Apps to Sideload

[srgibbs99]

As we wait for the list of officially supported apps to grow, I am hoping this can be a place to list (side-loaded) apps that are known to work well on the Nvidia Shield Android TV. The couple apps that I have side-loaded don't really work (Google Photos) with only the controller. I would love to hear what others have tried.

What apps have you side-loaded and use with success?

 

[farmerbb]

I've replaced the Leanback Launcher with Nova Launcher (version 3.3 as it works better with the controller than 4.0). With a little configuration you can get it to look and work really well on the Shield.

Nova lets you create shortcuts to any activity on the system, so you can still put shortcuts to Android TV-specific apps on the homescreen. You can also add a shortcut to the Leanback Launcher activity to get back to the main Android TV interface if needed. Or, you can set it up so that pressing the home button while in Nova Launcher takes you back to Leanback Launcher (so, press home button once for Nova, home button twice for Leanback). I can post a tutorial on how to set this up if anyone's interested.

I'm also using a Bluetooth mouse with my Shield, but since Android TV has no on-screen navbar, Simple Control works very well for adding back/home navigation buttons. (You have to activate it through the Android TV accessibility settings, as running the app directly doesn't seem to work correctly for setting it up)

WIth these two apps installed, running sideloaded apps on the Shield becomes a much more pleasant experience

 

[wwatfa]

i am trying to connect the console to my pc with es file explorer ... but ES file explorer is not finding anything when scanning the network

on my other android box .. it found it and i was able to use it ..

any ideas ?

 

[dlusica]

Connect to pc with es file explorer

i am trying to connect the console to my pc with es file explorer ... but ES file explorer is not finding anything when scanning the network

on my other android box .. it found it and i was able to use it ..

any ideas ?

Had the same scan issue with my shield tv (after update) using es.

Resolved the issue by manually inputting ip and windows log in.

Love it.

 

[akuma148]

I've replaced the Leanback Launcher with Nova Launcher (version 3.3 as it works better with the controller than 4.0). With a little configuration you can get it to look and work really well on the Shield.

Nova lets you create shortcuts to any activity on the system, so you can still put shortcuts to Android TV-specific apps on the homescreen. You can also add a shortcut to the Leanback Launcher activity to get back to the main Android TV interface if needed. Or, you can set it up so that pressing the home button while in Nova Launcher takes you back to Leanback Launcher (so, press home button once for Nova, home button twice for Leanback). I can post a tutorial on how to set this up if anyone's interested.

I'm also using a Bluetooth mouse with my Shield, but since Android TV has no on-screen navbar, Simple Control works very well for adding back/home navigation buttons. (You have to activate it through the Android TV accessibility settings, as running the app directly doesn't seem to work correctly for setting it up)

WIth these two apps installed, running sideloaded apps on the Shield becomes a much more pleasant experience

I'm trying this out right now, it's working great. Can you post the tutorial on how to set up the home button for both launchers, that would make this shield nearly perfect. Thanks!

 

[farmerbb]

I'm trying this out right now, it's working great. Can you post the tutorial on how to set up the home button for both launchers, that would make this shield nearly perfect. Thanks!

OK, go to Nova Settings > Gestures and Buttons > Home Button, then in the "Choose action" dialog, go to the Shortcuts tab and choose Activities. Then scroll down to Leanback Launcher, press that and then press Home Screen.

With this set up, the first press of the home button launches Nova Launcher, the second press will launch Leanback Launcher.

 

[akuma148]

Thanks, home button is working great for both.

 

[fredphoesh]

I've replaced the Leanback Launcher with Nova Launcher (version 3.3 as it works better with the controller than 4.0). With a little configuration you can get it to look and work really well on the Shield.

Hi
I get my nviida shield android tv box in two weeks and am keen to try something like this too...
Is installing nova as simple as sideloading it and then choosing it as default home? Does that work? Does it mess up anything else, like the hardware game controller or voice commands etc?

Thanks, Mark.

 

[farmerbb]

Hi
I get my nviida shield android tv box in two weeks and am keen to try something like this too...
Is installing nova as simple as sideloading it and then choosing it as default home? Does that work? Does it mess up anything else, like the hardware game controller or voice commands etc?

Thanks, Mark.

Yep, just sideload the apk, then next time you press the home button it will ask you to choose which launcher you want to set as default. Yes you can still use the controller and voice commands, nothing changes there.

 

[fredphoesh]

Yep, just sideload the apk, then next time you press the home button it will ask you to choose which launcher you want to set as default. Yes you can still use the controller and voice commands, nothing changes there.

Ah great, that is exactly what I will do then...
Actually I love Nova, but for TV I prefer SquareHome... it is a bit clunky to customise, but it's pretty good for TV as you can have huge tiles to click on and each tile can be a folder for categories of apps and clicking on these folders, the screen slides over to reveal the contents of the folder. Nice animation. Pity it has some unfinished issues with customisation, but still my TV interface of choice.

 

[Se7eN43]

Amazon instant, showbox and dolphin browser using chainfire's sideload launcher to run them from the main home ui. The only thing is that you need to use a mouse to navigate all these apps. Logitecs unifying receiver is plug n play.

 

[coreo]

I'm in Australia and I've managed to get this little micro usb DVB-t tv tuner working. (fits perfectly in the back micro usb slot)
https://www.elgato.com/en/eyetv/eyetv-micro
Just plugged it in and installed the app.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.elgato.eyetv.micro&hl=en

Had to install the app on my phone first then back it up with https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.jrummy.app.managerfree&hl=en to get the apk then side loaded it through esfile explorer.
works ok and it gets all the free to air stations here in Oz..

 

[johnciaccio]

A good place to start with this is the thread in the Nexus Player forum.

http://forum.xda-developers.com/nexus-player/general/list-apps-nexus-player-t2947707

 

[tooandrew]

Had the same scan issue with my shield tv (after update) using es.

Resolved the issue by manually inputting ip and windows log in.

Love it.

In es file explorer, I can see samba shares if I add them manually but I can't write to the server, and the shield absolutely refuses to open the ftp server on my pc, can't even add manually with port and ip. I've resorted to using chrome to download from my ftp nightmarish man.

 

[brando56894]

I just side loaded RetroArch and it worked well, the controller configurations in game a little off though.

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

 

[d-dragon]

In es file explorer, I can see samba shares if I add them manually but I can't write to the server, and the shield absolutely refuses to open the ftp server on my pc, can't even add manually with port and ip. I've resorted to using chrome to download from my ftp nightmarish man.

I've found xplore to be a good file explorer app for samba shares, be sure to enable lan in both views for convenience.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

[wotlos]

How do you do the setup so that the one press or two press goes to either launchers?

Edit: sorry I see where you explained it already. Thanks again.

 

[wotlos]

Is there any way to set up the same type of double tab home gesture within square home so I can get back to lean back launcher. I've got it loaded but can't seen to find a way. Really like the ability to switch back and forth like Nova.

 

[scallawag]

I would love to figure out how to do the following. I cut and pasted from farmerbb's post.

"Nova lets you create shortcuts to any activity on the system, so you can still put shortcuts to Android TV-specific apps on the home screen.”

I use Nova Prime on my Nexus 6 so am somewhat familiar with it. Had no trouble setting it up so one touch of the home button brings me to Nova and second to Leanback. I can also have an Android TV-specific app open with a double tap of a mouse button. It’s set up now so a double tap of the mouse while in Nova opens the Android TV-specific Settings app.

I can’t figure out how to add an Android TV-specific app to the Nova desk top.
Please Help!

 

[killerskincanoe]

anyone have the most up to date TWC TV apk working? im trying to get 4.1.1.16 to not check for HDMI but i can't quite get it figured out.