Developers are using AI coding assistants to replace smart-TV home screens and disable advertising and tracking components. They’re basically turning smart TVs into dumber TVs. Why? 1) Because they can. 2) Because smart TV interfaces are filled with bloatware and other annoying stuff that, in some engineers’ eyes, seriously degrades the UX. So… here are a couple of tools to vibe code your way to a funner, dumber TV.
The cleanyourtv project lets you connect a computer to an Android TV or Google TV over Wi-Fi. The assistant backs up package lists and settings, disables selected software, and installs a replacement home screen. Users specify which apps they want and whether to keep voice assistants, casting, and firmware updates.
I tried it. The replacement screen includes an app dock, an app grid, and controls for television inputs. The project disables software within the user profile. It requires no root access. Its restore script re-enables packages on the saved list and restores the original home screen. Streaming apps continue updating through the Play Store. Its optional DNS filter leaves YouTube advertisements in place. Personal note: don’t do this unless you know what you’re doing. You can seriously mess up your TV.
A second project, dumbtv, supports Fire OS and Android TV. Its developer reports end-to-end testing on a Fire TV Edition television running Fire OS 7.7.1.7. Its scripts target sponsored rows, viewing analytics, advertising identifiers, and selected network connections. The replacement launcher displays apps, HDMI inputs, and a clock. I haven’t tried this one, but it’s going to be my weekend project.
cleanyourtv warns that disabling required packages can break functions. Most of its device lists disable firmware updates until the update service is re-enabled. According to the docs, dumbtv’s restoration script cannot recover streaming apps whose installation files were deleted; those apps must be downloaded again. Both projects publish their code on GitHub under the MIT license.
I’m not suggesting that you do this. I just wanted you to know that it’s a thing.
Every company needs a Claw strategy. Do you have one?
Author’s note: This is not a sponsored post. I am the author of this article and it expresses my own opinions. I am not, nor is my company, receiving compensation for it. This work was created with the assistance of various generative AI models.
About Shelly Palmer
Shelly Palmer is the Professor of Advanced Media in Residence at Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications and CEO of The Palmer Group, a consulting practice that helps Fortune 500 companies with AI strategy, implementation and governance, as well as technology, media and marketing. Named one of LinkedIn’s Top Voices in Technology, he is a bestselling author, covers tech and business for Fox 5’s Good Day New York, is a regular commentator on CNN, and writes the popular daily business blog Think About This. Follow @shellypalmer or visit shellypalmer.com.