I am thinking about getting an android tv box (either the Minix neo t5 or the jetstream 4k (since the beelink gt mini a seems kinda shady)). however, I might get a new tv as well and I was wondering what is the difference between an android tv and an android tv box like the ones I mentioned above or the mi box s for example. is there a difference in the apps i can get? can i get kodi on an android tv?
In the Android TV budget space the new S905X2 chipsets in the MECOOL KM3 / KM9 Pro and Minix T5 will be noticably snappier vs the 2016 era S905X chipsets in the Mi Boxes and Jetstream 4K.
The snappy FireTV Stick 4K has all the certifications and is Netflix Approved. It has much better Dolby Audio support for older DD only audio receivers vs any Android TV box.
The 2019 FireTV Cube has AMLogic's top Spec, fast S922Z chipset in it and will match the Shield, and with a bunch of streaming tech, especially HDR and Dolby audio be even better than it. (I have a S922X - N2 running Android TV Pie)
The only TV's running Android TV's with a decent fast chipset in them are the 2019 Sony's that run Android Oreo out of the box. Any other TV will not even be as fast as the budget S905X2 devices.
Kodi running on the FireTV Stick 4K and Mi Boxes can do auto Frame Rate Matching.
Once devices are Android TV - Google Certified they can all install the same Apps from the Playstore, well apart from Netflix and Prime Video.
Honestly the Google Android TV Eco System is bullshit with these sorts of restrictions. It's fragmentation at its worst.
All of the devices you've mentioned (except the Beelink, I think) run Android TV and not vanilla Android with a custom skin, so I think you're good on that front. Any of them should be able to run Kodi without issue. The key benefit to getting a separate box rather than a smart TV with Android TV built in is your ability to upgrade later; smart TVs don't tend to get a lot of OS upgrades, so you'll eventually be left with an outdated, insecure system that apps won't work on anymore. Many older smart TVs also had underpowered components that led to poor performance, but that's not as much of an issue anymore.
You can get Kodi on Android TV regardless of if it's a smart TV or a box, but I think it got pulled from the Play Store recently, so you'll need to sideload it. The one issue you might run into is that Netflix makes manufacturers jump through hoops for their app (I think that Minix device can't run it, for example). You can work around this using Kodi as long as your box supports Widevine DRM (which the Minix does), but I'm sure the fine folks at Netflix are looking to close that loophole somehow. Hulu has also been pulling support for Android TV devices, but that's mostly for boxes from streaming TV providers like the Sling AirTV Player and the AT&T TV converter box (and also the Channel Master Stream+ for some reason).
The MiBox S and the Jetstream are probably the devices to buy if you don't want to lay out the extra money for a Shield. They're the most mainstream of any aftermarket Android TV set top box (again, other than the Shield), so they're likely to have the least problems with services being shitty about their apps.
There is another combination.. Budget Smart TV with or without Android OS plus set top box that is certified by all to play Netflix etc? Those budget Smart TVs are much cheaper because they take away all the bells and whistlers and licenses that you might not needed and you save. All you need is for TV to have good and large LED screen, then supplement the function with cost effective set top boxes to cover some of the bells and whistlers you wish to have.
Actually, many of those budget Smart TVs can be retrofitted with lots of modded programs like Netflix, games, Youtube, Chrome, Amazon Prime without one having to buy one with paid licenses for their uses.
Are you sure the TV has Android built in? Or is it just a "smart" TV with similar app-like features? In my experience support life for the TV's is much shorter, and if it's not an Android TV I expect this to be even more true. I think you'll find this to be true for all the lesser known Android boxes as well. The upside of paying for a brand name is Netflix, prime-TV, and all the other important apps is guaranteed, and support life is much longer. Mibox is a great bargain device, and if you can't spring for a shield, it's the best way to go. If you care about 4k it's a different matter. Also, check out the spreadsheets at chigztech.com. They answer every question you'll ever have and it's the best way to confirm Netflix support.
If you can afford, get an Nvidia Shield TV box, I used XBMC years before it names was changed to Kodi and I have tried a mini PC, several Raspberry Pi, some cheap Android box but when I took the decision to get a Shield TV, there is not turning back. It's powerful, fast, always up to date, well supported by the community so even if Nvidia stop updating the OS you have already multiple option to keep it updated (like Lineage OS or many custom ROM). For Kodi usage you have all the power to run the nicest skins, the smoothest experience, all addons you want, decode all codecs and files like x265/HEVC or native Bluray rip. I would buy it again even if it is purely for Kodi usage (by the way my Shield launch Kodi right after startup automatically, I'm almost never in the Android TV screen). But if you want more, you have all official Android app like Netflix, Amazon, Spotify, what ever you use, you have all the power for emulating most retro gaming systems or stream games from a PC (Steam Link, Nvidia link, AMD link) and I never tried but you have Nvidia service to stream full PC games from the cloud.
So I don't know how much cheaper are the one you consider but you should consider it too.
You can put kodi on a box but it's played out to me. There are so many apks out that give you the same thing as kodi. I haven't used kodi in years. I suggest the omni tv box. It's affordable and performs well.
I just bought this box, will have it Friday. Its Android Certified but NOT Netflix certified meaning you will NOT be able to find this on the play store. You do have the option to side load.
Im not concerned as I dont use Netflix as I get all my content in HD digital audio through Kodi.
Looking forward to having AndroidTV instead of customized tablet Android (6.0.1) which has given me trouble with Kodi audio passthrough in Krypton.
About Kodi, you go to PLay Store, and be happy. Depends how is the tv specification, i have a tv led, and my box is very better, so tv + box make me happy, im think is more cheap than a smart tv new