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

1. Enable “Developer Options” by going to settings -> System -> About -> clicking 5 times on “Android TV OS Build”.

2. Enable “USB Debugging” by going to Settings -> System -> Developter Options -> USB Debugging (hit OK to toggle switch) -> Hit OK.

3. 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).

4. You will see an icon showing power. On the TV this is because we’re not using the higher power brick they supplied.

5. 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⌗

6. Install the ATV Launcher/Pro however you please (side load, from play store on device, from play store on other device) and launch it.

7. Now it’s time to actually remove the default laucnher which will allow us to use the other.

8. adb devices -l | This will list devices and make sure the device is listed

9. adb shell

10. pm disable-user --user 0 com.google.android.apps.tv.launcherx

11. pm disable-user --user 0 com.google.android.tungsten.setupwraith

12. 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).

13. 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.

14. Hold down OK on ATV Launcher to and choose “Android Settings”

15. 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.⌗

1. Hold down OK on top of home page

2. Pick widget

3. Hit OK on “ATV Laucher”

4. adb shell

5. appwidget grantbind --package ca.dstudio.atvlauncher.free --user 0 | ATV Launcher Free

6. 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⌗

1. Enable “USB Debugging” by going to Settings -> System -> Developter Options -> USB Debugging (hit OK to toggle switch) -> Hit O

2. 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).

3. You will see an icon showing power. On the TV this is because we’re not using the higher power brick they supplied.

4. Enable “USB Debugging” by going to Settings -> System -> Developter Options -> USB Debugging (hit OK to toggle switch) -> Hit OK.

5. Hit yes to allow the device.

6. pm enable com.google.android.apps.tv.launcherx

7. pm enable com.google.android.tungsten.setupwraith

8. 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).