What is this?
Aerial is an open-source Android TV launcher styled after tvOS, built for China-market TVs like Xiaomi and TCL. It replaces the ad-filled stock home screen with a clean app grid, your wallpaper, and Apple TV aerial screensavers, and takes over automatically at boot.
Aerial is an open-source Android TV launcher styled after tvOS, built for China-market TVs like Xiaomi and TCL. It replaces the ad-filled stock home screen with a clean app grid, your wallpaper, and Apple TV aerial screensavers, and takes over automatically at boot.Is this a store app or something I install manually?It's an Android TV launcher APK, not published on any app store. You install it over ADB from a computer and it becomes your TV's home screen app, replacing the manufacturer's launcher.
It's an Android TV launcher APK, not published on any app store. You install it over ADB from a computer and it becomes your TV's home screen app, replacing the manufacturer's launcher.How do I install it on my TV?First enable ADB debugging on the TV (the steps differ for Xiaomi, TCL, and stock Android TV/Google TV), then run the provided one-line install script from a computer on the same network, pointing it at the TV's IP — or hand the script to an agent like Claude Code or Cursor. A manual APK install from Releases also works.
First enable ADB debugging on the TV (the steps differ for Xiaomi, TCL, and stock Android TV/Google TV), then run the provided one-line install script from a computer on the same network, pointing it at the TV's IP — or hand the script to an agent like Claude Code or Cursor. A manual APK install from Releases also works.Do I need root or any special hardware?No root is required and no system apps get uninstalled or disabled — everything can be reverted with one command. You just need a computer able to reach the TV over ADB on the same network.
No root is required and no system apps get uninstalled or disabled — everything can be reverted with one command. You just need a computer able to reach the TV over ADB on the same network.Does it need internet to work?Yes — the aerial screensavers stream 1080p H.264 video live from Apple's servers at roughly 15-20 Mbps, and the daily wallpaper also needs a connection. HDMI device names only show as 'connected' without system permission, and on Xiaomi TVs the manufacturer's own screensaver can still briefly appear when idle inside another app.
Yes — the aerial screensavers stream 1080p H.264 video live from Apple's servers at roughly 15-20 Mbps, and the daily wallpaper also needs a connection. HDMI device names only show as 'connected' without system permission, and on Xiaomi TVs the manufacturer's own screensaver can still briefly appear when idle inside another app.Does it access my personal data?ADB grants it permissions like notification listener (used only to restart itself after being killed, not to read notifications) and location (used only to read the Wi-Fi network name).
ADB grants it permissions like notification listener (used only to restart itself after being killed, not to read notifications) and location (used only to read the Wi-Fi network name).How does Aerial survive Xiaomi killing third-party apps on standby?It registers a notification listener service that Android rebinds within about half a second after being force-stopped, letting Aerial restart itself and reopen its accessibility-based desktop guard.
It registers a notification listener service that Android rebinds within about half a second after being force-stopped, letting Aerial restart itself and reopen its accessibility-based desktop guard.What do the screensavers actually show?An aerial mode plays 114 real Apple TV drone clips streamed from Apple's servers with location names, a photos mode shows Bing's daily picture or your own photos, and a clock mode shifts position every minute to prevent burn-in.
An aerial mode plays 114 real Apple TV drone clips streamed from Apple's servers with location names, a photos mode shows Bing's daily picture or your own photos, and a clock mode shifts position every minute to prevent burn-in.Which TVs has it actually been verified on?It's confirmed working on several Xiaomi/Redmi HyperOS TVs, a TCL MT5879, and two Sony BRAVIA models; other brands like Hisense should work too but haven't been tested yet.
It's confirmed working on several Xiaomi/Redmi HyperOS TVs, a TCL MT5879, and two Sony BRAVIA models; other brands like Hisense should work too but haven't been tested yet.Can I upload my own photos as wallpaper without typing on the remote?Yes — opening the wallpaper panel shows a QR code with a one-time token; scanning it with your phone lets you upload photos, pick wallpapers, and switch screensavers from there.
Yes — opening the wallpaper panel shows a QR code with a one-time token; scanning it with your phone lets you upload photos, pick wallpapers, and switch screensavers from there.What are similar projects?lawnchair, DiPlay-CN, Shizuku-Next, morphe-manager, free-my-tv, breezy-weather, tv-fresh, CleanFrame
lawnchair, DiPlay-CN, Shizuku-Next, morphe-manager, free-my-tv, breezy-weather, tv-fresh, CleanFrame