Smart TV set-top box for Android - TOP 10

A modern Android set-top box matches the functionality of any Smart TV.
This becomes especially relevant in light of the fact that manufacturers have learned to block the functions of their smart TVs depending on their own ideas about what is right and legal, and it is not a fact that they will not “tighten the screws” even further. Thank God, a high-quality smart TV set-top box is head and shoulders above any smart device, it is easy to set up and change to a more productive one in the future. Using a smart TV set-top box for TVs, you can watch movies in any format (even 4K with Dolby Atmos) and even without prior downloading. Watch IP television (200 channels or more) for very little money - say, 60 rubles per month. Watch Youtube or the version for children Youtube Kids, make video calls via Skype or any messenger, play games on a wireless joystick, listen to music and radio and much, much more. The main thing is to buy the right set-top box, and in this article we will tell you which one. Together we will select a console that suits your capabilities and budget. Let’s immediately note all the unsuccessful options, a huge number of which are sold on the Internet, and focus only on the main thing - your future pleasure from the purchase. Update January 23, 2021: Since publishing this text in 2021, we have already rewritten the buying recommendations twice. The text contains and structures all the most relevant information for the beginning of 2021. The main purchasing recommendations are as follows:

• Nvidia Shield Android TV (for lovers of everything, the cost in Russia is about 20 thousand, the cost on Ebay is about 15 thousand + delivery);
• Ugoos X2 Cube, X2 Pro (cheap and practical, about 3.5..4 thousand rubles with delivery from Russia - the latter may be important due to fears of coronavirus);
• Xiaomi Mi Box S (4..4.5 thousand rubles, for fans of licensed content).

Before purchasing, it is wise to test the real speed of your Internet through a speed test, because it is important to understand: a) do you need a wired connection or is Wi-Fi speed enough; b) does the current tariff plan and provider allow you to pump video of the required quality. As a rule, an honest 50-60 megabits is enough even for 4K, provided that no one else is occupying your channel.

And now in more detail:

What can an Android TV set-top box do?

1. View video files in any format from any source in resolution up to 4K.
   As a rule, such set-top boxes already have a media processor such as Kodi and its various varieties installed, which allows you to watch and catalog video content in a convenient way. You can do without Kodi, because there are many programs for every taste and color.
2. Search and view video content immediately
   , without prior downloading. You can use either legal services like Okko or Ivi, or semi-legal ones. The last point needs to be specially written about, because the work of the HD VideoBox program is just some kind of holiday. You enter the name of the film in the search, after which you simply select the desired source (usually there are 3-4 sites to choose from that have this video or a list of torrents that you can immediately turn on) and start watching. Straightaway! In total, from the moment “I want” to “I watch in excellent quality”, 5 seconds pass. If you choose a series or a multi-part cartoon, then you will be asked to choose a season and an episode. After which you will also instantly start watching it, and the player remembers the episode and position. The funny thing is that there are clients for completely pirated sites with a paid subscription (appreciate the irony, a paid subscription on a pirated site!), where you don’t even have to select a source. Just watch with subtitles and many translated tracks.
3. Youtube
   - which has essentially become a new television, again in resolution up to 4K;
4. Watching Youtube Kids
   , a special version of Youtube for children, free of any adult and potentially harmful content with carefully selected programs and channels;
5. Watch a huge number of over-the-air channels over the Internet
   (sometimes for free, but often for a nominal fee of $1-2) in a set that is close to or exceeds standard cable packages. An additional feature is viewing the so-called archive for 5-7 days, when you can turn on any program of any channel from yesterday or the day before yesterday. For example, watch a missed football match or news broadcast.
6. Working in game console mode
   : games are launched, both originally made for Android, and all kinds of simulators of game consoles, such as the legendary tanks from Dandy and games of the first PlayStation. Well, if we are talking about NVIDIA SHIELD (more about it below), then it has its own huge store of games designed for this powerful console;
7. Stream from Steam
   to TV via Steam Link. Essentially transferring the monitor screen to the TV.
8. Video calls from TV via Skype
   , with the connection of most common cameras and other instant messengers;
9. Listen to high-quality music online with a direct connection to the receiver
   . At the moment, there are many services that allow you to connect to a huge music database for a small fee, and the tracks offered to you can be selected based on your musical preferences. No matter how stupid it may sound, over the years it becomes more and more difficult to find new and interesting music, and services like Youtube Music or Yandex.Music do an excellent job (at least that’s the only way I’ve been listening to music for a long time). Therefore, if you have an Android set-top box and a receiver that has been tested over the years and that completely suits you in terms of sound, you can perfectly upgrade it.
10. Listening to thousands of radio stations
    : similar to the previous point, you can select any radio station to your liking by launching it using a special application;

Listening to audio books

while doing housework.

comparison table

Detailed characteristics of popular TV set-top box models of 2021 will be presented here.

What is a typical Smart set-top box?

Most “Smart TV set-top boxes” are made in China and are, in fact, an ordinary Android tablet with powerful hardware, to which many USB inputs have been added and a display has been removed. Set-top boxes not made in China, for the most part, are practically no different functionally, but are more expensive (this does not apply to the Nvidia Shield as an undisputed flagship).

As with Android tablets, progress does not stand still, and manufacturers rivet 2-3 models per year on different processors. Since there are many manufacturers, there are also a huge number of these models, which leads to terrible confusion. The funny thing is that most consoles are based on the same hardware and differ only in the quality of workmanship, the tendency to overheat and, most importantly , the degree of buggyness of the firmware.

Before we go any further, let's clarify a few concepts that will be important when choosing a console.

Android TV

As a rule, set-top boxes come with two fundamentally different interfaces. The first is a regular Android, on which a slightly modified desktop (launcher) is installed, adapted to work with a remote control. The advantages of this option: this is a regular Android, on which you can install any application, both from the play market and from Explorer. In my opinion, such a console is a little easier to customize - i.e. customizable to suit your needs. An example of such a set-top box is Cube X2.

The second option is a specially modified version of Android called Android TV. It is produced by Google and was originally designed to work with a TV. Its distinctive feature is a lot of interactive icons on the desktop and a special application store intended only for programs adapted for the TV screen. The operating system is licensed separately, and, as a rule, second-tier Chinese manufacturers do not have the money for it or the hardware is not powerful enough. Examples of set-top boxes with Android TV: Nvidia Shield and Xiaomi Mi Box S.

Obviously, Android TV is prettier and has great voice search by default. Moreover, Google updates the system periodically adding new features. It is also obvious that Android TV is more suitable for licensed content. Whereas “unlicensed” applications like HDVideobox are installed on it with additional shamanism.

An additional disadvantage of Android TV, for me personally, is the inability to fine-tune and use “what they give,” whereas on “naked” Android there is more room for maneuver. Thank God, on good inexpensive consoles you can try both options and decide for yourself which you like best.

Autofremrate

The second feature characteristic of Android consoles is autoframe rate. Essentially, this is adjusting video content to the refresh rate of the TV. Example: usually a video contains 24 frames in one second (remember the horror stories about the 25th frame?). TV refresh rate: 60 frames per second. Since 60 is not evenly divided by 24, the system decides to show some frames for 2 milliseconds, some for 3. As a result, we have a jerky image, especially in dynamic scenes. Some people see it, some don't. If you are among the first, then you have to choose your console more carefully.

There are two types of autoframe rate: system and modern. The system one is set immediately in the settings and tries to be applied everywhere. Sometimes this causes applications to not work correctly or the wrong mode to be selected. The so-called “modern” autoframe rate” (software) works more subtly and is configured in a specific program.

Deinterlacing

Picture problem number 2: interlacing. A large amount of video is stored in what is called an interlaced format. Those. when each frame consists of two interlaced halves and is shown alternately.

Such a picture is either glued together from two, which leads to blurring of elements, the so-called comb and a decrease in the video frequency and its detail. Or the second half of the frame is not shown at all, which leads to a jerky video. As you understand, watching such a video normally is problematic. Especially on a good TV. So in good set-top boxes, this problem is solved by the so-called. smart interaligning that is performed on the fly. But not every console has this.

WiFi and wired connection

Everything is clear here. Since we watch heavy videos, incl. with 4K resolution, we need a good data link to the set-top box. If we have a good router and the signal reaches the set-top box normally, we can get by with WiFi. If not, then only the wire. And here two nuances are important: how good the transmitter is in your set-top box and whether it has an input for a wire.

Now, armed with this knowledge, let's go through the current consoles.

What is an Android TV set-top box

A TV box is a small electronic device that runs on the Android operating system. Equipped with a processor and RAM. Doesn't have its own screen. The TV monitor acts as a display after connecting the device.

The following advantages will help to better describe the TV box:

• clear interface. Android boxes run on the OS of the same name, which allows owners of Android tablets and smartphones to easily understand the desktop;
• convenient use. Application windows are minimized, allowing you to view multiple pages, just like on a regular computer;
• easy connection. The device is connected to the TV via AV-out, HDMI or VGA connectors;
• attractive power. Models are equipped with a dual or quad-core processor and sufficient RAM. The components provide full-fledged work with Internet content;
• regular operating system updates. The device remains relevant for many years, thanks to constant upgrades.

Users also noted the portability of the console. You can take it with you to the dacha, on a visit or on long trips. Additional advantages are low cost and durability.

Choosing a TV set-top box for yourself

As in any business, there are several objective leaders among manufacturers of Android set-top boxes (aka Android boxes). Moreover, the concept of leader is changing very quickly. Just yesterday it was Minix and Zidoo, the second tier was Ugoos, and the third were a lot of consoles like Mecool, Beelink and others. In 2021, Minix practically died, Zidoo tried to move into the premium console sector and could not survive the transition. As a result, Ugoos moved from second to first place, and it’s not a fact that it will stay there for a very long time - its updated Ugoos AM6 console is slightly inferior in price to Nvidia Shield, which makes the purchase almost pointless. However, Ugoos has excellent budget consoles Cube X2/X2 Pro, and updated Cube X3/X3 Pro. But first things first.

The best Android console

So, at the beginning of 2021, the objectively best console is the Nvidia Shield. Despite being tailored for gaming, it has excellent and powerful hardware and polished firmware, allowing it to be a universally recognized leader.

The only thing that spoils it is the price, around 15-16 thousand rubles in the USA or 20-21 thousand in Russia. For watching a movie, this is, in my opinion, a lot. Moreover, there are cheaper alternatives. However, if you're also into serious gaming, or just love the best of everything, there's nothing better than the Shield. Well, according to the experience of the previous edition, the prefix practically does not age and remains an unattainable leader for many years.

Pros:

• The most powerful hardware, excellent Wi-Fi
• Availability of modern auto-frequency, ability to properly remove interlacing
• Android TV
• Excellent firmware and long support
• There is a wired connection (LAN)

Minuses:

• Price!

Adequate price

After Shield come first-tier Chinese companies. Until recently, these were Minix and Zidoo and Ugoos (I don’t mention the famous Xiaomi, because it’s a little out of the way and I’ll explain why a little lower). The first two companies produced high-quality TV boxes, distinguished not only by flagship functionality, powerful hardware and good build quality, but also by very high-quality firmware. But they quickly “blown away” and now the leader is Ugoos.

Again, until recently, the best set-top box from this manufacturer was the Ugoos AM3, costing about 5 thousand. However, recently a budget set-top box has appeared, produced under a sub-brand, called X2 Cube (note that the name does not mention the parent company, however, the set-top box is developed, produced and supported by Ugoos. Which allows us to talk about high-quality hardware, high-quality firmware and long-term support.

Pros:

• Price 3.5-4 thousand rubles
• A well-known manufacturer, and, as a result, polished firmware and a long update
• It has access to the chip manufacturer and can remove errors that third-tier manufacturers cannot fix.
• Availability of modern auto-frame rate, ability to properly remove interlacing
• "Naked" Android. In theory, this is a minus, but on 4Pda there are third-party firmwares that add Android TV to the console. You can try regular Android with a wide range of settings and Android TV. Therefore it’s a plus

Minuses:

• Frequent defects with the power supply. Thank God, there is a regular Micro USB at 2A, i.e. Normal power supplies from modern smartphones are suitable. If you buy on Ali, we traditionally recommend Ugreen.
• Not very strong WiFi. Those. it's okay, but there are better ones.

In addition to the X2 Cube, there is a Pro modification with a green stripe on the lid. It features twice the memory (4/32Gb) and an improved power supply. It costs 1-1.5 thousand more, but, in my opinion, there is no particular point in buying it. As a rule, 2Gb of memory is enough for 99% of the tasks of any Smart TV set-top box. The only “but” arises if you are going to install a browser and open many tabs + install 2-3 instant messengers. In this case, yes, you will really need RAM. But in other cases, I repeat, the performance of the X2 Cube is beyond the eyes.

The situation is similar with the updated X3 Cube/X3 Cube Pro/X3 Plus (again, the difference between the models in the line is due to memory). This set-top box differs from the X2 in the more powerful Amlogic S905X3 processor compared to the S905X2 in the previous set-top box (it is believed that the performance of the upgrade has increased by 10-15%). However, in this case, I don’t see any point in overpaying, since, I repeat, the X2 Cube’s performance is enough for all typical tasks.

Xiaomi for fans of licensed content

Standing to the side is a set-top box from Xiaomi Mi Box S. This is a high-quality set-top box with Android TV 9 on board, copying Apple TV in appearance. The main advantage of this set-top box is the licensing of services such as Netflix, Youtube, etc., which allows you to receive videos in maximum quality. For other consoles, video quality is cut based on the idea of ​​fighting piracy.

The console implements the idea of ​​minimalism very well. There is only a set of necessary, according to Xiaomi, interfaces and technologies. Well, the most reasonable price of all the official set-top boxes with Android TV.

Pros:

• Price 4-4.5 thousand rubles
• A well-known manufacturer, and, as a result, polished firmware and a long update
• Availability of modern autofremrate
• Android TV

Minuses:

• Doesn't know how to remove interlacing.
• No wired connection
• Not very strong WiFi. Those. it's okay, but there are better ones. Given the lack of a Lan connection, the set-top box is very sensitive to its location relative to the router.
• Doesn't know how to turn off the so-called "Noise reduction". But this is more of a nitpick.

Android TV set-top box – rating 2021

Based on everything that is written in the article and the preferences of buyers, we can make a small rating of the most purchased Android consoles for 2021.

Ugoos AM3

This is a media player with Android 6.0 OS that supports 4K UHD. Does not have a hard drive. Plays MKV, FLAC, APE. Equipped with HDMI 2.0, Wi-Fi, Ethernet interface. Supports Google Play online service, SD and SDHC memory cards. The average price at the time of writing is 6,600 rubles.

Android set-top box Ugoos AM3

Xiaomi Mi Box

Media player with Android 6.0 OS, 4K UHD support. Plays MKV, FLAC, APE. Equipped with HDMI 2.0 interface. Supports Google Play Market online service and Wi-Fi. The average price at the time of writing is 4800 rubles.

Android console Xiaomi Mi Box

NVIDIA SHIELD

Media player with Android 7.0 version and 4K UHD support. Does not have a hard drive. Plays MKV, DivX, XviD, FLAC, APE. Equipped with HDMI 2.0 interface. Supports Wi-Fi, Ethernet and Google Play online service. The average price at the time of writing is 17,000 rubles.

Android set-top box NVIDIA SHIELD

Invin W6

Media player with Android 7.1 version and 4K UHD support. Does not have a hard drive. Plays MKV, DivX, XviD, FLAC, APE. Equipped with HDMI 2.0 interface. Supports Wi-Fi, Ethernet, as well as online services Skype, Picasa, Youtube, Flicker, Facebook. The average price at the time of writing is 4,590 rubles.

Android set-top box Invin W6

HARPER ABX-110

Media player with Android 7.1 version. Does not have a hard drive. Equipped with HDMI 2.0 interface. Plays MKV, DivX, XviD, FLAC, APE. Supports Wi-Fi, Ethernet. The average price at the time of writing is 2,400 rubles.

Android set-top box HARPER ABX-110

Watch IPTV or television for $1 per month

As a rule, a set-top box is bought for two main things: watching movies (we discussed this topic at the very beginning, talking about Kodi and HD Videobox) and for watching regular television. There are several services on the network that allow you to watch over-the-air channels in SD and HD quality packages for prices starting from $1 per month or with charging only for viewing time - for those who watch television from time to time. Let's look at them in more detail.

First, to watch IPTV, I like to use the Perfect Player application. Its controls are tailored to work with the TV screen and remote control, and it has an auto-frame rate that makes the picture smooth on good TVs.

Second: price. Usually IPTV is purchased when

• want to save on paying for a regular cable package (usually it costs 250 rubles);
• get more channels (including adults) for less money;
• do not have cable at all (for example, at the dacha);
• watch TV very rarely and do not want to pay the subscriber for sometimes provided services;
• live abroad and want to receive Russian/Ukrainian and other local channels.

In the first two cases, the Edem.TV service is perfect, where the cost of a subscription to two hundred-odd channels is $1 per month. Typically, Eden is the pay TV service that IPTV users start with.

Then, if you need more stability, there are services with a higher price and a larger set of channels. As a rule, OttClub is most often mentioned here. The service is quite high-quality and stable, and by default it redirects you to the best and closest server, from which the content is delivered the fastest.

However, OttClub is expensive: from $4.5 to $10 per month for different sets of channels. However, this service has an excellent feature for those who watch television from time to time - an on-demand tariff. Its cost:

• SDTV - $0.0228/hour;
• HDTV - $0.04568/hour
• FullHDTV — 0.0912$/hour

Those. you can throw in 5 bucks and watch TV only when you need it. I consider this an important advantage of the service.

On the forums you can find a frequent opinion that the picture from OttClub much better than many services, for example EdemTV. However, in fact this is not entirely true. As one of the forum members aptly noted, if the OttClub picture is taken as 100% quality, then Edem will correspond to it by about 90%. Below is a comparison of two frames of HD broadcast of the first channel in different services (when clicked, the picture will open in the original resolution).

As you can see, the difference is not particularly noticeable and on other channels the situation is close. Therefore, if you need quality and stability, OttClub is your choice (including the option of living abroad). If price is important, Edem is your choice.

Another interesting point - during testing on a poor Internet channel, the picture from OttClub came back normal in a greater number of cases than from EdemTV. This happens thanks to a large number of servers that allow you to optimize the channel. IPTV does not end with these services alone, and on this forum you can choose a provider to suit your taste. However, again, Edem and OttClub are the best in their categories.

Is there all the same, but with satellite channels, code sharing and DVB-T2/S2?

As mentioned above, through any Android TV set-top box you can watch broadcast channels in very acceptable quality. The only problem: since viewing is carried out over the Internet, the quality of the video stream has traces of compression. In other words, watching TV over the Internet is always worse than when you watch it directly, receiving a signal from broadcast sources.

Therefore, if watching TV programs is an important component of your life, you can use a special hybrid Android set-top box capable of receiving broadcasts in DVB-C and DVB-T2/S2 formats, and while receiving a signal from a satellite, you can use the so-called “code sharing” ”, which allows you to watch closed channels for free.

The most interesting models with this functionality are the Mecool KIII Pro hybrids for 5 thousand rubles and KI Pro for 4.5 thousand.

KIII is more powerful, more expensive and has excellent support on 4pda. In contrast, KI Pro is based on a modification of the old Amlogic S905 processor, which received an additional index D, thanks to which the set-top box has all the advantages of the proven S905, plus receiving a gigabit wired network port and fast dual-band Wi-Fi. However, users periodically complain about the quality of WiFi, just like KIII users. Thank God, this issue can be solved by connecting via wire directly to the router.

These were the advantages. And now the disadvantages and the first of them: without installing third-party firmware, it is almost impossible to use the set-top boxes. The included firmware is so poor that it's just a nightmare. For example, it was not possible to run Youtube Kids on the factory firmware; the bundled Kodi media processor was renamed and cropped, which is why it lost a significant part of its functionality. And so it is in most programs.

In addition, the “desktop” of the console itself is so illogical and inconvenient, and the box’s memory is littered with unnecessary programs that you simply wonder how it can be used at all. Therefore, if you chose this set-top box because of the ability to watch TV, you have only one way - go to the 4pda forum and install the so-called “custom firmware” you like. Those. In the case of the Mini M8S, firmware on Minix is ​​desirable, but not required, but here it is simply mandatory.

I, as the owner of KI Pro, chose the firmware from the user Malaysk (by the way, you can always thank the author by sending a small reward to one of the wallets specified in the Readme file located in the root of the firmware). Firmware from this author is available for both KI Pro and KIII Pro, so no matter which console you choose, you should install it.

This is what the desktop looked like on the factory firmware:

and here's what it looks like for me now:

As a result of the flashing, the stability of operation and the loading speed of the set-top box increased, Kodi installed and works 100% flawlessly. All the functions described at the beginning of the article work in the same way and allow you to turn the set-top box into a very, very sophisticated smart device for any, even the most “stupid” TV. Well, watching television itself has become very, very convenient, much better than through regular IPTV.

How to choose the right Android TV set-top box

The following parameters will help you choose the right universal and durable TV set-top box:

1. CPU. Data processing speed depends on the number of cores and frequency level. The higher the indicator, the faster the set-top box will work;
2. Graphics accelerator. It is advisable to pay attention to a gadget with a large number of cores. They will determine the resolution of video files. However, even the most inexpensive models already support playback of videos with 4K resolution;
3. Amount of RAM. The optimal value is 4 GB and above. But you should be prepared for the high cost of set-top boxes with a large amount of RAM; the best choice would be devices with a built-in memory size of 16 GB or more.
4. Availability of a slot for microSD card. Allows you to increase the storage capacity for various files.
5. Availability of connectors. HDMI, A/V tulips, additional USB ports for connecting a mouse, keyboard, webcam and many other devices. If the case has an SP-DYF connector, you can connect a professional audio system. The presence of a connector for connecting a network cable that provides access to the Internet.
6. Availability of wireless modules Wi-Fi 5 GHz and Bluetooth 4.0 or 5.0. The first improves Internet speed and helps you watch videos in high definition. The second is to connect headphones, speakers or remote control.
7. Android OS version. The newer it is, the more efficiently the set-top box updates and works.

A control panel is required. It will allow you to easily switch applications, open access, access the World Wide Web, configure the operation of a TV set-top box, and so on.

The brand name also plays a special role in the choice. Below we will present the best models from popular manufacturers that have good value for money.

How to choose the right Android TV set-top box

Convenient control of the set-top box

I immediately want to apologize to the readers, but this section is not completely ready yet. The fact is that the remote control that comes with most set-top boxes has only basic functionality. Whereas a good remote control can significantly expand the ease of control.

What properties should an ideal remote control for a smart console have:

1. Have an air mouse function. Those. you twist your wrist in the air, and the cursor moves as if you were controlling a regular mouse.
2. Have a microphone so you can use voice search.
3. Long battery life.
4. Have programmable keys so that this remote control can replace remote controls for the TV and, possibly, the receiver.
5. It is optional to have a Russian keyboard for typing tricky names of videos and films that are not determined by voice typing. The option is nice, but especially critical - because voice search closes 90% of dialing cases.

Based on these data, a Rii i25A remote control was purchased with a Russian keyboard, a microphone (there is a simple version of the Rii i25 without the “A” index, it does not have a microphone), 5 programmable keys and similar pleasant additions. The cost of the remote control was 1600 rubles. In fact, almost a third of the cost of a normal set-top box. However, after receiving the package, I encountered a number of common problems.

First, in order to teach the console commands from other remote controls, the Rii i25a had to be disassembled. Those. When assembled, the LED of the set-top box was stupidly unable to see the commands through the dark glass. The cover had to be removed and the remote control diode had to be bent so that it was exactly opposite the “slot” in the window.

Second: for the first two months, the remote control worked on battery power for two weeks without turning off. And after the next firmware update, it suddenly began to “die” after a day or two. It was experimentally determined that the problem was the always-on microphone, which monitored the “OK, Google” command. It was quite difficult to guess that this was the reason. I’m already silent about a very non-trivial way to configure the console to switch the language from Russian to English using the keyboard. This again doesn't work by default. You need to install the Russian Keyboard program and set the correct settings, which periodically fail.

In other words, for one and a half thousand rubles, you get a very crude device that needs to be “finished” very much. On the other hand, I didn’t find anything as functional (with an air mouse, programmable keys and a microphone). Judging by the reviews, there is a better quality Mele F10 Pro remote control, namely the Pro version, because... it has a microphone. However, a) it does not have programmable buttons; b) it is difficult to find on sale; c) it does not have a Russian keyboard. At the moment I am trying to purchase it and form my own opinion.

If you know any convenient remote control model, please share your opinion in the comments.

Extending the life of a budget set-top box

If you bought a set-top box from third-tier manufacturers, you will most likely encounter overheating of the set-top box. As a rule, when the processor temperature is reached, so-called “throttling” occurs - in this case, to escape overheating, the processor resets the frequency and the set-top box begins to “slow down and glitch.”

Even if the temperature stays just below 80 and the processor does not throttle, this is still bad. Constant operating temperatures above 70 lead to gradual damage to other components of the motherboard. In other words, constant overheating does not necessarily affect the console right now, but it will definitely affect it in the future. The forums are full of messages from users whose console dies after six months.

To understand whether your set-top box is susceptible to overheating problems, install the Cpu Temperature application on it. On average, the temperature of the console should not rise above 70°. In some complex applications, such as games or watching 4K video, the temperature may rise higher, but this should not be the constant operating mode of the console.

If, nevertheless, the problem of overheating is relevant for you, I advise you to go to the profile thread of the 4Pda forum and see how other users solve it. It is important to understand that this will not always be a so-called “collective farm” - i.e. visually scary, but a working solution. Almost always, someone manages to find an elegant way out. For example, for set-top boxes that have ventilation holes located at the bottom, you can buy a stand with a built-in fan, the power for which is supplied from the USB port of the set-top box itself.

Those. you buy such a stand, plug the power cord into a free USB port of the set-top box, and the “cooling” works automatically the entire time the set-top box is turned on.

Due to the large diameter, the fan operates quite quietly. The only unpleasant nuance that may arise is that the dimensions of the stand will differ from the dimensions of the console. In this case, the dimensions of the stand are 16x10 centimeters, which makes it suitable for a large number of portable consoles.