Unlike a few years ago, when a television used to last us many years until we changed it, now those customs have disappeared and its useful life has been drastically reduced, not so much because they do not serve us, but because in a very short time the software that they bring becomes obsolete, streaming platform apps stop working and it’s time to find an alternative to continue enjoying Netflix, Disney +, HBO Max, etc.
What is one of those set-top boxes?
It is within this panorama of Smart TVs that are outdated or without support, where the so-called set-top boxes come in, which take this name from the old pay television decoders that became fashionable in some countries a few decades ago. Devices that received an encrypted signal, converted it into something viewable and projected it on our (then) tube TV in the living room.
So, although originally these devices were the ones that adopted that denomination of set-top box (which comes to mean in Spanish something like fixing the box on top or, better said, decoder ), the new smart devices that have their own operating system , remote control and storage ready to install applications and broadcast live have appropriated it. Something that does not stop happening with other terms that keep alive the old essentials of the format that saw them born. Or does that “celluloid star” not sound familiar to you? Who uses celluloid today to shoot a movie?
In the case of current set-top boxes, we are talking about accessories that connect to our television through an HDMI cable and that offer Ethernet and Wi-Fi wired network connections, audio outputs in some cases and, of course, the current to power the device.
In the case of Xiaomi, the entire system is driven by the presence of Android TV, in different versions, which we can update and which will ensure that, unlike the OS of our Smart TV, we will be able to continue enjoying all the services without major problems over the next few years. Even generations.
All Xiaomi set-top box models
It is curious that a segment of technology that in recent years has grown exponentially in the heat of streaming platforms, cloud games, etc., has not had Xiaomi as its main driver . Basically because in other areas it does not hesitate to release models without stopping, with different features that quickly become the favorites of users. Above all, for that price-quality ratio that makes Chinese models always have a competitive advantage.
Right now, Xiaomi only has one set-top box model officially on the market in Spain and the second, which we also show you, presumably will land in the coming months after a presentation that has recently taken place in China. As you may already know from other brand products, it is normal for there to be a delay from its release in Asia until an international version is made and confirmed that we can buy in the official Xiaomi online store.
Remember that these set-top boxes have fierce competition in another segment of Smart TV accessories, such as the so-called HDMI keys that they have in Google’s Chromecast, Amazon’s Fire TV Stick or Xiaomi’s own Mi TV Stick. main enemies and competitors.
In any case, below we leave you all the set-top boxes that Xiaomi has launched (and will launch) on the market.
Xiaomi Mi Box S
This model is the only one that we can buy right now in Spain since Xiaomi has eliminated the previous one that did not allow 4K resolutions. In this case, we will take home for a price of just 60 euros, a model capable of connecting to Smart TV UHD thanks to its 3,840 x 2,160 pixel resolution output. It comes equipped with a Cortex-A53 Quad-core 64 bit processor, a more than efficient Mali-450 GPU for streaming in 4K, 2 GB of DDR3 RAM and 8 gigs of internal eMMC storage.
As in all Xiaomi devices of this type, it comes with Android inside, specifically version 8.1, upgradable , support for the Mountain View assistant, Wi-Fi (2.4 and 5 GHz), Bluetooth 4.0 and 4K video decoder at 60 frames per second. It is capable of playing video formats (also through its USB connector) RM, MOV, VOB, AVI, MKV, TS, Mp4 and 3D.
Sound-wise, it offers Dolby and DTS support and can play MP3, APE files. and Flac , Its HDMI connector is 2.0a and it offers audio output in case we want to connect the Mi Box S to an amplifier or external audio equipment to improve the viewing experience.
Xiaomi Mi Box 4S Max 8K
The new model, which was presented in China on June 7, 2022, will come with an improvement in hardware to allow smooth and uncut broadcasts in resolutions up to 8K . To achieve this, Xiaomi has resorted to a new processor, an Amlogic S905X3 –4 x Cortex-A55 at 1.91 GHz–, a more advanced GPU, Mali-G31 MP2, more memory, doubling that of the Mi Box S and placing it in the 4GB and a very large internal storage thanks to the 64 gigabytes available.
In addition, this new model adds a more advanced HDMI 2.1 output than the previous one, the ability to play content in 4K HDR with a cadence of 60 frames per second and, obviously, the possibility of increasing that performance up to 8K (if you have a television to enjoy it). ).
It also maintains the USB connector, dual-band Wi-Fi (2.4 and 5 GHz), Bluetooth, compatibility with Dolby Audio and DTS, and a new remote control that pairs wirelessly with the set-top box via Bluetooth, and that It allows us not to have to be pointing directly at it to move through its menus and choose its options.
As we say, at the moment it will only be for sale in the Chinese market, so its landing in Spain will have to wait at least a few months, which could mean that until after the summer we will not have the option of getting it at a price. which, at least in yuan (499) becomes just 70 euros to change.