explaingit

yuliskov/smarttube

📈 Trending★ 30,126JavaAudience · generalComplexity · 2/5ActiveLicenseSetup · moderate

TLDR

Free, ad-free media player for Android TV that lets you watch videos without ads, Google sign-in, or tracking, fully customizable with remote control.

Mindmap

mindmap
  root((SmartTube))
    What it does
      Ad-free playback
      No Google login
      Remote control UI
    Key features
      SponsorBlock integration
      Adjustable speed
      Up to 8K support
      HDR compatible
    How to use
      Sideload APK file
      Install on TV box
      No app store needed
    Tech stack
      Java and Kotlin
      RxJava
      Retrofit
    Audience
      Android TV owners
      Cord cutters
      Privacy conscious

Things people build with this

USE CASE 1

Watch videos on your Android TV without ads or account sign-in requirements.

USE CASE 2

Set up a media player on an older TV box that doesn't have Google Play Store access.

USE CASE 3

Customize playback controls and skip sponsored segments automatically using SponsorBlock.

USE CASE 4

Stream 4K or 8K video with HDR support on compatible Android TV hardware.

Tech stack

JavaKotlinRxJavaRetrofitAndroid

Getting it running

Difficulty · moderate Time to first run · 30min

Requires Android SDK, emulator or physical Android TV device, and building from source with Gradle.

Use freely for any purpose including commercial, as long as you keep the copyright notice.

In plain English

SmartTube is a free, open-source media player designed specifically for Android TV devices and TV boxes. It solves the problem of watching online video on a television without ads, with more control over playback settings, and without needing Google account sign-in. The app connects to public video sources and displays them through a TV-optimized interface built for remote control navigation. Key features include a clean interface with no advertisements, integration with SponsorBlock (a community tool that automatically skips sponsored segments in videos), adjustable playback speed, support for up to 8K resolution and 60 frames per second, HDR compatibility, live chat viewing, and fully customizable buttons. It also runs without requiring Google Services, making it suitable for older or stripped-down Android TV devices. SmartTube is not available on any app store and must be installed manually by sideloading the APK file, that is, downloading it directly from the project's website and installing it through a file manager or downloader app. The app works on all Android TVs and TV boxes, including devices running Android as far back as version 4.3. It is not compatible with smartphones, tablets, Samsung Tizen, LG webOS, Apple TV, or Amazon FireTV devices released after October 2025. You would use this if you want a more customizable, ad-free viewing experience on your Android TV or TV box. The tech stack is Java and Kotlin, using RxJava and Retrofit for Android development.

Copy-paste prompts

Prompt 1
How do I sideload the SmartTube APK onto my Android TV box and what file manager should I use?
Prompt 2
Show me how to enable SponsorBlock in SmartTube to automatically skip sponsored segments.
Prompt 3
What are the minimum Android TV requirements to run SmartTube, and does it work on my device?
Prompt 4
How do I customize the playback buttons and controls in SmartTube for my remote?
Prompt 5
Can I use SmartTube to watch live streams and access live chat on my TV?
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Generated 2026-05-18 · Model: sonnet-4-6 · Verify against the repo before relying on details.