FiredTV Launcher - Replacement Home/Launcher

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Redth

Senior Member
Sep 14, 2010
79
73
FiredTV Launcher is a 'replacement' for Amazon's Home/Launcher app which does not show sideloaded apps.
Visit the project page for more information (including source code): https://github.com/Redth/FiredTVLauncher

firedtv-new-01.png


How does it work?
While it's not possible (yet/without root) to actually replace the launcher app, FiredTV effectively does this by watching for Amazon's launcher being opened, and then immediately launches itself. Because of this, you will see Amazon's home screen flash on the screen very briefly after pressing the home button, before FiredTV Launcher appears.

Installation
You can install the app by grabbing the .APK directly from the releases page: https://github.com/Redth/FiredTVLauncher/releases
You will need to sideload the app. There are many guides available how to do this on the forums.

Once the app has been installed, go into your FireTV Settings, go into Applications, find 'FiredTV' in the list, select it, and select 'Launch Application'

Enjoy!

Where's the Java?
If you looked at the source, you may have noticed that there's no Java. That's because this was written entirely in C# using Xamarin! C# is awesome, go use Xamarin!

What's next?
Obviously this launcher is very simple, and there's not much to it. I'm planning on adding some Settings configuration within the app, so you can do things like hide apps, reorder them, hide labels, change colors, etc.



UPDATES
--------------------------
v1.1.5
- Better FireTV Stick support
- Fixed Default Wallpaper not showing up in some instances
- Fixed Show/Hide for Amazon apps
- New Icon/Name for FireTV Home 'app'
- Fixed Settings icon

v1.1.4
- Fixed Signing issue

v1.1.3
- Updated Home detection logic, should be much more reliable
- Home detection is disabled by default (to help App store approval)
- Fixed a bug where the settings might show Home Detection enabled when it's actually disabled

v.1.1.0
- Home key detection disabled by default (to pass Amazon Store approval - you can enable it in Settings)
- New implementation for re-ordering apps
- More reliable settings saving/loading
- Customizable Wallpaper
- Removed FiredTV Logo
- Customizable Alpha of various backgrounds (top bar, label, app icon)
- Long press menu to hide app or uninstall app

v.1.0.3
- Now you can re-order apps
- Fixed bug with hiding Settings shortcut
- Now works on other devices (also on other devices that support it, now can become the 'home' launcher app)
- Fixed bug with time display (was in 24 hours by default)

v.1.0.2
This version adds some new features. Please note a different keystore was used to sign this app, so you may have to uninstall v.1.0.1 first!
- Hide/Show apps are all configurable now
- Date / Time now on home screen
- Hiding Logo, Date, Time App Labels all now configurable
- App Label font size configurable
- Fixed Settings shortcut
- Apps are now sorted by name
 
Last edited:

Deimozzz

Member
Jul 11, 2010
25
2
Great! How did you run it instead KFTV launcher?
Waiting hide apps, reorder... And please make the time display.
After clicking Settings crashes in KFTV launcher, so it should be?

Sorry for my English :)

Donated $ 10 :) I will write to my blog, who can still support :)
 
Last edited:

Redth

Senior Member
Sep 14, 2010
79
73
Thanks so much!

I am using a service to check the foreground activity and when it matches the Amazon fire TV launcher I open mine instead. Not the ideal solution but the only way so far to make it work!

I will work on those features first thing, thanks for the donation!!!

Great! How did you run it instead KFTV launcher?
Waiting hide apps, reorder... And please make the time display.
After clicking Settings crashes in KFTV launcher, so it should be?

Sorry for my English :)

Donated $ 10 :) I will write to my blog, who can still support :)
 
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Deimozzz

Member
Jul 11, 2010
25
2
You can also add a killing Amazon application (KFTV launcher and etc) after starting FiredTV Launcher.
 

Redth

Senior Member
Sep 14, 2010
79
73
Unknown way to kill the activity, may try KILL_BACKGROUND_PROCESSES.

It really doesn't make sense for me to kill the AFTV process since no matter what you do right now, when you press HOME on the remote, the AFTV process starts up. So, if after I launched FiredTV when AFTV starts up, I went and killed AFTV, it would actually be slower the next time you pressed the home button since Amazon would start up the whole process again. This of course is all just theory too (I have a feeling it might not be so easy to kill AFTV process).

So, for now, it really doesn't make sense to try and kill the process, so I'm not going to be doing that...
 

Deimozzz

Member
Jul 11, 2010
25
2
Going to need more info...

The new version is crashing? Is it crashing on startup? is it crashing when you go into settings? Your post was very unclear...

Yes, a failure in version 1.0.2. Crash when calling the settings FiredTV Launcher. Crashes in KFTV launcher.
First deleted the version 1.0.1, then installed 1.0.2
 

Redth

Senior Member
Sep 14, 2010
79
73
Yes, a failure in version 1.0.2. Crash when calling the settings FiredTV Launcher. Crashes in KFTV launcher.
First deleted the version 1.0.1, then installed 1.0.2

Can you get me the logcat output? I'm not going to be able to track this one down without this information...

Thanks
 

Redth

Senior Member
Sep 14, 2010
79
73
Thanks, unfortunately the logcat you attached doesn't have any info relating to FiredTV... Could you try and reproduce the crash and gather the logcat output as fast as possible directly after the crash?
 

Deimozzz

Member
Jul 11, 2010
25
2
Thanks, unfortunately the logcat you attached doesn't have any info relating to FiredTV... Could you try and reproduce the crash and gather the logcat output as fast as possible directly after the crash?
This logcat just after crash.

Сrashes when clicking on the iconSetting in, if you press the menu button remote all is good.
And do not hide the icon Setting (Show/Hide Apps)
 

Redth

Senior Member
Sep 14, 2010
79
73
This logcat just after crash.

Сrashes when clicking on the iconSetting in, if you press the menu button remote all is good.
And do not hide the icon Setting (Show/Hide Apps)

Ohh, I thought this was when you clicked Settings on the home screen, not in the hide apps setting. I've found the bug and it will be fixed in 1.0.3.

Thanks
 

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  • 38
    FiredTV Launcher is a 'replacement' for Amazon's Home/Launcher app which does not show sideloaded apps.
    Visit the project page for more information (including source code): https://github.com/Redth/FiredTVLauncher

    firedtv-new-01.png


    How does it work?
    While it's not possible (yet/without root) to actually replace the launcher app, FiredTV effectively does this by watching for Amazon's launcher being opened, and then immediately launches itself. Because of this, you will see Amazon's home screen flash on the screen very briefly after pressing the home button, before FiredTV Launcher appears.

    Installation
    You can install the app by grabbing the .APK directly from the releases page: https://github.com/Redth/FiredTVLauncher/releases
    You will need to sideload the app. There are many guides available how to do this on the forums.

    Once the app has been installed, go into your FireTV Settings, go into Applications, find 'FiredTV' in the list, select it, and select 'Launch Application'

    Enjoy!

    Where's the Java?
    If you looked at the source, you may have noticed that there's no Java. That's because this was written entirely in C# using Xamarin! C# is awesome, go use Xamarin!

    What's next?
    Obviously this launcher is very simple, and there's not much to it. I'm planning on adding some Settings configuration within the app, so you can do things like hide apps, reorder them, hide labels, change colors, etc.



    UPDATES
    --------------------------
    v1.1.5
    - Better FireTV Stick support
    - Fixed Default Wallpaper not showing up in some instances
    - Fixed Show/Hide for Amazon apps
    - New Icon/Name for FireTV Home 'app'
    - Fixed Settings icon

    v1.1.4
    - Fixed Signing issue

    v1.1.3
    - Updated Home detection logic, should be much more reliable
    - Home detection is disabled by default (to help App store approval)
    - Fixed a bug where the settings might show Home Detection enabled when it's actually disabled

    v.1.1.0
    - Home key detection disabled by default (to pass Amazon Store approval - you can enable it in Settings)
    - New implementation for re-ordering apps
    - More reliable settings saving/loading
    - Customizable Wallpaper
    - Removed FiredTV Logo
    - Customizable Alpha of various backgrounds (top bar, label, app icon)
    - Long press menu to hide app or uninstall app

    v.1.0.3
    - Now you can re-order apps
    - Fixed bug with hiding Settings shortcut
    - Now works on other devices (also on other devices that support it, now can become the 'home' launcher app)
    - Fixed bug with time display (was in 24 hours by default)

    v.1.0.2
    This version adds some new features. Please note a different keystore was used to sign this app, so you may have to uninstall v.1.0.1 first!
    - Hide/Show apps are all configurable now
    - Date / Time now on home screen
    - Hiding Logo, Date, Time App Labels all now configurable
    - App Label font size configurable
    - Fixed Settings shortcut
    - Apps are now sorted by name
    6
    Updates coming...

    So I've put a significant amount of work into FiredTV Launcher in the last few days when I've found some time...

    Here's what is in the upcoming release:
    • Completely new screen for better reordering of apps
    • FiredTV Logo removed (it was ugly)
    • Top info bar with time now is semi-transparent
    • Adjustable transparency levels of the top info bar, background behind app icons, background behind app label
    • Customizable wallpaper

    Before I release the update I need to add ability to change default wallpaper (right now it's just hard coded). Anyway, here are some screenshots of the upcoming release!

    vXbHhVu.png


    XM5ra75.png


    173MUiD.png
    6
    Hey folks, finally had enough time to cobble together a new release.

    v1.1.0 is now available (and has also been submitted to the Amazon app store for review)

    https://github.com/Redth/FiredTVLauncher/releases/tag/1.1.0
    6
    Hey Folks!

    Sorry I've been really busy these past few weeks and haven't got much done on the Fired TV Launcher...

    I'm going to be working some more on it very soon though! Thanks for all the feedback!
    4
    This indeed is legit. I figured I'd throw it up on the store and if anyone wants there for ease of downloading they can get it.
    I will still publish this to GitHub, free, and open source, including the .apk's themselves so if you want to side-load you can still do it for free!

    I'll be taking a look at bugs in the next few weeks, I'm too busy with my day job right now though. I personally haven't seen it crash or lock up or anything so this makes me think maybe there's something odd in your configuration if it's happening to you (it's really just a simple app). If you are experiencing crashes, paste the logcat output in a new github issue or don't complain :)

    Cheers!