Internet videos boost the popularity of TV boxes, but it is difficult to balance control and content

With the popularization of the Internet, more and more users choose to watch TV online. Compared with traditional TV platforms, online TV allows users to choose the programs they want to watch anytime and anywhere without being restricted by time. However, the computer screen is too small, and if parents want to watch online TV, the computer operation is too cumbersome, so it becomes a problem to buy a good set-top box for the family.

Set-top boxes are also called TV boxes. Usually, set-top boxes are classified in the digital home category. So buying a set-top box is different from buying a computer or a smartphone. First of all, in the living room, a remote control is generally used to control the TV screen. It is not convenient to use a mouse or keyboard on the sofa. This requires the control interface of the set-top box to be simple, beautiful, and easy to select programs. Secondly, the content must be rich enough, and the video playback must be smooth and not stuck. Both are indispensable. Based on the above principles, the reporter selected 4 popular set-top boxes on the market to see which one will be your cup of tea.

Xiaomi Mi Box: Big name but little content

The first to appear is the famous Xiaomi Mi Box. As a well-known Internet brand, Xiaomi has made great success in selling smartphones and has also focused on smart home products. The first product launched is the Xiaomi Mi Box. Xiaomi's main product is the new Xiaomi Mi Box. Compared with the old product, its processor has been upgraded from a single-core 800MHz to a dual-core 1.5GHz. It has also added a Bluetooth 3.0 module and supports wireless WiFi networks. It is worth mentioning that the new Xiaomi Mi Box has updated the design of the remote control, limiting the number of buttons to 11. Together with the continuously upgraded MIUI TV version, it has greatly improved the control experience.

Compared with other set-top boxes, Xiaomi Box only provides Wasu video content, and most of the high-quality content is charged. Its official price of 299 yuan also needs to be ordered on the official website. If you buy it directly on the market, the price will be slightly higher than the official guide price.

PPBOX: New version upgrade is cheap and available in sufficient quantity

As a set-top box product launched by the video website PPTV, PPBOX has recently undergone a new upgrade. The new box, called PPBOX 1S value-added version, is popular among home users in Suning physical stores. On the one hand, in offline physical stores, users can try out the product in person, and PPBOX's unique interface system is easy for middle-aged and elderly users to operate. Secondly, PPBOX provides a wealth of optional content. In addition to its own PPTV video content, it also provides programs from Wasu Video. The combined lineup covers a wide range of content including movies, television, entertainment, sports, cartoons, documentaries, etc.

Currently, this product is sold on major e-commerce websites and Suning physical stores. Whether you are a long-term PPTV fan or a user who wants to buy an Internet set-top box for your parents, you can personally experience the operation of PPBOX in the store. It is worth mentioning that PPTV has implanted its unique P2P transmission technology in the video field into PPBOX. Video playback does not need to be loaded and can be viewed immediately. It can be said to be the product with the smoothest playback effect.

LeTV Box: Lots of content and free purchases

In terms of brand, LeTV Box is more famous than Xiaomi Box, mainly due to LeTV's own content. In addition, LeTV Box not only provides its own LeTV video content, but also, like PPBOX, LeTV Box has found another TV content platform - iCNTV. So in comparison, LeTV Box has very rich content.

Currently, the LeTV box is priced at 0 yuan, but if users want to get it, they only need to spend 499 yuan to purchase the 12-month LeTV video service fee.

Tianmin Baidu (163.53, -0.44, -0.27%) Cloud Box: Provides 2T Baidu Cloud storage space

The last one to be introduced is the Tianmin Baidu Cloud Box, jointly launched by the traditional manufacturer Tianmin and Baidu. As a veteran motherboard manufacturer, Tianmin is not well known among the user public due to its lack of software and content support. Tianmin adopts the strategy of strong alliance with Internet companies. Tianmin Alibaba Cloud Box has been launched earlier, and now Tianmin Baidu Cloud Box is the main product. In addition to the difference in hardware, the main difference is that they use different operating systems.

This set-top box uses an Allwinner quad-core processor and has good performance. Its outstanding advantage is that it provides up to 2T of Baidu Cloud storage space, which is convenient for users to watch the content stored in Baidu Cloud. In addition, its built-in Baidu Cloud TV provides nearly 700 programs including CCTV and supports 7-day playback function, which can be regarded as a product that complements traditional TV.

Summary: In general, there are many set-top box products, but they have different features, making it difficult for users to choose. There are no foreign brands such as Europe, America, and Japan to choose from, and there is also a lack of a product that covers all content. Except for PPBOX, which can be directly experienced in Suning stores, users can only know a little about other products through editorial reviews or netizens' comments. Often after purchasing, they find themselves greatly disappointed and can only choose another product. In many forums, you can see that some netizens have four or five TV boxes at home but are still not satisfied.

The reason is that few products can provide a good experience in both control and content. Most manufacturers only focus on product sales, put their focus on hardware configuration, and blindly promote the worthless concept of quad-core and octa-core, but are unable to optimize the operating system to improve the user's control experience. Relatively speaking, the four products we introduced are cost-effective products worth recommending on the market, and users can buy them with confidence.

As a winner of Toutiao's Qingyun Plan and Baijiahao's Bai+ Plan, the 2019 Baidu Digital Author of the Year, the Baijiahao's Most Popular Author in the Technology Field, the 2019 Sogou Technology and Culture Author, and the 2021 Baijiahao Quarterly Influential Creator, he has won many awards, including the 2013 Sohu Best Industry Media Person, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Beijing Third Place, the 2015 Guangmang Experience Award, the 2015 China New Media Entrepreneurship Competition Finals Third Place, and the 2018 Baidu Dynamic Annual Powerful Celebrity.