Users report ad issues on 2021 Philips TVs

Users of 2021 Philips TVs with Google Home interface have reported slow performance and intrusive advertisements that appear before accessing Netflix. Similar issues have been observed on Xiaomi Mi TV 4A models, prompting users to seek solutions.

Developer shares workaround on social media

A developer known as Gathin on X described how they used Claude Code on a Xiaomi Mi TV 4A to disable 25 Xiaomi packages and create a new launcher. His post has received over 2.3 million views, highlighting the widespread concern over these issues.

Open-source project offers TV customization

The project, called tv-vibehack, is an open-source GitHub repository under the MIT license with over 1,000 stars. It provides users with a way to customize their Android TV experience by disabling ads, telemetry, and pre-installed software.

Process requires technical setup and ADB

The project relies on ADB, the Android debugging bridge, which requires enabling USB debugging in developer options. This allows the TV to accept commands from a computer on the same network after a single authorization screen.

Custom launcher improves performance

The custom launcher created by the project is only 1.6 MB in size and is designed for TVs with 1 GB of RAM. It does not include background services or network connections, which helps improve performance and reduce delays.

Google has been adding ads to Android TV

Google has been inserting sponsored content on Android TV since 2019, and Google TV has since added auto-play advertisements and banners even in its "apps only" mode, increasing user frustration.

User tested the process on a Philips TV

A user tested the procedure on a Philips UHD with Android TV 11 using Grok 4.7 from xAI. The process involved several steps, including unlocking developer options and authorizing the AI to take over the customization process.

Customization includes interface and app changes

The user translated the interface into French and placed several streaming services in the dock. They also skipped numerous Philips and Google packages, including sponsored recommendations and telemetry features, while disabling the original Google launcher.

AI simplifies complex setup for users

The AI removes the need for users to manually install and sort system packages, which was previously a task for experienced tinkerers. This makes the customization process more accessible to a broader audience.

Some technical issues remain unresolved

Despite the improvements, some technical issues persist. On the user's Philips TV, the Play Store and Free TV crashed when a video started, and the AI could not fix the issue, though a simple restart resolved it temporarily.

Firmware updates are affected by the cleanup

The customization process also disables over-the-air firmware updates from Philips, which users must reactivate manually to avoid being stuck on an older version of the software.

USB debugging can be turned off after setup

Once the customization is complete, users can safely turn off USB debugging, as the launcher continues to function without it. This provides a significant performance boost with minimal effort.

User describes the result as a major improvement

The user described the result as the biggest comfort gain since purchasing the TV, achieving a clean and responsive interface with no cost and only about ten minutes of setup.