How to set up channels on your Xiaomi Android TV via cable: full instruction

Connecting terrestrial or cable TV to Xiaomi TV based on Android TV seems like a simple task, but in practice users face nuances from choosing the right connector to the intricacies of manually configuring channels. Unlike smartphones of the same brand, Mi TVs (Mi TV 4A/4S/5X series, etc.) use their own PatchWall shell, which hides the standard Android TV settings behind several layers of menus. This is often confusing, especially if you are used to the interface of TVs of other brands.

In this article, we will look at all the ways to configure channels through cable, from automatic search to manual frequency addition, and also explain how to solve typical problems: no signal, no settings are saved or channels are lost after an update. We will pay special attention to the features of Xiaomi TV with Android 9/10/11, where the channel search algorithm is different from older models. If your TV does not find any channel or shows a No signal error, here you will find proven solutions.

What cables and connectors are needed to connect

Before setting up channels, make sure the TV is properly connected to the signal source. Xiaomi TV supports two types of antenna connections:

• 📡 On-air TV (DVB-T/T2) — It's a standard F-connector coaxial cable, suitable for digital channels (20 TV channels in Russia or analogue broadcasting (if available in your region).
• 🏢 Cable TV (DVB-C) — The same coaxial cable, but the signal comes from the provider (for example, Rostelecom, MTS TV.

On the back of the Xiaomi TV, look for a connector that says ANTENNA IN or RF IN — it’s usually located next to HDMI ports. There’s an adapter for connecting the cable, but if you don’t have one, use a standard F connector (sold at any electronics store).

⚠️ Note: Do not confuse the antenna input with the connector CI+ (for conditional access modules, the latter for connection CAM-modules from pay TV providers and does not replace antenna cable.

If you connect through an apartment building's collective antenna, check if it supports digital broadcasting (DVB-T2).In older homes, a custom antenna or signal amplifier may be required.

Preparing TV for channel search

Before you start automatic search, follow a few mandatory steps:

1. Update your firmware. Go to Settings → About TV → Update your system and install the latest version of the software. Old Xiaomi TV firmware (until 2021) had bugs that saved the channel list.
2. Reset the TV tuner settings. This will delete old channels and reset search options. Path: Settings → Channels → Reset TV settings.
3. Select the source of the signal. On the remote, press the Source (or Input) button and select the TV or the antenna.

If you connect cable TV from the provider, check with him the following parameters (required for manual setting):

• 📶 Frequency (MHz), e.g. 314,000 kHz;
• 🔄 Symbol Rate (Symbol Rate) for example 6875 ks/s;
• 🔄🔄 Modulation (QAM-256, QAM-128 etc.).

On Xiaomi Mi TV 5 Pro and later, the search mode option has appeared in the channel settings menu – select Digital and Analog if you want to find the maximum number of channels. However, note that analog broadcasting in Russia has been officially disabled since 2019, so this mode is only relevant for old regions or local transmitters.

Automatic channel search on Xiaomi TV

This is the easiest way, which is suitable for terrestrial TV (DVB-T2) and some cable TV providers.

1. Open the settings menu by pressing the Settings button on the remote.
2. Go to the Channels section → Channel setting → Search engine.
3. Select the signal type: Etheric TV (DVB-T/T2) for digital channels; Cable TV (DVB-C) if connected to the provider;

OK.

When the TV is finished, it will show the number of channels found, and if there are fewer than 20 channels (for Russia), then there is a problem with the signal.

• 🔌 The density of connection of the antenna cable;
• 📶 The direction of the antenna (for terrestrial TV);
• 🔄 Signal amplifier (if the antenna is passive).

💡

If automatic search finds channels but they don't show an image (black screen or artifacts), try manually specifying Network Mode as Single PLP in the tuner settings.

On Xiaomi Mi TV P1 and Mi TV Q1 (2022-2026), the Quick Search option has appeared in the auto search menu, which analyzes only strong signals and misses weak channels, which speeds up the process, but can skip regional transmissions.

Manual Channel Configuration (for cable TV)

If the automatic search didn’t work or the provider requires manual settings, follow the following steps:

1. Go to Settings → Channels → Channels → Manual search.
2. Select DVB-C (for cable TV).
3. Enter the parameters provided by the provider: Frequency (e.g., 314 MHz); Symbolic speed (e.g., 6875); Modulation (typically QAM-256).

Search

If no channels are found, try:

• 🔍 Reduce the symbol speed by 100–200 units (e.g., from 6875 to 6700);
• 🔄 Modulation by QAM-128;
• 📡 Check if the signal is blocked by the splitter (if any).

⚠️ Note: Some providers (e.g. Tricolor or NTV-Plus) use signal encryption. CAM-module and smart card that are inserted into the connector CI+ Without them, the channels won't show, even if the signal finds it.

Solving problems with channel setup

If the channels are not located or disappear after the reboot, check the following points:

• 🔌 Cable and connectors: Make sure the cable is not bent or damaged; Try connecting the cable directly to the TV (without splitters); Check if the connector contacts are oxidized ANTENNA IN.
• 📶 Signal: For on-air TV, turn the antenna towards the nearest tower (you can find it on the RTRS website); If the signal is weak, use an amplifier (but don’t overdo it – too strong a signal also interferes with the signal).
• 🔄 TV settings: Reset tuner settings (Settings) → Channels → Reset; Update the channel list manually (Settings) → Channels → Update the list; Disable the energy saving mode (Settings) → Energy conservation → Standby mode: Off.).

Xiaomi’s firmware TVs older than 2020 (e.g. Mi TV 4A 2018) have a bug: After the software update, the channel list is reset. To avoid this, export the channel list to the file via Settings → Channels → Export List (not available on all models) before updating.

Sorting and management of channels

Once you've done a successful search, the channels are usually arranged in a chaotic order, so you can organize them.

1. Open the list of channels with the TV button on the remote.
2. Click Menu (or Options) and select Channel Management.
3. Use the Up/Down buttons to move channels or OK to add to Favorites.

Additional functions:

• 🔒 Blocking channels: You can hide unnecessary channels or block them with a password (Settings) → Channels → Lockdown);
• 📁 Grouping: Create folders (e.g. News, Sports) for easy navigation;
• 🔄 Logo updates: If channels don’t have icons, update them through Settings → Channels → Renovate logos.

On Android TV 11+ models (such as Xiaomi TV A Pro), Voice Channel Search has been introduced, and to activate it, say to the remote microphone: Okay Google, show Channel One.

💡

If the channels are reset in the original order after sorting, turn off the Auto Update list function in the tuner settings. It can reset your changes every time you turn on the TV.

Update the channel list and reset settings

Over time, channels may disappear (for example, when broadcast frequencies change) or be duplicated.

1. Go to Settings → Channels → Channels Configure.
2. Select Update the list (not to be confused with AutoSearch!).
3. Confirm action. The TV will compare the current channels to the available ones and update them.

If the channels disappear after each turn on the TV, perform a full reset of the tuner settings:

1. Go to Settings → Channels → Reset TV settings.
2. Enter. PIN-code (default 0000 or 1234).
3. Start the channel search again.

Some models (Mi TV 4S and older) have a hidden Factory Configuration Mode option that resets the tuner to default settings to activate it:

Settings → About TV → Press 5 times on “Model TV” → Select “Mode factory TV setup”

FAQ: Frequent questions about channel setup