MAG425A Review: a Google-Certified 4K Android TV Set-Top Box
Tags: Android Tv, Chromecast, Iptv, Android, Android Tv Box

The MAG425A is produced by Infomir, a group of companies that for many years has been specializing in the development, design, manufacturing, and support of MAG branded IPTV, OTT and VoD equipment and client devices. Infomir has been making set-top boxes for over 14 years now. Based in Ukraine, the company has representative offices and logistics centers in the USA, Germany, Estonia, Switzerland, and the United Arab Emirates.

Infomir’s key strength is full-cycle in-house production: product design, software development, manufacturing, integration assistance, customer support — Infomir handles it all.

MAG425A Specifications

Chipset — Hi3798MV200

Processor — ARM Cortex-A53 Quad Core CPU 1200 MHz

Performance — 15 000 DMIPS

RAM — 2 GB

Flash memory — 8 GB eMMC

Operating system — Android TV 8.0

DRM option — Widevine L1, Microsoft PlayReady SL2000

Middleware supported — Ministra multiscreen TV platform

Interfaces — HDMI 2.0a, Ethernet 100 Mbps, USB 2.0х1, USB 3.0x1, Micro SD, Built-in Wi-Fi ac 2x2

Sources of media content — PC and NAS in local networks, streaming media protocols (RTSP, RTP, UDP, IGMP, HTTP), USB-devices

Audio сodecs — MPEG L1/L2/L3 AAC-LC, HE AAC V1/V2, AAC ELD, PCM/WAVE, APE, FLAC, Ogg, Dolby Digital Plus

Audio formats — MP3, OGG, WAV, AAC

Audio containers — .ac3, .acc, .ape, .flac, .m4a, .mp3, .ogg, .wav, .wma

Video modes — PAL, NTSC, 576p, 720p, 1080p, 1080i, 4K

Video сodecs — H.265 (HEVC), H.264 (AVC, MVC), MPEG-1/2, MPEG-4

Video containers — TS, MTS, AVI, MPEG, MP4, MOV, MKV, M2TS, VOB, 3GP

Image formats — JPEG, PNG, BMP, GIF, RAW

Subtitles — DVB, PGS, Hardsub, built-in captions, SRT, SSA/ASS, SUB, Teletext subs, WebVtt, closed captions

Playlist formats — M3U, M3U8, PLS

Standard set — MAG425А Set-Top Box, User Manual, HDMI cable, Power adapter 12V 1A, Remote control, 2 AAA batteries, Packaging

Packaging

MAG425A Set-Top Box Review

The device comes packaged in a shrink-wrapped white cardboard box. Made of soft cardboard, the box has a picture of the STB with a remote, as well as the specs printed on it.

Every accessory in the box is packaged in a polyethylene bag. The packaging looks reliable overall and is attractive enough to make a good gift.

Package Contents

MAG425A Package Contents

Set-Top Box package contents:

● MAG425A set-top box

● Remote control

● 2 AAA batteries

● HDMI cable

● 12 V, 1 A power supply

● User manual

MAG425A Set-Top Box Remote Control

MAG425A ships with a compact remote control made from a fingerprint-resistant matte plastic that is pleasant to the touch. Its rubber buttons have a soft and quiet, articulate click. The round navigation button has as its rim the producer’s signature red ring. Buttons are few, but they cover all essential functionality. The remote control communicates with the STB via a built-in Bluetooth 4.1 module, which enabled Infomir to put a mic inside it to add support for Google’s voice assistant. The remote does not support Airmouse functionality and Android TV doesn’t need it anyway — its interface is therefore optimized completely for remote and voice control.

MAG425A REMOTE CONTROL

Interestingly, there is a TV Guide button on the remote to launch the Live Channels app for cable TV. The voice assistant is activated with its own dedicated button that also turns on the remote’s sensitive mic. Overall, the remote control is easy to use, its buttons are distinct enough and conveniently spaced. The button layout is so easy to get used to that you’ll find yourself using it without even looking in no time — and it’s a total delight to use, in contrast to, say, Beelink GT-King’s G10 remote, on which the buttons are all flat and clumped together.

MAG425A Set-Top Box Remote Control

The remote is powered by two AAA batteries included in the package. It’s the first time in our experience that a manufacturer cared to include batteries for the remote. It’s great when such little things are not overlooked.

MAG425A Set-Top Box AC Adapter

As shown on the label on its body, the STB’s 12 V, 1000 mA AC adapter is made in China specifically for Infomir products.

MAG425A Set-Top Box AC Adapter

Featuring a fairly robust build, it caused us no trouble during the test drive. It also comes with a 150-cm (4.9-ft) cable attached — a rare convenience for set-top boxes, the usual cable length being limited to about 80 cm (2.6 ft).

MAG425A Set-Top Box HDMI Cable

The HDMI cable is unusually long, too, at 150 cm (4.9 ft) and has fairly good quality. We didn’t have any trouble with it either.

MAG425A Set-Top Box User Manual

The Quick Start Guide includes a warranty leaflet and a brief description of the STB connection procedure and remote control’s functionality.

User Manuals are available for download here:

● MAG425A user manual (RUS)

● MAG425A user manual (UK)

MAG425A Set-Top Box Review

On the last page of the Manual, you will find a sticker with the STB’s Model Number, Serial Number, MAC address, and production date. There is a similar identification sticker on the bottom of the device.

Appearance

The set-top box has a rectangular body made from fingerprint-resistant matte plastic. On the top cover, you will see Infomir’s signature red ring and a power button. Although convenient, proper power buttons have become rare in devices of this kind, and it was great to see one here.

Near the power button, in the right corner, a set-top box status LED is located. Its LED glows white when the device is on and red when it is in standby mode. The brightness of the white glow can be adjusted in the Settings menu, and the red one can be turned off.

On the left side of the device, two USB ports are located (one of which is USB 3.0), and a hole that hides the factory reset button. There are only two USB ports, but the remote control communicates with the device via Bluetooth, so there aren’t any receivers that need to occupy a USB port.

On the rear of the body, there is a Micro SD card reader slot, which can be used to expand internal storage, an HDMI port, a LAN port, and a 12 V AC adapter connector.

On the bottom of the set-top box, there is an identification label that contains the STB’s Serial Number, MAC address, and production date, as well as a holographic warranty seal. Ventilation openings are also located there to ensure discharge of warm air, as well as two rubber supports to provide the necessary clearance and stability.

Launch. Home screen

During the initial boot, the system configuration wizard is shown, which starts by pairing the remote control to the set-top. For this, you need to press and hold the OK and Home buttons until the remote control’s LED starts flashing red; then, you need to press and hold the On/Off button on the STB’s top panel to initiate pairing. The LED on the remote control will light up and then go out to indicate successful pairing.

Then, the picture size needs to be adjusted to match your screen.

The next step is to choose your language — English is available, as well as Russian and Ukrainian.

Wired/wireless internet connection setup then follows.

Once that is completed, you will be asked to log into your Google account. A smartphone or PC can make the process much easier — you will be provided with a PIN code to input there.

Then you will be asked to accept Google’s Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.

The next thing you will do is name your STB, e.g. Living Room TV.

After that, you will be offered a variety of apps to install, including Facebook, MX Player, IPTV, AirScreen, and MX Player PRO. Tick the boxes on the ones you want and select Next.

Finally, you need to read and accept the producer’s User Agreement and Privacy Policy.

After a brief Android TV overview, you will be taken to the Home screen.

Google Home Launcher’s tiled interface comprises several configurable rows. In the upper right corner the system clock, Settings icon, and System Notification hub are located. On the left, the Voice Search icon and a search bar are shown. Voice search can be activated at any moment by pressing the Voice Search button on the remote control.

The first row is your Favorites. You can add here the apps you use the most and sort them as you like. To move an app or add/remove it from Favorites, press and hold the OK button on the remote control once you have selected the app. To see the entire list of installed apps, press the Apps button on the remote control or select the Apps icon and press OK.

Below, recommended content channels are shown. All rows can be scrolled horizontally. Should the need arise, channel rows can be reordered, removed, or added anew.

To reorder channels or remove one, press Left on the remote control and move them wherever you want.

To add channels to the Home screen or remove them, choose Customize channels in the bottom part of the screen. The lowermost one is the Promotional channel, which can be disabled in the settings. The menu is well-suited for navigation with the included remote control and voice commands.

Google Assistant greatly helps with information search, media playback, controlling apps, etc. It is available in many languages, too.

To activate Google Assistant, press the Google Assistant button on the remote control or select the Voice Search icon on the Home screen. To stop voice recognition after you finish speaking, press OK on the remote control.

Voice Search can look up information in all apps that support it.

If Voice Search is started from an app, search results will show hits only from that app.

System and settings

The first time we booted the MAG425A, a notification popped up about the firmware update 1.7.3 being available. The producer maintaining its products’ firmware is always good news. Make sure to install the update — the STB will then reboot.

The Settings menu has enough options to configure, which testifies to the serious amount of customization that went into the device’s firmware. Some menu items are yet to be translated in Russian, but it takes no extra effort to understand what is there.

Network settings are the first in line. The Android set-top box supports dual-band Wi-Fi and wired connection through the built-in LAN port. Then we have audio settings, where system sounds can be turned off and HDMI sound output configured. For the latter, two modes are available: LPCM, where decoding is handled by the set-top box and the sound is sent to the TV decoded, and RAW, where the sound is decoded on the TV or receiver side. In Auto mode, LPCM and RAW are switched as needed.

In the Display menu, font size can be adjusted, interface scaling for 720p and 1080p chosen, Auto frame-rate activated (automatic frame-rate and resolution adjustment depending on the video’s resolution), and picture resolution set. The set-top box supports system-level auto frame-rate in its native player. The custom picture formats available range from 480p all the way up to 4K, 2K 60 Hz.

Also, this is where picture parameters can be adjusted, for example, the brightness, hue, contrast, and saturation. And these settings do work here, unlike in most Chinese set-top boxes. Also, this is where viewport size can be adjusted to suit your TV screen.

In the Video Output menu, aspect ratio can be set and forced 3D frame packing turned on — the device also boasts native 3D support. Two aspect ratios are available — 16:9 and 4:3 — which may come in handy for older TVs. In the Preserve Aspect Ratio section, video extension can be configured, including the addition of black bars on the sides.

The Storage & Reset menu has information about the storage available as well as general data about the device. Only 4 GB of internal storage is available, the other 4 GB being occupied by the OS. The space is limited, but it can be expanded with a Micro SD memory card or a USB flash drive. The default storage device can be configured in the Settings menu — a great choice, given the limited internal storage. Factory Reset is here, too. Also, there is another way to reset the device — a dedicated button hidden in a hole on the MAG425A’s body. During the set-top box boot-up, press and hold the On/Off button on its top cover before the white LED starts blinking — the system will be reset to factory defaults and rebooted. Firmware updates — both OTA and manual — are applied in the About menu.

In Standby menu, the set-top box’s suspend mode can be set to Smart Suspend or Deep Suspend. In HDMI Control Mode menu, the following modes are available: HPD (Hot Plug Detection) — the STB automatically turns on/off when you power the TV on/off; CEC — the STB is controlled with the remote; and None.

In the Advanced Options menu, HDR settings can be changed (the device supports HDR10), and HDCP (a content copy production protocol) can be activated. Also in this menu are the brightness settings for the white LED and the switch for the red standby indicator.

Preinstalled Applications

The device comes with a handful of preinstalled apps out of the box. In the Apps menu, only the Android TV-compatible apps are shown.

To see all the apps, the Sideload Launcher needs to be used.

The device comes with a signature Infomir app suite. It includes Ministra Player (a Ministra TV platform client), the MAGic Files file manager, the MAGic Player video player, and the MAGic Audio audio player. The apps are optimized for remote control and have a great look and feel.

Additional Android TV-compatible apps can be installed from the Google Play Store. There are a great many of them, although the selection is not as abundant as that for regular Android. Alternative app stores can be installed, too, e.g., Aptoide or Yalp Store, from which you will have access to all the apps available on Android.

The built-in YouTube app works great and has no problem handling videos with resolution up to 2160p 4K.