How to choose and buy a TV box

Better to start with the need for a TV set-top box. Judging by the reviews on social networks, on forums and under video reviews on Youtube, users do not fully understand what kind of gadget it is.

TV boxing is a multimedia device capable of working with any content from the Internet at the hardware and software level. Connecting external drives is only an option, not the main functionality. The TV box displays a picture (video) on the screen of a monitor or TV.

How to choose and buy a TV box

 

And immediately the question - why do we need a prefix, is there in most TVs there is a built-in player. Yes, smart TV technology does not need an external player. But the problem lies in the fact that TV technology has a number of limitations that greatly limit the functionality that the user really needs:

 

• High-quality video processing in UHD format is the inhibition of the picture due to overheating of the chip in the TV.
• Sound decoding - a license is required for many formats of an audio signal, which will lead to higher cost of technology. For example, most televisions do not support the ancient DTS, which encodes most Blu-ray movies.
• A stripped down operating system. The proud Android sticker on the packaging means nothing. Almost all TVs have restrictions on the installed programs. This means that it is not possible to install a fashion player or game.
• There are no necessary interfaces - connecting to the Internet, outputting sound to speakers through AUX (only a digit), Bluetooth and so on.

Chip performance - what are, features

 

Almost all TV boxes on the market are based on the Amlogic chipset. Regardless of the modification, the crystal was originally made for multimedia and the Android system. Most popular Amlogic chips:

 

• S905X
• S905X2
• S905X3
• S912
• S922X

 

The difference between the chipsets in the type and amount of supported RAM and permanent memory, in video adapters and additional functionality. In terms of stability at work, Amlogic has no competitors. Naturally, if the manufacturer of the set-top box normally implemented a cooling system inside the TV box.

Another chip that can be found on inexpensive consoles is the Allwinner H6. Compared to Amlogic, this chipset is very hot and does not want to output 4K video from Youtube with 60FPS. In pursuit of the lowest price, the TV box on the Allwinner processor is not recommended for purchase by many multimedia experts.

 

The third market representative is Rockchip. He has one feature - he knows how to support the real 4K format (4096x2160). Then, as the rest of the chips work with a consumer resolution of 3840x2160. But you can’t focus on this, since most 4K TVs have a consumer resolution of 3840x2160. The Rockchip processor is insanely warm and unable to work stably with multimedia.

Realtek controllers put premium consoles. Given that the brand is actively promoting other multimedia solutions under its brand, it is not difficult to guess what capabilities the chipset may have. High-quality microcircuits demonstrate excellent transmission of video, sound, have additional functionality.

 

You can add Tegra X1 + and Broadcom Capri chips to the list. But the Chinese do not use them, because of the high cost. Processors install serious brands such as Amazon or NVIDIA. Chipsets do not heat up, support all formats of sound or video, have good functionality.

 

Functionality - in particular for convenient video viewing

 

In pursuit of performance, customers are guided by the amount of RAM and permanent memory. Perhaps the fault is the comparison with smartphones, where the norm is 4/64 GB. The functionality of the console does not depend on the increased volumes. The norm is 2 GB of RAM and 8 GB of ROM. This is sufficient for all user tasks.

It is better to pay attention to other characteristics of the device:

 

• Voice control. This is convenient for video search - much faster than clicking buttons on the keyboard or remote control.
• A good 5 GHz Wi-Fi module or 1 Gb / s Ethernet port. Given that the size of 4K films reaches 80-100 GB, a bandwidth of 100 MB / s is not enough.
• Good audio card with the right output. Digital output SPDIF, AV or AUX. It is selected individually for acoustics. If there is no home theater or active speakers, the criterion is not important.
• Workable Bluetooth. Given that it operates on a 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi frequency, there should be no signal overlay. This criterion is important for fans of games with a gamepad.
• Well thought out cooling system. Good consoles do not tend to overheat. But there are times when a TV box is installed behind the TV. Due to the lack of air circulation, there can be problems in games.
• Convenience of management. Main menu, navigation bar, curtain. Everything should be perfect for comfortable use.
• Root rights and update from the manufacturer. The prefix is ​​not bought for one year. Therefore, there should be an opportunity to improve the software.

 

Which product to prefer in terms of price-quality ratio

 

Among dozens of manufacturers there are a lot of interesting and very productive solutions. The advantage is definitely for three brands: Ugoos, Beelink and Xiaomi. But there is also a middle class in which they show themselves well - Mecool, Vontar, Amazon Fire, Tanix. Before buying, it is best to study video reviews on Youtube channels. Since the characteristics in the description of the product can not be trusted.

In the context of cool, time-tested, TV boxes, the following models are ideal:

 

• To watch videos - Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K, TANIX TX9S, Mi box 3, Ugoos X2(X3), Mecool KM9 Pro, Beelink GT1 Mini-2 (or mini), VONTAR X3.
• For games - UGOOS AM6 Plus, Beelink GT-King (and Pro), NVIDIA SHIELD TV PRO 2019.

 

Where is it better to buy a set-top box for a TV and why

 

You can buy a TV box in two ways - in Chinese online stores, or in specialized stores in your country. It is important to understand that you are purchasing the same product, which simply differs in price.

If we talk about Chinese stores, then definitely GearBest service. The company is always on the side of the buyer, so there is more confidence in the store. Plus, with girbest, goods always arrive very quickly.

 

An alternative is AliExpress service. More choice and number of customer reviews, less price. The store is not bad, but quite often purchases do not quite fit the declared characteristics in the description. And disputes do not always end in favor of the buyer.

The purchase of a TV box in the territory of your country gives the buyer some guarantees. For which, incidentally, you have to pay extra. The price of the prefix, in comparison with China, can be 20-100% more. It all depends on the initial cost of the product and its demand.

 

According to the TeraNews portal, the best solution is to buy a TV box in China using GearBest. This is not an advertisement. Just many years of experience in conducting orders on girbest, ali, amazon and ebay, allows us to draw such conclusions. Let the prefix be 10% more expensive than in other stores. But the service is at its best - always comes exactly the product that is listed in the description. The parcel arrives 2 times faster, and more often through a paid transport company (payment at the expense of the sender). The decision is up to the buyer, but buying in China is better than overpaying for the same product in stores in your country.

What equipment is necessary for the comfortable operation of the TV box

 

In the context of all TV models that do not reach the FullHD format (1920x1080) by screen resolution, you can buy any TV box. At resolutions of HD and lower, all chips will cope with the work. When buying, you can save by choosing a prefix with the old HDMI format (up to version 1.2).

 

To watch video in 4K format requires a TV with a diagonal of at least 55 inches. Only on such displays can a closer look be made to see the difference in photo or video (FullHD and UHD). And not even on all televisions with a large diagonal, you can see this difference. The quality is affected by the type of matrix and the sweep frequency. How to choose a 4K TV, we have already discussed here.

Sound. If you plan to play audio through TV speakers, then there is no point in looking for advanced solutions with support for modern audio codecs. The built-in audio system, even with imitation of surround sound, will not give the desired effect. Well, maybe on Bang & Olufsen TVs. To fully immerse yourself in dynamic scenes, you need a receiver or AV processor with speakers and a subwoofer.

Particular attention, if you have a 4K TV and speakers, you need to pay to cables. In particular, AV, AUX, SPDIF and HDMI. Going solutions in the kit just do not reach the required level. Carrying out tests of consoles, the team of the TeraNews portal came to the conclusion that only three brands can be trusted: Hama, Belkin, ATCOM. Naturally in the budget and mid-price segment. If we talk about the elite, then - to the Ecosse brand.

The Internet. A good router that does not freeze due to long-term operation and does not shape the channel (does not reduce the output bandwidth). If you need stable operation, it is better to give preference to normal network equipment. You can trust the brands: Asus, Cisco, Keenetic, Linksys, Netgear, Huawei, Zyxel.

 

In conclusion

 

In addition to the main question - how to choose and buy a TV box correctly, we also considered the conditions for comfortable use of the set-top box. The purchase of a multimedia device is not limited to the choice of model. For 4K, you need a whole system that can convey the atmosphere of the reproduced content.

A powerful chip, a productive graphics card, decent cooling and functionality are the main selection criteria. The amount of memory and presentability do not solve anything. For relaxation, you need a 4K TV of a well-known brand with a normal matrix, stable Internet and a good audio system. Disagree - let's chat in Disqus chat (at the bottom of the page).