# Google TV

13 Hacker News commenters recommended Google TV and 23 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 7 of 13 months.

**Verdict:** People like its fast, familiar Android experience and trust Google's handling of data, and a custom launcher or app-only mode hides most of its recommendations. Critics say ads have crept into the home screen.

## Why people recommend it

- Custom launcher removes recommendation clutter (2 comments): "The custom launcher gets rid of those shitty recommend videos on YouTube / Prime / Netflix..." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49124909)) "My Google TV with Projectivity Launcher shows zero launcher ads unlike my Apple TV." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46274862))
- Ad-free with app-only mode (3 comments): "What made me switch to App-only mode was that ads started appearing for general consumer products." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50160768)) "At least that way I don't see any ads." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46273909)) "My Google TV with Projectivity Launcher shows zero launcher ads unlike my Apple TV." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46274862))
- Fast, good Android experience (2 comments): "The Google TV Android based experience is very good" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48113202)) "Its quite fast and remembers my history better." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48545829))
- Trusted Google on privacy (2 comments): "I already trust them on my phones anyway." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48541673)) "Google doesn't do scummy screen spying" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48542682))

## What people warn about

- Home screen filled with ads (5 comments): "Google TV that just shoves full-screen crap of "YOU WANNA SEE THIS MARVEL MOVIE?!" at you" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46272989)) "Google TV's homescreen is giant ads for content on services I don't subscribe to" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49600094)) "Google TV showing ads on the home screen convinced me to buy an Apple TV." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46175686))
- Ads added to more of the UI (3 comments): "What made me switch to App-only mode was that ads started appearing for general consumer products." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50160768)) "seemed like ads got added to another part of the UI every month so I got sick of it" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49605194)) "There's another thread on HN today about ads in google TV." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50168823))
- Telemetry and data collection concerns (3 comments): "Google TV may be one of my least favorite and most insidious Google products" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48700394)) "I think it's silently turning on to send some kind of telemetry." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49597394)) "Doesn't inspire trust as far as spying and data collection goes." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49678259))
- Slow since Gemini update (2 comments): "navigate the molasses-slow interface chock-full of ads" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47494786)) "My Google TV has become slow since the Gemini update" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49345608))

## Alternatives hackers recommend

- [Projectivy Launcher](https://hackerapproved.com/p/projectivy-launcher.md): 29 recommend
- [LG webOS](https://hackerapproved.com/p/lg-webos-tv.md): 8 recommend
- [CoreELEC](https://hackerapproved.com/p/coreelec.md): 5 recommend

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "Google TV", https://hackerapproved.com/p/google-tv/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).