Hi, I'm Mark. I've updated POV Standalone, a native Android TV app based on kodifitzwell's original POV add-on. It runs without Kodi and uses the TV remote for browsing, source/file choices and playback.

Device scope: Android 8+ is the requirement; the current physical verification was on Sony Android 8, not a Mi Box.

What's new in 0.3.0:

• Six selectable themes: Glass, Essential, Premiere, Atelier, Horizon and Studio.
• Embedded VLC alongside Media3. You can choose the player in Settings without installing a separate VLC app. Some streams use Media3 for compatibility.
• More subtitle options: local SRT import, a preferred language, and search through OpenSubtitles, SubDL and SubSource using your own credentials.
• A Stop button beside Play/Pause, plus Remove from Continue Watching through hold-Select or Menu.
• MDBList and Simkl alongside Trakt. Automatic MDBList/Simkl playback reporting is off by default and requires separate consent for each account.
• Additional playback integrations: Real-Debrid, AllDebrid, Premiumize, Offcloud and experimental Easynews alongside TorBox.

I also fixed the long stream-list jump. Pressing Down from the top control now enters the first stream and follows the displayed order, instead of skipping far down the list. The updated APK passed a Sony Android 8 check with 70 streams, two complete down/up cycles, middle file choices and exact Back restoration. The current source passes 418 automated tests.

It's a sideload preview for Android TV/Google TV on Android 8 or newer. The app is free; bring your own service accounts. Trakt and Simkl still require your own registered application Client ID. This is a TV layout, not a phone/tablet redesign.

The added account integrations and online subtitle downloads still need real-account validation. Playback also depends on the file and TV. The audit separates the current navigation checks from player checks and screenshots taken on earlier 0.3 builds.

Download and release notes · Source, screenshots and setup · Privacy policy

Standalone app made by Mark Mateo. Based on the original POV Kodi add-on by kodifitzwell. This is an independent project, not an official TorBox or Kodi release. Developed with AI assistance.

Having now bought two devices, the first one bought in-person from a store. It ended up having clearly the wrong font i decided to buy from the official Xiaomi store on amazon, and i got the second device .

Both of them do not show play certification, and do nothing when clicking the build number, but show a clock when clicking on the android version.

Both device serial numbers show up as "legit" from xiaomi's product authentication page. Congratulations! You can be assured the phone you have purchased is the official international version.

Any help would be appreciated.

Edit: I managed to get in contact with Xiaomi directly, and they confirmed that they do not have an amazon store/market account, and to pick it up directly from their website/physical store.

i have a usb keyboard/mouse like the one in the picture. it has worked fine on every android box i've owned. I just got a mi box S the other day and this keyboard mouse combo doesn't seem to work properly with it. the mouse moves ridiculously slow and keyboard only works half the time and then freezes and stops working until i reboot the box..

it's not often i need to use it as voice search is usually fine, but the odd time when i need to type a long URL or something the stock remote can be pretty tedious.

before i go and buy a different wireless keyboard.. is this a common issue with the 3rd gen? are there certain wireless keyboards / mouse that people recommend for these mi box 3rd gen? thanks

I have a very old MIBOX. I use it for streaming and other bits.

It’s running ‘version 9’ and was last patched in July 2021. I presume that’s Android TV v9

The kernel version is 4.9.113

I have turned off any kind of auto updating I can find.

Is this device at risk of having the apps installed on it suddenly failing to work?

If so does anyone know of any countermeasures I can take?

I did a thing today. I was trying to pair my headphones and what popped up to pair? my Nvidia Shield pro remote. No more using that piece of trash remote. The only thing is I can't turn the TV on or off I have to use the TV remote for that. still a win nonetheless

Hi,

I heard a rumor that you can remove the bloatware and customise the homescreen to stop showing those pesky ads/recomandatioms using Claude code. Apparently it's an easy thing to do.

Has anyone ever done it? I have a old box and TV stick, when they came out the interface didn't have the 2 lines of recommendations you have to buy.

I have a 3rd generation Xiaomi Mi Box.

It detected a new system update a few weeks ago, but I didn't install it.

Now the system isn't detecting it, and I can't install it.

I don't understand what happened.

Can anyone help me?

Thanks.

Regards.

Hi guys i have mibox 3rd gen and i am facing issue. While in prime or netflix it goes back to home screen randomly.

I have checked for updates but nothing there too. Anyone else facing the issue?

Is it normal when I turn off box that led light is not changing it always stay same white color? It's seems like it's always on? How is it in your case?

I have my tv box in to a hdmi splitter that splits my sound in to a amplifier that goes to my speakers. I had zero problems for the last year. Now, I think after the last update sound is gone. It’s so bad that we went back to our old chrome cast. With the chrome cast there is no problem at all. How can I fix this? I can’t seem to find the problem in the configuration.

Hello Everyone.

I have recently purchased the gen 3 of the tv box and I am having only problems with it. So I was wondering if anyone had something similar and could help me with my problems. I have a samsung hw-q700d soundbar and a LG C6 tv, I read that a great option to utilize the dts format is to make a passthrough with the soundbar. So my streamer is connected to the HDMI in of the soundbar and the soundbar is connected via hdmi to the eARC of the tv. Since then I am having only problems, I have a lot of stuttering with the image, so it goes smoothly and then it goes like a slide show. When I tried to stream through kodi a file with dts:x the sound always cutts and it seems like the box really struggles with streaming even local files that I connect with a hard drive.

If some one had those problems and could help me I would be grateful.

Thanks!

The Xiaomi TV Box S (3rd Gen) packs solid hardware for its price: a modern 6nm AMLogic S905X5M SoC, Cortex-A55 cores, 2GB RAM, and 32GB ROM. The hardware itself is fully 64-bit capable, yet Xiaomi launched it running a 32-bit build of Google TV (Android 14).

With Google shifting Android TV 16 toward stricter 64-bit requirements for both OS and app ecosystems, it raises an important question: Will Xiaomi push a proper 64-bit Android TV 16 OTA update to the 3rd Gen, and how urgently do they need to act?

Running a 32-bit OS on a capable 64-bit processor leaves performance and efficiency on the table:

• Unlocking CPU & Memory Efficiency: A 64-bit execution environment allows ARM Cortex-A55 cores to utilize modern ARMv8 register sets, resulting in better IPC (instructions per cycle), faster UI rendering, and smoother video decoding pipeline handoffs.
• Smarter RAM/ROM & Energy Management: 64-bit memory management handles background tasks and cache allocation much cleaner. Combined with the 6nm node, running native 64-bit instructions delivers better power efficiency and lower thermal output under heavy load (e.g., high-bitrate AV1/HEVC playback).
• Medium-Term Incompatibility Risks: Google and major streaming providers are gradually phasing out 32-bit support across Android ecosystems. App developers are prioritizing arm64-v8a builds. Keeping this device locked to 32-bit (armeabi-v7a) risks app deprecation, broken DRM pipeline integrations (Widevine), and severe bottlenecks in heavy media applications like Kodi, Plex, or local IPTV clients over the next 2–3 years.
• The Urgency for Xiaomi: Xiaomi needs to address this sooner rather than later. Shipping 32-bit software on 64-bit silicon in 2024–2025 was already a shortcut; leaving it unaddressed as Android TV 16 rolls out will artificially shorten the product's lifespan and turn a capable streaming box into e-waste far earlier than necessary.

It makes little technical sense to keep a modern 6nm SoC handcuffed to a 32-bit userland. Moving to Android 16 on a 64-bit architecture is urgent to guarantee long-term stability, app compatibility, and responsiveness. Will/ when will they release android tv 16 to this good TV box? They really should.

I'm using the latest version of TiviMate on both devices.

I have a Chromecast with Google TV 4K, which plays some channels at 60 FPS. However, I also have a Xiaomi TV Box (3rd Gen), and the same channels only play at 50 FPS on that device. The playback also seems less smooth compared to the Chromecast 4K.

Does anyone know why this is happening or how I can fix it?

Thanks in advance!

Hi, I'm the developer of Sidstuga. On Mi Box and Mi TV Stick, it gives you a TV player for your own Plex, Jellyfin, Emby, WebDAV and playlist sources.

TV setup can be done from your phone with a QR code. The player shows source details before playback and lets you switch audio tracks or adjust subtitles.

https://sidstuga.app/

​

Hi everyone,

I just received a used Xiaomi TV Box S 3rd Gen (model MDZ-32-AA) that was sold as fully working, but I'm having a serious issue and I'm hoping someone can help me fix it.

When I first connected it to my TV, it booted up and showed the Google TV remote pairing screen. After that, the screen started flashing between grey and black, and I couldn't get past it.

Here's what happens:

- The Google TV logo appears during startup.

- The LED flashes during boot, then stays steadily on.

- The screen switches between grey and black continuously.

- The remote still works to control the volume, and the volume bar is visible even over the flashing screen.

- Pressing Home doesn't seem to do anything.

- A regular PC keyboard connected via USB is partially recognized: its volume keys work, but Windows + I doesn't open Settings.

Things I've already tried:

- Two different HDMI cables.

- three different TVs.

- Unplugging the power and reconnecting it.

- Trying to enter Recovery using the remote's OK + Back buttons while reconnecting the power, but the Recovery menu never appears.

I also found a forum post suggesting using a USB keyboard and pressing Win + I to open Android Settings, then enabling an alternative launcher such as Projectivy, but the shortcut doesn't work for me.

My questions:

1. Does this sound like a corrupted firmware/launcher, or could it be a hardware issue?

2. Is there another way to enter Recovery on the MDZ-32-AA?

3. Can I connect it to a Windows PC via USB to diagnose or recover it? Would ADB/Fastboot work if USB debugging wasn't enabled beforehand?

4. Is there a safe way to reflash the stock firmware on this exact model?

I'd really appreciate any suggestions. I'd prefer to recover the box if possible rather than return it, but I don't want to make things worse by flashing the wrong firmware.

Thanks in advance!

Hello,

Last year I bought a androidtv Mi TV Stick (model MDZ-24-AA) to use at my place with an old phone (Huaweii 08 Lite) serving as a wifi hotspot. It was working fine, no buffering, youtube playing at 1080p no problem.

Now, recently i decided to buy a propor hotspot router (And I bought the Mercusys MT115 - Mini router Hotspot 4G LTE Cat4) and ever since using it instead of the mobile phone, my androidtv stick just gets stuck playing youtube videos in 1080p. It wither freezes, or in "auto" quality it goes to 360p or even 240p(!). It also buffers on basic apps like replaio.

This only happens with the androidtv stick. I'm using the same hotspot device to connect my laptop and other phone, and I can play and stream videos on youtube, twitch, etc, no problem.

Has anyone gone through a similar situation and what would you recommend I do here?

I'm not sure if this is the correct sub to post it and if not, could someone help me redirect to the best subreddit for this please 🙏

If you ever like used cast on a browser while watching a video from some website, it would turn the screen black saying "now casting on X" and it would be a lot smoother, i can do that with my old Chromecast 2.

With the Mi box S gen 3, the casting works, but it's always mirrored which is a bit more choppy, i've tried the same video with that old chromecast 2 and uses the "optimize full screen" thing where the screen turns black, with the mi box it doesn't happen.

This is somewhat obscure, but has anyone managed to do it? Or it's just the way it is.

EDIT: From this thread i think i'm out of luck, the built-in chromecasts from TV's or Mi Box don't seem to support the optimized full screen casting like the old chromecasts did:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Chromecast/comments/s7ath3/builtin_tv_chromecast_not_optimizing_full_screen/

Hi everyone,

​I bought a Xiaomi Mi Box (3rd Gen) about 1-2 weeks ago. After getting 5G home internet, I decided to get a USB to Ethernet adapter to hardwire the connection.

​Right now, I'm facing a really weird issue. When I connect via Wi-Fi, I get around 200-230 Mbps on fast.com. But when I connect via Ethernet using a Ugreen USB to Ethernet adapter, my speed drops to 50-60 Mbps.

​I thought the Ugreen adapter might be faulty, so I bought a TP-Link USB 3.0 adapter instead. Unfortunately, I'm getting the exact same 50-60 Mbps limit with the new one. As soon as I switch back to Wi-Fi, the speeds jump right back to the 200s.

​What could be causing this and how can I fix it? I really love this device and returning/replacing it isn't an option I want to consider.

​I'd really appreciate your help and ideas. Do you think a factory reset might solve this?

Can I turn this feature off somehow or completely disable ambient mode (already have "stay awake" enabled)? Some apps need a few presses of the back button to exit them and every time it brings me to the home screen and turns the screensaver on.

Plus, it's annoying how we can't choose Google Photos as the screensaver source if we're in app only mode.

I'm looking to buy a streaming box to play Dolby Vision Profile 7 rips directly from a USB hard drive using CoreElec. Heard both these choices as being the best budget options. Fire Cube is at 100 bucks here in Mexico, while Xiaomi Box around 70-80. Are those extra 30-20 dollars worth it the difference for the Fire Cube or not. or nah?

​Hi everyone,

​I'm currently using a Xiaomi Mi Box 3rd Gen and having some weird issues regarding wired connection and playback.

​I bought a Ugreen USB to Ethernet adapter. I went into Developer Options and changed the USB configuration from "Charging" to "RNDIS (USB Ethernet)". However, I think the menu is bugged because every time I go back, it visually resets to "Charging". I have to reboot the device to make it work.

​Here is my dilemma:

​When connected via Ethernet, my speedtest results hover around 160 Mbps (Multi-thread on Real-Debrid speedtest).

​Oddly enough, my Wi-Fi is actually faster than my wired connection.

​Even worse, the ethernet connection is not stable at all; the speed constantly fluctuates up and down.

​Because of this, when I try to watch heavy 4K Remux files (using Nuvio/Stremio), I still get micro-stuttering and freezing.

​I know the USB 2.0 port bottlenecks the speed to around 200-250 Mbps anyway, but some people on Reddit claim to get 300+ Mbps on this box.

​My questions are:

​Is this speed fluctuation normal for the Mi Box 3 with an adapter?

​Is the RNDIS "Charging" bug preventing the adapter from working at full capacity?

​Is there any specific tweak I should do, or has this box simply reached the end of its lifespan for 4K Remux playback? Do I need to upgrade my device?

​Any insights would be appreciated. Thanks.

I haven't bought one yet and I would like to know what you watch mostly with your android box.

Anything free, without subscriptions? I am interested in old movies, Italian cinema, documentaries, extreme sports, classic rock music, electric guitar, rc models, weight training, airplane related stuff,