Ads on Shield

by bricked_machine

I'm considering a Shield Pro, as my older (2016) Bravia really sucks now: sub-standard performance, buggy, etc. I realize it's underpowered, so I'm looking to get something more responsive and doesn't force me to make sure only one app is running at a time in order for it to perform properly.

However, I'm seeing a lot of complaints on Amazon about ads that appeared on their Shield home screen around June of 2021.

How bad is this, and is there a way around it?

Edit: Sorry for asking a legitimate question. Thanks to everyone that replied. Sorry you were all downvoted for answering a legitimate question and trying to help someone out. People on this sub are really something.

Eyetron2020

I think you are probably talking about the ad banner that's part of the Google TV home screen with the rebrand from Android TV. I hate it too. I used ADB to disable that home screen / launcher and use a basic third party launcher instead that is just some app icons and my own wallpaper background (FLauncher).

I did this for my Chromecast with Google TV dongle and also my Sony TV that uses the Google TV platform. I don't have experience with Shield but I would think you can do the same thing there since it's the same underlying operating system.

Purple_Passion000

What people are complaining about are the suggestuons banner at the top. It's not really a banner as it doesn't have hard edges. Honestly, now that I've gotten used to it, it feels more like wallpaper decoration. Sometimes I'll think "yeah, I should check that out" and other times I just ignore it.

The situation is a bit different than on the Chromecast which has more "suggestions" in a row of its own, but even those are from services I use. Especially compared to the Firestick UI it isn't bad. People just like to bitch about losing the plain UI that once was.

Expensive_Finger_973

The Google TV UI is worse and more cluttered than what came before. But my biggest issues with my Shield over the last few months has been with the updates just being a buggy mess.

Of the last 3 Shield updates mine has gotten 2 of them have caused the performance to tank and the UI to glitch is odd ways until I do a factory reset. Then it is fine until the next update.

Not the end of the world but having to re-setup all of my accounts and third party launcher is a pain.

ooftymcgoofty

You could roll it back to android 9. On the current version, 11, I don't think there's a way. Anyone done it?

teatowl66

Roll it back to 8.2.3 and use pihole to block updates 👍 runs perfectly, no ads

EDIT : Android tv home app should never be updated. That will fill the home screen with ads