TL;DR
A report on Cretezy describes a do-it-yourself setup that replaces Google TV’s home screen with Projectivy Launcher and swaps the YouTube app for SmartTube. The author says the setup worked on two Chromecast with Google TV devices and a Hisense TV, but it requires configuration and does not guarantee that every ad across every app will be blocked.
A 2026 report on Cretezy describes a do-it-yourself way to make Android TV devices less ad-heavy by replacing the Google TV home screen with Projectivy Launcher and using SmartTube instead of the official YouTube app. The author says the arrangement worked on two Chromecast with Google TV devices and a Hisense TV, but it is a personal setup guide, not a Google feature or a guarantee that ads will disappear from every app.
The report focuses on a specific annoyance in the stock interface: Google TV’s prominent home-screen banner, which can promote programming from services a viewer does not use. The author says Google TV’s “Apps only” mode still leaves the banner visible and offers no setting to switch it off. Their proposed alternative is Projectivy Launcher, which replaces the home screen with a customizable display centered on installed apps. The report also names FLauncher and ATV Launcher Pro as alternatives.
For YouTube viewing, the author recommends SmartTube, a third-party app that the report describes as ad-free and as including SponsorBlock. The author says they continue to pay for YouTube Premium to support creators while preferring SmartTube’s interface. The guide also recommends Wholphin as a Jellyfin client, with Moonfin as another option, and Button Mapper to redirect a remote’s YouTube button to SmartTube.
The setup involves more than installing apps. The report uses Android Debug Bridge (ADB) to set Projectivy as the home app, disable parts of the stock launcher, remove or disable the official YouTube app, and adjust remote-button behavior. SmartTube is not available through the Play Store, according to the report, so it must be installed separately. These changes can affect functions such as HDMI input switching, and the author warns that disabling a setup package may cause some devices to forget a saved Wi-Fi network.
A Cleaner Screen Takes Setup
For viewers frustrated by promotions on a television they already own, the approach offers a way to change the interface without buying a different streaming device. It also highlights a distinction that matters to users: replacing the launcher can remove the stock home-screen experience, but that is not the same as removing advertisements within every streaming service.
The author suggests running Pi-hole on the home network to block some advertising and tracking domains for multiple devices, or using an ad-blocking DNS resolver through the TV’s Private DNS setting. DNS filtering works at the network level and may not block every ad; the report does not provide independent test results or a measured estimate of how much advertising it removes. Readers should treat this as a configuration option, not a universal ad-blocking guarantee.
There are trade-offs. ADB changes can disable system components, and the report cautions users to check whether key functions still work afterward. Button remapping and accessibility permissions also require care, particularly if other accessibility services are already in use. The practical value is therefore strongest for people comfortable managing device settings and willing to troubleshoot if a change affects their TV.
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Google TV’s Apps-Only Limitation
The report begins from the author’s experience with Android TV and Google TV, which are used on streaming devices and televisions. The author likes the platform’s app availability and lower-cost hardware, but objects to promotional material on the home screen. Their central complaint is that “Apps only” mode, intended to simplify the interface, does not remove the banner.
Rather than describe a single new product launch, the article assembles existing apps and Android settings into a practical configuration. Projectivy, Wholphin and Button Mapper are identified as available through the Play Store; SmartTube is installed separately from its GitHub release. The author says they tested the arrangement on two Chromecast with Google TV devices and one Hisense TV, while qualifying that it should work on most Android TV devices. That broader compatibility is the author’s expectation, not a published certification across manufacturers and models.
““Apps only mode is supposed to strip the home screen down to your apps, but the banner stays, and there’s no setting to turn it off.””
— Cretezy report author
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Compatibility and Ad Blocking Limits
The report does not list every tested device model, Android TV software version, or app version. It also does not establish that the method works on all televisions using Android TV or Google TV. Device makers can customize software, and system-package behavior may differ across models.
It is also unclear how consistently Pi-hole or a Private DNS provider will block ads in individual apps. The article offers no measured results, and network filtering may affect services or features beyond advertising. SmartTube’s availability and behavior can change as its software is updated; the source does not provide an independent security review or discuss the app’s long-term support status.
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Check Device Functions After Changes
The source describes no company response, product announcement or follow-up test. Readers considering the setup should first check their device’s compatibility and retain a way to restore settings. The report specifically advises keeping a remote available, checking Wi-Fi access after disabling system packages, and confirming that HDMI input switching still works on a television.
Any future assessment of the approach would need testing across more manufacturers and software versions, along with clear checks of which ads are blocked and which features are affected. For now, the published guidance remains a personal configuration report rather than a broadly verified method.
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Key Questions
Does this setup remove all ads from Android TV?
No. The guide aims to remove Google TV’s home-screen promotions and recommends SmartTube for YouTube. It does not establish that ads in other apps will be blocked. Pi-hole or an ad-blocking DNS service may filter some network requests, but the report provides no universal guarantee.
Which launcher does the report recommend?
It recommends Projectivy Launcher as a customizable replacement for the stock home screen. It also lists FLauncher and ATV Launcher Pro as alternatives.
Does SmartTube come from the Play Store?
The report says SmartTube is not on the Play Store and describes installing it separately from its GitHub release. App availability and installation steps may change, so readers should check the project’s current information before proceeding.
Will the method work on every Android TV device?
That is not confirmed. The author reports using it on two Chromecast with Google TV devices and a Hisense TV, and expects it to work on most Android TV devices. The article does not document testing across all brands or models.
Can changing the launcher affect other TV functions?
It can. The report warns that disabling system packages may affect saved Wi-Fi settings and that a TV’s stock launcher may handle HDMI input switching. It advises checking those functions after making changes.
Source: hn
