Owners of modern Smart TVs from the Xiaomi brand often face the inconvenience of having their channels numbered chaotic after automatic setup on the air TV. Instead of the usual sequence where the first channel is Russia 1 and the second one is Russia 24, the list can begin with unknown regional broadcasters or religious programs, which creates discomfort when watching, forcing them to constantly look for the right positions in a long list.
The problem is that the TV algorithms sort the frequencies they find by signal strength or the broadcaster's internal ID, ignoring logical numbering for the user. Fortunately, the Android TV operating system on which the PatchWall interface is based allows you to manually edit the list, change positions and hide the extra one, but this process is not always obvious and requires understanding the structure of the menu.
In this article, we’ll look at all the ways you can organize channels, from built-in sorting functions to external receivers, how to move your favorite channel to the first position, and why you can’t use standard methods sometimes. A key feature is that direct drag-and-drop is not available in all firmware, and you often need to use the Edit feature to change order.
Why channels are confused after auto-setting
After the first switch on the Xiaomi Mi TV or Mi Box, the system offers an automatic search for available DVB-T2 over-the-air digital channels. At this point, the tuner scans the entire frequency range, recording all available signals. The logic of assigning numbers in this process is dictated solely by the technical parameters of the multiplexes, not the preferences of the viewer.
It is often the case that channels are divided into groups according to frequency of broadcasting, for example, all channels of the first multiplex can get numbers from 1 to 10, but in a mixed order, and the second multiplex will take places from 20 to 30. This is because the digital standard transmits channel data (LCN — Logical Channel Number), but the TV can ignore them or prioritize the strength of the signal over the serial number.
⚠️ Note: When you re-run Autopoisk, all your manual numbering settings will be reset. The system will assign numbers again automatically, so you should only start manual sorting after you have made sure that the antenna catches all the necessary channels and no additional adjustment is required.
Another cause of chaos in the list is weak signals from repeaters in neighboring areas, and a TV can add duplicate channels with poor quality to the end or middle of the list, disrupting the overall structure, which is why experts recommend fine-tuning the antenna first, and then recording the result manually sorted.
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Before you start manually sorting, write down or take a picture of the current channel list, which will help quickly restore order if there is a power failure or software error during the setup process.
Standard sorting through the TV menu
The most common way to get things in order is to use the built-in list editing functionality. PatchWall or pure Android TV provides tools to manage the playlist, but it's important to understand that the remote interfaces of different models may differ, although the logic of the actions remains the same.
To start, you need to go to TV viewing mode. On the remote control, press the TV image button or select the corresponding TV app. Then call the current channel settings menu, usually a Menu button or a button with three dots/stripes on the screen.
In the menu that opens, look for "Edit Channels" or "Channel List," which opens up a tabular representation of all the frequencies found, and that's where the routing function is available, and you need to select the channel you want and use the navigation buttons to change its position in the list.
☑️ Manual sorting algorithm
Some Xiaomi models allow Skip, which doesn’t change the channel number, but hides it when switching with the Up/Down buttons, which is a great way to remove advertising or substandard channels from view, keeping them in the general list if necessary.
Use the Favorites feature for quick access
If manually rearranging hundreds of channels seems too time-consuming, or the TV model doesn’t support flexible order editing, Favorites helps, which allows you to create a custom list in which you decide which channels will be available and in which order they will go.
The trick is filtering, you create a list of your favorite channels, and when you switch to Favorite mode, the TV ignores the rest, which is especially convenient for families who only watch. 10-15 The main channels are available from hundreds of.
To activate this mode, go to edit the channel list. Next to each name there is usually a star or heart icon. When you click on it, you add a channel to your favorites. After you create the list, switch to Fav viewing mode on the remote or menu.
- ⭐ Open the channel list through the TV settings menu.
- ⭐ Find the right channel and press the confirmation button (OK) or a special button to add to the selected.
- ⭐ Repeat the procedure for all desired channels.
- ⭐ Switch viewing mode to Favorites for easy navigation.
The advantage of this method is its flexibility: you can create multiple groups of favorite channels if the interface of your Xiaomi model supports it (for example, News, Sport, Children), which makes navigation intuitive even for children or the elderly.
Set up order through an external receiver
Xiaomi TV owners who use an external digital receiver (DVB-T2) or satellite tuner have much more control over the order of channels, in which case the Xiaomi TV acts only as a monitor, and all the logic of signal processing and sorting falls on the shoulders of the external device.
This is often the best solution, since the receiver menu is usually more functional and sharpened specifically for working with television than the universal Smart TV interfaces.
So the process is, you plug the antenna into the receiver, you plug the receiver into the TV through HDMI, and then you use the remote to search and sort, and the TV just displays the picture that the console is sending to it.
| Parameter | Xiaomi internal tuner | External receiver (DVB-T2) | Satellite receiver |
|---|---|---|---|
| Menu convenience | Average, depends on the firmware | High, specialized. | High, detailed. |
| Switching speed | Depends on TV. | It's faster. | Instantly. |
| Favorites function | Aye (basic) | Expanded | Maximum |
| The need for a second remote | No. | Yes (or HDMI-CEC) | Yes (or HDMI-CEC) |
An important aspect here is HDMI-CEC technology. If your Xiaomi TV and external receiver support this feature, you can control the receiver sorting menu using the main TV remote, which eliminates the need to keep two remotes on hand.
Sorting Problems on Android TV and Their Solutions
Xiaomi-based Android TV users sometimes encounter bugs when the channel list is not saved after the TV is turned off, or the sorting menu items are unavailable (blocked).
One of the most common problems is the inability to move the channel to the position. №1, if it is occupied by a system channel or a channel with a broadcast error, in such cases, it is recommended to first move the "problem" channel to the end of the list or delete it (if there is such an option), freeing the beginning of the list for the positions you want.
⚠️ Warning: Do not try to install third-party TV management apps from the Google Play Store if they promise to be “magical” sorted. System access rights (root) on Xiaomi TVs are difficult to obtain, and such applications are often just advertising shells that do not have real access to the tuner.
If the standard Live Channels app doesn’t work properly, you can try to clear its data. Go to Settings → Apps → All Apps → Live Channels → Memory → Clear the data. After that, you will have to reconfigure the channels, but this can eliminate software errors that interfere with sorting.
What to do if the editing menu is grey?
Frequent questions and additional recommendations
The process of setting up a TV is to find a balance between functionality and convenience, and even after a successful sorting, there may be issues related to software updates or a change of residence (and therefore a repeater).
Remember, digital broadcasts update their settings periodically, and if your channels are lost or moved after the provider's scheduled work, you'll need to do a second auto-search. So stay calm: your sorting efforts may need to be repeated, but the algorithm will remain the same.
For advanced users with ADB skills, there is a theoretical possibility of editing the system files of the channel database, but this method is extremely risky and can lead to complete inoperability of the tuner.
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The most reliable way to have the perfect channel order is to use an external receiver with HDMI-CEC support, since its software is more stable and functional than the built-in tuner of the TV.
In conclusion, putting the channel list in order on Xiaomi TV requires a single attention, but significantly improves the comfort of the device in the future. Using a combination of manual sorting and favorite lists, you can adapt a smart TV to your watching habits.