android-tv
Latest stories covering android-tv, with summaries and links to related coverage.
1 stories · 1 reports · page 1 of 1
Connected topics
An ad-free Android TV
opinion
4 min read
A configuration for Android TV replaces Google TV’s promotional home-screen banner and the official YouTube app with third-party software. Projectivy Launcher becomes the home screen and displays installed apps without the Google TV banner, while SmartTube replaces YouTube and includes ad blocking, a different interface, and SponsorBlock. Wholphin serves as a Jellyfin client, and Button Mapper can redirect a remote’s YouTube button to SmartTube. The setup was used on two Chromecasts with Google TV and a Hisense TV, and is presented as compatible with most Android TV devices. Projectivy, Wholphin, and Button Mapper are available through the Play Store; SmartTube can be sideloaded with Downloader. Android Debug Bridge commands enable wireless or USB debugging, disable Google’s stock launcher and its restoring package, set Projectivy as the home activity, and remove or disable the official YouTube TV package. The instructions warn that the stock launcher may manage HDMI input switching on some TVs. Button Mapper and Projectivy require accessibility services, and Button Mapper can receive WRITE_SECURE_SETTINGS permission and a battery-optimization exemption. The configuration can be reversed by re-enabling disabled packages or reinstalling the existing YouTube package for the primary user.