Mibox 4k

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498 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1798410 12-Jun-2017 12:27

MikeAqua:

steve2222:

MikeAqua:

I am having problems streaming Lightbox from phone to MiBox 4K.

The casting initiates and the episode footer loads but the video never commences playback.

This follows me un-installing a few apps and changing some settings

Does anyone know what permissions/apps/utilities have to be turned on to allow casting of Lightbox to Google TV?

Exact same issue.

Did you ever get LB working via casting?

To be honest I gave up trying. I got a new phone and I haven't even bothered registering it with Lghtbox yet.

But I can cast everything I've tried that isn't Lightbox.

For the sake of testing I've cast various apps from my phone to the MiBox with no issues and I'm able to cast from chrome on the laptop and mirror my phone screen.

Thanks Mike,

Since I upgraded the Google Cast Receiver app in Mi Box I have been able to cast everything I have thrown at it (incl BBC and Australian TV apps) EXCEPT for Lightbox.

Lightbox will cast to a true Google Chromecast, but not to Google Cast Receiver inside Android TV (Mi Box).

How do you 'mirror' your phone screen on the MiBox (perhaps that might work for LB)? Is your phone an Android or iOS? Do you have a mirror app or something like that installed on the MiBox?

Thanks

MikeAqua

7773 posts

Uber Geek

#1798455 12-Jun-2017 13:17

steve2222:

How do you 'mirror' your phone screen on the MiBox (perhaps that might work for LB)? Is your phone an Android or iOS? Do you have a mirror app or something like that installed on the MiBox?

It's android (S7) with the google home app installed.

Some apps/websites allow a phone screen to be mirrored to the MiBox using chrome-cast.

More generally you can mirror the screen via chrome-cast using the google home app.

I call this mirroring because the media still runs on the source device and the picture size and format aren't always optimised to match the destination screen.

I haven't tried mirroring on Light Box yet.

Mike

xyf

300 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1798474 12-Jun-2017 13:54

How is everyone going with this box? im looking to replace a windows 10 pc in a location with a streaming box, I like the look of android tv, pretty much stream netflix/youtube mainly with tvnz and three (websites on the win10 machine) less often. And maybe a tiny tiny amount of mkv's from a local server. We have a fast 3x3 AC network. Quick questions:

1 - Can you use a usb (wireless one) keyboard/trackpad? or does it have to be bluetooth

2 - Do the side-loaded tvnz/three apps work?

3 - Im guessing kodi is ok for the odd streaming movie from a local server i have (or could i use plex?)

4 - Are these rubbish and am i better of getting one of the android boxes that others also use?

Hardware for the tv is just a 1080p 200hz tv, with 2.1 sound via hdmi

Ace

kobiak

1615 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#1798491 12-Jun-2017 14:11

xyf:

How is everyone going with this box? im looking to replace a windows 10 pc in a location with a streaming box, I like the look of android tv, pretty much stream netflix/youtube mainly with tvnz and three (websites on the win10 machine) less often. And maybe a tiny tiny amount of mkv's from a local server. We have a fast 3x3 AC network. Quick questions:

1 - Can you use a usb (wireless one) keyboard/trackpad? or does it have to be bluetooth

2 - Do the side-loaded tvnz/three apps work?

3 - Im guessing kodi is ok for the odd streaming movie from a local server i have (or could i use plex?)

4 - Are these rubbish and am i better of getting one of the android boxes that others also use?

Hardware for the tv is just a 1080p 200hz tv, with 2.1 sound via hdmi

Ace

I use mibox 4k for month now, everything is great.

I have Plex local server with all media, so Plex client on Mibox, runs over 5ghz wifi, no issues for 1080p videos.

Also I've setup IPTV with Live Channels and it's easy as to use.

Youtube runs smooth, no issues. Have not used it for anything else.

helping others at evgenyk.nz

xyf

300 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1798520 12-Jun-2017 14:38

Also I've setup IPTV with Live Channels and it's easy as to use.

With nz channels?

Ive been recording tv via the windows server i have with a couple of tunners and running mediaportal backend, have had a mixture of mediaportal frontend's and kodi to stream live content (and recorded, but plex does this too). Overall the whole setup i have works but i just want to get rid of a few windows computers... well all of them except the server and a gaming one. Basically want something like:

Windows 10 server - This handles plex transcoding, file storage, has dvb tunners currently running mediaportal backend, does torrents

2x boxes to replace win10 machines - Netflix/youtube , use plex/kodi to pull stuff from server, tvnz/three streaming, probably kodi to access live streams from the mediaportal backend. Needs to be wife friendly although shes lived with a windows machine for years

justinbyoung

55 posts

Master Geek

#1798648 12-Jun-2017 17:03

xyf:

1 - Can you use a usb (wireless one) keyboard/trackpad? or does it have to be bluetooth

Mine worked perfectly with my Logitech k400 keyboard + dongle.

NightStalker

314 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1803069 18-Jun-2017 19:37

Hi All

I'm looking at replacing my current HTPC.
My current setup is a windows based NUC HTPC in the lounge and a Roku 3 in the bedroom.
Ultimately I'm looking for a good device(s) to replace the above

lounge - at least x265/HEVC 10 bit/5.1 sound and support for Plex/kodi(ISO stream)/Netflix/Amazon prime/BBC iplayer
bedroom as above but main use is with Headphone use

For those already using the Mi Box I'm hoping you can help with my questions.

With the Kodi app are you able to set network paths (CIFS/NFS) and stream ISO (bluray/DVD) files
The Plex forums suggest that there is an issue with audio passthrough - is anyone having trouble with this
I'm also looking at being able to stream games from my PC. I'm aware of Moonlight but are there steam clients etc that do this also. what are peoples experiences with game streaming to the MI Box
I have emailed Mi Box but are there any legitimate aliexpress or similar (banggood) stores
if anyone has the Nvidia Shield TV how does it compare
If anyone has the Steam Link (if Mi Box game streaming is possible) how does this compare
Does the Mi Box support headphones either via remote headphone socket like the Roku or via Bluetooth (any recommendations)
What is the current OS version (seems to be 6-marshmallow)

Thanks in advance

Equinox IT

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justinbyoung

55 posts

Master Geek

#1803094 18-Jun-2017 20:41

NightStalker:

Hi All

I'm looking at replacing my current HTPC.
My current setup is a windows based NUC HTPC in the lounge and a Roku 3 in the bedroom.
Ultimately I'm looking for a good device(s) to replace the above

lounge - at least x265/HEVC 10 bit/5.1 sound and support for Plex/kodi(ISO stream)/Netflix/Amazon prime/BBC iplayer
bedroom as above but main use is with Headphone use
For those already using the Mi Box I'm hoping you can help with my questions.

With the Kodi app are you able to set network paths (CIFS/NFS) and stream ISO (bluray/DVD) files
The Plex forums suggest that there is an issue with audio passthrough - is anyone having trouble with this
I'm also looking at being able to stream games from my PC. I'm aware of Moonlight but are there steam clients etc that do this also. what are peoples experiences with game streaming to the MI Box
I have emailed Mi Box but are there any legitimate aliexpress or similar (banggood) stores
if anyone has the Nvidia Shield TV how does it compare
If anyone has the Steam Link (if Mi Box game streaming is possible) how does this compare
Does the Mi Box support headphones either via remote headphone socket like the Roku or via Bluetooth (any recommendations)
What is the current OS version (seems to be 6-marshmallow)

Thanks in advance

1. I don't use ISO's but all media is played from my NAS using Samba/Cifs.

2. I have found that Plex doesn't recognise that my TV can decode AC3 (Dolby) and DTS so forces a transcode on the server. Setting audio to force passthrough results in no sound. Plex uses the Android TV exoplayer library which apparently is the source of the issue. Kodi uses it's own audio decoders and works better. Apparently a future update to exoplayer should fix this. For me this happens on both the mibox and my NVidia Shield.

3. I have used Moonlight on the Mibox and it does work quite well. The Shield is better in this area though.

4. I got mine from Aliexpress.

5. The Shield is much better in every area. Software support is much better. The performance of the Mibox is not too bad, but I had to add an Ethernet dongle to get Live TV from my TVHeadend server to be even remote viewable. USB > Ethernet dongles have their own set of problems, if you put the Mibox to sleep you will need to unplug and replug the dongle for it to work again, so ours stays on 24/7. Things like Netflix seem to be a little bit buggier, tough lately it has been better so a Netflix update may have fixed this. Chromecast playback from Youtube is a bit hit and miss, some clips just won't play.

7. It has a 3.5mm out so it should work with headphones. The Shield game controller has it's own 3.5mm headphone jack which is really handy.

8. It's 6.0. There is a 7.0 beta out there to try but I have no idea when it will be officially released.

We have the Shield in the Living Room and the Mibox in the bedroom. Both get used everyday. If a Amazon sale comes along I would probably pick up a 2nd Shield for the bedroom, but for everyday Live TV, Netflix and NAS media the Mibox is fine. Amazon Video is only available on the Shield.

tanivula

991 posts

Ultimate Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#1803127 18-Jun-2017 22:17

justinbyoung:

NightStalker:

snip

4. I got mine from Aliexpress.

5. The Shield is much better in every area. Software support is much better. The performance of the Mibox is not too bad, but I had to add an Ethernet dongle to get Live TV from my TVHeadend server to be even remote viewable. USB > Ethernet dongles have their own set of problems, if you put the Mibox to sleep you will need to unplug and replug the dongle for it to work again, so ours stays on 24/7. Things like Netflix seem to be a little bit buggier, tough lately it has been better so a Netflix update may have fixed this. Chromecast playback from Youtube is a bit hit and miss, some clips just won't play.

@NightStalker

Aliexpress for me too.

The shield is a different class of device (being 2-3x the price of the MiBox). The Shield would be a go to if you didn't have a tight budget, otherwise the MiBox does most things. There seems to be heaps more support for the shield also officially and from the community.

@justinbyoung

My MiBox works fine with LiveTV via HD Homerun over WiFi. The key is to have strong WiFi (AC wifi!).

xyf

300 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1803186 19-Jun-2017 08:51

Yeah i just up'd my wifi to AC with the router to have a clear line of sight to the place where the mi will go (just ordered one). I have had my htpc under the couch with a hdmi cord going under the house from there to the tv on the wall. This will let me get rid of the last cable going up the wall.

NightStalker

314 posts

Ultimate Geek

#1803638 19-Jun-2017 20:01

Thanks all, some helpful info there.

I think I'll get the shield for the lounge.

Pricewise, the Mi Box will probably be the best option for the bedroom but as far as I can tell the remote doesn't have a headphone socket so need to maybe think about what to do there.
I had emailed Xiaomi a few questions in which they included "......aliexpress is not our authorized seller partner".
Does that mean they are surplus or clones, has anyone had any issues with updates etc?

MikeAqua

7773 posts

Uber Geek

#1804047 20-Jun-2017 14:29

NightStalker:

the Mi Box will probably be the best option for the bedroom but as far as I can tell the remote doesn't have a headphone socket so need to maybe think about what to do there.

MiBox works with bluetooth accessories so Bluetooth headphones would be an option.

Mike

richms

28168 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#1804415 20-Jun-2017 22:58

MikeAqua:

MiBox works with bluetooth accessories so Bluetooth headphones would be an option.

I tried a bluetooth speaker on the shed TV's mibox to save me running a cable and the UI isnt that great - there isnt a connect option in the bluetooth menu so I had to do pairing each time I powered the speaker off and on again. Headphones might be better but I would need to try it out sometime.

Richard rich.ms

JonnyCam

643 posts

Ultimate Geek

ID Verified

#1805095 22-Jun-2017 11:34

richms:

MikeAqua:

MiBox works with bluetooth accessories so Bluetooth headphones would be an option.

I tried a bluetooth speaker on the shed TV's mibox to save me running a cable and the UI isnt that great - there isnt a connect option in the bluetooth menu so I had to do pairing each time I powered the speaker off and on again. Headphones might be better but I would need to try it out sometime.

I had the mibox connected to one of those cheap ebay amplifiers in the garage by bluetooth.

I used a switched multibox for the TV, amp, mibox and switch everything off when not down there, and the mibox always seemed to reconnect to the amp withoit an issue. (I've hardwired from the TV headphone jack as use the TV for sky via HDMI balun now.)

Wyvern

91 posts

Master Geek

#1806033 24-Jun-2017 12:06

Just got me one of these Mi Boxes. Any suggestions for the best VPN to use? Also Any suggestions for best addons for Kodi apps for movies and sport?

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