Having a television with Android TV or a device with this system in the living room at home, whether it is a dongle, stick or set-top-box (such as the Chromecast with Google TV), gives us access to thousands of applications with which to expand your possibilities. We don’t just live off streaming platforms, and these devices allow for much more.
There are apps that can’t be missing from our Android TV, many of which you may know, but it’s still worth taking a look at the Play Store. And there is life outside the Google store too: Open Source apps bring a lot of health to the ecosystem, ad-free and free, these are the best for Android TV.
Aurora Store
The alternative store that we have talked about on previous occasions also works on Android TV to give us a alternative access to play store. Without having to log in with our Google account, it protects our privacy without losing the ability to install any app on our TV.
To download it, we must go to its official website, specifically to the section downloads. Follow this link to check the latest stable versions and install it on your device.
Neo Store
Alternatively, you can download apps from F-Droid, a repository of free apps. Since its interface is not adapted to the large screen in the living room, the developer of Neo Store has adapted it, making it possible to navigate with the remote control from your TV or Android TV device.
From GitHub we have access to the APK file. And it is an almost infinite window to applications of all kinds. It is worth taking a look.
DTVFree
Looking for a browser for your Android TV device? DTVFree is a very light one which will not make our television suffer, and allows us to browse the Internet very easily.
The absence of Chrome is not a problem as long as we have a competent browser. And DTVFree is one: you can download this web browser from GitHub, following this link.
SmartTube
Whether you’re not convinced by the YouTube app or are looking for something more advanced, SmartTube has the solution: it’s a Google platform player specially designed for Android TV.
In addition, it is updated from the app itself so we do not depend on manual installation or stores. Download the APK file from the following link.
NewPipe
In the same field is NewPipe, an app that also works on mobile but that adapts to Android TV without complications. Thus, we can watch youtube videosalthough unlike the previous one, it supports other services such as SoundCloud.
Its developer keeps updating it so it is up to date in terms of features and compatibility with all types of devices. It is a very light app and you can find it here.
M3UAndroid
If you are looking for a lightweight and functional media player, free, ad-free and Open Source, M3UAndroid more than meets expectations. Its developer has made it compatible with both phones and Android TV devices, something that is accommodated by its interface.
The latest updates have focused a lot on the living room screen, giving us a Complete application to play lists with online channels. On GitHub we find the versions distributed in APK.
TorrServe
It may not sound very convenient to download torrents from our TV, but TorrServe makes it simple and fast. A client that allows you to serve this type of downloads directly to Android TV, without mobile phones in between.
At the moment, it is still being updated to refine its operation. On GitHub you can see its Change Log and the different versions. Follow this link to access the downloads.
Webcam Recording
Have you connected a camera to your Android TV? It’s not the most common thing, but with Recording Webcam you can make the most of its capabilities: photos and videos directly on your TV.
It was released recently, so version 1.0 is still the most up-to-date. As always, we leave the download link so you can get more out of it.
Neo Backup
Making a backup of Android TV is advisable if we are going to apply a factory reset due to a malfunction of the device. For this, Neo Backup arrives, an Open Source app that Needs root to run.
Despite this drawback, it is able to save your data and applications without breaking a sweat: when it comes to restoring, it does so in batches, which speeds up the process. You never know when you might need it: you can download it from GitHub.