Android TV - Installing an app using a file explorer app

Installing a demo app on Android TV

- Guidance Note

Introduction

Apps created for Android TV in Zapp can be sideloaded onto an Android TV device. There are 2 methods

• Via a file manager app
• Via Terminal

Enable Developer Mode on Android TV

On your Android TV device go to

>>Settings>>Preferences>>Developer Options and turn on Enable Developer Options

File Manager app

1. Download the app ES File Manager from Google Play Store onto your Android TV 
   • 
2. Download the Applicaster Android TV .apk file from Zapp to your PC
3. Upload the .apk to your Google Drive
4. Open the ES File Manager app on the Android TV
   • Navigate in the left menu to >>Network>>Cloud Drive
   • Add your Google Drive Account to the app with +NEW button
   • Once added, open your Google Drive account in ES File Explorer and find the .apk file. Click OK and follow the install process
5.  The app will install and can be found in the Android TV device by navigating to
   • >>Home>>Settings>>Apps>>Downloaded Apps
   • /Or/ Navigate to the end of the Apps row in the Android TV home screen and select Add App To Favourites. Selecting your app will add it to the Apps row

Terminal install

To use the terminal to install an app

1. Android Studio must be installed on your PC
• Download it here https://developer.android.com/studio/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI_JyRspKC5AIVBLTtCh3r3gAIEAAYASAAEgIzSPD_BwE
• Run the install process
2. Developer mode must be enabled on the Android TV
   • Set Enable Developer Options
• Go to >>Settings>>About>>Build Number
• Repeatedly press OK on Build Number until Developer Mode is enabled
• Go back to Settings>>Preferences>>Developer Options
  • Set Enable Developer Options
3. Once installed open terminal on your PC
4. Find the IP address of your Android TV device >>Settings>>WiFi. Make sure the PC and Android TV are on the same WiFi or wired network
5. In terminal run the command s
• adb connect IPddressofTVdevice
• adb install dragapkfilehere

File transfer can take around 60secs and there is no progress visible until the transfer completes

If you get the error message at step 4b. $ADB_VENDOR_KEYS is not set; try 'adb kill-server' if that seems wrong 

then follow the procedure below:

1. On your PC go to this directory in Finder: ~/.android/adbkey/
2. Delete the 2 files adbkey and adbkey.pub
3. In terminal type adb kill-server then adb start-server
4. Then type adb connect IPddressofTVdevice
5. Look for the message on the Android TV device to accept the connection
• Accept the connection and then in terminal type adb install dragapkfilehere