Looking to spruce up your old non-smart TV? Check out how does the Xiaomi TV Stick work to know if it will be a worthy investment for you. (Spoiler Alert: It surely is!)

This is the age of smart devices, and it is evident from the devices around us. A lot of devices from something small as a watch to something as large as a car are integrated with technology that makes them gives them brains. One popular daily device that almost everyone uses is a TV, and like other devices, Smart TVs are the future. Check out our guide on How does the Xiaomi TV Stick Work for all the details.

While some of us like me are dearly holding on to our old TVs trying to justify the cost of a new, smart TV. There has been an increase in their popularity of them. Honestly, I felt left out and I jumped on the bandwagon of smart TVs, but I knew my old TV still had some life left in it. I set it up in the bedroom just for the occasional movie watching, but it felt lacking since a Smart TV was much better.

Into the conversation comes the Xiaomi TV Stick, a cheap device that converts your old TV into a smart TV. I got one for my secondary TV and it instantly made a huge difference. But How does the Xiaomi TV Stick Work? Well, continue reading to find out.

After having reviewed the Xiaomi TV Stick based on various factors like design. specifications, function and use, features, and much more; my team and I found out that:

Xiaomi TV Stick is easy to use and set up. The user simply has to plug the Xiaomi TV Stick into the USB port of their TV to convert it into a smart TV. Once, you follow the prompts to set it up, you can control the TV either through the Xiaomi TV remote or through your phone. Most importantly, you can also control the tv through Google Voice Assistant or Alexa.

How does the Xiaomi TV Stick Work

The Xiaomi TV Stick is a streaming device built for TVs. It is a tiny dongle that makes any TV a smart TV. The Xiaomi TV stick runs on Android TV OS allowing it to stream from apps like YouTube, Netflix, Amazon Prime, and more. With the Android TV OS now supporting over 5000+ apps and games, the Xiaomi TV stick makes sure you can run them all on any screen with an HDMI port.

The Xiaomi TV stick comes with the device itself and a remote. This remote is also smart and features a mic that lets you use Google Assistant and voice commands. This makes using the Xiaomi TV Stick a joy on an older TV with no smart capabilities. So, the Xiaomi TV Stick is a device that enhances your TV experience to the next level if your TV is limited in terms of smart capabilities.

Specifications

The specs of the Xiaomi TV Stick won’t blow your mind but is decently specced for its price. These are the official specs of the Xiaomi TV Stick:

Operating System (OS) – Android 9.0 Pie
CPU – Quad-core Cortex-A53
GPU – ARM Mali-450
RAM – 1 GB
Storage – 8 GB
Max Resolution – 1080P (1920×1080@60fps)
Wi-Fi – 802.11a/b/g/n/ac 2.4GHz/5GHz
Bluetooth – 4.2
Ports – HDMI x 1, Micro USB x 1
Video decoder – VP9-10, H.265, H.264, VC-1, MPEG1/2/4, Real8/9/10
Video Format – RM, MOV, VOB, AVI, MKV, TS, MP4
Audio decoder – DOLBY, DTS
Audio Format – MP3, AAC, FLAC, OGG
Image decoder – JPG, BMP, GIF, PNG

How to set up and Use the Xiaomi TV Stick

The Xiaomi TV Stick is basically a plug-and-play device, which makes it extremely easy to use. Just follow these steps:

Plug the Xiaomi TV Stick into any of the HDMI ports on your TV. This means that you will need to power the Xiaomi Mi Stick separately as HDMI doesn’t offer power delivery. For this, you can use the included USB cable and power adapter and power the Xiaomi Mi Stick from the wall. You can also connect the USB cable directly to a USB port if your TV has any.

Now switch your TV’s input to the HDMI port Xiaomi TV Stick is connected to.
Use the included remote and follow the on-screen instructions to connect to a Wi-Fi network.

Then finally, you have to sign in to a google account and you are ready to go.

Once you have set up, you can start downloading and streaming from your favorite streaming apps, play games or use the supported apps on your TV. Netflix, Amazon Prime, and YouTube are all pre-installed giving you a head start.

You can also use the Xiaomi Mi Stick on old CRT TVs if you can find the right adapter to convert the analog signal from the TV to HDMI featured on Xiaomi TV Stick. And the remaining setup process is the same.

Understanding the Xiaomi TV Stick Remote

The Xiaomi TV Stick Remote is a well-designed feature-packed remote. It is small, lightweight, and ergonomic, making it comfortable to hold on to.

The minimalistic approach provides users with only what they need. The remote has a few buttons that let you control Android TV 11, with ease. These are the buttons your get,

Power button – To turn on/off the Xiaomi TV stick.
Google Assistant button – To summon Google Assistant.
Circular direction and OK button – These buttons are used to navigate the UI and select/confirm.
Menu button – To access the menu.
Back button – To go back.
Netflix button – To open Netflix instantly from anywhere.
Prime Video button – To open Amazon Prime Video instantly from anywhere.
Volume buttons – To control volume.

This is all you need to control your Xiaomi TV stick with ease. You can easily access Netflix and Amazon Prime Video, two of the most popular streaming platforms. And you have a dedicated Google Assistant button to search for anything on your TV in an instant.

Features

The Xiaomi TV Stick is a budget streaming device, similar to the likes of the Amazon Fire Stick, Roku Stick, etc., but Xiaomi still undercuts them when it comes to price. This means that there might be compromises on the set of features the Xiaomi TV Stick offers. Nonetheless, I feel that the features offered by Xiaomi TV Stick go well with the price and these features are:

Full HD streaming of content to any device that can support HDMI.
Android TV OS with support for more than 5000+ apps and games.
Google Assistant support with a microphone on the remote for voice search and commands.
Dolby Audio and DTS 2.0 Audio support for enhanced sound quality.

Built-in Chromecast for streaming straight from a smartphone.
Data saver option to save data if using mobile hotspot.
The Xiaomi TV Stick features both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi to prioritize over range and speed when needed for the smoothest connectivity at all times.
Hotkeys on TV remote for Netflix and Amazon Prime allow for instant opening and switching between them.

Function and Use

The Xiaomi TV Stick performs as expected. To be one of the cheapest streaming devices on the market, Xiaomi had to cut corners somewhere and it is evident from the 1 GB RAM and 8 GB ROM. This makes the Xiaomi TV run sluggish at times, but not all the time.

While navigating through the User Interface (UI) can be sluggish at times, the Xiaomi TV Stick always streamed videos/content without any delay. The 8 GB ROM or internal memory is a little low since you can’t add in an extra pen drive or external hard disk. You will run out of space after installing a handful of apps and games.

Another feature Xiaomi had to exclude from offering was the lack of 4K streaming, while it would have been a nice addition, I am not arguing since the Xiaomi TV Stick is priced so aggressively. This also means that the Xiaomi Mi TV stick only suitable for TVs with smaller screens.

The Xiaomi TV Stick doesn’t support HDR either, so if you are planning on buying it, use it on TVs that 43 inches or smaller without HDR. If you do want support for 4K HDR streaming, invest a bit more in the Xiaomi Mi Box 4K.

Features on the audio front like Dolby and DTS 2.0 audio worked like a charm when connected with supported Bluetooth speakers. Wireless earphones didn’t get connected over Bluetooth which was a bummer.

The Xiaomi TV Stick doesn’t have an extra USB port, so you won’t be able to run content off a USB device like a pen drive or external hard disk. The Xiaomi Mi Stick also features HDMI CEC, this also you to control both the TV and the Stick with included remote but in my use, it was finicky and didn’t work well all the time.

Apart from these small issues, the Xiaomi TV Stick is a great streaming device if you just want to turn an old TV into a Smart Android TV. It streams content at Full HD resolution without any hiccups. Advertised features like Google Assistant works really well and the remote picked up everything I said correctly.

The built-in Chromecast feature worked well too, switching quickly and streaming directly from my phone without any delay. And the support for Dolby and DTS 2.0 makes it a great choice for watching movies and shows. The support for over 5000+ apps and games give you variety and content for ages. Along with the clean and neat UI, it breathed a new life into the aging non-smart TV I tested it on.

How does the Xiaomi TV Stick Work – Final Thoughts

The Xiaomi TV Stick is a great entry-level streaming device for any TV, be it non-smart TVs or older, slower Smart TVs or TVs with limited smart capabilities. But should you a Xiaomi TV Stick? The answer as always lies in what you want or need.

If your TV has limited or no smart capability at all, then the Xiaomi TV Stick can boost the experience by making it a smart TV and allowing you to run and stream from popular apps. Buy the Xiaomi TV Stick if you want an upgrade in the UI department for your old TV.

Are there any reasons to avoid the Xiaomi TV Stick? Yes, like with any other device the Xiaomi TV Stick also has its downsides. Don’t buy the Xiaomi TV Stick if you have a higher budget and a 4K HDR TV. Go for better streaming devices that support 4K HDR and eliminate sometimes slow and sluggish performance from the Xiaomi TV Stick.

All things considered; the Xiaomi TV Stick is a great product for budget limited buyers who want to hold on to their old TVs but want a taste of the Smart TV experience too. The Xiaomi TV Stick is a great entry point into the world of smart TVs and streaming apps as it offers good performance and features for its price. Check out our guide on How does the Xiaomi TV Stick Work for all the details

Advantages

Turn any TV with an HDMI port into a smart TV.
Built-in Chromecast for streaming from devices.
Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos support.
Built-in Google Assistant for quick voice search.
Easy to access content..
Cheaper alternative to buying a new Smart TV.

Disadvantages

Can be clunky at the back running an extra USB cable.
Many alternatives are available from Amazon, Realme, etc, and no distinguishable feature.

Can I use my Xiaomi TV Stick with any TV?

Yes, if the TV has an HDMI port. Most TVs released in the past decade feature an HDMI port, and that is all you need to use Xiaomi TV. So if you have an old TV that is not smart, you can use the Xiaomi TV stick to make it an awesome smart TV.

Is Mi TV stick worth buying?

Definitely yes if your TV is not a smart TV. The Mi TV is worth buying even if you have an older smart Tv that is not capable of powering today’s content. The Mi TV Stick can take a mediocre TV and transform it into something amazing. And for under 50 dollars, it offers excellent value for money as well.

The Mi TV stick is definitely worth investing in. It’s much better than blowing a lot of money on expensive smart TVs. It’s even cheaper than the other TV Sticks like Amazon’s Fire Stick. Although it does lag every now and then, it still has the same features as any other TV stick. Check out our guide on How does the Xiaomi TV Stick Work for all the details.

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How does the Xiaomi TV Stick Work | Latest 2022 Guide