chadyi/StudyOnTV

What it is

StudyOnTV is an Android app for phones, tablets and TVs that ties leisure screen time to a short learning task. A child answers a set of questions, and a passing result unlocks a configurable number of minutes; when the time runs out, the next task appears. Question banks, rules and usage records stay on the controlled device, so no project-run cloud service or account is required.

The app covers multiple-choice, true/false, fill-in and subjective questions, with LaTeX formulas in prompts and options. Parents choose a mode (group-based levels, consecutive correct answers, or free practice), set a required accuracy and question count, and can add star-based time bonuses, accumulated extra practice for wrong answers, and spaced repetition. Subjective answers can be graded manually, by an external agent, or through a compatible AI API.

The parent panel is a web page served by the device itself on the local network, reached by scanning a QR code from a phone. From there parents manage the question bank, rules and review records; the panel and API both require the management password set on first launch. TV input is designed for a remote control, and the app pauses playback and handles audio focus when the study page appears.

Getting started

1. Install the build matching your device from the GitHub releases. Phone and tablet users can also use the mobile build on Pgyer; TV users can use the TV build, installing via USB or ADB.
2. Open the app for the first time and set a management password. Permissions are optional and can be configured later.
3. Scan the QR code shown on the TV or controlled device with a phone on the same Wi-Fi, open the admin page at http://<device-ip>:8099/admin/, and enter the password.
4. In the panel, review the rules: daily maximum viewing time, minutes unlocked per completed group, questions per group, required accuracy, daily group limit, time-window behavior, grading method and rewards.
5. Adjust or import the question bank. A 50-question built-in set covers Tang poetry fill-ins, arithmetic under 100 and basic English words; JSON banks can be imported and exported.

The installation guide covers TV setup, autostart and vendor background restrictions; the gameplay guide explains the rule modes.

Constraints and caveats

• Requires Android 5.0+ on phone, tablet or TV; HarmonyOS NEXT, Tizen and webOS are not supported.
• Enforcement depends on the device. Force-stopping the app, revoking permissions or uninstalling it weakens controls; keeping it in the background may need overlay or accessibility permissions. Uninstall protection is only available on devices that support device administrator, and is optional.
• Autostart on boot is handled through Android boot broadcasts, but some TV vendors do not send them from remote-control standby or may clear background apps; behavior must be checked on the actual device.
• Offline questions work without a network. AI grading sends questions and answers to the service the parent configures. The project's existing third-party analytics configuration is described separately in the analytics documentation analytics documentation.
• Data lives on the controlled device. To move to a new TV, export the bank as JSON and re-import it.
• The source is available, but the license permits personal family use only and prohibits commercial use and redistribution; commercial licensing is handled through GitHub Issues.

HotRepo's take

On the New list for 2026-11-05, StudyOnTV recorded 43 new stars between 05:45 and 07:45 UTC, taking it from 121 to 164 stars, with 8 new forks in the same window. It has no recorded position on the all-language daily GitHub ranking. The project's design choice is its most concrete distinguishing point: rather than a cloud dashboard, it embeds an HTTP server, SQLite store and web UI in the controlled device, so parents only need a phone on the same LAN. The README also traces several features back to specific community issues — hidden re-entry to the parent panel, star-based rewards, separate time-window modes, answer feedback and boot behavior — which gives a concrete picture of what early users asked for. Whether the app is reliable in practice depends heavily on the TV box and vendor background policies, something the documentation itself flags.