MauroProto/wii-tv

A fan project that replaces the stock Android TV launcher with a Wii Menu look, including per-app banners, the segment clock, cursor sounds and a white startup screen. It is a personalization experiment for one TV model, not a general-purpose launcher, so adopt it expecting some hands-on tinkering over ADB.

The problem

On most Android TVs, the goal is to reach your handful of streaming apps with a recognizable, uncluttered layout. The stock launcher surfaces recommendations and sponsored rows, and reordering apps is limited or tied to the vendor. wii-tv changes that first screen: apps become channels on a 4-by-3 grid, with an extra page column peeking in from the right. Once installed as the home screen, pressing Home lands on the Wii-styled grid instead of the manufacturer launcher, and channel order is saved on the TV.

What's different

The project draws the interface in code rather than shipping extracted Nintendo assets, and the included sound effects and music are remakes credited to Soffizlly. Channels map to installed apps with their own banners, and holding OK lets you drag a channel to another slot. The clock uses the TV's 12/24-hour setting and the date follows the TV language.

The install path is the real differentiator, and also the main cost. A Python helper talks to the TV over ADB; the build script compiles the launcher, installs it, disables the original launcher, and checks that Home opens wiiOS. If that check fails, it says it re-enables the original launcher. A backup script captures app lists, current home app, settings and a screenshot first, and an optional debloat step disables vendor apps (it can undo that). The clear trade-off: this is an ADB-side-loaded build for a specific device family, not an app-store install, and the documented undo path is a script, not a guarantee.

Who should try it

Good fit: an Android TV owner who enjoys customizing the living-room screen, is comfortable with a terminal, and wants a nostalgic grid without recommendations. It is also reasonable if you only want to try the launcher while keeping the original active via STOCK_LAUNCHER=none, though the README warns that many TVs give the stock launcher priority, so Home may still open it.

Poor fit: anyone expecting a one-click install, a launcher that adapts across brands, or a no-ADB setup. The README's tested example is a Philips 65PUD7906, and instructions are in Spanish with an English translation. Users who cannot or will not enable network debugging on the TV should skip it.

Requirements and limitations

You need a computer on the same network as the TV, Python 3.10+, JDK 17, and the Android SDK with platforms;android-34 and build-tools;34.0.0; Android Studio supplies the SDK parts, and there are macOS install hints. Windows installation is mentioned in step 5 but a macOS or Linux computer is the stated baseline. Debugging must be enabled on the TV, and ADB authorization keys are stored under tools/adbkey/, which the README says grants access to the TV and should not be shared.

Ongoing care matters: backups contain serial numbers and network names, so keep the backups/ folder local. Debloating is optional and the provided list is model-specific; the README points to cleanyourtv's example lists for other TVs. After installing, turn off USB and network debugging and optionally revoke authorizations, then verify with the supplied check. The launcher is not an official Nintendo product, and the README states the repo includes no Nintendo-extracted files.

HotRepo's take

HotRepo has only two recorded dates (2026-10-24 to 2026-10-25), with a NEW-REPOSITORY board (not the overall Trending board) showing 119 total stars at #11 for Java on 2026-10-25. That is a young project and a single snapshot; persistence cannot be judged. Before installing, verify that your TV exposes network ADB and that Home behavior with STOCK_LAUNCHER=none matches what you expect from the installation instructions.