One of many largest complaints customers have with Google TV is the default house display. It’s cluttered with advertisements, advised content material, and distracting sections that consistently compete in your consideration. And it’s not one thing you may simply ignore both. Even when you already know what you wish to watch, you continue to should navigate by means of all that noise simply to get there.
Fortunately, you’re not out of choices. A straightforward method to get round that is to exchange the default expertise with one thing like Arc Launcher. It’s a free, open-source launcher that provides your TV a minimal, customizable interface.
Associated
How I Gave My Google TV a Critical Pace Increase
Deliver again that out-of-the-box really feel.
Arc Launcher provides your Google TV a cleaner makeover
A house display that lastly chills out
Screenshot by Pankil Shah — No attribution required
Arc Launcher strips your Google TV expertise all the way down to necessities. All you see is your apps, the standing bar, and your wallpaper. That’s it. The lighter, distraction-free interface means you might be not coping with these autoplaying trailers, advised films, or rows of advertisements. You simply flip in your TV, go to your app, and begin streaming.
Navigation feels smoother too. Arc Launcher takes some inspiration from Apple TV right here. You get a clear grid structure that’s simple to scan and even simpler to make use of. You’re not scrolling a horizontal row endlessly to get to the app you need.
If this sounds just like one other launcher, there’s a purpose for that. Arc Launcher is a customized fork of LTvLauncher, which itself is predicated on FLauncher. Which means you get all of the cool options of FLauncher, together with an ad-free interface, stable customization, and assist for sideloaded apps.
From sections to standing bar — every little thing is adjustable
Customise sections, standing bar, and extra
Arc Launcher isn’t nearly eradicating muddle from your property display. Google TV’s Apps-Solely Mode can already try this. What makes it helpful is the management it provides you. And no, it’s not nearly transferring apps round, though you may completely try this too.
Head to Arc Launcher Settings > Interface, and also you’ll see Sections. That is the place you may group your apps into totally different sections. By default, every little thing sits below All Apps and Favorites, however you may create your personal classes and prepare them relying on the way you really use your TV.
Arc Launcher additionally provides you full freedom with the wallpaper. You possibly can select between a gradient, picture, and even a video in your TV’s native storage. Even higher, you may decide totally different wallpaper for day and evening, and Arc Launcher will routinely swap between them.
My favourite factor concerning the Arc Launcher is the standing bar. In contrast to Google TV, which solely exhibits time and some icons, Arc Launcher exhibits date, time, community indicator, and even knowledge utilization. And if that appears like an excessive amount of, it’s doable to cover gadgets you don’t wish to see. The truth is, you may disguise the standing bar, class titles, and app names for an excellent minimal interface.
It’s the small utilities that transcend simply seems
Greater than only a fairly interface
Screenshot by Pankil Shah — No attribution required
Customization is one thing that the majority TV launchers get proper. The true allure of Arc Launcher, although, lies within the little particulars. As a substitute of manually tweaking the brightness all through the day, for instance, you may let Arc Launcher deal with it. This manner, your display stays shiny and vibrant through the day, then dials issues down routinely at evening.
The built-in screensaver is one other spotlight. It comes full of a wide range of clock types, from minimal and daring to retro, elegant, neon, and even pixel-inspired designs. A considerate contact right here is that the clock place shifts each 30 seconds to stop OLED burn-in. One other factor I like concerning the Arc Launcher is the way it exhibits knowledge consumption proper on the standing bar. I do have a limiteless web plan, but it surely’s nonetheless good to see that stat at a look.
One other means Arc Launcher is useful is that if you lengthy press any app on your property display, it provides you extra choices than simply Open, Transfer, and View Particulars. You possibly can uninstall the app, assign a customized banner, and even disguise the app immediately.
Setting it because the default launcher isn’t tough in any respect
Sadly, Google TV doesn’t provide you with any choice to alter the default launcher, which suggests each time you press the Dwelling button or activate the TV, you’ll nonetheless land on the inventory interface. That doesn’t imply you’re caught with it, although.
A easy workaround is to put in the Button Mapper app and remap your distant’s Dwelling button to launch Arc Launcher. That means, any time you press the Dwelling button, your TV will take you to the Arc Launcher as an alternative. The most effective half is that this function is accessible within the free model of the app, so that you don’t should pay something to make it work.
In the event you don’t wish to use Button Mapper, another choice is to make use of ADB instructions to disable the default launcher. It really works, but it surely’s a bit extra concerned and in addition dangerous. In the event you’re snug tinkering, Arc Launcher’s GitHub web page has the detailed directions.
OS
Android TV
Worth mannequin
Free
Arc Launcher is a free, open-source Android TV launcher that provides you an ad-free, customizable house display.
OS
Android
Worth mannequin
Free
