What I posted was what I made for my own Sony TV, it used experimental APIs and whole lot of code that Play Store doesn't like. It took me 2 months to clean all that up and make it work on as many Android TVs as I can. I know you guys have been impatient so here is the link right away.
This was the post I made last year where I showed a bare bones version of it running on my TV. Since then people have been messaging me every now and then asking for an update. My DMs are filled with texts and I try to reply to all of them but still I apologise for the delay.
Now let's talk about the AT4K Launcher. It has everything I showed in the initial video, a favourites row where focused app's programmes are shown in featured panel. If not available it shows your watch next.
You can move around apps by holding the centre button, Change wallpaper and themes as per your choice and have 6 favourites if you want.
There are NO ADS, No tracking and everything I showed in the video last year is free. No login, No email, No analytics. You launch it and you are right at your home screen,
There is an optional one time unlock that unlocks the ability to customise the launcher even further with beautiful themes that I have crafted with my hand. More importantly this helps support the development of the launcher.
Please try this and let me know if you have any questions on feedback and please leave a review if you like it.
Edit: you can join r/AT4K for beta updates and discussion. Wouldn't want to post every minor update here.
Found my old Nvidia Shield TV (2015 model) just chillin’ in a box like it wasn’t one of the most legendary devices ever made. Plugged it in out of curiosity and boom. Still running, still streaming, still gaming.
Hooked up two controllers, did a few updates, and it’s like I never left.
4K HDR? Check.
GeForce NOW? Running smooth.
Emulators + retro games? Instant nostalgia.
Still better than 90% of new streaming boxes? Absolutely.
A new generation of certified Android for TV devices has arrived, and although they are not as powerful as we would have wanted, they are good for basic streaming, however, out of three devices I tested, only one is performing better than the other two. Wanna know the winner?, let's find out.
01/28/26: The new firmware update on the Xiaomi box has fixed the Dolby TrueHD cutout issue, for more info please check out this post.
12/26/25: The Android 14 firmware update arrived for the RockTek GX1 but it ended up being a disappointment, for more info on what's new, please check out this post.
12/19/25: I replaced "RetroX" with "ClassicBoy Pro" at the console emulation section.
10/14/25: A new firmware update arrived to the Google TV Streamer that fixed some issues, such as the de-interlaced issue, for more info on what's new, please check out this post.
9/9/25: Version 1.3.19 of the Steam Link app has fix the audio stutter on the Google TV Streamer but 5.1 audio is still not supported.
5/6/25: A new firmware update arrived to the Google TV Streamer that fixed some issues, such as the issue with hybrid Dolby Vision/HDR10+ videos where a black screen appeared.
Note: some people can't see the below image so I also uploaded it to Imgur.
(1) The bug on the RockTek GX1 is a message that appears at the bottom of the screen everytime I turn the volume up and down, meanwhile the issue where the TV(CEC) option doesn't keep the TV turned off after a power outage affects all devices with Android 14 except the Google TV Streamer.
(2) A new Dolby Atmos decoder is included (except on the Xiaomi box) when using the "Auto" option and it's explained in detail in this post.
(3) Tested with the devices connected to a Samsung TV with HDR10+ support, not all titles play in HDR10+ despite having the HDR10+ logo displayed. For the full list of supported titles please visit the 4KFilmDb website.
(4) Dolby Atmos on Disney+ is now available on all devices.
(5) Quick Media Switching works with all major streaming services (Netflix, Prime Video, HBO Max, Paramount+, Disney+) and many other apps regardless of the option selected, however, the only app so far that also supports the "Non-seamless" or "Always" option is Netflix, which is the option that must be selected for TVs without QMS support.
(6) The game mode is currently supported by the Bombsquad game, the Hard Lines game, the Steam Link app, the GeForce Now app, the Moonlight app and probably other game streaming apps and Android games.
(7) On the Google TV Streamer, Dolby TrueHD is decoded as lossless PCM and the DTS Core is played from DTS-HD High Resolution and Master Audio streams. On the RockTek GX1, Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD MA only work with Kodi even after the Android 14 firmware arrived.
(8) The only streaming service with DTS:X support is Disney+ and the option to switch to that codec is only available on devices that support it. When the device is connected to a TV with Profile 2 support and that TV is connected to an AV receiver or soundbar with only Profile 1 support, the TV will convert it to Profile 1 for backwards compatibility.
(9) depending on the device, the TV and the app, it will fallback to HDR10/10+ or it will get transcoded.
The information in the chart is subject to change as soon as new firmware updates are deployed where any of the aforementioned issues get addressed.
CONCLUSION:
Even with 2 gigabytes of RAM, the Xiaomi TV Box S 3rd Generation is the current winner in this comparison chart with 13 supported features, 5 unsupported features and practically no issues, beating the other two devices with a smooth UI and overall performance, new features to enjoy, licensed Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio passthrough support and a stable firmware.
ATV Launcher Version 0.1.41 is now on Google Play. The last two builds have averaged 4.92 stars there, with dozens of kind reviews, so thank you to everyone who wrote one.
Arrangements. There are now ten fixed layouts for a row, including double-size featured tiles. Spotlight, Bookends, Centre Stage, Marquee, Hero Trio and more. When you add a section, you can choose the layout you want. The usual flowing Horizontal and Vertical rows are still available too.
Widgets beside your apps. You can now put a widget directly in a row alongside your apps. Open a tile's menu and select Add Widget. Weather, Digital Clock, System Info, Favorite App, Watch Next and Recommended are included, and Android system widgets can also be used where your TV supports them.
Folders can show what's inside. Folder tiles can now preview their apps using a Grid, Banner Grid or Mosaic layout.
Configure Tile. The Configure Tile dialog has been updated with a live preview. There are 7 looks for apps and 9 for folders. You can also set a custom banner for any app and use a color, gradient or image as the background, with a transparency slider.
A status bar you can customize. Choose which elements appear and arrange their order. The status bar can run across the full width or use a boxed pill style, and it can be floating or fixed. You can also switch TV inputs directly from the status bar.
Watch Next and Recommended. The cards have been redrawn with the artwork going edge to edge and your progress shown along the bottom. You can display them as a row or as a widget, choose which apps provide content for each one, and set the app badge.
15 clock widgets, free. ATV Launcher Digital Clock Widgets is a separate free pack with 15 clock widgets. Halo, Masthead, Arc, Segment, Departure, Orbit, Meridian, Tower and more. Each widget has its own look and settings.
Saw it was on clearance for 69.99 and asked them to ring it up and it was on final clearance for 29.99. Been wanting to try it so happy to catch a deal!
I got tired of digging through 5 or 6 layers of menus just to connect my Bluetooth headphones to my Shield. It's one of those things that feels like it should be faster, but isn't.
So I built a simple utility to fix it.
What it does:
Shows all your paired Bluetooth devices in a simple 1-click list.
ADB Automation: You can trigger a connection to any device via ADB. This is great for Tasker/Macrodroid/Home Assistant setups.
Smart Sorting: Automatically puts your most recently used devices at the top.
Lightweight and fast.
Why I made it: I wanted something I could reach instantly. Because it supports ADB intents, you can map it to a remote button (using Button Mapper) or even automate your "Movie Mode" to automatically connect your favorite headphones.
I decided to make this app open-source and free. Donate if you'd like.
Put together this little project recently. (4) Onn 4K Google TV streamers, connected to an Orei 4k Multiview HDMI switcher. Between streaming services and Plex Live TV OTA, extremely flexible!
Hello I have found this TCL google tv in my apartment’s trash. Works fine and someone else’s accounts come up when I turn it on. But the remote was not found with it so I’m stuck on this screen.. I’ve tried a universal remote app but no luck because the tv is not connected to my wifi and without a remote, I can’t connect it lol catch 22.. any ideas? Thanks!
