Is there a way to image a AndroidTV device? I want to create a setup with apps and settings that I can create an image then slam that image onto new devices. I have about 10 or so rooms that I'm outfitting and it would be nice to not have to manually set these up each time.
Throwing all your apks on a USB flash drive might save some time.
I have done this with amlogic devices using the Amlogic Customization Tool.
You load an image into the tool and it extracts the contents into the filesystem where you can make modifications. You can add/remove apps, change boot images, wallpapers and you can go deep into the system partition and change drivers, boot scripts, etc...
I have only done this with amlogic devices to port pre-Nougat ROMs to some of my devices, but I suppose there are similar tools for other makers.
I would just research whatever method works on Android and then use that same method for Android TV.
Which specific device do you plan to use? Proper strategy is box dependent.
It's simply not going to work for copy protected, paid for streaming Apps like Netflix and I will tell you why.
Those sort of Apps need HDCP keys and these are flashed to a secure area of eMMC storage on Android TV devices. Those Keys are also individually coded to each Android TV devices unique Hardware MAC address.
You simply cannot go about flashing legit Android TV devices images on to other media players. The end result will be a black screen after the boot screen Logo when HDCP copy protection kicks in after HDMI/HDCP handshaking fails.
So i use customization tool like what was mentioned before to create the Android TV firmware and flash that to my amlogic boxes. Then you can either use TWRP to backup data partition and restore on other boxes or what my group is currently doing is installing a zip file that contains all the software and data for the apps onto the system to restore our retro gaming apps and all of our streaming apps. its pretty slick.
Root access is not feasible with MDZ-16-AB and it will preclude installing an 'image'. OTOH that generic box is missing too many critical assets relating to DRM and licensed codecs so as to make it useless with advanced streaming apps like Netflix, Youtube and the like.
I have a script that will install apks en masse with a single keystroke if that will help...
Nandroid backup/restore maybe. I'm just not sure if you can restore a nandroid backup on a different device than the one used for the backup