preface

Do you have a TV box? How many have you used? Why did you buy a TV box?

Of course, I have. I have used 9 models, and the ones with a lower popularity are all brand names. The first reason for buying TV boxes is that there is no content update after the TV's built-in video resources are blocked by restrictions; Second, TV cannot install software applications at will; Third, the TV has small built-in space, low configuration, and cannot play games; The third is that all of them are unhappy, and they don't want to watch cable TV after they have access to the Internet. As for TV box, I think it should have started with the emergence of early smart TV, and quickly spread and became popular after the ban of a certain bureau. My first TV box was also started with the first smart TV, Skyworth generation's CookOpen 3D TV, whose built-in video is not updated. It is a TV box called iCan, with low configuration but rich interfaces.

The new TV box on hand is Tmall Magic Box M16C. The shape is the same as other M-series magic boxes, except that the color of the iPhone is the local gold. What are the new changes in the M16C configuration?                                               

From the parameters found, M16C is the same as M12, and there is still no Bluetooth. Change the red, white and black color of the shell to gold. M16C is just the name of M12, so C is probably the first letter of Change.

Products

one         The price of 199 yuan is superior, the appearance design and workmanship are good, and the surface of the Tuhaojin fuselage looks beautiful

two         Support APP voice and remote control operation, support Airplay, DLNA and other projection modes for easy operation

three         Support PPPOE dialing function and WLAN hotspot setting, which can be used as a wireless router

four         No Bluetooth module, support AV and HDMI output

five         4K not supported, no TF card slot and USB 3.0 interface

six         Infrared remote control adopts AAA dry battery, without voice recognition button

seven         Not all films have an ultra clear mode, and the image quality is just so so

eight         There is image but no sound when playing MKV movies locally. 1080P MP4 movies play normally but load time is slightly slow

Product Introduction

Tmall Magic Box M16C still uses the classic little black cat head pattern design. The black smooth front end surface of the piano paint is matched with the earth gold of the sanding process, making it look not monotonous and dynamic on the whole. The all black infrared remote control adopts the common 11 key design.

The frosted surface and the body design with a slight radian at the bottom make the remote control feel comfortable in the hand, and the keys are crisp and neat.

The volume of M16C also adopts the design of 99.8 * 99.8 * 25mm, and the corners are arc shaped. The body weight is only 220g, which is small and light. The white inverted triangle convex part in the middle of the front is the power switch key and also the power indicator.

The rear interface surface adopts the design style of dust-proof eaves shielding, providing an RJ45 network interface, an HDMI interface, a USB2.0 interface and an AV interface. HDMI interface is a must, and an HDMI cable is included with the package. For AV interface, it is considered that some users of old TV sets, such as large TV sets, can also use it. However, there is no AV special line attached to the package. However, most of the users who use old-fashioned TV sets will have VCDs or other devices using lotus wire, which can be used. For USB interface, one is slightly inconvenient. For example, it is troublesome to insert external storage after connecting the camera. Whether it is a USB 3.0 interface has little impact, because it is not a 4K TV box after all.

Product experience

As an Alibaba product, Tmall Magic Box uses its own Alibaba Cloud OS and integrates its own applications, such as Xiami and Taobao. The integration of Taobao has extended the purchase channel from the PC end and mobile end to the TV end, occupied the living room and added a purchase channel, so the children or elderly in the family have also become the audience and buyers, so if you log on to Taobao or Alipay, you must set a management password.

The following is a detailed introduction and in-depth experience from the content resources and play methods.

Personally, I'm not too keen on running points, but some users will be confused. Here we show you the running points of the TV version of Anthare, and emphasize that the running points are only for reference and cannot be used as a direct basis for purchase, at least in my opinion. From the screenshot, we can see that Tmall Magic Box M16C scores high on CPU and system fluency. The hardware configuration is fixed, and the degree of software optimization is crucial.

In the YUN OS system adopted by M16C, the UI is not a common waterfall, but a desktop smooth menu design. This simple design will look more convenient, and there will be no loss of focus or confusion caused by the variety of content. The video resource platform built into Tmall Magic Box is mainly Huashu, followed by Youku Tudou content that has just entered the market. According to official data, Tmall Magic Box provides more than 80000 hours of free TV dramas, variety shows and documentaries, as well as more than 3600 hours of paid movies and more than 100 hours of Hollywood variety shows from Universal, Sony, Paramount, Lionsgate, Disney, etc. The access of Youku Tudou's content has undoubtedly brought great expansion to the Magic Box in terms of resources, which may also be a big challenge for Youku Box.

First of all, I want to express my personal attitude, that is, I don't have strong requirements for content resources, provided that I can install applications by myself.

In terms of video content resources, there are more types and numbers of domestic dramas, and the content updates of domestic dramas are basically synchronized.

It is just that there is a lack of resources in American dramas or European and American movies. Most American dramas are basically charged, such as Mad Men, Mayor of the Wind and Cloud, and classic hit dramas such as The Big Bang Theory or Game of Power are also unavailable.

Free film sources in Europe and the United States are generally poor in picture quality, and there is no source with higher definition, which is a great harm to fans who are picky about picture quality. We hope that the platform can join H265 HD resources as soon as possible. Maybe someone will say that it is good to have free or bandwidth. Sorry， That's your problem. I usually watch 720P and 1080P movie sources, and my bandwidth is 100MB. In this case, I will not feel aggrieved. If I really want to see them, I will search on the Internet.

For member film resources, I personally feel that the types and quantities of resources are good. For example, most of the resources of exploration are resources I have seen or other platforms have. I'm not interested in entertainment resources.

A game point function has been added to the game store, which can be used to exchange goods. Points can be obtained by purchasing goods or downloading APP applications.

Here is a question. How can a box without Bluetooth play games with a controller? Just find a 2.4G wireless handle. The console game in the hall is not a problem to play. Of course, you can also download and install other game halls by yourself.

The commendable part is the children's resources. According to the current situation, the types and quantities are relatively new, which can meet the needs of children in different stages.

Next is your own playing time to experience common functions in depth.

The first is multimedia playback, which can be realized by sharing resources with small LANs such as SAMBA. It is very necessary for M16C with a limited number of USB ports.

For the playback of local videos, the MKV format can be played by default without sound, which can be realized with the help of third-party tools. 1080P MP4 movies can be played smoothly, but the loading time is longer at the beginning or after dragging. As for 4K video, I can't play it.

For external storage, in addition to the common U disk, here we try to use several hard disks below 500G, which can normally identify and read internal resources. In addition to self building NAS and other servers, this is also the most practical and convenient way.

However, for users with smart phones, the function of wireless screen projection is still needed. For example, iPhone or Android smart phones can easily put in internal resources, especially for the lazy party, and it is more convenient to use, whether it is pictures, videos or games.

In terms of scalability, M16C has several commendable features. First, remote video monitoring and video chat functions need to be used with cameras. If you have a driverless USB camera at home, you can install it directly. For example, the one you have can be recognized by the system. However, the pixels of these cameras are generally not too high, only about 130W pixels, and the image quality will be poor.

Next, you need to call out the AliTV assistant APP. Remote monitoring and video chat functions are integrated into AliTV assistant. The camera is quite ordinary, and the whole picture is still not clear. If there is a need for monitoring or video chat, it is recommended to buy a camera with higher definition.

Second, the M16C itself can be used as a wireless router for trial, supporting PPPOE dialing and WLAN hotspot sharing. Although most users may have wireless routers, these two functions are added to the product and can be used as wireless routers.

Experience summary

Strictly speaking, compared with the mainstream TV boxes on the market, the Tmall Magic Box M16C, which does not support 4K, has no performance advantages. The fashionable appearance design does not appeal to everyone. In contrast, the price of 199 yuan has certain price advantages and competitiveness, which will attract some people's attention. At the same time, this box can also serve as a wireless router and support extended functions such as monitoring, which also adds a lot of points to this product.

However, as an end user, it is recommended to add support for 4K video playback in subsequent products, join the 4K video zone, and join Bluetooth. These are the competition points of the current product, and are also directly related to the user experience. You should know that many 4K videos in this evaluation have not been played, and Bluetooth handles, Bluetooth speakers, and Bluetooth headsets have not appeared.

The content of pictures and texts is 100% original