review Streaming your TV in 2021
The Xiaomi Mi TV stick was launched in India in August at a price of Rs 2,799. Flipkart is an online sales partner. It can be found for as low as Rs. 1,999 during the festive season, so stay tuned. It is the second streaming device in the country after the Mi Box 4K in May.
How to set up a Mi TV stick
The boot setup is not rocket science here, it’s a plug and play, simple device. You have to connect the Mi TV stick to the HDMI port on your TV. For those with a wall-mounted TV, you may need to purchase a separate converter as it can be difficult to connect the rod.
Once the Mi TV stick is inserted into the HDMI port of the TV, the next step is to connect the supplied micro USB cable to the Mi TV rod and connect it to the power adapter and activate the switch. In the first boot, you have to keep the remote ready as the process requires some action. The TV will ask you to press two buttons (app and home buttons) at same time, once this is done the remote will be paired with the Mi TV stick.
It is very simple to set up further for anyone who has an Android phone setup. You have to select the language, region and connect to Wi-Fi (you can also use the hot spot of the phone). Once you are connected to a Wi-Fi network, you can proceed with the on-screen instructions to set up your Android TV. For a better user experience, it is best to sign in with your Google Account so that all content and services are synced to your Xiaomi Mi TV stick.
After completing all of the above steps, all the sticks you can do with Google Play services, including the Play Store and Google Assistant, will be taken to you through several slides. Finally, once you click on all the terms and conditions, you will be taken to the home screen. From here, you can start viewing content from a variety of platforms. Some services, such as Netflix, Prime Video, and YouTube, are pre-loaded, and others can be installed on your TV via the Google Play Store.
Build and design
My Stick is very simple to design and build. It is an HDMI stick and can be referred to by some as a long pendrive. It is made of good quality plastic and has a matte and glossy finish which gives it an elegant look. You get an HDMI port on the top and a micro USB port sitting on the side of the device. The front of the rod also comes with the Mi logo. Once you connect the Mi TV stick to your TV you will not see the stick.
The box comes with a remote and is the same as the one you get with the Mi Box 4K. However, there is one small difference. Netflix and Prime Video Hotkey now come in white instead of black. Everything else remains the same. There is a power button to move around, a Google Assistant button and a D-pad. In the second half of the button layout, you will get the app launch button, back and home key. Hotkey and volume control completes the button layout. Buttons may be more tactical but it is not a customer. The remote connects via Bluetooth and requires several AAA batteries that do not reach the box. Remotes use Bluetooth instead of IR control. This is a very good move as the Mi TV stick is often behind the TV. Both my TV stick and remote are made of good quality plastic material and there is not much to complain about.
Features and Performance
This is where the magic of transforming a non-smart TV into a smart TV comes into play. Simply put, the Mi TV stick was most appealing to us and will suffice for anyone looking for a cheap streaming device and converting an existing TV into a smart TV. For starters, you have pre-installed apps like YouTube, Prime Video, Netflix and you can download apps like Disney Plus Hotstar, C5, Sony Live and more.
The interface is clean with a clean UI design. The application library works very well. Apps are optimized for TV and are not just extensions of the mobile app. The icons are decent in size and all recently installed and used apps come to the first line (order can be customized), the second line contains the displays of several OTT platforms you are currently viewing, which is really useful for you ‘Think. For example, if you watch Silicon Sand Season 1 episode 3 tonight and turn off the TV and turn on the Mi TV stick the next morning, you can go straight to Episode 4 with 2 clicks. This always takes you through the process of opening the app and then selecting the display to continue watching where you went.
The YouTube app also recommends videos based on your viewing history and contributions. On the right side of the home screen, you can access all the installed apps by clicking the Remote App button. For this screen, you can go to Google Play Store or Google Play Games to download apps and games. There are over 5,000 apps and games made for TV.
With a search bar at the top of the home screen, you can use a keyboard to search for content, or use Google Assistant. For all apps, you’ll need to sign in, and there’s a simple process where you enter the URL you receive when you open the app on the TV and sign in to your account from the phone. On the screen. On older TVs, the login process had to be done manually using the subpar keyboard on the interface.
Viewing content from services such as YouTube, Netflix, Disney Plus Hotstar, Prime Video and Sony Live was never a problem for us. However, the quality of the stream is limited to full HD and it is good for the asking price. You can watch 4K content but the streaming is limited to full HD. This means that if you have a 32-inch, 40-inch, or 43-inch TV, the Mi TV stick is more appropriate. For a larger screen, 4K content, and HDR support, the Mi Box is best paired with 4K or higher.
Interestingly, we observed slightly better picture quality than the Amazon Firestick (end-gen). It can be due to a number of factors, so your number of miles may vary.
If you want to view any content on your pen drive or hard drive, you are out of luck. Unlike the Mi Box 4K, the Xiaomi Mi TV Stick misses the USB port. However, you will be able to view the content on a larger screen from your phone. The Chromecast feature works well and is not limited to the mirror, you can continue to use your phone while the content is playing in the background.
The Mi TV Stick runs on Android 9 TV OS and Xiaomi has added a few features here. The data protection feature, which was limited to Xiaomi’s Patch Wall UI, is now part of the Android TV operating system. As the name implies, it saves data. This is made for users of a device with a hot spot over the phone. And it can save up to 3x data.
All the performance on My TV Stick was very smooth and fun. We were lagging behind on a few occasions but got better with an update. Android TV OS and Google Support make it very easy for any smartphone user. With Google Assistant, you can control smart home appliances such as smart bulbs and cameras right from your TV.
