One of the biggest surprises we have seen in recent days is the arrival of the new Google Chromecast with Google TV in Spain. Beyond the novelty effect of the new operating system, the reality is that all these novelties work based on Android TV and including a new launcher, as well as some dependencies of the Google application.
This allows, among other things, that we can install the launcher as if it were just another application, as we tested a few days ago. However, the method we used at the time was not entirely efficient, since to use it the process was not entirely comfortable on a day-to-day basis, and even depending on the device we used, the launcher itself appeared or not on the list Of applications.
Google TV can now be installed on your television with Android TV: this is how you can do itDespite the fact that Google TV would be a temporary exclusive to the Chromecast, you can already test the new interface on any modern Android TV.
In How to Geek they have gone a step further, discovering how you can have the Google TV launcher as an integrated experience, which will completely replace the Android TV home screen. The process requires that we make use of Android development tools, and although it is more laborious, the result ends up being worth it by becoming the main launcher, even if it did not appear in your list of applications.
Please note that although the tutorial is step by step, when using developer toolswhat you do is at your own risk.
Google TV for Android TV: what you need to install it
- A device with Android TV on your television updated to Android 9.0 or higher.
- It is unlikely to work on Android TV Box devices, as these do not include the frameworkfrom Android TV. Still, you can always test at your own risk.
- A mobile with Android that is connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
- Optional: If your mobile has a USB port, a pendrive to install the application can facilitate the situation.
Step 1: Install the official Google TV launcher
In addition to LauncherX, we also need to access a version of the Google application that is more up-to-date. These two files will have to be downloaded to our PC or mobile, although the final destination of said APK will be within our Android TV.
It is important to consider that they are not modified versions, but the official Google applications. However, compatibility is not yet guaranteed for any television, something that we must always bear in mind.
- LauncherX (Google TV) on APKMirror.
- Google Base App.
The installation process
- The first,we need to send the APK files. The most direct way to have it on your device is by using apps like Send Files to TV. In this article we explain in depth how it is done in a simple way.
- If your Android TV has a USB port, you can run it through a pendrive instead of using this application.
- One aspect to improve about Send Files to TV is that, although it can open images, it cannot do the same with APK applications. To install it we will have to use a file explorer. There are many applications, in our case we recommend:
- FX Explorer.
- Solid Explorer.
- We install the Android Launcher X and Google Base App applications.
If you want to know more about the APK installation process on Android, we recommend the following article, in which we talk about the process in greater depth.
How to install any APK application on Android TVIf you want to install any APK application on Android TV, these are the steps you must follow in order to install and run them.
Step 2: Preparing your television to use ADB
If you want to use the Google TV launcher as the default launcher we will have touninstall the official Android TV launcher, since once we do it, it will be the system itself that, when we press the start menu, chooses to use the new one as the only available option.The process is reversible and we can recover it If we are not convinced by Google TV, keep that in mind.
The first thing is to activate the developer options. For that, we will go toSettings -> Information. In this menu will appear some of the most relevant data of our devices, the last beingCompilation.
Click 7 times in a row very quickly (a counter will appear that indicates how many are missing) and it will show us a message indicating that the developer options are now activated.
We return to the previous menu, and a menu calledDeveloper settings. We go in and look for options USB debuggingYNetwork debugging. It is possible that depending on the device only one of the two appears. The one that interests us is the network one, but if it does not appear on our Android TV, activating Debugging by USB will suffice.
The next step we must follow is to go to the network settings and select the Wi-Fi network to which we are connected. Once inside, we look for where theIP adress, a block of 4 numbers, generally starting with 192, 168, a number that will normally be 0 or 1, and a fourth number. In our example, the digits are 192.168.3.49.
Step 3: Install remote ADB on your mobile
Now to use the ADB commands on our television, we will have to have an ADB tool. If you are used to using ADB on your computer and you know how to use it wirelessly, you have the possibility to use it, while otherwise the easiest option will be to install an application likeRemote ADB Shell on your mobile, completely free application.
Step 4: Uninstall the Android TV launcher
Once the application is installed (remember, you must be on the same network as the Android TV), a menu with two figures will appear:
- IP adress:We will write the IP address that our Android TV had, including the points.
- Port:By default it will dial 5555. If it’s empty or you delete it by accident, type 5555.
A window like the one we see below will appear on our television, asking us to give permission to the ADB connection. We click on accept. Next, from the mobile, we write the following command (you can copy and paste it) that will uninstall the native Android TV launcher.
pm uninstall –user 0 com.google.android.tvlauncher
How to get back to normal
Once you have passed the procedures, you will have the Google TV launcher, although depending on the device the experience may be more or less satisfactory. In the Nvidia Shield 2019, for example, the performance is impressive, while in devices such as the Xiaomi projector (which at the hardware level offers a similar experience to the Mi Box S), we have noticed that it sometimes takes a long time to load. .
Either because it is not going well enough or because you like the old one more, we can reopen the ADB of our mobile and reverse the process with the following command:
cmd package install-existing com.google.android.tvlauncher
The entry How to have Google TV on your television: complete and step-by-step tutorial appears first in The Free Android.
