How it works
Six steps on the TV, about 10 minutes. Pick your device and you get its exact steps. Before any change we save a snapshot, so every step can be undone.
Google TV 14. Wireless debugging with a pairing code.
Step 1 of 6
Open “About”
Open Settings with the gear icon in the top right corner. The model and the Android version are on this screen.
Settings → System → About
Step 2 of 6
Press the build number 7 times
Select “Android TV OS build” and press OK seven times. A message says that you are now a developer.
About → Android TV OS build × 7
Step 3 of 6
Open “Developer options”
Go back one level. A new item appears in the System menu.
Settings → System → Developer options
Step 4 of 6
Turn on wireless debugging
Switch it on. The TV and your phone or computer must be on the same Wi-Fi network.
Developer options → Wireless debugging → On
Step 5 of 6
Open the pairing code
The TV shows 6 digits and a port. You enter them in ReTV on the next screen.
Wireless debugging → Pair device with pairing code
Step 6 of 6
Allow debugging
If the TV asks “Allow debugging?”, tick “Always allow” and press OK. We turn debugging off after the work.
“Allow debugging?” dialog → OK
Two ways to connect
Both do the same thing. The difference is which device talks to the TV.
Helper: the TV and a phone
A small app on the TV. It shows a QR code, you scan it with a phone, and the phone does the rest. No computer.
Not released yet. For now a real TV is connected from a computer.
Bridge: a computer
A small program on a Windows, macOS or Linux computer. It finds the TV on your network and talks to it.
There are no ready-made apps yet: Bridge runs from the project source and needs Node.js and adb.
What we change
The default set for the Box S 3. Nothing is deleted: a disabled package can be turned back on. The “We keep” rows are examples.
18 packages are disabled, not deleted.
| Package | What it is | Action |
|---|---|---|
| com. | Old recommendations row on the home screen | We turn off |
| com. | Promo channels on the home screen | We turn off |
| com. | TV channels with promo content | We turn off |
| com. | Push messages and promos from the TV maker | We turn off |
| com. | System ad service | We turn off |
| com. | Ad service of the TV maker | We turn off |
| com. | Network diagnostics reports | We turn off |
| com. | Feedback reports | We turn off |
| com. | Bug report sender | We turn off |
| com. | Usage analytics of the TV maker | We turn off |
| com. | Usage statistics of the TV maker | We turn off |
| com. | System usage statistics | We turn off |
| com. | Basic colour screensaver | We turn off |
| com. | Print service; a TV box has no printer | We turn off |
| com. | Retired music app | We turn off |
| com. | Calendar sync | We turn off |
| com. | Second-screen sign-in bridge | We turn off |
| com. | Demo mode for shop displays | We turn off |
| com. | Games app | We keep |
| com. | Movie store app | We keep |
| com. | Music app | We keep |
| com. | Play Store: apps keep installing and updating | We keep |
| com. | Play services: sign-in and apps depend on it | We keep |
| com. | YouTube stays as it is | We keep |
| com. | The stock home screen stays installed; ReTV Home opens next to it | We keep |
Other TVs get a similar list. Before the work, the connect screen shows the exact list for your TV.
How to undo
Open ReTV on the phone or computer you used.
- Open the restore page.
- Pick the snapshot made before the work.
- Press “Restore”. The packages we turned off are turned on again.