yashsingh1/xdaforums huggingface dataset:
[Fire TV General] SweenWolf:
Widgets does not work on Firestick 4k aka mantis
[Fire TV General] gabardal:
Thank you, wasn't aware of that. Great work, by the way!
[Fire TV General] howard12!!!:
Are the links down?
[Fire TV General] Alza3eeem:
Hello there, I wish also to add the firestick animation speed change tool to LM 1.6.

So this version will be the best with the ability to block the update 🤞

.. @SweenWolf many thanks for all great work.
[Fire TV General] Alza3eeem:
Hello anyone know where to get @SweenWolf firestick animation speed changer. As I searched and couldn't find any here.

Please help
[Fire TV General] Finnzz:
By animation speed changer, do you mean making menu animation transitions faster?

If so, this is just an ADB command that you can run with 'Remote ADB Shell'

Fast - no animation:

settings put global animator_duration_scale 0.0

settings put global transition_animation_scale 0.0

settings put global window_animation_scale 0.0

Slower - with transition animation:

settings put global animator_duration_scale 1.0

settings put global transition_animation_scale 1.0

settings put global window_animation_scale 1.0

You can find a more detailed walkthrough here if you need:
[Fire TV General] Alza3eeem:
Many thanks but I saw with one of my friends app to do that done by Sween wolf and has tduk name on it also it was v1.01. I was asking if that avaliable here
[Fire TV General] Finnzz:
I've never seen that app, I don' think it's available on this thread. Launcher Manager 1.1.6beta has ADB built in now. You can add those commands right into Launcher Manager and create a shortcut if you like.

Check out the video Wolf made that shows the new ADB section:

You can string all three lines into one command with '&', like this:

Add that to Launcher Manager

EDIT: this is probably what you were looking for @Alza3eeem, Speed Toolbox

https://reviewvpn.com/tdsp
[Fire TV General] Alza3eeem:
Thanks. Yes it is. I wish @SweenWolf will add it to LM 1.6

Many thanks again
[Fire TV General] TakeTheActive:
@Finnzz ,

First of all, THANK YOU for your detailed response (y). TEXT conversations, vs Face-to-Face, are certainly more 'difficult' and try as I may with my 'Wall of Text' posts to preemptively answer any secondary questions, sometimes things either get missed or misunderstood :(.

Personal to @Finnzz :

Spoiler content hidden.

As I explained in my OP, *ALL* of my FireTV devices were "New-in-Box" until a few days ago (except for the Toshiba 4K FireTV).

Yeah. :( I *SHOULD* have blocked the first 'Mantis', but I was trying to switch my wife from an Amazon Fire Tablet to an old Sylvania 17" LCD HDTV to watch Discovery Plus (that I have for 3 months @ $.99 ea) in bed and wasn't thinking too far into the future at that moment :oops:.

That "Bueller" LINK is one of my 'pet peeves' - I absolutely *HATE* LINKs where the text is 'here' - Where_The_Hxxx is 'here' :mad: ? If the LINK gets broken in the future, the future readers have no chance in hell to figure out where the original LINK pointed to; i.e., I MISSED that LINK the first time through. As I was going through REPEATEDLY powering up my FireTV 'Tank' (FOS5), trying to get to "Registration", while still trying to prevent "Update", each time I tried, the "Update" line got longer and longer o_O. Thankfully, I discovered the "HTTP vs HTTPs Router Problem" *BEFORE* it was too late. Once I BLOCKED it in my Raspberry 3B Pi-Hole DHCP Server, all was well (and, after a re-boot, the "Update" progress line disappeared).

And, "Therein Lies the Rub" - LM *IS* the 'Secret Sauce' and the LM for FOS5 is 'Gone' / MIA :confused: (see below).

Noted for a future task...

Which brings us back to my current dilemma, as posted a few lines above. LM for FOS5 is 'no longer available' on XDA :(. So, I'm currently stopping my 'research' on the 'Tank' and moving back to the 'Mantis' and the TiVo Stream 4K (and the Toshiba 4K FireTV).

It certainly would be better if there were some explanation besides: Oops! We broke the matrix. Someone call Neo!, but as the current generation likes to say "It is what it is..." ;)

I *TOTALLY* understand @SweenWolf 's frustration with the inconsiderate dolts posting nonsense here... (y)

*AND* I understand the the "Broken Update Blocking" only happened recently...

Spoiler content hidden.
[Fire TV General] TakeTheActive:
@Alza3eeem ,

I see that you RECENTLY joined XDA: Joined Yesterday at 4:05 PM, you've already posted 4 messages, and you're now asking @SweenWolf for coding changes :rolleyes: .

Do you HONESTLY feel that this is appropriate?

How much READing (on this topic) have you done *BEFORE* making your request?

Do you understand the sacrifices (to his personal life) that a programmer providing *FREE* programs to the public undergoes?

Have you ever heard the phase "One Aw $H!T erases one thousand Ata-boys"?

Read this thread, FROM THE BEGINNING, and then re-evaluate your request...

P.S. @Finnzz posted a viable solution - have you tried it?
[Fire TV General] SweenWolf:
@Finnzz is a great guy, He usually helps people on Reddit and on XDA also.

He has done many things to keep the Wolf Launcher alive. He went ahead and talked with the Developer of ATV Developer also (After I decided to no longer support the Wolf Launcher. I already talked with a moderator about this. and it is something that only a few people know) The ATV Developer was going to publish ATV launcher on Amazon Store but he was busy with his personal life also and I was too and I still am. Although he doesn't have any problem with me continuing the development of Wolf Launcher. There were many reasons for stopping the development (not going to disclose all of them). But writing an app from scratch will take a lot of time, but modding an app also takes time, I modded the launcher so the launcher will be available on FireTV Devices with a minimum amount of bugs present. But on some request, I decided to add some features to it. Now I have no idea what to do with it, so leaving the launcher development is a right option i think.

We all know on FireOS, Wolf Launcher/ ATV Launcher/ LeanbackOnFire/ Flauncher will die after some time so it’s not a good idea to create a launcher from Scratch for FireTV Devices.

One should always block System Update to their devices because Amazon will most likely patch all the flaws which allow us to have a custom launcher. Amazon already changed the protection level of their OTA Apps. Amazon will soon change the protection level of Amazon Launcher also (although amazon does allow third-party vendors to make system changes)

I had another idea to make custom launcher work again (it will need to separate functions, one to detect home button press and other to launch custom launcher without any delay.)

I was going to create that but with OTA Blocking gone do I need to invest my time on this?

I can also make a service that can clear data of OTA apps periodically, but it will need constant access to the adb shell, and I don’t want to occupy adb shell. And with the GC I don’t think the app will survive on FireOS, its very aggressive, and on FireOS 5 it kills the service which handles the Home button press that’s why custom launcher on FireOS 5 is not that reliable.

No you cannot.

On latest OS you cannot block updates anymore but can Default to any launcher.

I think you can

I do not have a Toshiba FireTV 4k so i cannot tell.

Welcome.

I think I accidentally deleted the Launcher Manager for FireOS 5. It's not reliable also, and I have nothing to test the app because the only fireos5 device I own is a Firestick (Tank) which is dead unfortunately.
[Fire TV General] Sus_i:
So they blocked your blocker app and there isn't a workaround anymore?

Edit: ok, had a read some posts backwards and saw whats going on... ;)
[Fire TV General] CloudItaly:
Hello! are there a fix to resolve the "long boot" on 4k max? if i can give a contribute.
[Fire TV General] SweenWolf:
Try attached version along with Screensaver Manager to check any conflict and report back.

I've already used drawable folder in 1.1.6

yeah OTA Blocking is now doomed for non-root users.

I cannot fix this issue, I don't have any FireOS 7 device.
[Fire TV General] Finnzz:
The 4k Max hasn't had updates protected yet, Amazon seems to have started with the older devices first.

Unfortunately, I think the router/DNS blocking method is beyond the capability of the average user.

Would it be possible to setup firewall rules on FireOS to block the Amazon update addresses? There are firewall android apps in the play store, but I don't know if they would work.

@SweenWolf it must be a little flattering that Amazon has taken notice of your work :)
[Fire TV General] Nathaniel9:
I would like to enable "Force GPU rendering" via ADB on my Fire TV Stick 4K Max.
[Fire TV General] Alza3eeem:
Hello, what's the

Hello, what is the strings file for

Thanks
[Fire TV General] Finnzz:
I think that's beyond me lol. Doing a little googling, 'Force GPU rendering' was available in early Android when it was still unstable. But now GPU rendering is on by default, and it's up to the individual app to disable GPU rendering in the manefest if it's not wanted.

I took this bit of info from here:

Why is "Force GPU rendering" disabled by default Developer options?

Why is this feature disabled? When I turn it on, many apps and become snappy and awesome with smooth graphics. Seems like it'd be nice if it was enabled by default. The linked article in this ques...

android.stackexchange.com

@SweenWolf might be able to confirm GPU rendering is active by default on FireOS.

That file is there for people that want to translate Launcher Manager text to their own non-english language.

You can add your translations to the string file, and give it back to SweenWolf to add to LM.
[Fire TV General] Bashar20:
LM 1.1.6 beta2 no longer conflicts with with legacy standalone screensaver manager.

LM 1.1.6 beta2 still displays a grey icon in Fire OS7. I was successful fixing icon for LM 1.1.2 by simply copying ic_lancher.png from Mipmap-xhdpi to drawable-xhdpi then changing androidmanifest.xml So that icon parameter uses drawable instead of mipmap.

I can send you a DM with my modified LM 1.1.2 where I fixed this for my use, it would be brilliant if you can do this from your end. Many thanks in advance
[Fire TV General] Nathaniel9:
If I remember correctly, Force GPU Rendering was still available in developer options on Android 9. Only from Android 10 was this function no longer available.

Hence my question above.
[Fire TV General] Finnzz:
Yeah you're right, I see the option there on my phone with Android 9 and missing on another device with Android10. Maybe gpu acceleration is enabled by default, unless the app manifest specifies to disable it? And the force GPU acceleration is a debugging option for testing?

I did look for quite a bit to find an ADB command but couldn't find one :/. Forcing gpu acceleration appears to be in the build prop, but we can't edit that directly without root.

If there was a particular app with GPU acceleration disabled you could edit the manifest to remove that. I'm guessing you want it forced in all apps though.
[Fire TV General] Nathaniel9:
That is correct. I wanted to achieve hardware acceleration (Force GPU rendering) regardless of the manifest values in all apps, which would then further improve the speed, especially with 2D applications on the Fire TV Stick 4K Max.
[Fire TV General] Alza3eeem:
Hello all, I am not expert like most of you but I want to share something.

Update blocker has three packages two of them is broken but the third one still get blocked.

So what I did.

Factory reset my firestick after it checked and downloaded the required available software. I used the update blockers 🚫... it blocked the third package only. .. and when I Checkes for an update it downloaded a component update and now stuck in installing the update which will need reboot as it stated. ...

I restarted the firestick multiple times and still when you go to the update it will say install now. If you click it... installing..

I wish it will be always like that

Thanks
[Fire TV General] Bashar20:
I leave this to the developer to figure if this is of value.

I am curious. Did you try resetting then doing a DNS block before it gets additional update. That might be a viable approach.
[Fire TV General] Alza3eeem:
Ya I just allow the software to download and blocked it before any other update, so the following download was for system components and it get downloaded but for installing it will need the third package which is already blocked. And it hangs in this step..restarted multiple times to check it and still hang on installing

See attached
[Fire TV General] Bashar20:
I was wondering if it’s possible Block DNS via router then factory reset. I assume once switched on the Firestick will initialise OS but fail to get the updates. At least I’m theory.

Btw what is the current software version of your Firestick?
[Fire TV General] Alza3eeem:
I tried but the setup depends on checking for the latest software download before you can continue to register your firestick.
[Fire TV General] Bashar20:
That’s annoying, which means resetting Firestick should be avoided at all costs.

what is the current software version of your Firestick?
[Fire TV General] Alza3eeem:
Fire OS 6.2.8.1 (NS6281/4812)
[Fire TV General] glops:
I confirm that Update blocker or Debloat Toolbox and even ADB AppControl cannot be blocked:

pm disable-user --user 0 com.amazon.device.software.ota.override

pm disable-user --user 0 com.amazon.device.software.ota

they only block :

pm disable-user --user 0 com.amazon.tv.forcedotaupdater.v2

as an alternative I now use NetGuard without root to block internet at Amazon update apps

Fire Tv Stick Lite: Fire OS version 7.2.4.2 (PS7242/3515)
[Fire TV General] dieg00:
In case it serves to someone.

Mini manual to put icons in MAX FireOS 7, so they don't appear gray in the stock Launcher.

1 Download program for @evildog1

​

Program for Windows APK Easy Tool

2 Install JAR o JDK

How to install Java

3 Decompile the app, and follow the steps in the photos.

View attachment 5530469View attachment 5530471

4 Compiler and signer app

Extra:

This is how I have Easy Apk tools configured and it does not give me problems when compiling and modifying.

View attachment 5530477

View attachment 5530479

View attachment 5530481

Personally, I never use the stock launcher, I don't like it.

But if I ever see it I get sick of seeing the gray icons, and I don't like the idea of shortcuts filling up the list of installed apps, and storage for no reason.

The result.

View attachment 5530503

View attachment 5530505
[Fire TV General] Sus_i:
Whats about this one?

Forbid run-in-background worked for me back then, until the 4k stick got unlocked/rooted...

adb shell
pm clear com.amazon.device.software.ota
am force-stop com.amazon.device.software.ota
am kill com.amazon.device.software.ota
cmd appops set com.amazon.device.software.ota RUN_IN_BACKGROUND ignore
cmd appops set com.amazon.device.software.ota.override RUN_IN_BACKGROUND ignore
cmd appops set com.amazon.tv.forcedotaupdater.v2 RUN_IN_BACKGROUND ignore
exit

Worked fine back then, but if I recall right, a click on search updates enabled the process again...
[Fire TV General] Bashar20:
Let’s say you had to reset your Firestick to factory settings. Can you still use NetGuard? What do you block exactly using netguard?
[Fire TV General] Bashar20:
What is really confusing though. SweenWolf adjusted the latest LM 1.1.6 Beta 2 to use Drawable however I am still getting grey icon. While with LM 1.1.2 I was able to fix it myself using similar steps to what you shared above using APK studio.

I just reviewed the changes SweenWolf made in the latest beta2 and can’t see anything wrong, but then I am not a developer.
[Fire TV General] Bashar20:
View attachment 5530569LM 1.1.6 Beta2 still a grey icon on FOS7.
[Fire TV General] dieg00:
Try this LM 1.1.6 beta2, if you see the LM icon tell me ok.

LM 1.1.6 beta2
[Fire TV General] Bashar20:
I still can’t see the icon for some very odd reason.

That’s the only app I have that’s still a grey icon.
[Fire TV General] dieg00:
It's weird, have you tried clearing the icon cache if you use WolfLauncher , and disabling LM and clearing LM's cache and data and uninstalling.
[Fire TV General] glops:
With NetGuard you have 2 choices:

1- you can block internet only for system update apps:

com.amazon.device.software.ota

com.amazon.device.software.ota.override

com.amazon.tv.forcedotaupdater.v2

2 - you can completely block the internet except for the apps you use and they need the internet

I applied the second choice
[Fire TV General] SweenWolf:
Check for Grey Icon and incorrect translations (used Google Translate for some missing strings)
[Fire TV General] Finnzz:
Launcher Manager icon is showing for me with beta3 after rebooting my device. I just noticed the ADB menu shortcut is also working.

Only the following two updates are needed by Amazon get a software update:

com.amazon.device.software.ota

com.amazon.device.software.ota.override

I'm not sure what the purpose of the 3rd package is that is included in the update blockers? Maybe as the file name implies, it force installs downloaded updates, where as the first two only retrieve them? @SweenWolf

com.amazon.tv.forcedotaupdater.v2

If the third package can still be disabled, does that mean we can stop the downloaded update from being installed by the system automatically?

I had thought that bypassing updates on a new / factory reset device might be possible. At one time it was. Although this guide is out of date and doesn't appear to work any longer, it gives an idea of how you can check what's going on during the startup process of a new device:

How to complete the Fire TV Stick Initial Setup without Updating

If you are blocking updates, the Fire TV Stick will not allow you to complete the initial setup. The video above and instructions below will show you how to get past the forced update in order to complete the initial setup without updating.

www.aftvnews.com

This guy on Reddit tried quite a few things to get his FireTV to skip updates, but was not successful. He says that you can't proceed to the device registration page until an Amazon update server returns a JSON response that the device is up to date. In the past Amazon would give you the option to update later if there was a problem updating, but this poster is saying that is no longer the case. The thread is pretty insightful:

https://www.reddit.com/r/firetvstick/comments/mq7vlk/my_experiences_trying_to_skip_ota_updates_on
[Fire TV General] SweenWolf:
Good to hear.

These files depends on each other, yes com.amazon.tv.forcedotaupdater.v2 forces OTA on the system,

other files can be called by any system app to get the update.

these files are privileged and OTA should not be handled by any third party application, it will be a security issue. Don't get me wrong but OTA should never be accessible by third party apps.

You can bypass Update Check on Factory Reset or on setup but it requires a rooted device.

The first app (OOBE) will call FOTA to check for update and then forces the update to the user, FOTA calls OTA and then tells the OOBE if there is an update present for the device or not. You cannot bypass this on a non-rooted device.

on rooted device you can use a patched FOTA client to bypass OTA (Can and may me patched in future by Amazon). Patched files for Mantis (Firestick 4k) available here.
[Fire TV General] Alza3eeem:
Hello @SweenWolf . many thanks

I wish you consider adding changes animation speed under other options in LM

thanks again
[Fire TV General] Finnzz:
EDIT: I had to look up OOBE (out of box experience).

So com.amazon.tv.forcedotaupdater.v2 is used specifically during the setup of a new device or after a factory reset, to force check for updates before allowing device registration?

After device registration that package is no longer used? So disabling it doesn't help at all for registered devices from getting updates. Or does this package get called during every reboot, of registered devices too?

Does the ability to still be able to disable FOTA on the latest update help at all?
[Fire TV General] Sus_i:
The first one is enough, in order to get all pending updates...

so I guess disabling com.amazon.tv.forcedotaupdater.v2 will not help at all.

You can try to set RUN_IN_BACKGROUND to ignore, but idk if it's still working.

https://xdaforums.com/t/app-firetv-...e-launcher-without-root.4176349/post-86384703
[Fire TV General] Finnzz:
Thank you, I'm still on an older 2021 build before the update protection, so I can't give this a try against the most recent update. I'd be curious to hear if you can force stop and kill a protected package in this last update.
[Fire TV General] Sus_i:
The force-stop or kill probably wont work at all, but the RUN_IN_BACKGROUND set to ignore may still work.

The OTA is a background process, if run in background isn't allowed, the process can't do it's stuff.
[Fire TV General] dafunkydan:
Just in Case that might be helpful with that forced Updatesh** that rolled out - I had a FireTV Stick without disabled updates, so i got the FireTV Update, whereafter disabling Updates fails. (Tried it, but too late :-( )

I went for Blocking DNS (PiHole). Now I just realised there is a new App Icon - "Amazon Live Shopping". When clicking it, it says "Update running, cant run that App". On top after starting that app it said "Network error, no Internet access". Reconnecting / to a different Wifi (with DNS Blocking as well) solved it by now.

If its only that (on Wolf Launcher hideable) Icon its okay, just hoping installing that Piece (and other Things maybe as well) will never finish. :p
[Fire TV General] TakeTheActive:
I disagree with you on this.

As I've seen on other 'Hardware-Related' Forums (I've participated since 2016 on the TiVo Community Forum), 'Non-Technical' users 'appear', don't SEARCH the Archives (for questions that have been asked and answered, and answered, and answered...), somehow come to their own personal 'Illogical Conclusion(s)', do irreparable damage to their hardware, and THEN ask for someone to 'Bail Them Out'.

I have this little 'Fake Scenario' that rolls along in my mind when I see these things:

Spoiler content hidden.

NOTE: More on DNS in a follow-up post...
[Fire TV General] Bashar20:
I can confirm that grey icon issue is resolved on Fire OS7 and Firestick 4K Max.

Perhaps you could fix grey icon in your other apps when a new apk is due to be released.

Many thanks.
[Fire TV General] Sus_i:
True :)

Just tried it on a Max running latest 7.2.5.5

kara:/ $ pm clear com.amazon.device.software.ota
Success
kara:/ $ pm disable-user --user 0 com.amazon.device.software.ota
Package com.amazon.device.software.ota new state: disabled-user
kara:/ $ pm disable-user --user 0 com.amazon.device.software.ota.override
Package com.amazon.device.software.ota.override new state: disabled-user
kara:/ $ pm disable-user --user 0 com.amazon.tv.forcedotaupdater.v2
Package com.amazon.tv.forcedotaupdater.v2 new state: disabled-user
kara:/ $

Added the DNS from @Ighor too, worked also fine. :)

aftvnews.com should really add this DNS to the blocker guide :D
[Fire TV General] Bashar20:
What Version of Fire OS7 are you running currently on your 4K max?
[Fire TV General] TakeTheActive:
You're MUCH safer blocking Firestick Updates LOCALLY from either your own router (if it blocks via HTTP

S

and not just HTTP - TEST with the AFTVNews '

here

' URL BEFORE powering up your Firestick), or from something like a Pi-Hole DHCP Server (or pfSense Server, etc...) OR (if you MUST) use the non-LOCAL, but well-known, well-established OpenDNS site (as posted in the AFTVNews Archive article).

Read @Finnzz 's 'on point' warnings in the @Ighor DNS Blocker thread 💡 💭.