Naturally, the main reason to buy a Google TV Streamer is to add a better interface to your TV, whether it’s already smart or one of the holdout dumb models out there. While I tend to think of Roku OS, Fire TV, and even Tizen as being functional platforms, they all have their quirks and irritations, so some of you may just prefer Google’s approach. It makes plenty of sense to add a Streamer if you’ve got a Google-based smart home setup.
If you’re going to hinge your whole home theater on single device, it’s wise to learn its ins and outs. This list isn’t meant to be comprehensive, mind you. It’s just to get you pointed in the right direction, and you’ll no doubt figure out a lot of the smaller things over time. When in doubt, it can’t hurt to explore menus on your own.
Switching to apps-only mode
When your needs are straightforward
For some people, the default Google TV homescreen is needlessly complicated. There’s usually a huge advertising banner, and row after row of recommendations that you may not care about in the slightest. I know that when I flip on my TV, I either have a specifc title in mind or plan to browse specific apps — I’m not going to watch something just because a thumbnail was shoved in front of me. More on that problem in a later tip.
This not only removes the normal banners and recommendation carousels, but search…