Joe Maring / Android authority
Since Android TV has undergone its transformation on Google TV a few years ago, I had mixed feelings on the subsequent overhaul of the interface of the home screen. Although I appreciate the more modern interface on the one hand, the number of sponsored content suggestions has regularly increased over the years to the point of frustration.
In other words, I find that sponsored content is unacceptable after paying a fair price for underlying equipment. And unfortunately, Google does not offer an option without advertising – you get the same announcements, whether you pay $ 20 for the 4K ONN or $ 200 for the Nvidia Shield, and even if the operating system is preloaded on your $ 2000 TV.
The only streaming device I know does not bomb you from ads is the Apple TV 4K. But since I was ready to enter the enclosed garden of Apple, I learned that there is an easy way to get rid of advertisements on Google TV. Better still, he uses the oldest customization tip on Android: a third -party launcher.
Begone ads: a third -party launcher is all you need
Calvin Wankhede / Android Authority
Even if Google no longer uses the Android TV brand, the underlying operating system remains just as customizable and expandable as the one that works on your smartphone. And just like the latter, you can install your favorite replacement launcher – as long as it is specifically built for Android’s TV version. Although there are several options, the most popular option (and the one I ended up using) is the projective launcher.
Getting a projective launcher is extremely easy and simple on most Google TV devices. Just open the play store and search for it, or you can Install it from the web Or your phone. Once installed, simply provide the authorizations required and this should work immediately. That said, I had to enter the menu of projective parameters and activate a parameter to force the observation of the default Google television launcher. However, this requires Android accessibility authorization.
Projectivy Launcher also makes the Google TV experience much more fluid.
Like any Android launcher that you may have used over the years, Projectivy is full of personalization options. But that does not mean that it is congested – it’s quite the opposite, in fact, and more recalls the old Android TV interface. By default, it displays a list of your applications currently installed, and that’s about it. The action launcher is responsible for advertisements and sponsored content that you generally see on a Google TV device. So, once you have installed projectivy and define it by default, you will no longer see any ads on your device.
The lack of ads also has a more advantage – I found that the projective interface was considerably faster than the default experience of Google TV. Most Google TV equipment, with the exception of the Shield Nvidia, are terribly undernourished with processor hearts from the previous decade. Surprisingly, Google even abandoned the minimum RAM requirements to 1 GB earlier this year. Fortunately, Projectivy makes navigation between the more snap menus, and I no longer see late when I come back to the home screen, even on my ONN 4K box relatively well equipped.
Personalization and options in Gogo
Although I mainly downloaded the launcher to delete ads and improve performance, Projetivy surprised me with its large personalization options. You can reorganize applications, hide unused and create personalized categories. If you prefer a minimalist configuration with only a few key applications, you can do it. If you want a denser provision that contains more on a single screen, it is also possible
The number of tips and sliders available in the projectivy competes with full -fledged launchers that you will find on an Android smartphone. In addition to the command and categorization of personalized applications, it also allows you to modify the size of the icons, to adjust the margin between them and even to adjust the degree of rounded corners. By default, the Home screen turns via wallpapers from Reddit, but you can change the source as you see or use a static color.
Projectivy offers more personalization options than most people need.
Projectivy is filled with small touches – one of my favorite features is the possibility of putting aside an APK via an URL or an application on my phone. Another feature automatically opens your specified application whenever Google TV Bops or wakes up from sleep – I have set it to always open YouTube. The parental control parameter also deserves praise because it locks applications behind a custom code combination or button, fully customizable between the specific hours of the day.
Finally, the launcher is free, with only a handful of features locked behind a payment wall. The latter is only a single payment and gives features such as supporting personalized icon packs and wallpapers. In other words, most useful features are available for free.
If you absolutely do not want to switch to a third -party launcher, you can technically change the default Google television launcher in a “application only” mode which deletes most of the visual size. To do this, click the hardware icon on the home screen and open the Settings menu. Then access to Accounts and connection > Your Google account> Application method only. This parameter will remove all tabs at the top, but you will see a carousel of suggested content. It also deactivates research on the system scale and the Google assistant, which is why I suggest using Projectivy instead.
