It is easy to install this device. Once you hook up the power connector, HDMI cable to the TV, you are almost done. First of all, the device runs over the internet. So, you need to be a subscriber to another of the telecom operator’s internet service, high speed fibre preferred.
You can attach an Ethernet cable to the device or hook it up via wirelessly to your router. Once that is done. The device will download some applications over the network and check for any updates of firmware.
Once it is done you are almost ready to explore the available applications and programmes available.
This is the main interface where you will be able to choose the contents, settings etc with the remote control which acts as a mouse. The OK button on the remote doubles up as a ‘CLICK’ to select the option. On the top corner of the screen shows the current date time and weather information.
KMTV is a Korean VOD channel of movies, dramas and concerts. To choose it you will have to select Free Videos->KMTV. Notice that top level menu is the lowest row. There are other Free Videos from Asian Dramas, Exploring China, SPEDA, Sunrise Documentaries etc.
The programme items available VOD on KMTV.
Below are screen shots of the video quality that is delivered. It is pretty good I would say.
Below are sample screen shots taken off from the VOD titles from Exploring Channel Channel. The quality is excellent, a must try for M1 IPTV users.
Screen shot of Taiwanese drama Lian Xia 38 Degrees C.
There are also a number of documentaries available.
Other than KMTV and Exploring China Channel, there are also web application VIKI which you can access dramas and movies subtitled by the public. I watched the movie ‘My Girlfriend is a Gangster 3’ in high quality and it didn’t even pause a second during the 2 hour show.
Under tools, you can access Mi Settings which allows you to configure the various settings of the device.
Other than VOD programmes or video streams, you can always access the world web wide via the browser. News channels that acts more like a RSS feed reader is also available fro CNN, BBC, Channel News Asia and Yahoo News. All these are basically external contents which are refreshed hourly by the content providers.
SKYPE, Facebook and Youtube are preinstalled and you can access them directly. Although this application is available preinstalled, on the FAQ of the Telco or Set top box manufacturer, I can’t find any information of compatible web camera that can be used with the USB ports on the device. It would really be very handy to do video conferencing over the net.
In Mi settings, you can set up the WiFi, Ethernet, change display, check the storage space, apps, language/input, reset device, date and time.
As the device is highly customised, you won’t find Google Play in any of the options available. You also can’t run any .APK directly. Even if you can do it indirectly, you will have to install it every time you wish to use it.
Even when you can access the Apps from the settings menu, you cannot run them. For example, the AVG antivirus is preinstalled but there is no way I can run it by clicking on it. There only option is to delete it.
