Developers are using AI coding assistants to remove advertisements, disable tracking features, and replace slow home screens on smart TVs. Projects such as dumbtv and cleanyourtv allow users to customize their television interfaces, reduce unwanted software, and access their preferred applications without sponsored content.
The modifications address features commonly found in modern smart TVs, including automatic content recognition (ACR), which identifies what users watch through screenshots, audio samples, or digital fingerprinting. Manufacturers and advertisers can use this information to analyze viewing habits and deliver personalized advertisements.
AI Tools Help Users Customize Smart TV Interfaces
One project, cleanyourtv, was created by developer Gathin T. after he became frustrated with advertisements appearing on his parents’ television. Using Anthropic’s Claude Code, he removed 25 Xiaomi software packages over Wi-Fi and built a simplified home screen resembling Apple TV.
The project works with Android TV and Google TV devices without requiring root access or permanently removing system software. Gathin said thousands of users subsequently tried the solution on televisions from manufacturers including Xiaomi, TCL, and Sony.
Another project, dumbtv, was developed by Muzzammil Yasin Sabuwala to remove television advertisements, limit viewing tracking, and simplify application access. The software has been tested on Fire TV Edition devices and Android or Google TV systems from Sony, TCL, Philips, Hisense, Xiaomi, and Nvidia Shield.
Sabuwala told TechCrunch that he developed the project using DeepSeek V4.1 Flash, Claude Opus 5.5, and Claude Sonnet 5.5. Users can direct an AI coding assistant to the project’s GitHub repository to begin configuring their televisions.
Users Report Faster Interfaces but Face Technical Risks
Other developers have reported similar results using AI coding assistants without relying on existing projects. Ryan Doyle said he provided Claude Code with his television’s product listing and asked whether it could modify the device.
According to Doyle, the assistant guided him through removing advertisements and unnecessary software, improving interface responsiveness, and customizing his screensaver. He demonstrated the modified interface in a video posted on X.
Another user, Mihir Gupta, reported disabling 25 unnecessary applications and replacing a 192 MB default launcher with an 83 MB customized version. His modifications also included rotating wallpapers.
However, results have varied across devices, with some users reporting that Claude required more detailed instructions before making changes. Others warned that AI assistants could disable essential system components, while users reported rendering an Android TV unusable or getting stuck during Fire TV modifications.
Both dumbtv and cleanyourtv remain under development, with users testing compatibility and suggesting fixes across different television platforms. Developers are also updating their projects as additional device configurations are tested.
For users who prefer existing customization tools, Projectivy Launcher, ATV Launcher, and FLauncher provide alternative home screens for Android-based televisions without requiring AI-generated modifications.
Featured image credits: Magnific.com
For more stories like it, click the +Follow button at the top of this page to follow us.