Custom Launcher for Google Chromecast with Google TV
Do you have a great Google Chromecast with Google TV that you don’t want the horrible default launcher (my opinion, all I want is my apps nothing else, I love my Roku, but Channels-DVR doesn’t work with Roku :-() Here is how to install a new one.⌗
Today we will be setting up the ATV Launcher (Google Play Store Links below). It’s very easy.⌗
ATV Launcher: LINK
ATV Launcher Pro: LINK
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Enable “Developer Options” by going to settings -> System -> About -> clicking 5 times on “Android TV OS Build”.
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Enable “USB Debugging” by going to Settings -> System -> Developter Options -> USB Debugging (hit OK to toggle switch) -> Hit OK.
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Unplug the device from the power supply and plug it into your computer. Make sure you have the ADB drivers installed (or so I’m assuming, I already had them installed).
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You will see an icon showing power. On the TV this is because we’re not using the higher power brick they supplied.
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Hit yes to allow the device.
We should be able to do debugging over the network, but I haven’t figured out how to do so, so USB debugging it is⌗
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Install the ATV Launcher/Pro however you please (side load, from play store on device, from play store on other device) and launch it.
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Now it’s time to actually remove the default laucnher which will allow us to use the other.
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adb devices -l
| This will list devices and make sure the device is listed -
adb shell
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pm disable-user --user 0 com.google.android.apps.tv.launcherx
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pm disable-user --user 0 com.google.android.tungsten.setupwraith
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Now press the home button and it should give you the option to choose the ATV Launcher (this is what every tutorial says, but I didn’t have to once I ran the above commands it just closed to the ATV Launcher and just worked).
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You should be done and ready to go. As far as I know this shoud persist accross reboots, I’m not sure if it will stick with updates though.
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Hold down OK on ATV Launcher to and choose “Android Settings”
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Now lets disable USB Debugging just for the sake of it by going to Settings -> System -> Developter Options -> USB Debugging (clicking OK to disable box).
Enable Widgets⌗
It appears the Chromecast with Google TV doesn’t have/allow widget (such as weather like shown in the ATV Launcher ad). This still allows favorite apps widgets which is nice.⌗
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Hold down OK on top of home page
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Pick widget
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Hit OK on “ATV Laucher”
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adb shell
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appwidget grantbind --package ca.dstudio.atvlauncher.free --user 0
| ATV Launcher Free -
appwidget grantbind --package ca.dstudio.atvlauncher.pro --user 0
| ATV Launcher Pro
If you want to switch back to the default launcher do the following⌗
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Enable “USB Debugging” by going to Settings -> System -> Developter Options -> USB Debugging (hit OK to toggle switch) -> Hit O
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Unplug the device from the power supply and plug it into your computer. Make sure you have the ADB drivers installed (or so I’m assuming, I already had them installed).
-
You will see an icon showing power. On the TV this is because we’re not using the higher power brick they supplied.
-
Enable “USB Debugging” by going to Settings -> System -> Developter Options -> USB Debugging (hit OK to toggle switch) -> Hit OK.
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Hit yes to allow the device.
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pm enable com.google.android.apps.tv.launcherx
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pm enable com.google.android.tungsten.setupwraith
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Now lets disable USB Debugging just for the sake of it by going to Settings -> System -> Developter Options -> USB Debugging (clicking OK to disable box).