macOS Android TV Remote Menubar Widget

This app uses androidtvremote2 and a custom Python script to create a remote control menu bar widget for Android TVs. This has only been tested on a TCL Percee TV running Android 8. If you have a different model of Android television, you may need to modify tvremote.py.

Installation

Download the installer from the releases page. Run the installer.

First Run

1. Open AndroidTVRemote from /Applications.
2. When the new TV icon appears in your menu bar, right click and choose Settings.
3. Click on "Re-pair...".
4. Enter your TV's IP address and then enter the pairing code shown on your TV.
5. Enter your TV's IP address to connect and enable the remote control.

Make It Yourself (Simple)

The only part that contains a pre-compiled binary is the Automator app at payload/AndroidTVRemote.app. If you prefer not to trust it, the you can make this part yourself using Automator on macOS.

Create Automator App

1. Create new Application in Automator.
2. Add "Run Shell Script".
3. Set Pass input to "as arguments" and Shell to "/bin/bash".
4. Paste the following script:

	APP_PATH="$HOME/Library/Application Support/AndroidTVRemote"
	PYTHON_EXECUTABLE="$APP_PATH/.venv/bin/python3"
	PYTHON_SCRIPT="$APP_PATH/tvremote.py"
	
	cd "$APP_PATH"
	"$PYTHON_EXECUTABLE" "tvremote.py" > /dev/null 2>&1 &

5. Save the app as "AndroidTVRemote".
6. Place "AndroidTVRemote.app" into the payload folder.

Pre Install

1. You may need to install portaudio using homebrew.
2. Run ./createinstaller.sh.
3. Run the installer from built/AndroidTVRemote_Installer.pkg.

Make It Yourself (Complete)

If you want to build the whole thing yourself from scratch, then follow the instructions below.

1. Install dependencies – adapted from: installation instructions.

   	brew install portaudio python3
   
   	mkdir "~/Library/Application Support/AndroidTVRemote"
   	cd "~/Library/Application Support/AndroidTVRemote"
   	
   	git clone https://github.com/tronikos/androidtvremote2.git
   	
   	python3 -m venv .venv
   	source .venv/bin/activate
   	
   	python -m pip install --upgrade pip
   	python -m pip install -e ./androidtvremote2
   	python -m pip install grpcio-tools mypy-protobuf
   	python -m grpc_tools.protoc androidtvremote2/src/androidtvremote2/*.proto --python_out=androidtvremote2/src/androidtvremote2 --mypy_out=androidtvremote2/src/androidtvremote2 -Iandroidtvremote2/src/androidtvremote2
   	python -m pip install pre-commit
   	pre-commit install --git-dir="$WORKINGDIR/.git" --config="androidtvremote2/.pre-commit-config.yaml"
   	pre-commit run --all-files --config="androidtvremote2/.pre-commit-config.yaml"
   	
   	python -m pip install -e "./androidtvremote2[test]"
   	pytest
   	
   	python -m pip install build
   	python -m build ./androidtvremote2
   	
   	curl -LJO  https://raw.githubusercontent.com/jvarn/macos-android-tv-remote-menubar-widget/refs/heads/main/scripts/payload_appsupport/tvremote.py
   	curl -LJO  https://raw.githubusercontent.com/jvarn/macos-android-tv-remote-menubar-widget/refs/heads/main/scripts/payload_appsupport/tvremotecli.py
   	curl -LJO  https://raw.githubusercontent.com/jvarn/macos-android-tv-remote-menubar-widget/refs/heads/main/scripts/payload_appsupport/tvremotecli.sh
   	
   	chmod +x tvremote*
   	
   	# test and pair
   	./tvremotecli.sh --volume up

2. Create a new Application in Automator.
3. Add "Run Shell Script".
4. Set Pass input to "as arguments" and Shell to "/bin/bash".
5. Paste the following script:

	APP_PATH="$HOME/Library/Application Support/AndroidTVRemote"
	PYTHON_EXECUTABLE="$APP_PATH/.venv/bin/python3"
	PYTHON_SCRIPT="$APP_PATH/tvremote.py"
	
	cd "$APP_PATH"
	"$PYTHON_EXECUTABLE" "tvremote.py" > /dev/null 2>&1 &

7. Save the app as "AndroidTVRemote" and close Automator.
8. Create your own app icon or use the one provided; name it AppIcon.icns and place it in AndroidTVRemote.app/Contents/Resources/.
9. Modify the strings in your "AndroidTVRemote" app bundle:

   	plutil -replace CFBundleIdentifier -string "com.jvarn.AndroidTVRemote" payload/AndroidTVRemote.app/Contents/Info.plist
   	plutil -replace CFBundleIconFile -string "AppIcon" payload/AndroidTVRemote.app/Contents/Info.plist
   	plutil -replace CFBundleIconName -string "AppIcon" payload/AndroidTVRemote.app/Contents/Info.plist

10. Move or copy the app into your Applications folder.