Android TV users can now easily add a photo slideshow to their device by downloading the new Photos TV app from the Google Play Store.
Accessing photos on Android TV has never been the simplest of tasks. A problem that’s made all the worse since the Google Photos app still lacks full Android TV support. While some devices, including the NVIDIA SHIELD TV, come with a built-in photo viewer app, they tend to be basic apps without any additional customization, let alone the ability to start a slideshow.
Of course, there are also some third-party apps available, although they can be a little heavy on the user experience or the price. Photos TV looks to offer a solution to both of these problems, as not only is it easy to use, but it’s also free.
The Photos TV app is developed by NeatBytes. This is the same developer behind the popular Android TV file manager app, Solid Explorer File Manager. Photos TV appears to support all Android TV devices running Android 7.0 Nougat and up.
A simple to use photo slideshow app
Similar to the file manager app, Photos TV places an emphasis on ease of use and a clean interface. There’s really not much going on here and that’s sort of its main appeal. Once installed, the app automatically scans the device to find any and all photos. From then on it is just a matter of opening a folder and scrolling through the images. Alternatively, hitting the enter button when viewing an image to start a slideshow.
In addition, the app does also come with some (but not more than you need) customization options. For example, you have the ability to determine the duration of each slide, set smooth panning or fit in/fill screen, and shuffle or repeat the images during playback. Besides the slideshow, the app also offers one or two additional options for sorting images in folders.
For some, the app might be a little too light as there’s currently no Google Photos support. However, the app is capable of accessing additional hard drives connected to an Android TV device.
Overall, if you’ve been looking for a photo slideshow app for Android TV, and have found the current selection lacking or overkill, Photos TV might strike just the right balance.
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