Xiaomi’s Mi Box Mini is a ridiculously tiny TV box. Xiaomi launched the little box earlier this year as a cheap, small device for streaming internet video to your TV.

The Mi Box Mini is about the size of a small USB charging brick for a smartphone. Just plug the prongs into a power strip and connect an HDMI cable to the box and it’ll show Xiaomi’s smart TV software on your display… if you’re in China. The Mi Box Mini isn’t much use for folks outside of that country.

But now there’s a Mi Box Mini clone designed to be used just about anywhere. It’s called the CX-S500 and it sells for around $45 to $50 at Geekbuying, and Bangood.

cx-s500_06

The little box is about the same size as a Mi Box Mini, but it runs a  standard version of Google Android 4.4 rather than Xiaomi’s MIUI software. Other features include an Amlogic S805 quad-core ARM Crotex-a5 processor with Mali-450 graphics, 1GB of RAM, 8GB of storage, an HDMI port, 802.11b/g/n WiFi, and Bluetooth.

Like the Mi Box Mini, the box comes with a remote control and HDMI cable. In fact, the remote looks remarkably similar to the official Xiaomi model.

Unlike the actual Mi Box Mini, the CX-S500 also has a USB port, allowing you to connect a keyboard, mouse, storage device, game controller, or other peripherals.

With a different processor, more storage, and a different version of Android than the actual Mi Box Mini, the CX-S500 is clearly a very different product than Xiaomi’s offering… but it has the same super-small design for folks that place a higher value on that sort of thing than the expansion options that come with a larger device with room for additional ports for USB, Ethernet, and audio devices.

via AndroidPC.es

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11 replies on “CX-S500 is an incredibly compact TV box (and a Mi Box Mini clone)”

  1. I think I will wait for more RAM at least 2GB so it can provide smooth seamless stutter free video.

  2. Nice. Now Xiaomi, remove the horrible MiUI overlay from your phones too.

  3. Someone please make a lot of money by doing the following:

    (1) add a power socket to this device, opposite the power plug;
    (2) bundle it with a five to eight foot cable that carries both power and HDMI to the monitor, splitting them to separate branches at the ends

    1. I know this is going to sound rude but, this seems like it would create a lot more problems than it solves.

    2. Running ~220V through such a tiny device and (to add insult to injury) alongside with HDMI is just asking for trouble.

  4. Hmm, plug in a USB webcam and install the right app and you have… a more expensive version of a cheap IP cam. Nevermind.
    Might support a USB HD of video to watch in motel rooms though… assuming the motel hasn’t locked out their TV’s HDMI inputs.

  6. shame none of these boxes come with UK plugs :/ using these teeny itny boxes with adaprtors kinda defeats the purpose of owning a teeny tiny set top box

    1. The problem is that UK plugs are huge and extremely oversized anyway, so you can’t build one into a device and have it stay compact. 😉

        1. In a way that means you could pack more into one. I’m actually kinda jealous of the real estate that one could use with a UK style plug.

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