Two devices, not one
The Mi TV Stick is the small, inexpensive dongle. The Mi Box is the larger set-top device with more memory and, depending on the model, a network socket.
For light use they feel similar. For IPTV they diverge, because the interface work involved in a long channel list and a full programme guide is exactly the kind of thing the cheaper device runs short of memory for.
What you get on either
Both run Android TV with the Play Store, so the mainstream players install directly. There is no workaround, no sideloading and no compatibility question — enter your login and the guide populates.
Our setup guide covers the login itself, and the player comparison covers which app suits a remote-driven device.
Setting one up from new
The order matters more on a low-cost device than on a fast one, because every step competes for the same limited memory.
Connect the device and let it finish its own system updates before you install anything. A device that is downloading an update in the background will feel slow whatever you do, and people frequently judge the hardware during exactly that window.
Then install one player rather than several. Each app you try keeps its own cache and its own copy of the guide, and on a device with this much storage three abandoned players is a meaningful amount of space. Decide which one you want, install that, and remove anything you tried and rejected.
Enter your login, then leave the guide to load completely before doing anything else. On a long channel list this takes minutes rather than seconds the first time, and interrupting it only means starting again.
Which of the two to buy
If the choice is open and IPTV is the main use, the Mi Box is the better buy. The extra memory is exactly what a long channel list and a full guide consume, and it is the difference between an interface that feels instant and one that feels deliberate.
The Mi TV Stick makes more sense as a second device — a bedroom, a spare room, somewhere the list is short or the viewing is mostly on-demand. It is also the more sensible thing to take travelling, being small enough to disappear into a bag.
Neither is worth buying for picture quality, because neither affects it. Buy on how the interface will feel with your channel list, which is the only thing the hardware actually decides.
Where the limits show
Memory, on long channel lists
The first symptom is not a broken stream. It is a guide that takes a long time to draw, a list that scrolls in steps rather than smoothly, and a pause of a second or two when you change channel.
That is the device running out of room to hold the guide, not the connection failing. Our explanation of why changing channels feels slow covers what is happening.
Storage, over time
These devices ship with a modest amount of storage and it fills. A player, its cache and a downloaded guide add up, and once the device is close to full everything slows down at once.
Clearing the player cache periodically is the single most effective bit of maintenance. Our guide on freeing space on a streaming device covers what is safe to remove.
The network connection
The Mi TV Stick is Wi-Fi only. Some Mi Box models have an Ethernet port and some do not, so check the specific model rather than the range.
Where a cable is available it is worth using, for the reasons set out in our comparison of Ethernet and Wi-Fi.
Getting the best from a low-cost device
- Choose a player designed for a remote rather than a phone — it will be lighter on memory as well as easier to drive
- Keep several gigabytes of storage free rather than filling the device
- Restart it every week or two instead of leaving it in standby indefinitely
- Uninstall apps you are not using; each one keeps its own cache
- If the guide is very slow, try a player that loads the guide in sections rather than all at once
When to spend more
If the guide is slow but the picture is fine, the device is the limit and a more capable box will genuinely help. Our guide to the Nvidia Shield covers the other end of the range, and the comparison of device types covers the middle.
If the picture stutters but the interface is quick, the device is probably not the problem and you should look at the network first. And if the television itself already runs an app store, adding a box may be unnecessary — our guide to Hisense and VIDAA televisions covers one common case where the set can do the job on its own.
What changing the device will not fix
It is worth being clear about the boundary, because a new box is an easy thing to buy and a frequent disappointment.
A different device cannot sharpen a channel that arrives soft, cannot add a programme guide the provider does not send, and cannot repair a connection that drops. Those are decided before the stream reaches your television. What the hardware decides is how quickly the list draws, how long the guide takes, and whether a demanding codec plays cleanly.
If the picture itself is the complaint rather than the speed of the interface, our guide on picture quality sets out where the real limit sits.
A realistic expectation
A Mi TV Stick will run IPTV perfectly well for a household with a manageable list and undemanding habits. It will feel slow if you have tens of thousands of channels and change them constantly.
That is a fair trade at the price, and it is worth knowing which side of it you are on before deciding the service is at fault.
Frequently asked questions
Can the Mi TV Stick run IPTV Smarters or TiviMate?
Yes. It is an Android TV device with the Play Store, so the mainstream players install normally.
Why is my guide so slow to load on a Mi Box?
Almost always memory rather than connection. A large programme guide is a lot of data to hold and redraw, and it is the first thing a low-cost device runs short on.
Does the Mi Box have an Ethernet port?
It depends on the model. Some do and some do not, and the Mi TV Stick does not. Check the specific device rather than the range name.
Will a Mi Box give me a better picture than a stick?
No. Picture quality comes from the channel. What the larger device improves is the interface, the guide and how it behaves under load.
How do I stop it slowing down over time?
Keep storage free, clear the player cache occasionally, remove apps you do not use, and restart the device every week or two.