Debloat the Sony BRAVIA 4K GB

Android TV 9 · 28 apps on the list · tested on a real set

The Sony BRAVIA 4K GB, on US and Canada firmware, ships with a Samba TV viewing tracker that fingerprints what is on screen. It also has Sony content bars, promos and a Discover row on the home screen, retail demo modes, and device agents that report to Sony and Qterics. Preloaded apps such as Help, i-Manual and YouTube Music are on the list too.

The list was applied and tested the same day. Home, the Input menu, the HDMI inputs and the new home screen all worked. It has not yet been used for several days or tested across a reboot, so check the TV after a restart. TidyTV turns these apps off from your phone over the same Wi-Fi, after saving a backup, and deletes nothing.

Download the free APK Star on GitHub

Apps TidyTV can turn off on the Sony BRAVIA 4K GB

Grouped as the tested list groups them. In the app each one has a switch, so you choose. Apps marked your call are extras the list leaves on.

ACR viewing tracker 1

Samba TV fingerprints what's on screentv.samba.ssm

Sony and Google content, ads and promos 7

Sony Select app store/promo tilecom.sony.dtv.sonyselect
My BRAVIA promoscom.sony.dtv.promos
Sony Discover content barcom.sony.dtv.discovery
BIVL content service listcom.sony.dtv.bivlinfo
Sony tweaks to the stock home rowscom.sony.dtv.tvlaunchercustomizer
Google recommendationsrecommendation rows for the stock launchercom.google.android.tvrecommendations
Play auto-install of partner appsandroid.autoinstalls.config.sony.bravia

Retail demo 3

Dtv demomodecom.sony.dtv.demomode
Dtv demosupportcom.sony.dtv.demosupport
Dtv multiscreendemocom.sony.dtv.multiscreendemo

Telemetry, remote support and feedback 5

Sony device agent / remote supportcom.sony.dtv.da.service
Qterics device agentcom.qterics.da.product
Dtv sonybugreportsyscom.sony.dtv.sonybugreportsys
Bugreportsendercom.google.android.tv.bugreportsender
Google Feedbackcom.google.android.feedback

Preloaded apps 8

Help tilecom.sony.dtv.customersupport
Dtv smarthelpcom.sony.dtv.smarthelp
I-Manualcom.sony.dtv.imanual
Osat musicre-enable to play music from USBcom.sony.dtv.osat.music
Media Playercom.sony.dtv.smartmediaapp
YouTube Musiccom.google.android.youtube.tvmusic
Google TV storecom.google.android.videos
Play Gamescom.google.android.play.games

Optional features, off by owner's choice 4

Chromecast built-incom.google.android.apps.mediashell
Screen mirroringscrenmirroring.com
Networkapp wifidirectcom.sony.dtv.networkapp.wifidirect
Android TV phone-app remotecom.google.android.tv.remote.service
Backdrop screensaver your callambient screensavercom.google.android.backdrop
DLNA renderer your callcom.sony.huey.dlna.module
Dlna renderersettings your callcom.sony.huey.dlna.renderersettings
Sonyericsson dlna your callcom.sonyericsson.dlna
B2b vendorprotocol your callNode.js SDDP broadcaster for Control4-style home automationcom.sony.dtv.b2b.vendorprotocol

What always stays on

The Sony TV input app (com.sony.dtv.tvx), which also plays every HDMI input.
HDMI control and the remote: the Sony input services, HDMI-CEC (braviasync), remote pairing and the power key service.
Picture settings and system services: Sony's system service, settings provider and all the MediaTek packages.
Play Store and Play services are always kept by TidyTV.

Good to know on this model

The Developer options switch is called ADB debugging on this firmware, not USB debugging. The network port stays closed until it is turned on.
The stock home's Free Live TV and Top Selling rows and its top banner stay until the stock home is replaced.
Sony Media Player is on the list, and it is what plays files from USB. Turn its switch back on in the app if you play USB files.

How to do it

Turn on developer options On the TV, open Settings › System › About and select the build number 7 times. Then turn on USB debugging, and Network debugging if you see it.
Tap your TV in TidyTV Your phone finds the TV on the Wi-Fi. Tick "Always allow" and press Allow when the TV asks.
Review, then tidy TidyTV saves a backup, shows these apps with switches, and turns off the ones you pick, checking each one.

Questions

Does casting still work?

Chromecast built-in is in the optional features section, which the list turns off. Switch it back on in the app if you cast to the TV.

Will it stop the ads on the home screen?

It turns off the Sony Select and Discover promo rows, My BRAVIA promos, and the partner auto-installs. It also turns off the Samba TV viewing tracker, which fingerprints what is on screen.

Can I get the old home screen back?

Yes. Restore everything turns every app back on and puts the old home screen back in one tap. Nothing is uninstalled, so the apps stay on the TV.

Source: the sony-bravia-4k-gb-us list in cleanyourtv by Gathin (MIT), tested on this model. TidyTV re-checks every app against its own protected list before each change.