HOW-TO:Bypass Home on Fire TV

This page describes various methods to bypass the normal Fire TV home menu when the home button is pressed on the remote. This includes launching Kodi when the home button is pressed, using an alternative launcher all together, and other methods for both rooted and unrooted Fire TV devices.

Alternative launchers
Here are some alternative 'launchers' that will load when you push the Home button (after a brief delay/display of the stock launcher). No rooting or Llama tweaking required.


 * FireStarter - info - download APK


 * FiredTV (warning: don't have good home button detection) - info - download APK

Llama (automation) Events
There are (2) methods below. The first one's goal is to keep access to Amazon content. When pressing Home you need to wait 15s before the screen turns off, which you then press a remote button to turn the FireTV back on which boots into Kodi. The second method's goal is to force you back into Kodi the instant you press the Home button, thus effectively losing the ability to access Amazon content.

Semi Bypass
Function
 * retain access to Amazon content
 * automatically start Kodi when the Fire TV boots
 * automatically start Kodi when the Fire TV resumes from Standby
 * automatically go to Standby after 10 mins of inactivity in Kodi
 * automatically go to Standby after 10 mins of inactivity in most apps
 * automatically go to Standby after 15s of inactivity in KFTV Launcher


 * If you exit Kodi, you can either relaunch it through the Settings menu, or wait 15s for the KFTV to go to standby and power it back on.

Prerequisites
 * Kodi > System > Settings > System > Power saving
 * Shutdown function timer = 10 min
 * Shutdown function = Quit
 * Sideload Llama Play Store

Llama Events
 * Preconfigured file:
 * Download: Llama_Kori_semi.zip
 * Unzip the file
 * Exit or Force Stop Llama
 * Launch Llama
 * If you do not see the new Events related to Kodi, then press the Menu key on the FireTV remote -> Import/Export Data -> Import From USB Storage -> Accept
 * Launch Llama and see if new Events related to Kodi are there. If not, use a file manager to see if the Llama folder was placed in /sdcard/ (usually this is the folder that comes up on most file manager applications).
 * Launch Llama and see if new Events related to Kodi are there. If not, use a file manager to see if the Llama folder was placed in /sdcard/ (usually this is the folder that comes up on most file manager applications).


 * Manual Entry:
 * From the Fire TV Home screen, select Settings
 * Select Applications
 * Find and select Llama
 * Select Launch Application
 * You will need a USB Keyboard to complete the next steps.
 * Using arrow/directional keys or a built-in trackpad on a USB Keyboard, select the Events tab. Hold enter/select on the existing events to delete them. Select the + at the bottom of the screen, next to the magnifying glass.
 * Create the following events:



Complete Bypass
Function
 * lose access to Amazon content until next boot
 * automatically start Kodi when the sacrificial app is launched from the FireTV app Carousel
 * automatically launch Kodi when the Home or Mic button is pressed after Kodi is launched for the first time
 * automatically go to Standby after 5-120 mins of idle in Kodi
 * If you exit Kodi, the Llama events will relaunch Kodi the next time you press the Home button or if you launch the sacrificial app.
 * If you exit Kodi, the Llama events will relaunch Kodi the next time you press the Home button or if you launch the sacrificial app.

Prerequisite
 * Amazon FireTV Settings > Screensaver = 5 minutes
 * Kodi > System > Settings > System > Power saving
 * Shutdown function timer = 5-120 min (or whatever you prefer; I keep Kodi open as long as possible)
 * Shutdown function = Quit
 * Sideload Llama Play Store

Llama Events
 * Preconfigured file:
 * Download: Llama_Kodi_full.zip
 * Unzip the file
 * Exit or Force Stop Llama
 * Launch Llama
 * If you do not see the new Events related to Kodi, then press the Menu key on the FireTV remote -> Import/Export Data -> Import From USB Storage -> Accept
 * Launch Llama and see if new Events related to Kodi are there. If not, use a file manager to see if the Llama folder was placed in /sdcard/ (usually this is the folder that comes up on most file manager applications).
 * Launch Llama and see if new Events related to Kodi are there. If not, use a file manager to see if the Llama folder was placed in /sdcard/ (usually this is the folder that comes up on most file manager applications).


 * Manual Entry:
 * From the Fire TV Home screen, select Settings
 * Select Applications
 * Find and select Llama
 * Select Launch Application
 * You will need a USB Keyboard to complete the next steps.
 * Using arrow/directional keys or a built-in trackpad on a USB Keyboard, select the Events tab. Hold enter/select on the existing events to delete them. Select the + at the bottom of the screen, next to the magnifying glass.
 * Create the following events:


 * http://i.imgur.com/5CVFuJu.png




 * * Plex was just used as an example, you can find whatever app that is supported on the Fire TV here, that you don't plan on actually using, as the trigger app. 'Classic TV' is reported to provide better stability with this type of setup.

Xposed and rbox module (Requires root)
So far this is the cleanest method to have Kodi as your launcher on the Fire TV.

Function

 * retain access to Amazon content
 * automatically start Kodi when the Fire TV boots
 * automatically open Kodi when the Home button is pressed


 * If you exit Kodi, and Kodi is your default launcher it will just reopen. You must set a shortcut/favorite to KFTV Launcher to get back to the Amazon home.

Prerequisites

 * Root your FireTV
 * Sideload Xposed
 * Sideload rbox Fire TV Mods
 * Sideload Kodi Launcher (a secondary Launcher app that will launch Kodi) or SPMC (a modified build of Kodi with Launcher functionality already built in, as well as some other tweaks)
 * Uninstall all launchers you may have previously installed.
 * It may be in your best interest to use ES Explorer with Root Explorer enabled (on the menu on the left side, scroll down) because some launchers do not show up in the Application list.
 * After clicking Root Explorer, click 1 click uninstall, navigate over to your application and long press on the application you want to uninstall until a checkbox appears over it. Navigate down to the bottom right More -> Properties -> Uninstall

Setup

 * Launch Xposed Installer -> Framework -> Install/Update -> Allow Reboot
 * Launch Xposed Installer -> Modules -> Activate Fire TV mods by using a USB mouse to click the checkbox (using a remote will not work)
 * If pressing the Home button does not launch Kodi, you may need to reboot or manually launch Kodi Launcher
 * In Kodi, temporarily set Confluence as your skin. Go to Programs -> Android Apps and press the menu button on KFTV Launcher and Set as Favorite. You may now go back to whatever skin you were using and use it's skin settings to put KFTV Launcher on your main menu and rename it as necessary.

Sleep while Kodi is Open (Requires root)
By default, the FireTV will not sleep when Kodi is the active application. User elmerohueso has provided a screensaver that will put the FireTV to sleep or log off an Kodi account after a certain amount of time for rooted boxes only. You can download the repo here. In short, you need to adb push the zip file to your FireTV, Install Addon from Zip file, then Get Addons, choose elmerohueso's repo and install the Android Power Options screensaver. Then go to Kodi Settings -> Appearance -> Screensaver and select it as your screensaver. Go to screensaver settings and run the 'Check SU Permissions' and Grant if a popup appears. If you are not rooted this will not work. Then you can modify the settings further.

SPMC (a fork of Kodi) will release wakelock when the Kodi screensaver is triggered. This allows the FireTV to sleep shortly after the Kodi screensaver kicks off.