Xiaomi Mi Tv Stick - €26.69 from DHGate

I was waiting for this for months as I was fed up of the usual Android TV boxes, and wanted to try one with genuine Android support, although I use a Roku which does everything I want
When it was launched, the saving grace seemed to be the price, but having read a few reviews it seems they took a step backwards with this
The specs just seem like devices from a few years ago with 1GB RAM and 8GB ROM and 1080 with no 4K support

I have to admit, I was still on the fence until this morning and then I watched Chigz Tech reviews do his review of it and it looks very disappointing alright

Wow - what an atrocious review. I bow to his superior knowledge and experience, but I've been running this stick for a couple of weeks and have found it great. I'm using it on my second TV with Netflix, Youtube, Spotify, Synology video streaming, and I've also used it with N64 and SNES emulators (and even experimented with the XBox streaming app, paired with an XBox controller, and a Bluetooth speaker, and apart from the XBox streaming (which was a little laggy as I'd have expected), it worked flawlessly for everything else. For €29, I've no regrets. This is the first Android TV streaming device I've used though, so I have nothing to compare it to. Based on my results I was going to buy the 4k version when that came out (as I figured the extra RAM would solve the XBox cloud streaming lag issues), but might just hold out for his next review. The TV (and an old projector I used it with also) are very occasional use, so just not worth spending more than €30.

To be fair, for around €30, I still reckon it's a decent little thing and handy to add functionality to any TV, even the most modern smart TV's where they no longer update apps etc

They are giving these away free atm with many purchases of Xiaomi phones on chinese sites. Probably not even worth that.

Raoul wrote: »

Has anyone's arrived from DHGate?

Apparently mine is in transit from Belgium to Ireland with a delivery on or before August 31st

does anybody have an updated link to the ones shipped from the EU

SSeanSS wrote: »

Got slapped with import duties letter. If I want it I will have to pay €10 post offices fees + vat on the $30 it costs. Or else they will send back to sender. Not even sure if it’s the extra 16 euro to get it based off the reviews posted

Aww no. That's a disaster. I wonder is it worth letting it be sent back and then just try to claim the money back.

Damn - got the same letter.
Literally the first time I've had something stopped in years - never get anythign from Aliexpress stopped!

SSeanSS wrote: »

Got slapped with import duties letter. If I want it I will have to pay €10 post offices fees + vat on the $30 it costs. Or else they will send back to sender. Not even sure if it’s the extra 16 euro to get it based off the reviews posted

Same boat here

The real pain is is the €6.08!
Vat under €6 is exempt.

8 bleedin cents costs me €16.08.

:mad:

After Sept 1 VAT is 21%

:mad:

Basil3 wrote: »

Got the same letter.....first time ever. If we don't accept and allow it to be returned, can we get a refund?

If my parcel is seized by Customs what should i do?

If the items are detained by Customs after the shipment has left the seller’s country, the buyer is responsible for clearance of the detained items.

It is the buyer's responsibility for any Customs duty fees that may be charged upon delivery.

How the import duty will be charged depends on each country’s custom policies.

kingtiger wrote: »

to the lads that got a customs love letter

just wondering did ye pick the Euro warehouse option on DHGate and still get stung for import duty?

I don't know about the rest but I picked the EU warehouse but the damn thing is still coming from China. Don't know if it'll be redistributed from EU or not

kingtiger wrote: »

to the lads that got a customs love letter

just wondering did ye pick the Euro warehouse option on DHGate and still get stung for import duty?

I can't remember what I picked (I don't think I coped there was a China and Belgium warehouse). Tracking shows that mine came from Belgium so I don't quite understand how I got stung for customs.

Unless, the tracking only started working in Belgium and went China -> Belgium -> Ireland.

I'd probably bite the bullet and take the €6 customs charge on the chin but no way am I paying the €10 an post charge.
Why couldn't they have been sent to the local sorting offices?