In addition to being able to subscribe to watch premium television and having access to most DTT with its free channels, Tivify offers an Android TV player with which you can not only watch its platform, but also almost any what other streaming service. I have been using it for two months and it seems to me that it is one of the best options to enrich any television that is not a Smart TV. And even if it is.
It doesn’t matter whether it’s on your mobile, your tablet or your TV with Android TV: since the release of Tivify, this platform is my main recommendation for anyone who wants watch TV without having to be tethered to the TV antenna. And not only does it offer a very good quality streaming service, but Tivify offers devices to bring the service to any TV. ZTE Denali 4K is its name.
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Technical sheet of the Tivify Denali Android TV Box
|
ZTE DENALi 4k |
|
|---|---|
|
PROCESSOR |
Quad-core Cortex A35 processor ARM G31 MP2 GPU |
|
RAM |
2 GB DDR memory |
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STORAGE |
32GB eMMC |
|
OPERATING SYSTEM |
Android TV 12 |
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CONNECTIVITY |
Dual-band 802.11b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi Bluetooth 5.0 Ethernet 10/100 |
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DIMENSIONS AND WEIGHT |
108 × 108 × 23mm 140 grams |
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PORTS |
USB 2.0 host, type A, 1A max HDMI 2.1 Type A Optical S/PDIF 3.5mm jack for Mini AV (CVBS, Audio L, Audio R) |
|
VIDEO |
Supports AV1/HEVC/VP9 decoding up to 4K × 2K at 60fps AV1 [email protected] up to 4K×2K@60fps H.265 HEVC [email protected] up to 4K×2K@60fps VP9 Profile-2 in 4K × 2K at 60 fps H.264 AVC [email protected] up to 4K×2K@30fps MPEG-4 ASP@L5 up to 1080P@60fps (ISO-14496) MPEG-2 MP/HL up to 1080p at 60 fps (ISO-13818) MPEG-1 MP/HL up to 1080p at 60 fps (ISO-11172) |
|
AUDIO |
MPEG-1 layer I, II MPEG-1 Layer III (MP3) MPEG-4 AAC MPEG-2 Layer II Dolby Digital (AC3) / Dolby Digital Plus (AC3 Plus), 2-channel output, optional 5.1/7.1 to 2.0-channel downmix Dolby MS12 |
|
certificate |
Widevine L1 Ready to play3.0 |
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OTHERS |
Infrared and Bluetooth remote control with 36 keys Direct access to Tivify, YouTube, Netflix and Prime Video |
|
PRECIO |
79.95 dollars |
Easy to install and very convenient to use
The ZTE Denali 4K from Tivify is a small black box that connects to the TV via an HDMI (2.1) cable. It has a power outlet to power the device and nothing else to start the Android TV configuration: in a few steps, and with the help of the phone, the player is ready. And of course, the Tivify app comes pre-installed.
Even if the simple installation allows full use of the device, it does not stop at the most basic: in addition, the ZTE Denali 4K includes a USB A 2.0 output, digital audio output via optical and 3.5mm AV cable (in addition to HDMI 2.1 itself), it offers a wired internet connection with a 10/100 ethernet port and has a full remote control with access to four platforms: Tivify, Netflix, YouTube and Amazon Prime Video.
What I loved about this device is that it works so well for anything other than watching Tivify, since the platform do not limit yourself to your own service. The ZTE Denali 4K is very versatile when it comes to playing its own content, for example: I was able to load videos from the USB stick to play them in applications like Kodi, for example.
As it is based on Android TV 12, is certified by Google and comes with the Play Store, any application compatible with the said Android TV is at your fingertips. Including games; which can be used on TV with a connected Bluetooth gamepad.
After associating it with the Google account, and after installing all the platforms I use (including the Tivify login, the Denali directly loads the free channels from the platform), the device has remained operational without problem since the first day.
It is much faster than a Chromecast with Google TV, its 32 GB of storage is enough to install the usual platforms, the processor plays 4K content smoothly, the sound remains at an excellent level and I notice a certain limitation in the RAM memory: 2 GB seems too rare to me.
The RAM limitation does not pose a problem when using the platforms, I appreciated the limited multitasking: we notice that the ZTE Denali 4K applies aggressive management of background operation. Otherwise, it’s a powerful and versatile media player.
Excellent Android TV experience with one major drawback
I received the ZTE Denali 4K in mid-August and took the opportunity to take it to my vacation home with all the platforms and services I subscribed to: I don’t have a Smart TV there. And the experience was excellent, I had no problems. Not even when I returned to my usual residence and the Tivify player it remained as default device
I already mentioned that it is not limited to Tivify, it supports all apps found in the Google Play Store. AND is certified by Netflixsomething unusual in TV boxes: the ZTE Denali 4K plays the platform’s UHD content without breaking a sweat. Just like Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, Max, Filmin… For its price and with the versatility of the audio/video outputs and inputs it has, it seems to me to be an excellent player.
With the remote control I have some problems, because pressing the buttons is not as pleasant as I would like: too loud, it does not correspond to the general quality of the device. I think the shortcuts are well chosen: in my case, these are four of the platforms I use the most (Tivify, YouTube, Netflix and Prime Video). Of course, I must have forgotten to remap the but tons, here is one of the main drawbacks of the ZTE Denali 4K.
ZTE Denali 4K is blocked from installing APKs, preventing access to developer mode and changing the function of the remote control buttons
Tivify keeps the device locked, so developer settings cannot be enabled, it does not support installing APKs or enabling accessibility services to change the behavior of the remote’s buttons. This limits any advanced use of the Denali and forces you to have unnecessary buttons on the remote control (if you do not use platforms that have direct access to the remote control).
If everything you need is in the Play Store and you can live with the controller’s four shortcuts, the Tivify Player is for you. If you’re looking to go further, like installing Xbox Game Pass to stream games, forget: APKs are restricted. It’s a shame.
For 80 dollars you get an excellent Android TV
The features of the ZTE Denali 4k are quite high for what it costs, which is certified by Google and Netflix This is an advantage, also the possibility of connecting a network cable and having a USB port to insert a USB stick containing video and audio files. Local playback of all this content adds notable versatility to the device.
With sufficient raw power, somewhat limited in RAM, sufficiently updated at the operating system level (Android TV is generally a bit behind smartphones), not being able to install APK files seems like a disadvantage to me notable and there is another detail which tilts the balance on the positive side: Tivify offers three months of premium subscription with its player. And you don’t need to subscribe to the platform to continue using the ZTE Denali 4K, you can purchase and use it freely; with the limitations that I have already mentioned (no APK, no developer access, it does not allow you to remap the controller buttons…).
You do not need to have a Tivify subscription to purchase and maintain the ZTE Denali 4K: it can be used for any other platform
I found it to be a great alternative to Chromecast with Google TV: much more versatile and with more power and capacity. And it is cheaper than the Google TV Streamer, for example: the ZTE Denali 4K seems recommendable to me if you are looking for a good TV Box and don’t want complications. The 79.95 dollars it costs doesn’t seem expensive to me for everything it offers.
Cover image | Ivan Linares
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