I need help choosing a box with AndroidTV

by RN_I

I have been using for about 4 years now the Minix NEO X-8h, paired with a 2,4 GHz "mini-keyboard" and it has been great, but about two years ago, when google stopped supporting the older versions of YouTube with casting capabilities, it kinda lost its charm (plus some frame drops here and there on youtube).

As I keep changing apartments every few months, a media box with AndroidTV should be my best choice that also allows be continue using torrent clients. With that in mind the chromecast is out of the question.

Right now I have narrowed my choices to MiBox 3 and ShieldTV. Both are pretty old with pros and cons and there's no need to list each and every one here as there are so many threads here about this topic and the answear is simple: ShieldTV, even though the MiBox is really really affordable, but both are still pretty old.

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Is there any hidden gem I'm missing that could offer me casting support, sideloading torrent clients and more than one usb port?

JimboLodisC

Don't let the age of the Shield TV fool you. It's still based on a 2015 design yet it utterly stomps out every single other Android based streaming box. It is the king and won't be dethroned for any foreseeable future. No one has an SoC that can hang with it.

dogsdawgs

I have both. If you can afford the shield get it. It was on sale as of a few days ago. I have both and I haven't had problems with either, but you get more functionality and better performance from the shield.

Cl3v3landStmr

I've heard the recently released Jetstream is better than the MiBox and includes an Ethernet port. It's ~$69 from Walmart and the MiBox S is ~$59.

webserver2007

Go with Mi tv box 3 (mdz 16 ab) is poor man's Nvidia Shield :P

BiggussDikkuss

Budget Android TV = Jetstream 4K Ultra HD

Premium Android TV = NVIDIA Shield

Gambling man wanting WiFi only Android TV = Xiaomi Mi Box

I never trust a device with no physical Ethernet port !

OldStyleRevival

Having both, shield tv is by far the better machine. Quick and a better wifi chip. Setup an Amazon alert for Price drop on say camelcamelcamel.com and take the ad into best buy for them to price match. I think Amazon has then on same right now.

CuvisTheConqueror

The recently released Ematic Jetstream will give you multiple USB ports and wired Ethernet, but is otherwise pretty similar hardware to the MiBox. I hear the software experience is better, though. If you're on a budget, it's the one I'd get.

If you can stretch a little more, definitely get the Shield. Amazon has them on sale for $140 right now, which is a great price.

There are a few other options (the Sling AirTV Player and the Channel Master Stream+ come immediately to mind), but they're not anything I'd recommend except in very specific cases (and even in those cases, the Shield would be better).

LawHero4L

The MiBox 3 seems to be a crap shoot. Mine was terribly laggy and stuttery. I'd try the Jetstream box before the MiBox. The Shield TV is awesome, but honestly, the new Fire Stick 4k is really good too. It's direct playing everything I've thrown at it in Plex, it's fast, it's cheap ($35 on Black Friday). The remote is fantastic too.

mrmikedude100

The Shield is still on sale for $140 with an echo dot if you decide to go with the Shield.

https://www.androidpolice.com/2018/11/09/nvidia-shield-android-tv-2017-sale-140-39-off-amazon/

At Best Buy and Amazon.

joazito

Shield TV hands down, dude. But if you wanna go the budget route I'd advise you to wait for the Mecool KM9 reviews, it's got the new S905X2 SoC.

Ixliam

I had an Mibox for awhile, and just got the Nvidia Shield. Wow what a difference. I should have just got that first. There's just no comparison between the two in performance and ease of use, how it handles apps working (things like Prime working, etc). Just get that.

theoruss

Just get the shield.

Rhythmicon

Shield and nothing else.

3r0z

Shield is on sale right now. Honestly, you’d be doing yourself a disservice buying anything else.

vendetta_86

Shield for its hardware and best software support till date.

ShawnDex

NVIDIA Shield TV 2017 get that you won't be sorry if you don't you might be. If you get a Mi Box get the new one just release last month Mi Box S. I have both the NVIDIA Shield TV 2017 and Mi Box S the Shield is the best Android TV box you can get and more important is the support that NVIDIA gives to it is amazing constant improvements after all these years. The Shield when it was first release was and is a beast look at the specs nothing old about that custom GPU.