This useful app brought my Plex library directly to my Google TV home screen

Published Oct 2, 2026, 11:30 AM EDT Patrick O'Rourke is XDA's News Editor and Entertainment Segment Lead. Previously, he was Pocket-lint's Editor-in-Chief, the Editor-in-Chief of Canadian tech publication MobileSyrup, and earlier in his career, he worked as the technology editor at the Financial Post and Postmedia. He's based in Toronto. Over the past 15 years, he's written thousands of articles. Patrick has also interviewed dozens of tech industry executives and covered GDC, E3, Gamescom, WWDC, Apple keynotes, Samsung Unpacked events and more. Patrick has a BA in journalism from Toronto Metropolitan University. While I typically stream content with my Apple TV 4K, I've recently spent some time experimenting with my Hisense U8H TV's built-in Google TV operating system. When it isn't lagging (which happens more often than I'd like), it's actually not that bad, and I've grown to really appreciate the open nature of Android-based Google TV. With that in mind, I've been hunting for an app that better integrates my Plex library with the TV's default operating system, allowing me to browse my self-hosted movies and TV shows from my TV's main screen the same way I search through apps like Netflix, Disney+, and Prime. Surprisingly, that's exactly what Google TV launcher Dispatch does. While the experience is far from perfect, there's plenty to like about Dispatch's stripped-back UI and Plex integration. There's a lot to like about Dispatch's Plex integration and overall simplicity First it's important to note that Dispatch isn't free. While the launcher comes with a 14-day free trial, it costs $1/month or $10 for a lifetime license, which might be difficult for some people to swallow. Dispatch offers a very low-key, ad-free look that I really appreciate. In a way, the simplicity reminds me of Apple's tvOS, only without the never-ending advertisements. The marquee feature that attracted me is Dispatch's Plex integration, which is great for users looking for a new way to explore their self-hosted movie and TV library. The launcher directly integrates all of your Plex content on its home screen, allowing you to navigate through your content in the same way that you would Netflix or Prime. Obviously, the Watch Next list and Recommendations are based on content you have on your self-hosted Plex server (random TV shows and movies won't show up). For other content, you can toggle rows on/off on Dispatch's homepage. So, for example, if you don't subscribe to Disney+, you can remove content suggestions for that app so you aren't constantly bombarded with movie and TV show suggestions for a platform you don't even subscribe to. You can even hide all media if you want, leaving a simple navigation row of installed apps in the top-left corner of the screen. Speaking of the top-left corner, this is where all your Favorite Apps live. When you highlight a specific app, you'll see what Dispatch calls an App Peek, offering "context-appropriate" media that you can press Enter on to open the app and browse that content. It's a clever feature and the type of thing I'd expect from Apple, not a relatively unknown third-party Google TV launcher developer. There's also the Home Feed, where Plex's content is integrated alongside other traditional streaming apps. The traditional Google TV Control Center has also been revamped with a more Apple-like look, too. You'll find Settings features like the Power Menu, Recent Apps, your network, and more here. It's a bit difficult to navigate at first, but I quickly got the hang of it. The navigation experience isn't perfect I've encountered a few instances of lag At times, Dispatch's layout can feel a bit barren, especially if you're used to Google TV's busier home screen, but I've gotten used to it over the past few days. I've also found it a bit laggy at times, though that might be my aging Hisense U8H, or the fact that I need to clear its cache yet again (I feel like I need to do this every few weeks). I haven't tried this yet, but Dispatch offers Graphics Modes settings that aim to improve performance on lower-end Android TV devices, including High, Medium, and Low. If I still encounter performance issues, I plan to switch to Low, which tones down the launcher's overall presentation, including animations and image size. There's even a useful Wallpaper Mode that allows you to select any photo as the backdrop for your TV. However, it lacks native Google Photos album integration like the stock Google TV OS. Credit: Dispatch In a way, I'm only scratching the surface with this story because Dispatch offers a ridiculous amount of features and customization options. Unfortunately, there still isn't an easy way to set a third-party launcher to open when you turn on your Google TV. To do this, you'll need to use ADB (Android Debug Bridge)to disable the stock Google TV launcher. This is an issue with every third-party Google TV launcher I've ever used. I get around it by pinning the Dispatch app at the top of the default Google TV launcher, so it boots up as soon as I turn on my TV. If you're tired of the never-ending ads in the stock Google TV launcher, Dispatch offers a surprisingly refreshing change that I've come to really appreciate. Dispatch requires you to sign in to your Google account. The team behind the launcher says this is necessary to track the 14-day trial without forcing users to pre-purchase the app. I don't see this as a big deal, but I can understand some users having privacy concerns. Additionally, in order for background syncing to work, you'll need to navigate to Settings > Apps > Special App Access > Energy Optimization > look for Dispatch and turn off Energy Optimization. Dispatch