Fetch TV Review

A Mighty $199 Content Streaming Box

Recently Fetch brought out a new $169 Mini 4K set top box. It's small, like its name suggests – but its performance and capabilities are more mighty than mini, and it delivers an excellent picture because of its chipset.

At $199, the Fetch TV Mini 4K is $250 cheaper than the top end $449 Fetch TV Mighty, and you still get 4K streaming – the only difference is that, unlike the Mighty, you cannot record content. Some describe it as an entertainment platform, but for me, this is an ideal offering for people who want a small footprint, high performance content streaming solution that won't break the bank.

This is a 4K box that delivers a multitude of entertainment and information options, from Netflix and Prime Video to Stan and the new Britbox; Optus Sports is also included for all Fetch TV customers except those signing up through iiNet. It will also be upgraded shortly, allowing users access to the new Paramount+ streaming service that is set to be launched on August 11.

What I like about this box is the flexibility of content: not only do you get access to movies such as Justice League, Chaos Walking or The Croods: A New Age, you are also able to hook up free to air TV – despite its size, 11x11 centimetres, there is a TV aerial port and digital optical audio connection, along with an Ethernet port.

I tested the Mini on a new Hitachi 4K TV and the quality of both the 4K and non-4K content was excellent, due in part to the new Fetch Mini processor that does a lot of the grunt work inside this box. It supports high dynamic range formats, including Dolby Vision for enhanced image management such as colour saturation and those extra details that Dolby Vision delivers for a better video experience.

Setup is easy, and it's fast, intuitive, and remarkably easy to navigate. All you need is an Internet connection and a minimum of 15 Mbps for UHD 4K content to get connected using either a direct USB connection or a networked media player.

One massive plus with this box, and the entire Fetch STB offering which includes the Mighty box, is the Fetch TV software. What is convenient is the pause and rewind feature, which means if you miss something you can simply stop, rewind and play it again. Other features include a seven-day TV guide, and catch-up features for both free-to-air and premium TV.

Universal Search is another big selling point – it searches the whole of Fetch, including Netflix and YouTube, in one go. This means it's easy to find what you're looking for in very little time.

The My Media Hub allows you to play video, music and image files from your computer, phone or tablet on your TV using your Fetch box; you can also download the Fetch TV App and then watch content on your smartphone or tablet.

Another plus is the Fetch Mini Bluetooth enabled remote, which includes voice control – though during our testing, this did not work as well as voice on an Android TV. I had to repeat some of my voice requests until the box got them right, especially with requests such as Britbox, which was translated into ‘Boombox'.