Modern Xiaomi TVs, which run on Android TV or proprietary PatchWall, offer a lot of multimedia options, but there are often situations when you need to listen to the sound without interference to others. This is especially true at night when people are asleep and you want to watch a movie or play a video game. Fortunately, Xiaomi engineers have provided flexible audio output settings that allow you to redirect the sound stream from the TV speakers to the external device.
There are two main ways to do this: using Bluetooth wireless protocol or connecting via a wired connector. The wireless method is most popular due to the convenience and absence of unnecessary cables, but it requires your headphones to maintain the appropriate communication standard. The wired version, in turn, guarantees minimal audio latency and no audio compression, which is critical for gamers.
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at both methods, the nuances of working with different models, including the Mi TV Stick and full-fledged Smart TVs with a diagonal of 32 to 65 inches. You’ll learn how to avoid desynchronization of audio and video, which codecs are supported by the system and what to do if the TV can’t see your headsets. Deep immersion in the audio settings will allow you to squeeze the most out of your device.
Connection via Bluetooth: step-by-step instructions
The most common and convenient way is pairing via Bluetooth. Virtually all modern Xiaomi TVs have a built-in wireless module. To get started, make sure your headphones are in pairing mode (usually by holding a power button or a special button with a Bluetooth image for a long time).
Go to the main menu of the TV and select the settings section. Depending on the firmware version (PatchWall or pure Android TV), the path may vary slightly, but the logic remains the same. You need to find the point responsible for managing peripherals and wireless networks.
The sequence of actions is as follows:
- 📺 Press the Menu button on the remote and select the gear icon in the upper right corner of the screen.
- 🔊 Go to the Settings section → Sensors and accessories (or Bluetooth).
- 🔍 Select Add Accessory and wait until the TV scans the air.
- 🎧 In the list of available devices, find the name of your headphones and click OK pairing.
Once the connection is successful, the system will automatically redirect the entire audio stream to the headphones. If the sound does not appear, check if the TV Only mode is activated in the audio settings. It is also worth noting that when you connect the Bluetooth headset, the built-in speakers of the TV turn off completely.
⚠️ Attention: When you connect cheap Bluetooth-based simulators, you can experience a lip-sync issue, which is due to a delay in signal encoding. This is often invisible to watching movies, but can be annoying in dynamic games.
Use of 3.5 mm wire connector and adapters
Not all Xiaomi TVs feature a classic 3.5mm (Mini-Jack) connector. In thin models with a diagonal of 43 inches and above, manufacturers often abandon analog output in favor of digital interfaces. However, if your TV has a matching socket (often labeled as a Headphone or headphone image), this is the easiest way.
Just insert the headphone plug into the connector before the characteristic click. The system must automatically determine the connection and switch the output. If this does not happen, go to Settings → Sound → Audio output and manually select Headphones or Audio system.
If you don’t have a 3.5mm connector on your TV body, but you have an Optical (SPDIF) or AV (via Mini-Jack), you’ll need an external digital-to-analog converter (DAC).
- 🔌 Connect the optical cable from the TV to the Input entrance on the DAC.
- 🎧 Insert the headphones into a 3.5mm connector on the converter itself.
- ⚡ Power the DAC from USB-port.
- 🔊 In the TV sound settings, select Digital output and format PCM.
Using an external DAC allows you to connect even high-resistance studio headphones if the converter has enough power. This solution often provides a sound quality higher than the built-in Bluetooth module of the TV, as it eliminates losses when compressed through the air.
Why can the sound be quiet through the adapter?
Customization of sound for Mi TV Stick and Android Box
Owners of the Mi TV Stick or Mi Box S compact consoles face the same challenges, but the interface may be different. Since these devices run on pure Android TV, the process of connecting headphones here is standardized by Google, but has its own features.
For Bluetooth connectivity on Xiaomi consoles, the algorithm is similar to TVs, but the menu is deeper. You need to go to Settings (cogs at the top) → Remotes and accessories → Add an accessory. After that, press the pairing button on the headphones. The Mi TV Stick device will automatically detect the headset.
If you use wired headphones with a console, the situation is complicated by the lack of a 3.5 mm connector. USB-audio card or Bluetooth adapter inserted into USB-prefix.
| Type of device | Bluetooth | 3.5 mm connector | USB-audio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mi TV Stick | There is. | No. | Through the OTG |
| Mi Box S | There is. | Got it (AV) | There is. |
| Mi TV P1 | There is. | No. | There is. |
| Redmi Smart TV | There is. | Depends on the model. | There is. |
☑️ Checking the compatibility of headphones
Removing Sound Latency and Synchronization Problems
One of the most common problems with wireless connectivity is out-of-synchronization, and you can see the character opening his mouth, but the sound of a gunshot or the words are delivered late to the user. 200-500 This is a phenomenon called latency).
Bluetooth technology is inherently latent due to compression and data transfer. Standard SBC and AAC codecs can produce noticeable latency. To minimize this effect, your headphones and TV must support the aptX Low Latency or aptX Adaptive codec. If the Xiaomi TV does not support these codecs out of the box, software can fix the latency is almost impossible.
What can be done to the user:
- 📉 In the settings of the TV, find the Sound Mode and switch to Sport or Game, if any (reduces post-processing).
- 🔄 Reboot the Bluetooth module by disabling and turning it on in the settings.
- 📶 Remove sources of interference from the TV: Wi-Fi routers, microwave ovens, USB 3.0 cables without shielding.
⚠️ Attention: Using cheap Bluetooth transmitters inserted into the optical output often increases latency rather than reduces it.Look for devices that support aptX LL.
When watching regular TV or YouTube, a small delay is not critical, the human brain compensates for it, but in shooters or rhythm games, this can make the game impossible, and in such cases, the only reliable solution is to switch to a wired connection or use game consoles with their own audio system.
💡
Try to disable all the extra Bluetooth devices within 5 meters of the TV. Sometimes Xiaomi TV tries to scan the airwaves for other devices, which interferes with the main stream of sound.
Features of working with applications and codecs
Different apps can handle audio output differently, such as the built-in Mi Video player or the standard Android media player, which usually redirects sound without any problems, but streaming services like Netflix, YouTube or Kinopoisk can have their own audio output settings.
Problems often arise with Dolby Digital or DTS surround sound formats. If your headphones are stereo (which is 99%) and your TV tries to send a multi-channel signal to them, there may be no sound at all, in which case you need to go to Settings → Sound → Digital Output and select the PCM format.
The PCM format is a universal stereo format that is guaranteed to play on any connected headphones.
Path to setup:
Settings → Device → Sound → Digital format → PCMIt is also worth considering that some applications (for example, browsers or specific applications) IPTV-Players can ignore Bluetooth system settings and try to output sound only through HDMI. In such cases, it helps to install third-party players, such as: VLC for Android MX Player that have their own, more flexible audio output settings.
💡
Always set the digital output format in PCM when using any external stereo headphones to avoid silence or hissing.
Frequent problems and methods of their solution
Even with the right setup, there can be failures, the TV can't see the headphones, the sound can be interrupted, or it can be monophonic, and let's look at the basic scenarios and solutions.
If the TV says "Unable to connect", try forgetting the device in the list of previously connected and start pairing again. Sometimes it helps to completely reset the Bluetooth module through the developer menu (it requires activation of the developer mode by 7 times pressing the build number in Settings → About device).
List of common errors:
- ❌ There's a sound, but very quiet: Check the volume control on the headphones themselves (if there are buttons) and on Android (separate media scale).
- ❌ Headphones plug in and off immediately: Most likely, the headset battery is discharged or the distance to the TV is too large.
- ❌ No sound in a particular app: Check the settings of this app, maybe there is a different audio output selected.
In rare cases, a TV firmware update helps. Xiaomi regularly releases patches that fix Bluetooth stack errors. Check for updates in Settings → About device → System update.