Xiaomi TV does not play AVI: all the reasons and working solutions

You plugged a flash drive into a Xiaomi Mi TV or Redmi Smart TV, but instead of your favorite AVI movie, you see an error called "Not Supported Format" or a black screen? The problem is familiar to many owners of Xiaomi's smart TVs — despite the stated support for multimedia, some videos simply refuse to play. In 80% of cases, it's not hardware limitations that are to blame, but incompatible codecs, outdated firmware or incorrect settings.

In this article, we will discuss all the possible reasons why Xiaomi TV does not read. AVI, — from the basic (for example, inappropriate) USB-drive to technical (no Xvid codec in firmware) You will receive step-by-step instructions for each situation, including alternative ways to view through the DLNA, Plex or external players, and if the problem is hardware, you can find out how to check it in 2 minutes.

1.The problem with codecs: why AVI is not played on Xiaomi TV

The AVI (Audio Video Interleave) format is just a “container” that can hide different types of video and sound compression. Xiaomi TVs (including the Mi TV 4S, Mi TV Q1 and Redmi X Series) officially support AVI, but only with a limited set of codecs:

• 🎬 Video: MPEG-4 ASP (For example, Xvid or DivX), MPEG-2
• 🔊 Sound: MP3, AC3 (Dolby Digital), PCM

If your file is encoded in, say, H.265 (HEVC) or DTS sound, the TV won't open it.

• 🖥️ MediaInfo (shows full information about the file)
• 🎥 VLC Media Player (in the Tools menu) → Codec information)

Solution: Recode the file to a compatible format. For example, through HandBrake, select MPEG-4 preset (Xvid) and AC3 sound. Or use online converters like CloudConvert (but be careful with privacy!).

⚠️ Note: Not all Xiaomi models TV support AC3 (Dolby Digital via HDMI. If the sound is coming from an external device (e.g., Fire) TV Stick, but there's no Dolby logo on TV - the soundtrack may be silent.

2.Odd firmware: how the update solves the problem with AVI

In Xiaomi's firmware TV beforehand MIUI TV 2.0.100 (2021) was a playback bug AVI-There was also no support for some DivX codec options. If your TV hasn't been updated in a long time, this could be the reason.

How to check the firmware version:

1. Open Settings → About TV → Update system.
2. Compare the current version with the latest one on Xiaomi’s official website.

How to update:

• 🌐 By air (OTA): Settings → Updating the system → Check for updates.
• 💾 Manual: Download firmware for your model (for example, MiTV_Q1_2.1.0.zip), Place on the flash drive in the root directory and update via Settings → Update → Local Update.

Download firmware ONLY from the official Xiaomi| website

Format the flash drive into FAT32 (not NTFS!)|

Shut it down. USB-device other than a flash drive|

Do not turn off the TV during the upgrade (the process takes 5-15 minutes)

-->

Critical information: After upgrading to MIUI TV 3.0+, some older models (such as Mi TV 3S) lost support for AVI with the DivX 3.11 codec. If files stopped playing after the upgrade, a rollback to the previous version is impossible.

3.Problems with USB-Why the TV doesn’t see the file

Even if AVI-The file is encoded correctly, the TV may not recognize it because of the:

• 📛 File system: Xiaomi TV supports FAT32 and NTFS (but with limitations. exFAT does not work!
• 🔌 porta USB: The front port is often weaker than the rear port in current (especially on the Mi). TV 4A).
• 📁 Folder Structures: Deep nesting (more than 3 levels) can cause a reading error.

How to check:

1. Format the flash drive in FAT32 (maximum 4GB per file) or NTFS (for files >4GB).
2. Connect the drive to the back. USB-port (more powerful).
3. Place the file in the root directory (e.g., E:\film.avi).

💡

If the TV doesn’t see the flash drive at all, try connecting it through the USB-It's an externally powered hub, and it helps with power shortages, especially in ports. USB 2.0.

4. Alternative ways to play AVI on Xiaomi TV

If recoding or updating the firmware did not help, use the workarounds:

📱 Streaming on the local network (DLNA/UPnP)

Install one of the applications on your smartphone or PC:

• BubbleUPnP (Android) supports transcoding on the fly.
• Plex Media Server (PC) automatically converts incompatible files.
• VLC (any platform) – streaming without conversion, but requires a powerful router.

Instructions for BubbleUPnP:

1. Connect your phone and TV to the same Wi-Fi network.
2. In the app, select the AVI file → “Play on” → select your Xiaomi TV.
3. If there is no sound, in the application settings, turn on “Transcoding of Sound”.

🖥️ External devices: consoles and TV boxes

If the TV does not want to play AVI, plug in:

• 🎮 Xiaomi Mi Box S supports all codecs in the AVI kodi.
• 🔥 Amazon Fire TV Stick - with installed MX Player or VLC.
• 💻 Mini-PC (like Beelink) – full Windows with any player.

5. Hardware restrictions: when the TV cannot physically reproduce the AVI

In rare cases, the problem lies in the “iron”:

• 🧠 Weak processor: Old models (Mi) TV 2, Mi TV 3) not pull AVI high-bitrate (>10 Mbps).
• 🔌 Damaged. USB-Port: Check if other files are readable (e.g, JPEG or MP4).
• 💽 Faulty TV memory: If the TV freezes when you try to open a file, it could be a sign of flash memory failure.

How to diagnose:

1. Try to play the same file on another device (laptop, smartphone).
2. Connect to the TV another drive with a simple file (for example, MP4 720p).
3. Start the built-in testing: Settings → Support → Self-testing.

⚠️ Note: If Xiaomi TV gives an error "Insufficient memory" when trying to open AVI, It's not that there's a lack of storage space, it's probably that the Amlogic media processor is failing (typical for chip-based models). S905). Solution - reset to factory settings.

6. Resetting settings and extreme measures

If nothing works, reset the TV to factory settings, which will remove all installed apps and custom settings, but often solves playback problems:

1. Go to Settings → About TV → Reset settings.
2. Enter. PIN-code (default 1234 or 0000).
3. Confirm the reset and wait for the reboot (it will take 3-5 minutes).

💡

After reset, be sure to update the firmware to the latest version – this will restore basic support for codecs that may have been damaged.

If the reset did not help, there are two options:

• 🔧 Hand-flashing through USB Burning Tool (for experienced users only!).
• 🛠️ Contacting the service – if the problem is in the hardware (for example, a memory chip is damaged).

FAQ: Frequent questions about playing AVI on Xiaomi TV