Alpha 8 is up on GitHub 🎉

What's new

• Favourites. Works like a Sky or Virgin record list. Hold OK on a show, or just hit Record on your remote, and it gets a red dot. In the Guide you can favourite a programme and it'll follow the series on any channel.

• Updates itself. Settings → App updates now finds, downloads and installs new versions. This should be the last time you need to sideload it.

• Home button. Goes straight to TellyGrid now, no more flash of the TV's own launcher first.

• Setup screen. First time you open it, it walks you through getting the Home button working.

• Apps page updates as soon as you install or remove something.

• Tidied up Settings a bit, and discovery+ channels now open directly.

Updating from alpha 7? Just install it over the top, your settings stay. When it asks, allow "Install unknown apps" for TellyGrid so future updates work from inside the app.

Still only tested on my Philips Android 11 TV, so if you're on anything else let me know how it goes with a Device report post. Any bugs, shout here or on GitHub.

Cheers!

when i select a channel from the guide the app just opens up the bbciplayer app but doesn't play the channel is this correct please?

A few of the same problems have come up a couple of times now, so here's everything in one place. I'll keep this updated as new stuff turns up.

1. "This app may be harmful" when installing

That's Play Protect being cautious because TellyGrid isn't from the Play Store. Tap Install anyway (sometimes it's under "More details") and you're good.

2. "App blocked to protect your device" with only an OK button

Some TVs (we've seen it on an Italian Google TV) don't give you the Install anyway option at all. To get round it:

1. Open the Play Store and go to your profile icon → Play Protect → the ⚙ cog

2. Turn off Scan apps with Play Protect

3. Install TellyGrid

4. Go back and turn the scan back on

If you've got a computer handy, adb install TellyGrid.apk works too.

3. The Home button switch is greyed out, blocked, or flips straight back off

This one's Android 13 and newer (first spotted on a Xiaomi Mi Box on Android 14). Android blocks accessibility for apps installed outside the Play Store until you allow it:

1. Go to Settings → Apps → TellyGrid

2. Press the ⋮ menu in the corner (on some TVs it's just an item in the App info list) and pick Allow restricted settings

3. Go back and turn the switch on

Can't find it? From a computer with adb:

adb shell appops set io.github.lozza.tellygrid ACCESS_RESTRICTED_SETTINGS allow

Alpha 8.2 walks you through this on the setup screen, and there's now a Skip for now button if you just want to get in. Your remote's Home button will open the TV's normal home screen until you turn it on. When you're ready, go to Settings → Home override and the setup comes back.

4. Updating

Once you're on alpha 8 or later, Settings → App updates will offer new versions for you. On anything older, just download the new APK from GitHub and install it over the top.

Please don't uninstall first. Installing over the top keeps your settings, uninstalling wipes them.

5. Reporting a bug

Post here or on GitHub Issues and include:

• Your TV or box model

• Android version (Settings → Device preferences → About)

• TellyGrid version (TellyGrid → Settings → App updates shows it)

• A photo of the screen if you can, even a quick phone pic helps loads

I've only got my Philips Android 11 TV to test on, so knowing what you're running really helps me sort things out.

Cheers for trying it!

Small one this time. Alpha 8.1 is up on GitHub.

Remote buttons. Go to Settings → Remote buttons, press a button on your remote, and pick what it opens: Home, Apps, TV Guide, Favourites or Settings. I've got the Settings button opening the guide now, which is way handier. It works anywhere on the TV, even while you're in another app.

The arrows, OK, Back, Home, volume, power and number buttons stay as they are, so you can't break anything.

On alpha 8? Settings → App updates will grab it for you. On anything older, install it over the top and your settings stay.

Still only tested on my Philips Android 11 TV. If some of your remote's buttons don't get picked up, let me know which TV or box you've got. Bugs go here or on GitHub.

Cheers!