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**Foreword**
At first, I didn’t want to buy a Mi Box because when I was working with telecom broadband, I received a Huawei TV box to watch IPTV. However, during my renovation, I only reserved a network cable (since whole decoration would cut corners).
Then the problem arose. There were two options:
1. Use VLAN switches for single-lane multiplexing to watch IPTV and internet at the same time. But this is too expensive. The cheapest switch like this costs around 200 softcoins. Without a router that supports VLAN (which is more expensive), you need at least two, totaling 400 softcoins.
2. Buy a network box to install live broadcast software. This is low-cost, but the live stream quality is worse than IPTV.
Considering the principle of maximizing fund usage, I still thought about buying a network box. But there are so many options, and they look great before doing your homework. I tried some for a while, like Haidi H7 (the following card), but it wasn’t cheap—almost as costly as a dual-VLAN switch.
Initially, we didn’t have a TV. After Double 11, we connected the TV and the box. As a Dafa fan, I originally wanted a 49-inch 9000e (the following card).
But during the Double 11 period, there wasn’t a good deal. Later, we decided on a 7500e. Just before placing the order, I saw an LG 49-inch TV at a very good price—2899 yuan. With 200-80 coupons, it dropped to 2819, and with 56 Jingdou back, it was around 2760. Even though it felt slightly higher than the previous 2688, it was still a good deal. Plus, the sun sent a Mi Box along with the TV, solving both issues. They said it was done, and the TV turned on at 1100.
**Double 11 Delivery**
The goods arrived the same day. I have to say that Sun Dong logistics is still impressive. Even in a third-tier city, it was delivered by 7 PM. Installation needed to be charged, but it was easy to do yourself. The base snapped and screwed in ten minutes (without wall mounting). A quick test of the boot showed that the WebOS system was hard to use, making me think another box might have been wiser. But a simple test of IPTV showed acceptable delay and clarity.
Then I immediately confirmed with customer service and waited for the box.
**Receipt**
At the end of December, I got a postal message unexpectedly. Inside the package, there was no item I recently bought. Was it the Mi Box being sent? Once the mystery was solved, it really was the Mi Box. Checking the label, it was the Mi Box 3C, which should be the same as any other.
**Parameters**
It has most of the features, including support for 4K, USB ports, but the hardware isn't very powerful. The remote control uses infrared, not Bluetooth, meaning you have to press it directly against the box to work. Probably due to cost-saving reasons.
**Unboxing**
This was my first time unboxing the Mi Box 3C. Though not new, there are detailed unboxing videos online. Here, I just opened the box myself.
The front is very simple, with just the word "Mi."
The back has various parameters. You can see it was produced on May 17, 2017. Over half a year since production, why is it still being sold?
Inside the box, there is a sponge pad for protection during transport.
The front face and remote control show the infrared receiver, which needs to be aligned for proper function.
Power Adapter
The family portrait comes with an HDMI cable, although it's thinner than the one I purchased, but it's still usable.
**System**
The system that came with it was version 1.5.1. Notably, the Mi Box 3C doesn’t have an RJ45 port. If you need a wired connection, you must purchase a USB-to-RJ45 adapter. Once connected, it automatically upgrades to 1.5.25. Starting ads, waiting ads, and app ads are endless. It feels like an “ad box†or “ad wall,†as users call it. Not only is the advertising endless, but it's also quite annoying. Boot card, enter application card, change station card, exit card...
The interface is overwhelming, with useless content taking up nearly 90% of the boot system memory. It’s simply unbearable. It seems necessary to make some changes.
**Downgrade & Minimal Reform**
I. Preparation:
Let’s do it, but we need to prepare something first:
1. Format a USB drive as FAT32 to install the system after downgrading. This time, I chose a relatively stable version 1.3.106 as the target system.
2. Download the 1.3.106 system update file from here: Du Niang 1gfS5nrH Password: vmhq
II. Formal Operation
There are many downgrading methods online. After testing, combined with my actual operation, some steps differ. Please note the differences.
1. Enable developer mode on the Mi Box.
Go to Settings > About > Product Model, press the OK key on the remote repeatedly until the system prompts that the developer mode is enabled.
2. Decompress the downloaded MDZ-16-AA+ (Stock+1.3.106) to update.zip and xiaomi_update. Copy the two files to the root directory of the USB drive.
3. Connect the Mi Box to the TV, insert the USB drive, and press and hold the Home and Menu buttons on the remote.
After plugging in the power, it will directly enter the update interface without going through the recovery interface.
Wait quietly for the update. After the update, the system won’t connect to the internet. Enter the system, turn off smart updates, and check the system information. This time, it's running on version 1.3.106.
4. Repeat the operation to open developer mode and enable ADB debugging.
Go to Settings > About > Product Model, press the OK key on the remote repeatedly until the system enables developer mode.
Go to Accounts and Security > Security > ADB Debugging, select Allow, then confirm the pop-up dialog. The Mi Box will restart automatically.
After the restart, connect the Mi Box to the computer using a double USB cable, and make sure it's connected to the TV.
5. Small Change for Simplification
Download any third-party driver to ensure ADB debugging is recognized after inserting the Mi Box.
Install .NET 4.0 and "Debloater" on your computer.
Open "Debloater," the program will identify the device, click "OK," and "Read Device."
After correctly identifying the device and seeing the system files, you can start streamlining. Check the files you need before applying.
The streamlined list refers to the list of apps and can be streamlined as needed. Since the list is not up-to-date, some items may not be in it. Be careful not to streamline them. If you do, it could cause problems. The specific list is as follows:
After streamlining the list, reboot the box.
The above method does not delete system files but prevents auto-booting (many built-in programs don’t significantly affect use after booting) and doesn’t impact functionality. To restore the original state, just click "Restore factory settings" in the settings, restart, and the disabled settings will be canceled, returning to the factory state. The system programs remain intact.
After rebooting, check whether automatic updates are turned off, then install the application market and related software via the USB drive. All advertisements are gone. The boot system resources are reduced to about 60%. I was very cautious during the streamlining process. Areas that might be used or could cause instability were not streamlined.
After checking, the Internet works normally. As long as you don’t click on the update, there are no problems. Using it for half a month has been refreshing compared to the latest system version. Some live streaming software and app software aren’t used much. The default apps and videos are sufficient.
Here are the two finished products:
Since there is no root access, the home page remains unchanged.
Commonly installed software:
When using live streaming software to watch channels, the clarity is worse than IPTV, but considering the cost, it's generally acceptable.
**Postscript**
This method doesn’t involve rooting. The reason for not rooting is that many methods online don’t work, and I haven’t deeply studied how to root the new 64-bit box. If anyone has a successful method, we can discuss together.
Although the Mi Box has been popular online, the main issue is that even though the hardware is strong, the system is too bloated, causing lag and excessive ads. The Mi Box 3C, despite not having strong hardware, can still be made smooth and ad-free with a little customization. I hope this article can help those who are hesitant. Thank you.
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