Hey I recently got the Onn 4K UHD box once I saw that the price dropped to $20. It's the best value out there currently. I've been looking all around this subreddit and other android tv guides on how to do a bunch of customizations to it. Below is a list of things that I've done to my device. This should also mostly work on any other android TV device like chromecast or mecool.
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ADB over network: Enable dev mode, make sure usb debugging is turned on, get adb working on your computer, connect Onn to computer via usb, type in terminal/cmd: 'adb tcpip 5555' to enable ADB over tcpip ( Found from this comment )
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Remove bloat/apps: Now that you got adb enabled over network, do that and connect. Follow the commands in this thread here
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Change default launcher: Download a different launcher that you want to use (stock one has ads). I personally use Flauncher (or gitlab ). It's simple, open source, and very clean. There's also another great thread with a massive list of alternative launchers here, this is where I found Flauncher. After installing a launcher, do the following command in ADB to remove stock launcher. After installing, you will be prompted with picking a default launcher. Pick your chosen launcher and select Always. ( source here )
adb shell pm uninstall -k --user 0 com.google.android.tvlauncher
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If you want to add storage via usb, you're gonna need an OTG adapter and follow this guide here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2uNiRUa6iuo
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If you want to have a custom rom with Android 11, you can flash LineageOS on your Onn UHD box. There aren't too many great uses for most users so I wouldn't recommend it. You do get an unlocked bootloader and root. This would be the most bleeding-edge android tv experience you could get since it's on Android 11 while stock is Android 10. Just beware that Netflix is currently broken on LineageOS. Something about the DRM getting in the way, they're working on fixing that eventually. Alternatively, you can just root the stock image with Magisk, and Netflix will work fine and you can easily remap all the buttons. Updates to root stock will remove root, so must reinstall whenever there's an update. ( XDA ) ( Unlock bootloader here ) ( Root Instructions ) ( Button Remap ) ( Video guide by /u/spacedengineer007 )
Installing 3rd party apps: You can either use adb or Downloader (from playstore ). Here are the apps that I personally use:
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Aerial Views , this is a screensaver app that uses the flying screensavers of landscapes, oceans, mountains, etc from Apple TV screensavers. It's a fork of Aerial Dream. Once you've installed this you can go into your android tv settings and change screensaver easy and test it.
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SmartTubeNext , this is just adfree youtube + sponsorblock. Must have but unfortunately doesn't work with the Onn remote's youtube button (unless you rooted stock rom or got lineageOS). ( Github )
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Aptoide TV , 3rd party app store. Worth browsing around.
You can download Amazon Prime TV apk on here since you can’t normally use it on this Onn 4k box...The play store on my Onn now has Prime Video TV officially. -
Apps in the play store that I use: Kodi (best for free IPTV and other streams), Plex/Jellyfin (self-hosted media streaming), Netflix, S0undTV (3rd party Twitch client, NO ADS), Surfshark VPN, Retroarch (emulator), Button Remapper.
Hey guys! I made a YouTube video on how to take Onn Tv Box from set-up, to unlocked bootloader/root, to debloating (thanks to this thread and several others), adding a custom launcher, to using Tasker to "re-route" the buttons on the remote and more. Hope it helps anyone having trouble or new to the device! Thanks!
https://youtu.be/zvtv-mq94RM