Android TV set-top box, what is it, how does it work? | Rating of Android TV set-top boxes

New generation TVs that have a function called “Smart-TV”. This function allows the user to comfortably use many options available on a tablet, smartphone, or computer.

That is, if you look at the rating of Android TV set-top boxes, you can see that these gadgets can play multimedia files and store the necessary information; The set-top box allows you to open and download various applications, play your favorite games, use the Internet... But all this can only be done on a widescreen TV screen.

Powerful filling for convenience

TV set-top boxes with a powerful processor and RAM memory of 3 GB or more cope with applications and games that are demanding on hardware resources. They are more productive.

Advantages of consoles with powerful filling:

• Fast loading of content.
• Easy video switching and rewinding.
• Plays torrents 70 GB and above.
• High-quality work of media applications.
• Supports powerful Android games.
• Stable operation of the console.
• Quick installation and launch of applications.
• Fast copying and writing of files.
• Supports 4K Ultra HD video and more.

What equipment can replace it?

Connecting a digital version of TV broadcasts significantly expands the capabilities of the TV and partially covers the lack of a set-top box. You can get smart TV functions using:

1. Network media players are a compact and inexpensive accessory.
2. Game consoles.
3. Using a Blu-ray player as a playback device.
4. Connecting a tablet or smartphone.

Each option has advantages and disadvantages. Choose depending on the reason and variability of using a modern gadget in connection with a TV.

Built-in memory capacity

Smart TV and Android set-top boxes are equipped with built-in memory from 4 to 128 GB. This is the size of the installed physical memory. There is less program memory available.

If the built-in memory is 8 GB, then approximately 3 GB of it will be occupied for the Android OS and pre-installed applications, and 5 GB will be free for the user.

Typically, this volume is enough to install several applications and games. But if you need to install ten games, such as Asphalt9, then it is better to choose a console with 32, 64 GB of memory or higher.

RAM:

Are you looking for an inexpensive set-top box for watching YouTube videos and online cinemas? Budget models with 1 GB RAM memory are also suitable. But such TV boxes work slower than set-top boxes with 2 - 4 GB of RAM. The amount of RAM memory is an important criterion for selecting a device. The bigger, the better.

It is worth mentioning new models with modern memory. DDR4 RAM and eMMC internal memory. Such devices are considered more productive than their predecessors with DDR3 RAM and NAND Flash storage.

The new memory standard gives TV set-top boxes the following advantages:

• fast operation of the device,
• fast copying, reading and writing,
• easy installation of applications,
• less energy consumption,
• less heating,
• reliability and safety,
• faster response, etc.

TV Boxes with DDR4 and eMMC memory can be considered a new generation of media players for Android. Such models include, for example, Ugoos AM6B Plus, Ugoos X3 Pro, Beelink GT-King Pro, Mecool K7, etc.

Vontar X3

This is an inexpensive TV set-top box powered by an Amlogic S905X3 processor. It is an excellent solution for playing Ultra HD and Full HD directly from the Internet. Using it you can visit online cinemas, Torrent. This set-top box costs less than top-end set-top boxes, but is in no way inferior to them in functionality.

The processor has four cores. RAM is 4 GB, internal storage is designed for 32, 64 or 128 GB. There is an HDMI output, Android OS. The set-top box is offered in 3 variations with different memory capacities. It has compact dimensions. The set of ports is solid, so you won’t have to deny yourself anything. In addition to the set-top box, you can purchase an air mouse with voice control or a wireless keyboard.

The media player is equipped with a small display that shows the connection type, time and operating mode. On the back there is Ethernet and audio output, there are HDMI ports and an optical output. This set-top box is not an ordinary Android TV, but a full-fledged Android with which you can install various applications. The device has root access, so you can install different firmware.

Recommended Models

List of Smart TV boxes with positive reviews:

• Ugoos AM6, Ugoos AM6 Pro, Ugoos AM6B Plus.
• Ugoos X3 Pro, Ugoos X3 Cube, Ugoos X3 Plus, Ugoos X4 Pro.
• Beelink GT-King Pro.
• Mecool KM9 Pro, Mecool KM1, Mecool KM6 Deluxe, Mecool KM2.
• A95X F3.
• X96 MAX Plus.
• Tanix TX9S.
• Tanix TX3 mini.
• Mecool KIII Pro.
• Mecool K7, Mecool K5.
• GTMedia GTC, GTMedia GTT2.
• Zidoo Z9S.
• Nvidia Shield TV.
• and others.

These are excellent options for surfing the Internet, watching online videos and 4K videos. They can easily launch online cinemas, heavy movies from torrents, online TV, IPTV. For Android games that do not run on weak boxes.

Connecting external HDDs

For users who have media collections on HDD drives (SATA) and are planning to purchase a TV set-top box to view them, it is worth paying attention to models with a SATA port through which an external drive is connected.

Set-top boxes with a SATA port:

External HDDs are also available with a USB port. Most Smart TV set-top boxes also support connecting drives via a USB port. To view media collections on such drives, we recommend paying attention to models with a USB 3.0 port.

Beelink GT King pro with wi-fi6

This is one of the best TV boxes of 2021 that has received an update. This time we updated the wireless adapter, which now supports modern Wi-Fi 6 protocols. The cost of the set-top box has not increased much.

The device, which has been successfully released since 2021, is still a powerful multimedia center. During its work, the brand has introduced a huge number of updates, which is a good indicator. The new console received a 6-core processor and 4 GB of RAM. Internal storage holds 64Gb. There is an AV port as well as an HDMI output. Digital audio via HDMI and 2 USB ports.

Digital and satellite television DVB-T2/S2

Some models of Android boxes are available with built-in DVB-T2, DVB-S2, DVB-C tuners. Thanks to this, the device shows free terrestrial digital TV channels DVB-T2, satellite TV DVB-S2 and cable TV DVB-C.

Such set-top boxes include the functionality of Android boxes, plus viewing digital and satellite television. Two in one. Such models are called hybrid Android TV set-top boxes.

Hybrid Android + DVB models:

Online TV. Television via the Internet

Android TV set-top boxes support watching TV channels over the Internet. These are Online TV, IPTV, Torrent TV, Torrent Stream applications.

The quality of Internet television playback depends on various factors. The quality of communication with the provider, overload of the server from which the broadcast is broadcast, the functionality of a home wifi router, home traffic loading, an application for watching TV, etc.

Smart TV set-top boxes support watching TV channels via the Internet. TV boxes run Wink, Light HD TV, IPTV, Torrent Stream and others. More than 1000 channels available.

TV boxes also support IPTV television applications with paid and free playlists.

Examples of applications for watching TV channels online:

• Wink Ultimate.
• Light HD TV.
• ZMedia Proxy + TiViMate.
• Halva TV Player.
• LazyIPTV.
• PeersTV.
• LimeHD.
• SPB TV.
• IPTV.

To work with online TV, IPTV and Torrent Stream applications, we recommend set-top boxes with 2 GB of RAM or more.

Android games on TV consoles

TV boxes support Android games. For heavy games, it is advisable to purchase a model with 3 - 4 GB of RAM and a powerful processor.

Recommended processors for Android games:

• Amlogic S922X and its modifications.
• Nvidia Tegra X1+.
• Amlogic S905X4.
• Amlogic S905X3.
• Amlogic S905X2.
• Amlogic S912.
• Rockchip RK3399.
• Realtek RTD1296.

With up to 2 GB of RAM installed, some games may not load or load slowly. We also recommend paying attention to the amount of built-in memory. Some games, such as Asphalt9 racing, GT Racing and Real Racing, take up an average of 1 GB of memory space. It is better to choose a console with a memory of 16 GB or higher.

There are games that support control of computer mice, air mice (gyroscope), gamepad, and keyboard buttons. These are launched on TV set-top boxes when the appropriate control device is connected.

Games optimized for touch screen control only will not be suitable for set-top boxes.

Feature of TV set-top boxes on the Android TV system: when searching for Android games, Google Play automatically suggests games that are suitable for Android TV with gamepad control.

Xiaomi Mi TV Box 4S

The Xiaomi Mi Box 4S TV box has 2GB RAM and 8GB flash memory. It is equipped with a quad-core processor. The device supports voice and remote control using the remote control. The set-top box provides high-quality image and sound. The latter is formed using Dolby Audio and DTS technology.

The device supports duplicating the smartphone screen on TV. There are HDMI and USB ports, and there is also a special port for connecting older TV models. The control panel is equipped with a voice assistant. It is possible to control other devices from the smart home system.

The set-top box has high performance and allows you to download a huge number of applications. The built-in 64-bit processor allows you to fully immerse yourself in gaming or watching a movie. The image is smooth and without lag. Using the set-top box, you can enable the mode of duplicating the smartphone screen on the TV. You can also watch videos on the big screen.

Streaming images on TV

By connecting your smartphone to the TV set-top box, you can select a video or photo on your phone and start playback on your TV. The function is called Miracast. For iPhone smartphones – AirPlay. When choosing a TV box, in the description, pay attention to support for this function.

Google-certified TV boxes have this feature called Google Cast.

Android TV set-top boxes with Google certification:

• Mecool KM1.
• Mecool KM3.
• Mecool KM6 Deluxe.
• Mecool KM9 Pro.
• Mecool KM9 Pro Honor.

Connecting to a TV

The set-top box is connected to an outlet via a power supply, and to a TV via an HDMI cable; I emphasize once again, it can also be connected to an old tube TV via tulips, but I don’t have such a need.

The connection is really elementary, a “first-grader” can handle it, so I won’t go into too much detail.

After that, on the TV we have a completely familiar Android desktop, with all that it implies.

I set up the connection via WIFI, everything works great, I can see a bunch of neighboring networks. Well, let's move on to opportunities

Set of ports

Before choosing a TV set-top box, you need to know what ports your TV has. It's great if your TV has an HDMI port. All TV set-top boxes support connection through this port. HDMI provides better picture and transmission quality. If the TV does not have HDMI, but has an AV port, then you need to select a set-top box with an AV output.

If the set-top box is used to watch 4K video from USB flash drives and USB HDDs, then a fast USB 3.0 port will be required.

For a TV set-top box that will be connected to a monitor via a VGA port (using an HDMI-VGA adapter), it is important to have a port for outputting sound to external speakers. Since computer monitors usually do not have built-in audio speakers.

If you have home audio equipment (receivers) with the ability to connect via an optical port (Optical, SPDIF) and want to use it to output sound, then when choosing a TV set-top box you need to pay attention to the presence of the corresponding port. Many models of TV set-top boxes have an Optical (or SPDIF) port for connecting such devices and support multi-channel audio transmission.

Possibilities

Games

These are all the games we know from phones and tablets, but of course “angry birds” can be easily installed (personally, I’m already sick of it), I installed another cool “shooter”.

Control takes place through the mouse (by the way, I found it very quickly). There are even quite heavy games, I haven’t installed them myself, but a friend has the same console, and has a wireless mouse and keyboard, “cutting” for a good cause! So you won't be bored

Movies and music

Almost all formats are played, from AVI to MKV. Music can be played in any format.

Skype

There is also one, and it works very stable and well, I connected a Logitech camera, and it worked just fine. No problem. You can easily communicate via Skype.

TV

There is a lot to think about here (not much about the downsides). On the one hand, there are a bunch of TV playback apps that you just install and watch, and they're free. On the other hand, Russian channels now seem to be tightening the screws more. Previously, it was possible to view channels such as TNT, STS, etc. on several applications. Now for some reason they are not there! Of course, there are a lot of other entertainment channels, but somehow we’ve already gotten used to them. However, such as “Russia”, “First”, NTV, Friday, etc., it’s all there, for example, I use the PEERS TV application (there are 58 channels).

I would like to note that every day a new application is released that you can install and try out. So it's not all bad here either.

The set-top box does not take much energy in idle mode, it turns off and turns on from the remote control. In principle, if you only need a TV, then you can only control it with the remote control. If you need toys and other multimedia, then a mouse is desirable.

Browser

There is a standard Android, you can also install almost any other, from Chrome to Opera. You can use it just like on a computer, especially convenient if a keyboard is connected.

Office

I would like to note that you can install an office and type documents or tables. Thus, this console practically replaces a computer. I’ll probably soon write an article about how to replace a computer with such a set-top box.

Seeing a photo is of course good, but I would also like to show a video, and in it I tried to tell as much as possible about ANDROID TV BOX.

Operating system.

The operating system on which the TV set-top box runs is of no small importance. Currently, TV set-top boxes on Android and Windows systems are available for sale.

To create an entertainment center on your TV, Android set-top boxes are more suitable and convenient. They are optimized for this purpose.

For Android, there is a huge variety of applications and content that can be found and installed both from the Google Play market and other sources. Mini PCs on Windows, although they cope with the same functions, are still more convenient for office use.

TV set-top boxes on Android OS have differences and features. Android is constantly updated and improved. There are set-top boxes on sale on various versions of the operating system: Android 9.0, Android 10, Android 11, Android TV, etc.

Android TV Set-top Boxes

Some models of TV set-top boxes run on the Android TV operating system. Such models have a more informative and modern, customizable launcher (desktop), which additionally displays recommended new videos from YouTube channels and various applications that are interesting to the user.

This launcher is more convenient and interactive. Plus there is a function for voice control and search for movies, games, news and other content using a remote control with a built-in microphone.

Media players on Android TV OS:

• Mecool KM6
• Mecool KT1
• Mecool KM1
• Mecool KM3
• Mecool KM9 Pro
• Xiaomi Mi Box
• Nvidia Shield TV

For other models (on Android OS, not TV versions), the launcher (desktop) is static and may differ in design, location of access icons, information content, and so on.

Top best Android boxes for TV in 2019

The ranks of television set-top boxes are constantly being replenished with new models, among which any user will find a device with the functionality he needs and an affordable price.

TV-box Beelink GT1 Mini

A miniature device slightly larger than a credit card. Despite its modest dimensions, it has high performance thanks to powerful internal hardware: a quad-core Amlogic s905x2 chipset, an ARM G31 MP2 graphics card, 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of flash memory. Supports DLNA and Miracast technologies, which allows you to transfer videos, music and photos from an Android or IOS device. It can connect to the Internet either wired via a gigabit LAN connector or over the air using a dual-band Wi-Fi connection. A special feature of this device is support for the new version of Android 8.1. You can control the console using your voice. To do this, it is integrated with Google Assistant and equipped with a remote control with a built-in microphone.

TV-box Beelink GT1 Mini has miniature dimensions (77 x 77 x 17 mm), making it easy to fit into any interior

Original Xiaomi Mi TV Box

A classic TV set-top box that has remained at the peak of popularity for a long time. The body is made of high-quality matte plastic with a rubberized insert on the bottom. Inside the case is the Amlogic S905X SoC, which has four cores clocked at up to 2 GHz. The device has 2 GB of RAM and 8 GB of internal memory. The gadget runs on Android TV OS. Controlled by remote control or from a smartphone using the Android TV Remote application, which can be downloaded from the Google Play store. Mi Box does not have an Ethernet port, so the connection to the Internet occurs via Wi-Fi. Among the features of the device, it is worth noting support for voice search, Google Cast technology, 4K video and surround sound.

In 2021, Xiaomi released the fourth generation of devices, updating their firmware to Android 8.1 and expanding the functionality of the remote control

Minix Neo U9-H

Neo U9-H is the latest flagship in the series of TV boxes from the Chinese manufacturer Minix. High-quality assembly, constantly updated firmware, support for Ultra HD 4K and HDR 10, Gigabit Ethernet, and high-speed Wi-Fi distinguish this gadget from similar competitors’ devices. The hardware is represented by an eight-core AMLogic S912-H processor with a clock frequency of up to 1.5 GHz, a Mali-820 MP32 graphics coprocessor, 2 GB of RAM and 16 GB of internal memory. Dual-band Wi-fi 802.11ac with 2x2 MIMO provides fast speeds for media streaming. For a wired connection there is a LAN port with a bandwidth of 1 GB. Initially, the set-top box ran on Android 6.0 OS; at the moment, the system has been updated to version 7.1. The gadget is controlled using an IR remote control.

The Minix Neo U9-H set-top box is equipped with an external antenna that increases the range of the wireless network

Nexbox A95X Pro

Equipped with Amlogic S905W (4 core) chipset, Android TV OS, HD Netflix support and voice control, the A95X Pro TV box is one of the best among the basic level devices. The device has 2 GB of RAM, 16 GB of flash memory, and a Wi-fi wireless module operating at a frequency of 2.4 GHz. As for video playback, the set-top box supports all file formats, including 4K with 30 frames per second, and is also capable of streaming images and other content from the user's smartphones and tablets. For this purpose, support for DLNA and Miracast technologies is implemented. There are few pre-installed applications in the system, but they can be supplemented at any time with any compatible software from the Google Play store.

The Nexbox A95X Pro set-top box comes with a network adapter, a cable for connecting to a TV, and a control panel.

Mecool M8S Pro L

A mid-class TV-box in a black plastic case with many ventilation holes around the perimeter. High performance of the device is ensured by a powerful filling in the form of an eight-core Amlogic S912 chipset with a clock frequency of 2 GHz, a triple-core Mali-T820MP3 graphics processor, 3 GB of RAM and 16 GB of internal memory. The M8S Pro L supports all major video file formats, including high-quality 1080p and 4K Ultra HD video playback. The user interface of the set-top box is easy to use and easily customizable, allowing you to add your favorite applications to the home screen. To broadcast content from mobile devices to the TV screen, support for Airplay, DLNA and Miracast technologies is built-in. Wireless Internet connection is provided by Wi-Fi 802.11 ac; for cable connection there is a LAN port with a bandwidth of 100 MB.

Mecool M8S Pro L is not prone to overheating even during round-the-clock operation thanks to the wide ventilation holes on the case

NVIDIA SHIELD TV

The most powerful and feature-rich television console along with Xbox One and PS4. Considered one of the best TV boxes for gamers. Thanks to high-performance hardware (NVIDIA Tegra X1 processor, 3 GB of RAM and 16 GB of flash memory), Shield TV allows you to play heavy games and play content of any format in high definition. Different versions of the console have different configurations: some have a familiar remote control, others have a hefty gamepad with many functions: from standard control keys to a volume control, a microphone for voice search and an audio output for headphones. A dual-band 802.11 ac Wi-Fi module is responsible for the wireless network, and a Gigabit Ethernet connector is responsible for the wired connection.

A powerful NVIDIA SHIELD TV set-top box with a futuristic design and a gamepad can replace a game console

iconBIT Movie SMART TV

A budget TV set-top box with a simple design and minimal functionality. It connects to the Internet both via cable and via Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g/n 2.4 GHz). Runs on Android 4.4 OS. It is powered by a quad-core ARM Cortex-A5 processor, has 1 GB of RAM and 8 GB of internal memory. Thanks to the presence of four USB ports, you can connect a mouse, keyboard, flash drive or external drive to the TV-Box. Supported video formats: MKV, AVI, WMV, MOV, resolution: Full-HD. The set-top box is equipped with a convenient universal remote control, which can control both the TV box itself and the TV.

Despite the low cost, iconBIT Movie SMART TV has all the necessary connectors, from LAN, USB (4 pcs.) to AV, designed for connecting to analog TVs

Table: comparison of popular TV set-top boxes

Android set-top boxes are an excellent alternative to smart TVs. Compact, functional, easy to use, they can turn any TV receiver, even analogue, into a modern media center with Internet access.