My TV spends more time idle than playing content. And every idle minute, Google TV shows me the same curated AI art or Google Photos memories — things I did not choose, do not control, and cannot change.
I wanted my own screensaver. 4K anime art from Wallhaven, video loops from MoeWalls — playing on my TV, not streamed from a cloud service I never asked for.
The Problem
Since Android TV 12, Google TV devices have locked down the screensaver selection. The Settings UI no longer lists third-party screensaver apps. You get Ambient Mode — Google Photos, AI art, or a black screen. That is it.
The change affected every Google TV device: Chromecast with Google TV, Google TV Streamer, and built-in Google TV on Sony, TCL, and Philips TVs.
The Solution
Aerial Views is an open-source screensaver app that supports 4K HDR videos, local photos, and media from USB/Samba/WebDAV. It is on the Play Store, but Google TV hides it from the launcher. You install it anyway via ADB and force the system to use it.
The full pipeline:
1. Enable Developer Options on the TV
Settings → Device Preferences → About → Build → click 7 times
Settings → System → Developer options → USB debugging → ON
Note down the TV's IP address: Settings → Network → Wi-Fi → IP address.
2. Install ADB
brew install android-platform-tools
adb version
3. Connect to the TV
adb connect <TV_IP>:5555
If the connection is refused (common on Android 14+ Chromecast with Google TV):
- Go to Developer options → Wireless debugging on the TV
- Select Pair device with pairing code
- Run the pair command shown on TV, then connect:
adb pair <IP>:<PORT> # enter the 6-digit code
adb connect <IP>:<PORT>
4. Download and Install Aerial Views
curl -LO https://github.com/theothernt/AerialViews/releases/download/1.8.2/aerial-views-1.8.2.apk
adb install aerial-views-1.8.2.apk
5. Set It as the System Screensaver
This is the critical step — it bypasses Google TV's UI lock:
adb shell settings put secure screensaver_components \
com.neilturner.aerialviews/.ui.screensaver.DreamActivity
# Verify
adb shell settings get secure screensaver_components
# Expected: com.neilturner.aerialviews/.ui.screensaver.DreamActivity
6. Push Your Own Media
# Create a folder on the TV
adb shell mkdir -p /sdcard/AerialViews
# Push 4K images and videos
adb push ~/Downloads/wallhaven/*.png /sdcard/AerialViews/
adb push ~/Downloads/moewall/*.mp4 /sdcard/AerialViews/
# Verify
adb shell find /sdcard/AerialViews -type f
7. Configure Aerial Views on the TV
Open the Aerial Views app from the app drawer and configure:
-
Sources → Local storage
- Mode: Folder access
- Path:
/AerialViews - Ensure only one volume is selected
-
Playlist — disable ALL online sources (Apple, Amazon, Jetson Creative, Robin Fourcade). Enable only Local storage
- Set Media type: Mixed or Photos only
- Adjust Photo duration to your preference
Overlays (optional) — clock, date, location
Back → Test screensaver to preview
Where to Find 4K Anime Media
Google TV is 16:9 4K, so aim for 3840×2160 content:
| Site | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Wallhaven | Images | 4K PNG, best for anime art, bans AI art |
| DesktopHut | Video loops | Free 4K MP4, anime/gaming/nature |
| MoeWalls | Video loops | Anime-focused 4K MP4/WEBM, free |
| Pixabay | Videos | 15K+ free backgrounds, 4K, royalty-free |
The Current Setup
My TV now cycles through a mix of 4K Wallhaven images and a video loop from MoeWalls — about 151 MB of local content that plays regardless of internet connectivity.
/sdcard/AerialViews/
├── wallhaven-je86dy_3840x2160.png
├── wallhaven-d86o9g_3840x2160.png
├── wallhaven-6llg7q_3840x2160.png
├── ... # 8 more images
└── moewalls/
└── cat-in-the-swamp-moewalls-com.mp4
Quick Reference
| Action | Command |
|---|---|
| Connect | adb connect <IP>:5555 |
| Pair (if needed) | adb pair <IP>:<PORT> |
| Install APK | adb install app.apk |
| Push files | adb push <local> <remote> |
| Set screensaver | adb shell settings put secure screensaver_components com.neilturner.aerialviews/.ui.screensaver.DreamActivity |
| Restore default | adb shell settings put secure screensaver_components com.google.android.apps.tv.dreamx/.service.Backdrop |
| Change idle timeout | adb shell settings put system screen_off_timeout 300000 |
The fix took 15 minutes. Most of that was downloading wallpapers. The TV sits idle, and now it shows exactly what I want — no cloud, no AI, no algorithm.
Image credits and attribution — please contact if anything needs updating.
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