The Mi TV Stick runs on Android TV, giving it native access to the Google Play Store and the streaming app ecosystem. The technical difference with a generic Android box lies in the Google certification and Widevine L1 support, two prerequisites for displaying protected streams in HD or Ultra HD on official French services.
Widevine L1 Certification and Its Impact on Streaming TNT Channels
The 4K version of the Xiaomi TV Stick features an Amlogic S905Y4 SoC, 2 GB of RAM, 8 GB of storage, and Android TV 11. What matters for TV reception is its full Widevine L1 compatibility, the highest level of DRM on Android.
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Without this certification, apps like Molotov, TF1+, M6+, or france.tv limit the resolution to SD or even display a black screen on protected streams. We observe this issue on the majority of “Android TV” boxes that are not certified and sold on marketplaces, including those that advertise “4K” on their product listing.
To check the Widevine level of a device, the DRM Info app (available on the Play Store) directly indicates whether the stick is certified L1 or limited to L3. On the Xiaomi TV Stick 4K, the result is consistently L1, which guarantees access to TV channels on Mi TV Stick in high definition via all official apps.
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Free Apps to Watch TNT on Mi TV Stick Without an Antenna
IPTV and internet television now represent the majority of TV access in France. The Mi TV Stick fits into this shift: it transforms any HDMI TV into a TNT receiver via IP, provided the right apps are installed.
Official Apps from Audiovisual Groups
The publisher apps (france.tv, TF1+, M6+, ARTE.tv) offer all French TNT channels live and in HD, without a subscription. They work natively on Android TV and can be downloaded from the Play Store.
We recommend installing them as a priority for three reasons:
- Each app provides access to live broadcasts, replays, and exclusive content from the group, without going through a third-party aggregator
- The streams are optimized for Android TV and leverage the hardware decoding of the Amlogic SoC, which reduces bandwidth consumption
- Updates are automatic via the Play Store, unlike sideloaded APKs that require manual maintenance
Molotov as a Multi-Channel Aggregator
Molotov consolidates TNT channels into a single interface. The free version provides access to most channels live with limited quality. The paid offer unlocks HD and cloud recording, features that justify the subscription if the stick is the only TV access point in the household.
One technical point to note: Molotov consumes more RAM than individual publisher apps. On the standard Xiaomi TV Stick (first generation with 1 GB of RAM), slowdowns appear after a few hours of continuous use. The 4K version with its 2 GB handles this case without difficulty.
Optimizing the Wi-Fi Connection of the Mi TV Stick for Stable Viewing
The quality of the TV stream directly depends on Wi-Fi stability, not just the download speed. The Mi TV Stick does not have a native Ethernet port, making network configuration crucial.
The stick supports Wi-Fi 802.11ac (5 GHz). We consistently recommend the 5 GHz band over the 2.4 GHz band: latency is lower and interference with household devices (microwaves, Bluetooth) is almost nonexistent.
If the router is far away, a USB-C Ethernet adapter via an OTG hub remains the most reliable solution. The stick natively recognizes compatible Android TV Ethernet adapters without additional configuration.
Network Settings to Adjust in Android TV
In the stick’s network settings, disabling the “Optimized Wi-Fi” function (which automatically switches between 2.4 and 5 GHz) allows you to force the connection on the chosen band. This option can be found in Settings > Network and Internet > Wi-Fi > Advanced preferences.
Assigning a fixed IP to the stick via the router prevents micro-cuts related to DHCP renewal during prolonged viewing. The procedure is done on the router side, associating the stick’s MAC address with a static IP.
Kodi and Captvty on Mi TV Stick: Alternatives for Advanced Users
Kodi can be installed directly from the Google Play Store on the Mi TV Stick. Its main interest for TNT reception lies in the PVR IPTV add-ons, which allow loading M3U lists pointing to the legal TNT streams broadcasted by ISPs or publishers.
Captvty, on the other hand, is Windows software. It does not work natively on Android TV. Articles recommending it on Mi TV Stick overlook this incompatibility. Its use would require an intermediate server or a Windows machine streaming the feed to the stick via DLNA or a Plex server, which complicates the setup considerably.
For usage focused on free TNT, Kodi with the PVR IPTV Simple Client module and a list of free French channels offers a functional alternative to official apps, with the advantage of a unified and customizable interface.
The choice between official apps and Kodi boils down to a trade-off between simplicity (publisher apps, Molotov) and control (Kodi, custom M3U lists). For most households, the Play Store apps cover the need without additional configuration. Kodi is aimed at users who want to centralize TV, local files, and streaming services in a single interface.