I'm with you! I love FLauncher and hope Google never defeats the ability to make it the default launcher. The main thing I don't like about the CCwGTV home screen is that it's just way too busy and in-your-face (for my tastes, anyway).

I sometimes have the home screen up while working on other things in the living room and it bugs me to have my TV constantly bombarding me with frenetic images. I like the "zen" look of FLauncher. Ahhhh.... So peaceful when you're not watching a program.

And it's not just the busyness of the images that bothers me -- sometimes they're very negative, violent, or disturbing. I don't like looking up and seeing a giant picture of a knife dripping blood, or a terrified face, etc. Now, with FLauncher, I just see the icons for my apps (Netflix, Plex, etc.) against a peaceful background.

Another thing I like about FLauncher: It's well maintained and the developer is responsive to user comments. See: https://gitlab.com/etienn01/flauncher

If you scroll down on that page you'll see info on how to use adb to make FLauncher your default launcher (as the OP mentioned). I'm only moderately techy, but I was able make the change without issue after doing just a little research -- I thought there might be a downside or that I'd mess up my CCwGTV, but I've had no problems.

Note that you can use and enjoy FLauncher without adb configuration; you can simply use Button Mapper to map your Home Button to FLauncher (super easy as also described at the above link) -- the experience is just not quite as seamless as full integration via adb.

BTW, if you have any issues using adb, here's a procedure I put together that's tailored to CCwGTV:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Chromecast/comments/s96moi/how_to_connect_to_ccwgtv_via_adb_using_only_wifi/

you have to disable the GOOGLE PLAY AUTOMATIC UPDATES....depending on what type of device you have....look it up on youtube and find out how to disable it....

If they want everyone to go Apple then yes.

I guess they could, but doubt they would, unlike Amazon Fire devices.

technically they could by just changing the package's manifest, but i don't see them doing so honestly, especially they haven't done so already with as long as the ccwgtv has been out. not saying it couldn't happen, just doesn't line up with google's behavior with other android devices & android in general.

even if they did disable disabling the stock launcher with adb, we'd still be able to use the button mapper method so everything would be good, bm uses the standard android accessibility api which they can't realistically disable because... well, it's the accessibility api, & also it's used by system services as well

Technically it's kind of disabled already, with android TV we have to use workarounds to disable TV home or button mapper, unlike normal android where it's selectable when home is pressed what launcher you want to use, soloutions are new launcher and install/disable stock ATV launcher or home button mapping :)

What's the percentage of people with Google or Android TV who use 3rd party launchers and then what percentage of that would leave the Android TV ecosystem because of 3rd party launchers not working? It's smaller than miniscule so it could happen and Google won't care.

I'm still amazed by how many people on these subs that must just sit there and stare at their home screen on their device instead of actually watching something on it.