Cannot stand Google TV? Make it seem like Roku as an alternative

The most effective issues about Google’s good TV and streaming participant software program is that should you don’t like the usual house display screen, you’ll be able to substitute it.

Now, you’ll be able to even make the house display screen seem like a Roku, because of a free app known as Kyu Launcher. This different house display screen carefully resembles Roku’s sidebar and app grid, however with none obnoxious banner advertisements, and it really works on any Google TV or Android TV gadget.

Switching to Kyu Launcher takes solely a pair minutes to arrange, and it gives a a lot less complicated expertise everytime you press your distant’s house button. Nevertheless it’s additionally simply one in all a number of methods to swap Google TV’s fundamental menu for one which’s extra to your liking.

After putting in Kyu Launcher from the Google Play Retailer, you’ll be able to open the app to see what it appears to be like like. This won’t substitute your property display screen but, so you’ll be able to nonetheless get again to the common house display screen by tapping your distant’s house button.

Very similar to on Roku, the “Dwelling” tab lists most of your apps in a 3-by-3 grid, together with TV inputs should you’re utilizing a wise TV. There’s additionally a useful “Watch” tab that lists motion pictures and exhibits in progress—seemingly primarily based on Google TV’s “Proceed Watching” row—and a “To-dos” job checklist tab that feels superfluous on a tv.

One massive distinction from Roku: You’ll be able to create further folders within the left sidebar for organizing your apps. An “Apps” folder is included by default, however you would additionally probably have separate folders for video games, utilities, or free companies. Lengthy-pressing any app brings up the choice to place it into one other folder.

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Kyu Launcher has its personal Settings menu, with a fast hyperlink to gadget settings and methods to customise the house display screen’s background and colours.

Jared Newman / Foundry

You too can conceal the aforementioned Watch and To-dos tabs or allow a “Stay” tab for launching linear channels from supported apps. (In my expertise, this solely labored reliably with channels from Philo, and is healthier left disabled.)

Jared Newman / Foundry

In the event you like Kyu Launcher sufficient to make use of it as your common house display screen, you’ll be able to set this up below Settings > Accessibility Settings. Clicking by “Allow Accessibility Service” will take you to Google TV’s Accessibility menu, the place you’ll be able to scroll to the underside and allow Kyu Launcher. After returning to the launcher, you’ll be capable to activate “Higher Dwelling Detection” as properly.

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Giving Kyu Launcher accessibility entry is critical for remapping the buttons in your distant, but it surely technically additionally offers the app entry to keyboard inputs as properly. The developer says that it doesn’t gather or retailer private knowledge and processes all inputs on-device solely.

Jared Newman / Foundry

Observe that utilizing Kyu Launcher as your default house display screen might override among the buttons in your distant, just like the profile switcher and dwell TV button. Think about using the TVQuickActions app to remap these buttons to features that don’t require the common house display screen.

Kyu Launcher arrived in Might and will nonetheless use enchancment. The default inclusion of separate “Dwelling” and “Apps” folders is complicated, and the “To-dos” part is pointless. I’ve additionally run into a couple of navigational glitches—for example, unexpectedly getting kicked out to the house display screen after adjusting a setting, and I want that you would hit the distant’s Dwelling button to leap again to the highest of the house display screen, just like how Roku works.

However with a little bit of configuration, Kyu Launcher actually does really feel like navigating Roku’s house display screen, albeit with out all of the advertisements, upsells, and have bloat which have crept in over time. The app is generally free to make use of, with an optionally available $4 buy to unlock further colour themes and wallpapers.

Jared Newman / Foundry

In the event you ever need to cease utilizing Kyu Launcher and return to Google TV’s normal house display screen, head to your gadget’s Settings menu, then navigate to Apps > Kyu Launcher, and hit the “Uninstall” button.

A world of house display screen prospects

Jared Newman / Foundry

When you’ve gotten a style of fixing your Google TV house display screen, chances are you’ll need to experiment with different choices.

The developer of Kyu Launcher, for example, has additionally constructed AT4K Launcher, which I wrote about in January. As a substitute of mimicking Roku, AT4K Launcher takes after Apple TV with its massive app grid and content material suggestions alongside the highest row.

Monet Launcher is a more recent entrant. It additionally resembles the Apple TV house display screen, however with customizable widgets, themes, and a slick dwell climate background. It additionally permits a number of customers to set their very own layouts.

Jared Newman / Foundry

Projectivy Launcher has been round longer than any of the others. It begins with all of your apps in a single row and “Proceed Watching” applications in one other, however from there you’ll be able to add additional rows of apps, shortcuts, and proposals from particular person streaming companies. It’s essentially the most customizable launcher of the bunch, but in addition essentially the most complicated.

Jared Newman / Foundry

The frequent thread with all these launchers is that they put your pursuits first. Most streaming platforms do the other, utilizing their house screens to earn cash from subscriptions, leases, and no matter ad-supported content material they’re selling. Putting in a customized house display screen is an effective way to push again and begin your TV time on a extra nice observe.

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