Comic Con Africa surprised local attendees and global audiences with the reveal of the Acer AiTV 4K UHD Google TV (ATV14) set-top box last week. It marks an unexpected move for Acer, which is known for its PCs and laptops. Made in designed partly in South Africa, it was a first for Acer on a number of scores.
“The compact device supports 4K UHD streaming with AI-powered upscaling, offers both wired and wireless high-speed connectivity, and runs on Google TV,” Glenn du Toit, Acer Africa country manager, told Gadget at Comic Con. “We worked with the Acer [global] team on the design, and in return they allowed us to launch the AiTV first.”
The device is scheduled to launch in South Africa between late October and early November 2025.
The AiTV is built for high-quality entertainment in a compact design. It supports 4K UHD streaming at 75Hz with AI Super-Resolution (AISR-2) upscaling to enhance lower-resolution content by sharpening details and reducing noise for a near-4K cinematic experience.
The box is powered by the Amlogic S905X5M quad-core CPU with 2GB of DDR4 RAM and 32GB of eMMC storage. Connectivity options include HDMI 2.1b, USB-C (power), USB-A, optical audio output, Ethernet, MicroSD (up to 128GB), and Wi-Fi 6, offering both wired and wireless flexibility. Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos support ensure high-quality picture and immersive sound when paired with compatible equipment.
“It’s powered by Google TV,” Du Toit told Gadget. “From an Acer point of view, we didn’t just take a box and put it in, we supersized and super-powered it. We’ve integrated artificial intelligence into it through AI super resolution.”
He said there’s a lot of buzz around this technology, but here’s what it really does: it takes your incoming video stream or image and uses AI to enhance it. The board design has a built-in 1 Gbps LAN connection, and supports HDMI 2.1b output. In simple terms, he said, you’re getting PC-level processing power packed into a device about the size of a cellphone.
AI is built into the core of the device, with AISR-2 automatically upscaling video content for sharper visuals, and Enhanced User Interface Refresh (UIR) optimising navigation for faster, smoother access to apps and settings. The remote supports “Hey Google” voice activation for search, playback control, and integration with smart home devices.
The AiTV is compatible with external accessories like game controllers, TWS speakers, and IP cameras, making it a versatile hub for entertainment, gaming, and connected home functions.
Gaming and Acer AiTV
The Acer AiTV features XBXPlay which offers users the option to remote control one’s Xbox Series X|S or Xbox One (X|S). It also supports Steam Link, a free application that allows users to stream games from their PC running the Steam gaming client to a connected device.
The device captures the video and audio from these devices in real time and sends it to the TV box while relaying controller or keyboard input back. This lets users play games away from the desk, using the power of their main gaming setup.
Du Toit said: “If you’ve got a Steam account, you can download the app onto the box, take your controller to the box, start the game and essentially play as if you were playing in the bedroom.”
This removes the need for a separate gaming system in every room, turning gaming setups into a central hub.
“You can do this via Wi-Fi, but also via the 1GB LAN port. What ends up happening is you end up with an exceptionally high transfer rate, where your latency is next to nothing. So, what you would be experiencing in your gaming room, you now will be able to experience with the TV box setup.
“If you imagine a home where you’ve got your gaming setup in one room, a TV in another, and perhaps one more in the bedroom, all you need to do is take your controller from room to room and keep playing.
“We’re not just launching a product; we’re launching a new way to connect. At the heart of Comic Con Africa’s vibrant culture, the Acer AiTV’s integrated AI and robust hardware redefine home entertainment, delivering sharper streaming and smarter features that seamlessly blend with a connected lifestyle.
“It really is promoting social engagement, bringing it out to the family. But I think the big thing really is that long term, we see the streaming box, the AI TV, as a digital hub for the home. In the next 10 years, with all the integration that is happening, it’s going to be one of the fastest-growing categories in the world.”
From smart to intelligent
“We’re advocates of the concept that smart is coming to an end, and that’s where intelligence takes over,” Du Toit told Gadget. “Connectivity just means your product is on the internet, but the question is whether it can create an individualised lifestyle using AI in your home – and it mustn’t be intrusive.”
He gave the example of security systems that, when connected to an AI-powered TV, could use cameras to recognise friends and family, alerting security services automatically if someone unrecognised is detected.
“In the long term, AI will track behaviour patterns. For example, if an older person falls while moving around the home, the AI could detect that something is wrong and immediately notify someone.”
He said this is about building safer, healthier lives: “There’s so much that it can do in the positive light. We just need to get those guardrails up and understand it and allow it to do that.”
The future of home AI
In response to whether Acer’s future is to move into home automation with interconnected AI systems, Du Toit told Gadget: “That’s where the world is going. And as tech leaders that have been around for 50 years, we’ve travelled this journey.
“The technology acceleration that is happening globally is pointing to an interconnected world. It’s like a synapse in the brain where one thing fires and another action takes place.”
He said Acer’s approach is consumer-led, focused on making technology more accessible across all product ranges.
He said the key question is always about the direction of technology: what the future of the tech world will look like, where progress is leading, and how innovation is shaping what comes next.
Security and responsibility
Du Toit said security is a shared responsibility but remains a major priority for Acer.
“You can’t blame a knife for cutting somebody’s finger,” he said. “You’ve got to blame the person for not looking after it, and I think that that’s the world we live in. What is Acer doing about this is putting the protocols and the steps and those gateways in place.”
He referenced Acer’s use of facial recognition in PCs and parental control features in the AiTV.
“On the AiTV box, using Google TV, you can set up parental controls on your profile and create separate profiles for your children. You can choose which apps they can access, such as YouTube, and set specific times for when they can use the device.”
He said the tools are there to keep people safe, but users must activate and use them.
Acer AiTV 4K UHD Google TV pricing and availability
The Acer AiTV 4K UHD Google TV (ATV14) Set-Top Box is available to pre-order at a recommended retail price of R1,499.99 from Incredible Connection. The device is scheduled to launch in South Africa between late October and early November 2025.
*Jason Bannier is a data analyst at World Wide Worx and deputy editor of Gadget.co.za. Follow him on Bluesky at @jas2bann.