Samsung smart TV on Android?

by Affordable_Mac

Hey all! Recently my family purchased a new 65" Samsung TU8000, and we absolutely despise the Tizen smart TV interface. It's clunky, missing apps, and it's just not a fun time. Inversely, we have a lower-end TLC TV upstairs that has pretty much barebones Android TV on it, and we absolutely love it. I'm sure this has been asked before, but how can I load Android onto the Samsung? I know it can be done since I've heard it's similar to rooting a modern smartphone or something similar, but I would feel much more comfortable if there were a proper guide or something I could follow. If anyone can help out, it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

P.S. - If this is the wrong place to ask about this, can I be guided to the correct place?

_marcoos

Even if you could root it and install open-source Android (AOSP), you'd probably be missing some drivers, you wouldn't legally get Android TV (which is not part of AOSP) and you wouldn't get the proper keys required to e.g. watch Netflix.

The solution is not to try to load Android on the Samsung, but to get an Android TV box or stick and plug it into your Samsung's HDMI port.

wewewi

It absolutely cannot be done, sorry. You would need access to a bootloader unlocking tool that doesnt exist, and some Android build/rom that doesnt exist either. What's more, custom AndroidTV roms are not really a thing either; what little there is are usually complete hacks poorly put together with no certifications for anything. The rest would be regular Android builds, not to be compared with AndroidTV, regardless of the type of device they are loaded on. But really; that's pure bullcrap. What you want cannot be done.

However, you can totally slap a legitimate AndroidTV device on one of the HDMI ports. That's your only/best bet.

Dxsty98

Although you could try it definitely won't be easy. Samsungs Phone OS is based on Android, while Sammys TV (or also Wearable for that matter) one, is not.

I'm not saying it's impossible but I don't think it would be easy. What I'd in your case be doing is ditching as many smart features as possible on your TV and getting one of the new Chromecasts with Google TV instead.

Funfact: On the recent Google I/O Google announced that post a big WearOS redesign, Samsung together with Fitbit will join the WearOS ecosystem.

simiwood

Heres a guide https://support.google.com/chromecast/answer/10109990?hl=en