Apple TV pretty useful device, which allows you to combine all the multimedia "apple" power of your home. The Apple TV set-top box is designed to play video, images, music files from iPhone, iPad, iPod via AirPlay technology directly to your TV. In fact, the TV set-top box from the "apple" corporation has no analogues, and it is unrivaled, but more recently, news from the east made the engineers of the Jobs corporation worry. An analogue of Apple TV is coming out in China.

Last week, the Chinese company Xiaomi Technology announced that it would soon release an excellent analogue of Apple's set-top box. The development of the Chinese company will be called Xiaomi Box. The functionality of the "Chinese brother" Apple TV is quite diverse, it should be noted that these features are even greater than those of the "apple" set-top box.

In addition to the fact that Xiaomi Box is compatible with all Apple devices that support AirPlay technologies, the set-top box supports several more data transfer technologies - DLNA and Miracast, this expands the list of devices compatible with Xiaomi Box. In addition to iOS gadgets, the Chinese TV box supports devices running the Android operating system.

In fact, the new TV box from Xiaomi Technology will rightfully take the lead in its segment due to the wide list of supported devices. Of course, a lot depends on the stability and performance of the device. The TV set-top box is supported by an 800 MHz Cortex-A9 processor. Random access memory Xiaomi Box has 1 GB. Supported interfaces - HDMI, Ethernet, Micro-USB. The "miracle box" has a built-in Wi-Fi module 802.11b / g / n, so that support wireless networks not a problem for him.

The maximum quality of the video being played is 1080p. The Chinese analogue of Apple TV also boasts a wide range of supported formats - MPEG 1/2/4, H.264, VC-1, WMV-HD, as well as Real7/8/9. For all this miracle, the Chinese are asking $ 64 (Apple TV costs $ 99 for comparison). Incidentally, they forgot to mention one of the most important points A: Xiaomi Box is running Android.

The release of the novelty is scheduled for December this year. Judging from the description, the device turned out to be quite interesting, so all Apple TV fans will be interested to get acquainted with this gadget.

The passion with which the Chinese are able to copy technology is legendary. Nothing can stand before them - be it a miniature smartphone or a status car. Apple technology gave up a long time ago: in any gloomy kiosk, there are at least two different Chinese iPhones on the shelves. Macbooks are also copied quite successfully, and only Apple TV has remained impregnable until recently.

Xiaomi Box is a freshly released “clone” of Apple TV. The similarities in design are not necessarily obvious: most set-top boxes are made of black plastic and are rectangular in shape. The only true source of inspiration is a remote control with an absolute minimum of buttons. Output ports in the device - one HDMI, Ethernet, Micro-USB, RJ-45 and standard 3.5 mm for audio. Software will be more interesting. Similar color schemes, gradients and similar system navigation is all small compared to this:

Chinese engineers easily implemented a fully functional AirPlay Mirroring. This is not in any TV set-top box, except, of course, the official one. Xiaomi is more than an unknown company "in the basement". She managed to negotiate with dozens of local media companies to provide almost 100,000 films and series for free. But the interest of all this outside of China is approaching zero: absolutely the entire interface, not to mention the content, has not been translated into English. Xiaomi Box is priced at $64. Maybe it's better to add money and buy an Apple TV? [microgadget]

website The passion with which the Chinese are able to copy technology is legendary. Nothing can stand before them - be it a miniature smartphone or a status car. Apple technology gave up a long time ago: in any gloomy kiosk, there are at least two different Chinese iPhones on the shelves. Macbooks are also copied quite successfully, and only Apple TV has remained impregnable until recently. Xiaomi...

Already at the end of October, Apple will launch a new generation of Apple TV set-top boxes. The novelty is not cheap - $149-$199. In fact, this is the highest price on the market for TV boxes. That is why we have compiled a list of gadgets that can compete with Apple's new products.

Amazon Fire TV

Following Apple, the American corporation Amazon introduced an updated version of Fire TV. The set-top box is already very popular in the United States and is in the TOP-3 of the best-selling set-top boxes.
The main difference that all reviewers immediately noticed is support for 4K video. Apple TV 4 does not have this. In addition, the set-top box not only supports connecting devices via USB, but also has a slot for microSD cards. There is support for a native voice assistant called Alexa, which was previously announced in the Echo column. Parents will also like separate profiles for children.

Not going to lose sight of Amazon and the market mobile games. A special version of the Gaming Edition was introduced, which comes with a controller, two games and a 32 GB memory card. Separately, the gamepad will cost $50. It is worth noting that the Amazon branded joystick is better suited for games than the remotes from other companies - it will be more convenient for them to play. Another plus of Fire TV is the presence of a large number of games, since the gaming direction was introduced a year ago.

Shipments of the new Fire TV will also begin in October. The cost of the regular version is $99, and the Gaming Edition will cost $139.

Chromecast

Google's gadget, which looks more like a flash drive, was introduced about two years ago and gained great popularity among users. The main reason, of course, is the price: Chromecast costs only 2,290 rubles in Russia and $35 in the US.

For the money, Chromecast works great: both Android and iOS devices can connect to it. A large number of services have already been adapted to work with the gadget. It is great for broadcasting presentations on big screen any TV that has USB.

But the console also has its downsides. First, for full-fledged work it is required good wifi, otherwise the signal may be interrupted. Secondly, without a smartphone or tablet, Chromecast is just a flash drive sticking out of the TV and cannot provide anything to the user.

If you decide to buy, wait a few weeks: there is a rumor that Google will introduce a new generation at the end of this month.

Nexus Player

Another option from Google is the Nexus Player set-top box. The gadget runs on a newly introduced operating room Android system TV and can compete with Apple TV.

Nexus Player also has voice search, which helps you search for movies and series, as well as other content. Everything works in a single Google ecosystem, so the set-top box TV will become an extension of your Android smartphone or tablet, if you use one. This, by the way, is a big plus: you can start watching movies on your smartphone, and switch it to the set-top box at home with one movement. Comfortable.

So in the case of other consoles, Google offers users a special game controller. True, this is not our own development, but a gadget from Asus. Inside Nexus Player - Intel processor Atom with a frequency of 1.8 GHz, which will help you cope with all serious games.

The Nexus Player, like the Chromecast, is not very expensive: the original price was $99, but even the official Google website offers a $20 discount. On Amazon you can buy another ten cheaper. In addition to Google, other companies offer Android TV-based set-top boxes (Sony, Nvidia, Philips), Nexus Player is not the only option.

Roku

Roku is now leading the TV box market for several reasons. Firstly, a relatively affordable price: the third generation will cost $90, and the second - only $70. Secondly, the user has access to all known services from one device: there are both videos from Amazon and music from Spotify. Roku is considered to have the largest database of channels and content sources available.

The remote control also acts as a controller for simple games. Directly to it is attached not only the wrist strap, but also headphones. Unusual decision. However, this does not save the device, which looks much worse than all other competitors.

Apple TV3

During the September event, we were told that Apple would still sell the previous generation Apple TV. At the same price of $69, which is half the price of new items. Today it is a great budget option that allows you to watch movies / series / shows, listen to music, and also play some games via AirPlay. The console does not have a voice assistant and support for serious games, although this is not important for everyone.

Apple TV4

Today it is the most advanced TV set-top box. Apple. In stock voice assistant Siri, updated gamepad, new operating system tvOS and 32/64 GB storage. Apple managed to make a spectacular presentation and impress the audience with Siri conversations and a demonstration of a couple of toys. The interface turned out to be good as well, which clearly surpasses its competitors in terms of beauty, but not the set of features. And yet, for sales, this may not be enough. Today, everything depends on whether Apple will be able to lure developers to itself and interest them in the tvOS platform. If this happens, then Apple will again be able to regain its place in the TOP-3 suppliers of game consoles. For now, she is in fourth place.

As you can see, there is no ideal prefix. Each of the models presented above corresponds to the price / quality rule, and they are all designed for different audiences. A cheap Chromecast will suffice for one, but gamers and Apple TV 4 will not be enough. Make your choice according to your needs.

Chromecast at first glance is a MiniPC with an HDMI input for a TV, but in fact, this thing does not reach the full-fledged Android computer, and besides, it is unnecessary.

Chromecast lets you cast web pages from your computer and play high-definition YouTube videos. And, it would seem, nothing special ... but how it's done!

Google Chromecast kit: box, Chromecast, MicroUSB cable, US plug, instructions.

The Chromecast connects to your TV via HDMI, but it needs power to do so, so it has a microUSB cable input on the back. To get started, you need to connect the wire to the "cast" and the TV, if it has power. If not, then take the plug and plug it into the outlet.

After turning it on for the first time, you will need to set up your Chromecast. This can be done both from a computer and from a phone (iOS, Android). I did it with my laptop. By the address google.com/chromecast/setup you need to download a special application for Mac or PC. When you first launch the program, it will immediately see the Chromecast via Wi-FI and ask you to confirm the code, after that you can give the device a name and connect to the same Wi-Fi network that your computer (or phone) is connected to. Remarkably, Chromecast only supports networks at a frequency of 2.4 GHz, the new product from Google does not perceive 5 GHz.

After the program is installed and Chromecast is configured, you can broadcast. The computer has a special button in the form of an extension.

On your phone, this button appears automatically if your WiFi networks there is a Chromecast. (I'm talking about the YouTube app on iOS, of course)

In Android, the situation is similar.

The most interesting thing is that you can turn on the video and minimize the application or turn it off altogether.

No less interesting is the situation with web pages. Using the extension, you can broadcast any site, any window on your TV. In my case, this is useful when it came out new series Interns on RuTube, but I want to watch it on TV. This is where Chromecast comes in handy.

Moreover, the sound that is inside the page remains on the TV, and you can listen to music from Vkontakte on your laptop in the next window. This is smart.

A streaming button also appears in the YouTube player, and in the case of it, the page can also be closed, and the TV will continue to show the video. It's also great that you can queue videos.

Chromecast is worth buying if you have fast internet, because with a stable speed - even at 5 Mbps, the device will take everything, even in idle mode.

The Chromecast costs $35 in the US, and early adopters also get 4 months of free Netflix subscription. In Russia, the price at the moment is not lower than 4,500 rubles, which is too much.

I forgot to talk about the ergonomics of the device: it's really top-notch and the Chrome logo gives confidence, but in fact this thing will stick out from the back of your TV, so I don't see the point in discussing it. The box is great too.

Returning to the question of Apple TV, I think it is not correct to compare these consoles. Apple TV has more functionality than Chromecast. For example, AirPlay broadcasts not only videos, but in general everything that happens on a Mac, iPhone or iPad. She has her own movie store and other perks. But there are no drawbacks here either: firstly, the price is $100, secondly, it is irrelevant for Russia, and thirdly, with using Android or Chrome cannot control Apple TV.

But, as usual, since Western journalists called it a rival to Apple TV, people will choose ... between a stove and a refrigerator. In addition, in Russia now the prices are about the same.

P.S. They gave me a Chromecast to test, but I liked the thing so much that I would buy it for myself. For $35, of course.

Chromecast at first glance is a MiniPC with an HDMI input for a TV, but in fact, this thing does not reach the full-fledged Android computer, and besides, it is unnecessary.

Chromecast lets you cast web pages from your computer and play high-definition YouTube videos. And, it would seem, nothing special ... but how it's done!

Google Chromecast kit: box, Chromecast, MicroUSB cable, US plug, instructions.

The Chromecast connects to your TV via HDMI, but it needs power to do so, so it has a microUSB cable input on the back. To get started, you need to connect the wire to the "cast" and the TV, if it has power. If not, then take the plug and plug it into the outlet.

After turning it on for the first time, you will need to set up your Chromecast. This can be done both from a computer and from a phone (iOS, Android). I did it with my laptop. By the address google.com/chromecast/setup you need to download a special application for Mac or PC. When you first launch the program, it will immediately see the Chromecast via Wi-FI and ask you to confirm the code, after that you can give the device a name and connect to the same Wi-Fi network that your computer (or phone) is connected to. Remarkably, Chromecast only supports networks at a frequency of 2.4 GHz, the new product from Google does not perceive 5 GHz.

After the program is installed and Chromecast is configured, you can broadcast. The computer has a special button in the form of an extension.

On your phone, this button appears automatically if you have a Chromecast on your Wi-Fi network. (I'm talking about the YouTube app on iOS, of course)

In Android, the situation is similar.

The most interesting thing is that you can turn on the video and minimize the application or turn it off altogether.

No less interesting is the situation with web pages. Using the extension, you can broadcast any site, any window on your TV. In my case, this is useful when a new series of Interns has been released on RuTube, and I want to watch it on TV. This is where Chromecast comes in handy.

Moreover, the sound that is inside the page remains on the TV, and you can listen to music from Vkontakte on your laptop in the next window. This is smart.

A streaming button also appears in the YouTube player, and in the case of it, the page can also be closed, and the TV will continue to show the video. It's also great that you can queue videos.

Chromecast is worth buying if you have fast Internet, as with a stable speed - even at 5 Mbps, the device will take everything, even in idle mode.

The Chromecast costs $35 in the US, and early adopters also get 4 months of free Netflix subscription. In Russia, the price at the moment is not lower than 4,500 rubles, which is too much.

I forgot to talk about the ergonomics of the device: it's really top-notch and the Chrome logo gives confidence, but in fact this thing will stick out from the back of your TV, so I don't see the point in discussing it. The box is great too.

Returning to the question of Apple TV, I think it is not correct to compare these consoles. Apple TV has more functionality than Chromecast. For example, AirPlay broadcasts not only videos, but in general everything that happens on a Mac, iPhone or iPad. She has her own movie store and other perks. But there are no drawbacks here either: firstly, the price is $100, secondly, it is irrelevant for Russia, and thirdly, you cannot control Apple TV using Android or Chrome.

But, as usual, since Western journalists called it a rival to Apple TV, people will choose ... between a stove and a refrigerator. In addition, in Russia now the prices are about the same.

P.S. They gave me a Chromecast to test, but I liked the thing so much that I would buy it for myself. For $35, of course.