Android TV and Google TV guides

Step-by-step guides for TVs and boxes on Android TV and Google TV: installing apps from an APK, changing the launcher and IPTV with a TV guide. The settings paths were checked on Xiaomi devices with Google TV 14, and the screenshots were taken there too.

Installing apps

How to install apps on Android TV: APK from a USB drive, a link or a phone

Five ways: Google Play, a USB drive, Downloader, a phone and adb. The “Install unknown apps” permission and install errors.

Home screen

How to change the launcher on Android TV and Google TV and make it the default

Why Home opens the stock launcher, why disabling it on Google TV is dangerous and how to undo everything.

How to watch IPTV on Android TV: playlist, TV guide and catch-up

M3U playlist, XMLTV guide and tvg-id, provider catch-up: catchup types and what to do if the guide is empty.

Comparison

The best launcher for Android TV: SolaTV, Projectivy, ATV Launcher, Google TV and PatchWall

A table on ten criteria with scores: lightness, ads, data collection, price, IPTV, home screen customization.