Xiaomi TV Box S (2nd gen)
Assessment:
What did we like?
What didn't we like?
Unboxing
Smart TV box Xiaomi TV Box S (2nd Gen) has arrived from DHgate's EU warehouse. No additional taxes or duties had to be paid. This time I had to pick up the package from the Lithuanian Post Office. The product was packed for shipping in a large paper-type envelope with a "bubble" surface on the inside. Surprisingly, the package didn't get any "battle marks" typical of the trip, great!
The contents of the package include: Xiaomi TV Box S (2nd Gen) accessory, power supply unit, BT remote control, HDMI cable, instructions.
Quality
The add-on itself has the only external difference - a newer logo. Both the layout of the connectors and the plastic itself are completely identical to the predecessor Xiaomi TV Box S (1st Gen). The remote control of the new accessory is slightly longer, thanks to two additional buttons.
The HDMI cable and the power supply unit are identical, so if you are upgrading, you just need to disconnect the old set-top box and connect the new one, in short plug & play.
Functionality
The shape of the remote control has not changed much from its predecessor, only a few new buttons have been added: "YouTube" and "APPS". The very first version of the first generation had a Live button, which was later changed to Prime Video.
On the second generation remote, this button is also available for Prime Video. The place of the application button has been replaced by Xiaomi TV+, pressing it opens the free Xiaomi Live TV broadcast. And the application list button has moved to a new additional row of buttons.
The layout of the connections of the TV set-top box is the same as the first generation. Only the second version updated the HDMI version from 2.0 to 2.1. The USB connection remained the same. Mi Box S 4K Gen2 has a more advanced video decoder that supports: Dolby Audio, DTS-HD, Dolby Vision and HDR10+. Bluetooth in the new model has been updated to version 5.2, while the old one had 4.0.
The operating system, the first generation started from Android 8.1, later came an update to version 9. Xiaomi Mi Box S second generation arrives with the so-called Google TV. This system has a more modern interface and improved navigation. Of course, Google TV is built on top of Android TV, it just has a much more refined user interface and new features.
Comparison table
What did we like?
The updated control panel no longer has the problems of its predecessor when the batteries run out very quickly. I personally had to change the batteries every 2-3 months. All buttons have been changed to rubber ones, which makes control more comfortable.
The HDMI CEC protocol has been developed more. Pressing the power button on the remote control turns on both the TV and the home audio system at the same time. It didn't always work in the old one. There was also a problem when changing the TV input, after the switch it went back to Xiaomi.
What we didn't like?
In the new model, the internal memory remained the same (8GB), which is really not much, since the operating system takes part of it. Therefore, you have to connect an external memory, but then another problem arises - there is only one USB connection. In order to additionally connect an external keyboard/mouse via a dongle, you will have to connect a USB hub. Personally, I would think that the MicroSD card slot would be a good solution.
I personally found the old UI much more comfortable. You could arrange the top bar of apps according to your "taste", you could simply hide unused apps that come with the OS, Google TV UI no longer has this convenience.
When updating add-ons, you will have to understand the app list button, which has been replaced by the Xiaomi TV+ button. Installed Xiaomi TV+ is completely worthless in my opinion. I don't think the broadcast will get a large audience.
Such an opinion was formed due to the fact that the free channels provided are not popular, so I doubt that they will receive much attention. As they say "free cheese only in mousetraps". There is no archive of what is very popular in used IPTV TV. In addition, a considerable number of channels are broadcast in EN language, but a larger part - in ESP.
Verdict
After upgrading to the newer Xiaomi TV Box S set-top box (2nd Gen), I felt that it was only slightly faster than the first generation set-top box. The implemented Google TV UI even disappointed me with its supposed "comfortable" controls. Everything else remained the same.
If you are going to use the set-top box with a TV that uses old LCD screen technology, connecting this set-top box to such a TV is definitely not worth expecting that a new function like HDR10+ will improve the picture. The first generation add-on worked and served without major problems. Yes, it used to hang sometimes, but the new one also occasionally likes to turn it off while watching YouTube.
So is it worth renewing? If the predecessor is enough for you, don't look at the new one. Because you won't really notice a big difference after the upgrade, and the money will already be spent in vain. Of course, if you don't have any Android TV Box at home and you are looking for one to buy here - Xiaomi TV Box S (2nd Gen) will definitely be a great choice. It is currently one of the best-selling and most popular options due to its very good price/quality ratio.
