SlimBOXtv offers 3rd party firmware for many Android TV Boxes.  It specializes in systems that come with Amlogic CPUs but there’s also support for a few Allwinner chips as well.  In this tutorial we will be focusing on how to install SlimBOXtv on Android TV Boxes that come with Amlogic processors.

Why would you want to install (flash) a new firmware onto your Android TV Box?  There are a few reasons but the primary one is that we can install Android TV onto a cheap China box running Android Open Source Project (AOSP).  The problem with AOSP is that it’s built for phones and tablets so the navigation can be clunky and not user-friendly when trying to navigate with a remote control.  By installing SlimBOXtv, we can install an Android TV hybrid operating system that’s easier to use and comes with many additional features.

Another reason to install SlimBOXtv is to get away from possible Malware embedded on the China TV Boxes.  There’s been no report of malware or viruses present in any SlimBOXtv firmware image but there have been some false positives reported.  These usually come from modded APKs included with the firmware or root access feature that’s provided.  Either way, it’s safer using this firmware than what comes with most generic Android TV Boxes that originate in China.

We ran a poll on the TROYPOINT Insider asking fans if they preferred Android TV or AOSP on their streaming devices and here are the results.  Most TROYPOINT fans favor Android TV over AOSP so that’s why this is an important subject.

SlimBOXtv doesn’t only cater to those who prefer Android TV though!  They also offer an AOSP version for each device that they support.  The benefit of doing this is that you will usually get more features than what your original firmware provides.

How to Install SlimBOXtv Firmware on Android TV Box

Disclaimer! There is a risk of bricking your device and you should only do this if you are OK with possibility of losing the ability to ever use the device again.  I can’t stress this enough.  If you don’t feel comfortable doing this, don’t do it!

TROYPOINT will not be held liable for those who follow this tutorial and ruin their Android TV Box. 

Most problems will occur due to people not following proper instructions.  If you are someone who can’t pay attention to detail, this isn’t for you.

IMPORTANT! Below you will find both a video tutorial and general screenshot guide.  You must watch the video in its entirety or you will have difficulty.  There are important details referenced in the video that you won’t find in the written guide.

Video Tutorial

Free Ultimate Stremio Setup Video
X88 Pro X5M Android TV Box (I use this in video)
Male to Male USB Cable
GMKtec Mini PC Intel Core i7-1185G7
SlimBOXtv Website
TROYPOINT Toolbox
Surfshark VPN Exclusive Discount

What You Will Need

• Supported Android TV Box with Amlogic CPU
• Windows PC
• *Male to Male USB cable
• Toothpick or qtip
• Amlogic USB Burning Tool
• SlimBOXtv firmware

*Most installs will require a Male to Male USB cable so you can connect your Android TV Box to a Windows PC.

Here is the one that I use in the video tutorial above with purchase link below.  It’s important to have a quality cable as many cheap ones will not work properly.  You will notice that this is a USB 3.0 cable but it’s backwards compatible with USB 2.0 so if your box doesn’t have 3.0 ports it doesn’t matter.  This cable will work for all USB ports regardless of USB 3.0 or 2.0. 

Purchase Male to Male USB Cable on Amazon

However, some installs are completed through the Micro USB power port on the device.

I had no success flashing the firmware onto my X96S through the USB port.

I tried and tried then finally took to Grok AI and asked, “What are common problems when flashing SlimBOXtv firmware onto X96S?”  Grok returned the following…

Common issues include wrong USB port (use the micro-USB OTG port for flashing, not the HDMI-side USB), thin cables, or driver glitches.

After seeing this, I used the included USB power cord and connected that instead to my PC and the flash worked!

By the way, if you encounter any problems along the way, ask Grok and more than likely you will get straightened out.  It will be faster than scouring multiple websites for your issues as Grok will do the research on those sites for you.

Most Android TV Boxes aren’t powered by a micro-USB port unless it’s a stick like the X96S.  The majority of users will required the male to male USB cable.

Install Amlogic Burning Tool

It’s important to pick the proper Amlogic Burning Tool which will install the SlimBOXtv firmware onto your Android TV Box.  There are multiple versions of this software and you must use the one that corresponds to your streaming box.

Use the following table to determine what version you need based on your Amlogic Android TV Box.

Now head over to the TROYPOINT Toolbox and download/install the version that you need.  You will find the software under the “Windows PC Downloads” heading.

You will see that I have 3 versions for download and I’ve tested them all on various Android TV Boxes.  The table above references a range of software than can be used for each mode and the three releases that I’ve provided should cover all models in the chart above.  If not, there is a link provided that will take you to a page where you can download any version that you need.

Now that you’ve installed Amlogic USB Burning Tool onto your Windows PC it’s time to download the SlimBOXtv firmware!

Download SlimBOXTV Firmware & Amlogic USB Burning Tool

Go to the SlimBOXtv Website and in your browser translate to English or your preferred language.  This is a Russian site so this step is important.

Search for your Android TV Box model that you want to flash.

You will then click the “Download ATV or AOSP” link for SlimBOXtv firmware.

Download the zip file that corresponds to the version of the firmware that you want (AOSP or Android TV).

You will now have two .zip files downloaded to your Windows PC.  Extract both zip files into their own folder.  Details in video above not shown below.

Right click Amlogic Burning Tool .exe file and Run as Administrator to install properly.

Open Amlogic USB Burning Tool and import SlimBOXtv firmware .img file.

Uncheck the box that reads “Erase Bootloader” and click Start button in Amlogic USB Burning Tool.

Connect Android TV Box to Windows PC

Connect the male to male USB cable to an available port on the Windows PC.

Hold in on reset button via AV port with toothpick while also inserting USB cable into Android TV Box at same time.

Wait for successful connection within Amlogic USB Burning Tool software before releasing toothpick.

Once green bar is present at 100%, the flashing of SlimBOXtv is complete and you may disconnect Android TV Box from USB cable and close software on PC.

Troubleshooting

This is one of the few tutorials that we provide where you must watch the video above to successfully complete this task.  There are many details provided in the video that are difficult to explain through writing.  If you are having trouble and haven’t watched the above step-by-step video, please do so before going any further.

We will continue adding to the help section below as we learn more from our fans who encounter various problems.

Android TV Box Will Not Connect In Amlogic USB Burning Tool Software

Try connecting to different USB ports on the Android TV Box with the cable.  Also, if your box is powered by a micro-USB connector, you may need to connect through that instead of the USB port on the box.

Ensure that you are using the proper Amlogic USB Burning Tool software version per the table above.

Try different methods of pushing in the toothpick and connecting the USB cable to the Android TV Box.  As you see in the video above, my box only works if I push in the toothpick and connect the USB cable at the exact same time.  Usually, you will want to push in the toothpick first and then connect the USB cable.

Try connecting the USB cable to a different port on your Windows PC.

Make sure you are pushing the proper reset button on the device.  Most are located in the AV hole but there are some that have a dedicated button on the side or bottom of the box.

Not all USB cables are created equally.  Use a high quality thick cable like the one I use in the video.  I’ve used this in over 10 SlimBOXtv installs and it works great.

Error [0x32030201] Installing Firmware at 4-7%

This is usually due to flashing an older Android TV device with an outdated bootloader.  In this situation, try keeping the “Erase Bootloader” box checked along with “Erase Flash” checked as well.  This may also be caused by choosing the wrong SlimBOXtv firmware .img file.

Additional Help from SlimBOXtv Team

The SlimBOXtv team may also provide support through the following outlets.

SlimBOXtv Telegram Group

SlimBOXtv XDA Developers Forum