A hacked Onn. Very cheap but decent device you can get from Walmart. Then side load an open source (and ad-free) launcher onto it using ADB (Android Debug Bridge).
this post was submitted on 18 Jan 2026
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That might be a decent choice, we're in the UK so no Walmart but looks like I can get one online. When you say hacked are you just referring to installing a custom launcher with ADB, or do you need to root it or something to get access to ADB?
This is the same thing I was referring to. If you search for "on Google TV side load" or any variation you'll find loads of articles.
Oh looks like it's just the same process I used to install a custom launcher on my Shield. Is Wolf launcher still recommended or are there better options now?
Wolf launcher is what I've been using, its been a couple years since I looked to see if anything better was around but I've never had a single issue with it.
Just side-loading it, from what I recall. It's 'hacked' in that you are manipulating the put-of-the-box software. But it's not like crazy '1337' coding it anything. You just have to be comfortable with a console and read a little bit carefully.
Out of curiosity, where are you ordering it from online in the UK? I have family and friends there, so this might be useful to them. Thanks.
I literally just googled it and one of the top results was Amazon, looks like it ships from the US but delivery seems to be fairly cheap
I’m personally a fan of Roku. At least, I don’t hate them. You can disable most of the bullshit. Not all of it, but most of it. The performance is always better than any Android or Fire sticks I’ve tried. For some reason, Android and FireTV always use chips that are just too low powered to perform at all well for their OSes.
Not Roku. Slow. Doesn’t last. Evidently takes screenshots of what you’re watching and sends them back to Roku.
That article is not about roku...
I have a TCL tv. It runs Roku. (TCL is also available in an android model.) Roku’s own website tells you it does this. Supposedly you can turn it off, but it’s on by default.
https://advertising.roku.com/learn/resources/acr-the-future-of-tv-and-audience-data
I have a 65” Roku TV from 2017 that works fine, so I’d say they last alright. It’s still way faster than a modern Android TV. It does take screenshots, but that’s one of the bullshit things you can disable.
You can buy a Google tv or nvidia shield and replace the AdWare default launcher for a very nice, ad-free experience
I have an Nvidia Shield myself but tbh I'm not very impressed with it anymore. The 2 reasons I bought it were game stream and the lack of ads, both of which were ruined by the updates. I have replaced the launcher to remove the ads but considering the hardware is now 6 years old I don't think it's worth paying the extra. Google TV might be the best option if she's willing to spend that much but it is still on the pricier side
I've been quite impressed with the Roku stick I bought in the last year or so. It cost about £50 and does 4K with all the additional bells and whistles, it's responsive, isn't drowning in ads, and the screensaver is slightly hypnotic.
How technical are you and your sister? Kodi is an excellent media center app that can run on as little as a Raspberry Pi. With it, I've been able to use all of the major streaming apps, plus avoiding ads on YouTube to boot. Setting it up can be a bit of a pain though.
I'm fairly technical so I don't mind if there's a bit of a setup, she's not though so it needs to just work after that. Also does Kodo run into the issue of Netflix etc not allowing HD content?
I don't use Netflix in my setup, but it looks like it should support HD content. I spotted a few threads where people had trouble with specific systems like Dolby Digital with Nvidia Shield, so YMMV. This guide shows the setup process for Netflix, and it's pretty representative of what setting up other services is like: https://www.firesticktricks.com/netflix-kodi-addon.html
Genuinely just Tubi and spend your money on the hardware and get a used Shield is my advice
Tubi is owned by Fox and runs fascist propaganda with its ads
Didn't know that but I stand by my advice to invest in the hardware. You can at least install a VPN or ad block off a shield (without doing nerd full-network work).
Eta: Install tubi, buying into a public Plex server, and/or vanced would cover 99% of a person's watching needs at the cost of like 3 months of Netflix
The OSMC thing? I wanted to buy one when I had money.
Seems just as expensive as the Apple TV unfortunately
I know, but it's open source and that's my main criteria nowadays.
Roku may be discontinued but they're still relatively easy to get and should still work for everything except the actual roku channel app.
I would actually like to go back to one. It was the most basic-ass smart thing and did exactly what I needed it to do and nothing else. The smart TVs I've had since the dumb TV+Roku combo have been horrible.
I didn't even know they'd been discontinued!
I didn't either (because apparently they aren't); I just misunderstood the last sentence of your post and thought you were saying both Roku and Chromecast were discontinued.
Explains why they are still for sale everywhere lol
Yeah I probably needed a comma there lol
My last Roku froze up and overheated after a software update. It was also slow as molasses. It’s also a privacy nightmare.
What I ended up doing a couple years ago when I needed some was follow a guide I found online which told you how to take the $20 Walmart Onn brand Google TV box and set it up through side loading alternate apps to basically all of the shitty locked in Google stuff. I don't know how effective that will be now with the stuff Google is pulling but that's what I would be researching now if needed a new one.
Is it certified for HD content on Netflix etc or can you only get low quality streams?
I don't use Netflix so that I cannot say, personally never had issues with low quality but don't have specific numbers there.
Not cheap, but video game consoles also double as solid platforms for streaming. We had an old dumb TV + PS3 setup for nearly a decade until the PS3 finally died. Now we have a PS5 with the same old dumb TV.