Vibe-Coded Smart TV: Claude Dominates

How “Vibe Coding” With Claude Code Is Being Used to Strip Ads and Bloatware From Smart TVs

Developers are documenting a new kind of do-it-yourself device modification: using AI coding assistants to remove ads and unwanted software from smart TVs, speed up performance, and replace default home screens with custom dashboards.

In an Oct. 17 post on X, a developer named Gathin said he overhauled his parents’ Xiaomi smart TV after it displayed a sponsored advertisement before he could even open Netflix. According to his post, he provided Anthropic’s Claude Code with the TV’s model number, and the assistant then located the device on the home Wi‑Fi network, removed 25 Xiaomi software packages, and wrote a replacement launcher.

The end result, Gathin wrote, “looks like an Apple TV now.”

Other users on social media have described similar efforts. One post cited in the circulating discussion said the process helped remove “ads, bloatware, spyware [and] laggy UI,” reflecting a common complaint about modern TVs: built-in interfaces that prioritize promoted content and preinstalled apps over simple navigation and performance.

Guides shared alongside these examples outline a largely assisted workflow. Users open Claude Code on a computer, paste a prewritten project prompt, and insert their TV’s exact model number. The assistant may ask for the TV’s IP address if it cannot locate the device automatically. The user still has to approve a debugging connection on the TV and answer questions about which apps and features to keep.

The broader context is that “vibe coding” tools are increasingly capable of driving real changes on consumer hardware, not just generating code snippets. Instead of only writing an app or script, the assistant can help coordinate device discovery, package removal, and UI replacement—tasks that traditionally required more specialized Android TV knowledge.

At the same time, developers in the conversation have warned that applying AI-generated instructions without understanding the underlying changes can be risky. As one shared snippet put it: “Vibe coding your TV is impressive. Doing it without knowing exactly what you’re touching is how you lose a rooted LG set and get a very sincere apology from an AI.”

• What happened: A developer said he used Claude Code to connect to a Xiaomi TV, remove 25 packages, and install a custom launcher.
• Why it matters: The examples show AI assistants being used to remove ads and unwanted software from everyday devices and to build lighter, simpler interfaces.
• The larger trend: Open-source prompts and community projects are forming around AI-assisted device customization, while users note the need for care when modifying system software.