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https://github.com/theothernt/AerialViews
A screensaver for Android TV devices including Nvidia Shield, Fire TV, and Chromecast with Google TV. Inspired by Apple TV's video screensaver.
https://github.com/theothernt/AerialViews
android android-tv chromecast exoplayer2 google-tv kotlin nvidia-shield screensaver
Last synced: 1 day ago
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A screensaver for Android TV devices including Nvidia Shield, Fire TV, and Chromecast with Google TV. Inspired by Apple TV's video screensaver.
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/theothernt/AerialViews
- Owner: theothernt
- License: gpl-3.0
- Created: 2020-03-16T16:54:43.000Z (almost 5 years ago)
- Default Branch: master
- Last Pushed: 2025-01-20T11:03:02.000Z (6 days ago)
- Last Synced: 2025-01-20T12:21:05.850Z (6 days ago)
- Topics: android, android-tv, chromecast, exoplayer2, google-tv, kotlin, nvidia-shield, screensaver
- Language: Kotlin
- Homepage:
- Size: 5.29 MB
- Stars: 564
- Watchers: 10
- Forks: 37
- Open Issues: 27
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
- Funding: .github/FUNDING.yml
- License: LICENSE
Awesome Lists containing this project
README
# Aerial Views
[](https://github.com/theothernt/AerialViews/releases/latest)
[](https://github.com/theothernt/AerialViews/releases/latest)
[](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.neilturner.aerialviews)
[](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B4PPSNT6)
[](https://android-arsenal.com/api?level=22)
[](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/theothernt/AerialViews/master/LICENSE)
A screensaver for Android TV devices including Nvidia Shield, Fire TV, and Chromecast with Google TV. Inspired by Apple TV's video screensaver.
*Please read if you have a [Nvidia Shield](#nvidia-shield-users), [Chromecast with Google TV](#how-to-set-aerial-views-as-the-default-screensaver), [onn. Google TV 4K Streaming Box](#how-to-set-aerial-views-as-the-default-screensaver) or [Amazon Fire TV](#how-to-set-aerial-views-as-the-default-screensaver)*
## Features include...
* 4K Dolby Vision (HDR) videos, if your TV supports it
* Over 150 videos from Apple, Jetson Creative and Robin Fourcade
* Play videos from your device, USB storage or network share
* Option to avoid burn-in on QD/OLED TVs
* Skip videos, change speed with the d-pad
* Refresh rate switching
## Support the project
If you enjoy using the app, please consider [buying me a coffee](https://ko-fi.com/theothernt).
[](https://ko-fi.com/theothernt)
## How to get Aerial Views...
[](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.neilturner.aerialviews)
[
](http://www.amazon.com/gp/mas/dl/android?p=com.neilturner.aerialviews)
Or [download the APK from the Releases page](https://github.com/theothernt/AerialViews/releases) and install it manually
## Translations
If Aerial Views is not available in your language but you have some free time to help translate menu text and video descriptions, please get in touch!
We use the [Lokalise](https://lokalise.com/) platform to coordinate translations for Aerial Views and thank them for their support of this open-source project.
[](https://lokalise.com/)
## Where to download videos for offline/local playback
Follow these links to download the videos from...
* [Apple](https://aerial-videos.netlify.app/#apple) (114 videos)
* [Jetson Creative](https://aerial-videos.netlify.app/#jetson-creative) (20 community videos)
* [Robin Fourcade](https://aerial-videos.netlify.app/#robin-fourcade) (18 community videos)
## HDR videos don't seem to play, I only see black screen...
Apple's videos only support Dolby Vision HDR. Even if your TV supports HDR, it might not support Dolby Vision.
Here are some things to try...
* Find the make and model of your TV, search online for a product page for that device and it should list the supported HDR modes (there are a few!)
* If you use a Nvidia Shield, please [follow their instructions on how to enable (or confirm) that Dolby Vision playback is possible](https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/shield/support/shield-tv/enable-dolby-vision-hdr10-on-shield/)
* Confirm that Dolby Vision playback works in other apps like Netflix, Disney+, or Amazon Prime Video
## Nvidia Shield users
If your device is running Android 11 (Shield Experience 9+) and you want to play videos from a USB storage device, make sure the following setting is enabled:
`Settings > Device Preferences > Storage > Scan for
media automatically`
## How to set Aerial Views as the default screensaver
Since 2023, nearly all devices that ship with Google TV have no user-interface to change the screensaver to a 3rd party one...
* __Chromecast with Google TV, Google TV Streamer__
* __Recent MECOOL devices__
* __Recent TCL, Philips, and Sony TVs__
* __onn. Google TV devices (excluding the 2021 model)__
* __Fire TV__
But it can be done manually. Here is an overview of the steps...
1. Enable Developer mode, enable USB debugging, then find the IP address of your device
2. Use a Mac, iPhone, PC or Android phone with the required software or app
3. Connect to your Android/Google/Fire TV device
4. Run two ADB commands, one to set Aerial Views as the default screensaver, the other to set how long it takes the screensaver to start
Enable Developer Mode on your Android/Google TV
Navigate to the Settings menu on your device, then to the About screen. Depending on the device…
`Settings > System > About` or
`Settings > Device Preferences > About`
Scroll down to __Build__ and select __Build__ several times until you get the message "You are now a developer!"
Return to __Settings__ and look for the newly enabled __Developer options__ page.
On the __Developer options__ page, look for the __USB debugging__ option and enable it.
Next, find the __IP address__ of your device. Try looking in the Network & Internet settings of the device, check the properties of the current LAN or WIFI connection - that should list the current IP address eg. 192.168.1.105
Enable Developer Mode on Fire Stick/TV
Open __Settings__, then navigate to __My Fire TV__ then the __About__ screen.
Highlight the first option on the list, which is usually your device's name, and press the action button on your remote seven times.
You'll now see a message confirming "You are now a developer", and it'll unlock the __Developer Options__ in the previous menu.
Navigate to the __Developer Options__ page, look for the __ADB debugging__ option and enable it.
Next, find the IP address of your device and make a note of it. Navigate to the __About__ then __Network__ screen, which will show your current IP address eg. 192.168.1.120
Allow Auto Launch on TCL TVs
If you have a TCL TV with Google TV, you need to allow the Auto Launch permission so that Aerial Views can be launched from the background when the screensaver starts.
Otherwise, the screensaver cannot be started, either automatically, or manually via the Screensaver menu shortcut, unless the Aerial Views app has been recently opened (see [#191](https://github.com/theothernt/AerialViews/issues/191) for details).
1. Open the __Safety Guard__ app on your TV
2. Navigate to `Permission Shield > Auto Launch Permission`
3. Change the `Auto manager` at the top to `Closed` - this allows you to manually select which apps can auto-launch instead of the system deciding automatically
4. Scroll to __Aerial Views__ and change it to `Opened`
Connect using an iPhone
Find an iPhone app that is capable of running ADB commands, [such as iSH Shell](https://ish.app/), which is free.
Once installed, run the app and install the Android Tools with the following commands…
```sh
apk update
apk add android-tools
```
To check if the ADB command is working, try typing…
```sh
adb version
```
After pressing return, you should see something like this
```sh
Android Debug Bridge version 1.0.41
Version 31.0.0p1-android-tools
```
Now you can execute ADB commands.
Connect using an Android phone
Find an Android app that is capable of running ADB commands, [such as Remote Termux](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.termux), which is free.
Once installed, run the app and install the Android Tools with the following commands…
```sh
pkg update
pkg install android-tools
```
To check if the ADB command is working, try typing…
```sh
adb version
```
After pressing return, you should see something like this
```sh
Android Debug Bridge version 1.0.41
Version 34.0.0p1-android-tools
```
Now you can execute ADB commands.
Connect using a Mac
Download the official [SDK Platform Tools](https://developer.android.com/studio/releases/platform-tools) for Mac.
Extract the files from the ZIP archive to a folder. Then open a Terminal or Command Prompt and navigate to the folder.
To check if the ADB command is working, try typing…
```sh
adb version
```
After pressing return, you should see something like this
```sh
Android Debug Bridge version 1.0.41
Version 35.0.0-11411520
```
Now you can execute ADB commands.
Connect using a PC with Windows
Download the official [SDK Platform Tools](https://developer.android.com/studio/releases/platform-tools) for Windows.
An alternate option is [Tiny ADB and Fastboot Tool (Portable version)](https://androidmtk.com/tiny-adb-and-fastboot-tool) but they both work in the same way.
Extract the files from the ZIP archive to a folder. Then open a Terminal or Command Prompt and navigate to the folder.
To check if the ADB command is working, try typing…
```sh
adb version
```
After pressing return, you should see something like this
```sh
Android Debug Bridge version 1.0.41
Version 35.0.0-11411520
```
ADB command - set Aerial Views as the default screensaver
Connect to your Android TV device and start a command shell...
```sh
adb connect
```
:information_source: *Use the IP address of your device from earlier steps, it should be something like 192.168.1.98*
```sh
adb shell
```
:information_source: *The first time you connect to your Android TV device, you will probably see a confirmation dialogue asking to "allow" the connection*
Next, set Aerial Views as the default screensaver with this command…
```sh
settings put secure screensaver_components com.neilturner.aerialviews/.ui.screensaver.DreamActivity
```
Optional: Confirm that the command was run successfully, as there is no confirmation when the command above is run.
```sh
settings get secure screensaver_components
```
If set correctly, you should see...
```sh
com.neilturner.aerialviews/com.neilturner.aerialviews.ui.screensaver.DreamActivity
```
ADB command - change the screensaver timeout
To change the default timeout use this command with a value in milliseconds. So, 5 minutes is 300000, 10 minutes is 600000 and so on.
```sh
settings put system screen_off_timeout 600000
```
How to revert back to the default screensaver
For whatever reason, if you would like to stop using Aerial Views and revert back to the original screensaver, there are two options…
* Reset your device. Doing so will also reset the screensaver preference
* Use an ADB commands to enable the default screensaver, depending on your device
1. Follow the instructions above to connect to your Android/Google TV device using an iPhone, Android phone, Mac, PC, etc
2. Run one of the following commands...
### To restore the default Google TV ambient screensaver
```sh
settings put secure screensaver_components com.google.android.apps.tv.dreamx/.service.Backdrop
```
### To restore the default Fire TV screensaver
```sh
settings put secure screensaver_components com.amazon.bueller.photos/.daydream.ScreenSaverService
```
### To restore the default (older) Android TV backdrop screensaver
```sh
settings put secure screensaver_components com.google.android.backdrop/.Backdrop
```
## Weather data
Thanks to [OpenWeather](https://openweathermap.org/) for providing weather data to this and other open-source projects.
[](https://openweathermap.org/)
## About
Aerial Views is based on [Aerial Dream](https://github.com/cachapa/AerialDream), which was created by Daniel Cachapa in late 2015.
Aerial Views started in early 2020 as a fork with a couple of fixes and features to improve the experience on an old Sony Android TV. Around this time, Aerial Dream was not in active development anymore.
Shortly after putting the code on GitHub, others found the fork and started requesting new builds with fixes and additional features. This led to the eventual release of Aerial Views on the Google Play Store in 2022, and later, the Amazon Appstore.