Install notes
This is the part of the topic that makes the most sense to me, because SmartTube is clearly a TV-device project. If the device fit is wrong, the rest of the APK discussion becomes much less useful.
The install guidance here is written for Android TV style hardware, not generic phone APK use.
The official project says SmartTube is built for Android TVs and TV boxes. It also says it is not supported on phones and tablets, and it does not run on platforms like Roku, Apple TV, LG, or Samsung TVs. The repo lists Android TVs, TV boxes, Chromecast with Google TV, NVIDIA Shield, and FireTV devices among the supported Android-based targets.
That is why my first install question is always simple: is this actually the kind of device the project is meant for?
The official repo documents a few routes clearly. The simplest one for many Android TV users is using the Downloader app from AFTVnews and entering one of the official codes. At the time I checked, the repo listed:
It also lists direct short links for the same files, which shows that the project itself expects users to install it outside traditional app stores. That is more useful than treating every third-party APK page as if it were the only route.
The official documentation also points to options like downloading the APK directly with a browser on the TV, copying it from a USB drive, or transferring it over the network. For Chromecast with Google TV style devices, the project specifically mentions enabling app installation from the relevant tool and launching the file from a file manager.
That tells me something important about this keyword: it is more of a device workflow topic than a simple "download latest apk" topic.
The project also documents that updates can happen inside the app, which makes the first installation more important than repeated manual hunting later. That is another reason I prefer checking the official project first: once the initial install path is sound, the maintenance burden is usually lower.
The biggest mistake with SmartTube APK is treating it like a generic mobile APK keyword. It is not. The right way to think about it is: TV device first, source check second, version choice third. When those are in the right order, the setup process becomes much clearer.