Kodi

XBMC aka XBox Media Center is a free cross-platform media player software and entertainment system application framework for Linux, Mac, and Windows. XBMC is capable of playing back and streaming all popular video, audio, and picture formats out-of-the-box.

Update 2004: XBMC is now known as Kodi. Actually it was first called Xbox Media Player, then XBox Media Center, and now Kodi.

Kodi is managed by the non-profit XBMC Foundation, and it's constantly being modified and upgraded.

Kodi needs a 3D capable graphics hardware controller for all rendering. Powerful 3D GPU chips are common today in most modern computer platforms, including many set-top boxes, and XBMC, now Kodi, was from the start designed to be otherwise very resource efficient. It runs well on what are relatively underpowered systems and with older OpenGL 1.3 , OpenGL ES 2.0 or Direct3D (DirectX) 9.0 capable systems. When software decoding of a full HD 1080p high-definition and high bit-rate video is performed by the system CPU, a dual-core 2 GHz or faster CPU is required.

Review

Unless you like constantly eating up all of your valuable time tweaking, tuning and constantly fixing streaming software, then Kodi is not for you. It works for awhile, at first, then craps out. I don't know if it corrupts itself, falls victim to poorly written plugin updates that don't cleanly uninstall, or what the deal is, but you can only get about a month or two at the most before the entire thing starts going to pot.

The Kodi user interface is recursive and as far from intuitive as an old MS DOS version of Microsoft Word. Many interface items are circular and lead you back to the same place after a series of menu selections. Configuration is nightmarish with common features in remote places no where near the same options screen.

Documentation is also poor, often times making reference to interface options that have been moved or renamed in current versions. Furthermore, many plugin help guides make reference to features in Kodi that only a developer would fully understand.

It is apparent that Kodi is developed by a bunch of loosely assembled individuals with no common UI concept and not functioning as a team. Horrible!

Kodi is not for someone that expects to invest some reasonable time into the initial install and configuration to enjoy many hours of use. It doesn't stay working! Plan to invest time into fixing and troubleshooting on a regular basis.

Kodi is total rubbish!

Other people's reviews:

CAD703X says, "kodi is a collasal time-waster trying to keep it updated and reading the interwebz trying to keep up with the latest plugin as the MPAA plays whack-a-mole with streaming sites. you will be a happier person by installing plex and deleting kodi from your fireTV. "

Team-Kodi Minion DarrenHill defends Kodi in either broken English or just poor composition by saying, "you're obviously completely ignorant on what kodi is (it's a media player, we do not provide any media at all let alone all the 3rd party pirated junk you're obviously using)"

So, to be specific, Kodi as a basic Tool allows you to select from many 3rd party addons most of which will crap out on you. Even basic legitimate addons such as the Youtube addon seem to crap out after only a month. This is on a Kodi system with very basic use with only legitimate streaming service addons enabled.

The original post was modified by the Kodi forum moderators therefore it cannot be trusted as a reliable reflection of the OP since it has been edited. Needless to say, there is a massive online consensus that Kodi has had its day and is currently rubbish.

OtherGround Forums Kodi is garbage now!!,

possible alternative candidates

• Plex
• TerrariumTV

Operating System

Kodi can run on several operating systems. Kodi can be installed on many platforms to create a great HTPC. Operating systems include: Linux, Micro$oft Windows, Macintosh OSX, Android, and iOS. Kodi can run on a number of devices besides the personal computer including mobile devices and tablets.

There are some specific operating systems built for direct support of KODI, which are typically Linux based. Some examples include:

• LibreELEC
• OpenELEC
• OSMC
• Xbian

Addons

Legitimate Addons

The most common addons are for the purpose of viewing streaming content. Many Addons are for providing legal and copyright free streaming video or audio and is available in the Public Domain.

• Crackle - (video, movies) now owned by Sony, has some good legal content
• iPlayer WWW.
• SpotiMC / Spotify - (streaming music)
• TuneIn Radio.
• FilmsOn.TV.
• Twitch - (gaming content)
• Plex
• YouTube - (video)
• PopcornFlix - (video)

Pirate Addons

Endorsement or encouragement of copyright infringement is not encouraged here. This information is for educational purposes only.

• Exodus Redux - movies (poorly maintained)
• The Magic Dragon (unknown, untested)
• Incursion (others recommend)

update: 2019 Exodus is all but dead. Covenant or Genesis Reborn are current. use Trakt to manage.

Troubleshooting

Where do we start? The best universal fix to Kodi is to uninstall it.