MXQ Pro Android TV Box Review

[OnMyWay]

Follow up on this post from Ed's Netflix topic.  See below....

On 1/9/2019 at 12:33 PM, OnMyWay said:

In my previous post I mentioned Smart TVs that have become dumb over time.  There is a solution that also might make your newer Smart TV even Smarter.

Last week when we went to Baguio, my BIL had purchased an Android TV box for his formerly Smart Samsung, and it works great!

If you are buying a new Smart TV, look at those built with Android operating systems.  This allows you to download and use all the Android apps that are out there.

This little Android TV box allows your TV to act like an Android Device.  You plug it into the USB port of the TV and connect the box to your internet.

I bought this one and it just arrived.  I haven't hooked it up yet but I will review it after I do.  For Ed's purposes, there are several streaming service apps pre-installed, and you can download others.  My BIL got 2 free months of Netflix from one, and when it ran out, he started Netlflix for free on another app.  I guess some of these apps have partnerships with Netflix.

https://www.lazada.com.ph/products/mxq-pro-w-keyboard-new-android-71-4k-ultra-hd-android-tv-box-wireless-wifi-quad-core-i146726568-s171282031.html?spm=a2o4l.searchlist.list.1.3814413eLoBTCP&search=1

I finally installed this MXQ Pro Android TV Box on our older TV, a 6 year old LG which is not so smart anymore.

It was easy to install.  You need an HDMI port free and a power outlet nearby.  I connected to the internet via wireless but it has a wired port too.  The one I bought comes with a regular remote control and as an add-on, a little keyboard remote control.  The little keyboard can be used with any TV that has a USB.

Switch your TV to the correct source and turn the box on;  it takes about 10-15 seconds to boot up.  We have only tried the one movie app that was pre-installed and so far we like it a lot.  It is called My Family Cinema and it has hundreds of streaming movies.  My BIL insists his came with a 2 year free trial!  Ours appears to be 2 months.  It even has Netflix content.  So far, the quality of the movies has been excellent, even though this 6 year old LG does not have the resolution that the new TVs have.  If you want to pay for the My Family Cinema, it seems relatively cheap.  I don't understand how they legally have all this content.  Another good thing is that almost everything has good sub-titles if you want them.

https://www.myfamilycinema.com/en/plan/

The only problem is that the LG has very weak sound, so I might get a sound bar for it.

You can download other Android movie apps and all types of apps.  If I get some good ones, I will post a review.  So far, I think this box is great and a bargain.  I paid p1578 with the little keyboard but you can get it for less by itself.  Make sure you get Android 7.1.  They had the box only with old Android at a gadget store in the mall, for p2295, so Lazada has better deals.

Here are some pictures.

Box                                                                                                  Little Keyboard

  

Box Main Screen                                                                        My Family Cinema App

  

My Family Cinema - Movies - In Theater                               My Family Cinema - Movies - Frequent Use

  

My Family Cinema - Movies Menu                  By Genre

  

 

 

 

 

[Old55]

Thanks for sharing with us. 😎

[OnMyWay]

Follow up:

There were a few weeks where the unit was freezing enough to be bothersome.  Had to unplug it to restart it and then OK again.  I was thinking about un-recommending it for this reason, but now it has not done this for a month.  It may have downloaded an update that fixed it.

We are nearing the end of our 2 month free trial for My Family Cinema and we like it a lot, so we are thinking about subscribing for $3.49 a month.  It is better than Netflix for less money.

[OnMyWay]

Another follow up...

The unit still freezes once in a while but it is not a big deal.

It has a new bug that is a bigger deal but we are still using it a lot.  After turning it on, it sometimes (more than 50%) flashes the screen to black for about 1 second, repeatedly, every 5-15 seconds.  I can make the problem go away after unplugging it once or twice, then it will be fine until you are done watching.

We want to get a second box for our other TV, but I don't think I will buy this one again.  Without the bugs, it is great and it was less than p1000.  There are many others so I will try another, for more money.  I bought this particular one because my BIL had it, and he probably chose the lowest price.

https://www.lazada.com.ph/catalog/?q=andriod+tv+box&_keyori=ss&from=input&spm=a2o4l.searchlist.search.go.53472ef1CfWqyJ

[TimL]

I know that it’s not a cheap replacement but the Nvidia Sheild is a great box. I have had 4 of the cheapie boxes and they lasted anywhere from 2 weeks to 3 months before they died. Bottom line, everyone of them died. I have an Nvidia back in the US that i’ve had for a couple of years and it’s been great. I use almost daily. I bought another one here a month ago to replace the Android box that I bought here that died less then 4 weeks after purchasing and it’s been solid. We use it every day here and more often then not, it’s on 12+ hours a day. It is an excellent box especially for Kodi. 

I have two dif vpn’s on it in case one happens to be slow which I get from time to time and it has a large number of content apps and games available for it. I got this one from Lazada. If you want/need the seller, let me know and i’ll post for you. Ordered on Friday, had it on Monday. Fastest thing that I ever received via Lazada. 

[hk blues]

3 hours ago, TimL said:

I know that it’s not a cheap replacement but the Nvidia Sheild is a great box. I have had 4 of the cheapie boxes and they lasted anywhere from 2 weeks to 3 months before they died. Bottom line, everyone of them died. I have an Nvidia back in the US that i’ve had for a couple of years and it’s been great. I use almost daily. I bought another one here a month ago to replace the Android box that I bought here that died less then 4 weeks after purchasing and it’s been solid. We use it every day here and more often then not, it’s on 12+ hours a day. It is an excellent box especially for Kodi. 

I have two dif vpn’s on it in case one happens to be slow which I get from time to time and it has a large number of content apps and games available for it. I got this one from Lazada. If you want/need the seller, let me know and i’ll post for you. Ordered on Friday, had it on Monday. Fastest thing that I ever received via Lazada. 

I have a basic question - what is the advantage of such a box over a smart TV?  I'm thinking about buying a smart TV but not sure if that is the way to go.  

[TimL]

1 hour ago, hk blues said:

I have a basic question - what is the advantage of such a box over a smart TV?  I'm thinking about buying a smart TV but not sure if that is the way to go.  

The biggest thing I guess would be available apps, storage and memory. I have a smart tv and the Nvidia. 

[LUFCinMakati]

I have an expat system that I get from a Swedish friend of mine, its P5K a year and works a treat. Has 25K channels including UK and US, but not Aussie, if you want details PM me.

[OnMyWay]

4 hours ago, hk blues said:

I have a basic question - what is the advantage of such a box over a smart TV?  I'm thinking about buying a smart TV but not sure if that is the way to go.  

You should probably go ahead with a Smart TV.  Most decent models are Smart TVs these days and can hook up to the internet, get You Tube, Netflix, etc.

The key thing here is the operating system.  Most of the Smart TVs have operating systems that are proprietary and the apps like You Tube are built just for that TV.  The exception is that some brands are now coming out with Android TVs.  This means the operating systems are Android and you can download all the apps out there that work with Android.  From Google Play, etc.

What the Android TV Box add-on does is turn your regular Smart TV into an Android Smart TV.  So you can download all the Android apps you desire and play them on your regular Smart TV.

The perceived downside (in my mind) to buying a full fledged Android TV is that they cost more and have limited brands.  I know Sony has them but I'm not sure which other brands have them.  The Android TV Box is a cheap alternative until such time the Android TVs have been around a while and have more brands.

I think I covered it before, but our main motivation for the box was that our 2013 LG 42" Smart TV was getting dumber at a rapid rate.  LG was no longer using the proprietary operating system in new models, so the apps were expiring and not being updated.  You Tube no longer worked.  After we hooked up the box, it was like a new TV!

However, we liked the box so much it is now hooked up to our primary 55" Samsung Smart TV, and I am shopping for another box.  The Samsung Smart TV works fine for You Tube so we use it for that and a few others.  The Android box is used mostly for apps that stream movies and TV shows.  The one app we use the most is My Family Cinema.  After 2 months free I am now paying $3.50 a month for it.  We like it more than Netflix and it actually includes a lot of Netflix content.

[alongwwallker]

Thank you for sharing with us, very satisfied