A screen with a mind

The design of Xiaomi’s 55-inch Mi TV 4 (~44,999) is refreshing and plush, but marred by uneven distribution of weight that makes the upper part feather-light and slim, and the lower part thick and heavy. But it comes with an array of connectivity options— two USB ports, one AV port, one S/PDIF port, three HDMI ports, an Ethernet connection port, Bluetooth 4.0 and Wi-Fi. Importantly, the television comes with three months’ subscription of online digital content streaming services such as Sony, Voot and Hungama Play. Looking for content is also simple, because of PatchWall, a simple and easy user interface that shows everything upfront, even the content on offer from by set-top box service providers.

However, the Mi TV 4 runs a heavily customised version of Google Android TV. While the user experience is flawless and smooth, the lack of app support and a dedicated app store limits the experience. Currently, the television comes pre-installed with only a Hotstar app and a browser version of YouTube. Sideloading of apps is possible, but the 11-key-based remote does not support in-app functionalities, thus rendering them useless.

Playing 4K content over YouTube is another weak area. Because there is no dedicated YouTube app and the television relies on a browser-based YouTube widget, video playback is capped at 1080p. HDR content playback is also not supported using the native YouTube service.

The Xiaomi Mi TV 4 seems like a restricted smart LED television with immense potential. The HDR-enabled 55-inch UHD screen, Dolby-tuned acoustics and thin stature give it a pedigree. But the lack of support for apps such as Amazon Prime Video and YouTube TV limits the overall potential of the otherwise capable television.