There is an answer. /u/Myric277 has suggested a course of action that worked for me and others. I uninstalled the System App: Android TV Home. It rolls back any updates to the original settings. I then used the Google Play settings to turn off auto update for all apps.
The ads are gone, for now. Google ads are easily startled, but they'll soon be back, and in greater numbers.
Just got this on my Sony 900H.
I fucking hate it. They just forced ads into the top third of the homescreen that I have to navigate around which adds button presses and makes it more cumbersome to use.
This is my first AndroidTV and I’m super not happy about this change which I had no choice in receiving and have no choice in disabling.
It's horrible. Takes up network resources in the background and half the screen. I make a point of not watching anything promoted there and giving it a bad review. I know it makes no difference but at least I get to vent :)
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.google.android.tvlauncher&hl=en_US
This is the guilty component. You can leave Google some feedback...
Old versions:
https://www.apkmirror.com/apk/google-inc/android-tv-home-android-tv/
I fixed it by turning off auto update apps and then uninstalling updates for the Android TV Home app. Ads are gone now. I'll have to manually update apps, but I will take that over the stupid ads on my home screen.
This shit just showed up on my Sony TV today as well. I'm very frustrated with this. Definitely won't be getting an android OS TV next time I upgrade.
They showed me an ad for a show on Amazon Prime and I was like "hey, I think I have my brother's login for Prime, maybe I'll watch it" and when I clicked on it it brought me to the Google Play store for the Prime Video app, where it informed me this app was not compatible with my device. So you're showing me ads for apps you can't even support on a first-party Google device? Go fuck yourself Google.
Are you referring to ads like this? https://9to5google.com/2020/08/05/android-tv-homescreen-ad-cinematic-feature/
I have a TiVo and it was updated this morning with the new UI, don't like it one bit
imagine this feature on mi stick it's gonna be lagging so bad i suppose
I ordered a TiVO Stream 4k from Amazon for the living room, and it arrived August 2nd. After finding it acceptable as a Roku replacement that DOES allow me to watch HBO Max and Peacock, I ordered a second one for the bedroom that arrived on August 9th.
Tuesday I woke up and the new one in the bedroom had been updated with the staff picks/ads at the top. The one in the living room didn't have the update, though, until around the middle of today.
I imagine that each of the devices happens to be logged in to different nodes on the server system, and that there was some latency in the update hitting each of those nodes over the course of the slow roll-out.
Thanks for the info on how to disable the ads. I'll put that into place tomorrow. Appreciate it!
I was already annoyed by channels that keep popping up even though they’re disabled, but this takes the cake.
Just got the update and I am not happy!
What Android TV device do you have?
I have tried changing my DNS settings, but it doesn't change anything.
my 'android tv home' is on version 2.0.10. last updated april 21. don't have auto-updates on and will not be manually updating based on this post.
My homescreen is currently clean but I'm saving this thread just in case it happens to me at some stage soon.
I switched to ATV Launcher and Top TV Launcher 2. Finally glad to say goodbye to Google's Launcher.
Can this be turned off with PiHole?
Are these ads video with sound, silent video, or just still photographs?
I disabled all the Google Play App and the Google Play Store. Then I restarted my TV. The “Google Staff Picks” banner is gone! I hate Google so much.
Are you referring to the Apps Spotlight channel? You can remove the channel from the launcher, and it won't show up anymore. Just scroll to the bottom, select Customize Channels, and turn off what you don't want to see.
Have you tried switching to a different launcher?
It actually looks pretty good. Fills in what has been a dead empty space for so long. I'll get upset when they start advertising Toyota or Ford but they will be something else to ignore just like on Fire TV.
Hi, Ben from 9to5Google here. Google told us this cannot be turned off.