Back in 2004/2005, I made a visit to my tech-savvy friends house to hang out on a Saturday afternoon. I was always up on all the latest tech but this guy was always a step ahead of me. I noticed he had this program on his TV that I had never seen before & asked him what it was I was looking at. That was the first time I had seen or heard of XBMC.
I was so enthralled by everything he showed me that I went to Game Stop that day to buy a used XBOX console. This was the first gaming console I had purchased since Super Nintendo in the early 90's. I brought the XBOX back to his house so he could 'mod the chip' & set up XBMC on my newly purchased machine. In the following weeks I did a ton of reading up to further my knowledge of this program & came across web sites selling customization pieces to make the XBOX unique. I purchased a crystal clear case & threw in a 750GB hard drive & have been a loyal XBMC user ever since.
I eventually moved on to using XBMC on a Zotac Zbox ID34BR connected to a 4 bay HDD enclosure housing 15TB of media connected via USB, as well as Kodi on my Android phone, my Amazon Fire tablet, & my RaspberryPi in my bedroom. Anyone who came to my house always asked me what it was they were seeing on my TV & I didn't mind because I loved telling people about Kodi.
Now that I got the story of my love affair with Kodi out of the way, I can get to the point of this topic. Someone, somehow needs to put an end to the absurd popularity of people using / selling Kodi on the Amazon Fire Stick or whatever other popular devices that are being used to stream illegal content. It is beyond ridiculous how many Fire Stick owners I overhear talking about Kodi & how they saw this movie that is still in the movie theater or watched that for free or this for free & are canceling their cable, etc. People that have been to my house on more than one occasion, who have seen Kodi on my TV & have asked me about it, I hear talking how they just bought an Amazon Fire stick with Kodi & how great it is. I ask them; "Don't you remember seeing Kodi & asking me about it when you came to my house that time?" They had no idea it was the same thing. They are amazed when I tell them that Kodi has other uses besides streaming illegal content & how I have been using it for almost 15 years & it originated on the first XBOX. They didn't even know that Kodi could be installed on other devices besides the stick, or on a computer for that matter.
I have a friend who sells the Kodi installed Amazon Fire sticks for $120. His sales pitch is telling people it is like an illegal cable box (if you guys remember, this was a big thing 20 or so years ago that you could buy to get all the cable channels). Anyway, he came over my place one night to hang out & we got to talking about the Fire Stick. I was never big on using add-ons, I especially have never installed any for the purpose of illegal streaming; not because I am I a strict law abiding citizen, but because I know the quality of the content & have no desire to watch someone in a movie theater recording the screen with a video camera. Anyway, after he talked & talked it up, I said he could install it while I ran out for a pack of smokes. I assumed that all he was going to do was install some sketchy add-on that I could easily uninstall if I didn't like it. When I returned to my house to check out what everyone has been raving about lately, I came to find he totally wiped out my version of Kodi & replaced it with some other version bundled with all the illegal streaming add-ons. The home screen was a mess, icons and shit everywhere. All my settings were gone. All my sources gone. Everything. Apparently, he did not know you could just install these add-ons by themselves. Needless to say I was furious.
After I calmed down, he was still trying to tell me how great & how much better his version of Kodi was than what I had & he started showing me these add-ons. One of them he couldn't even get to launch. When he finally got one working, he pulled up content from an HBO link. I thought I was watching a 3rd generation VHS tape. This was followed by a broken link, then another broken link & so on. This is tarnishing the Kodi name & how great it is. I am worried that even though none of this is Kodi's fault that eventually Kodi will be sued & shut down. I am not even exaggerating when I say how many people I know or hear talking about their Kodi installed Amazon Fire stick. It is extremely popular.
People think that Kodi / the Fire Stick / illegal streaming go hand-in-hand. I am sure the developers are troubled by this & I have read some articles concerning it on Kodi's page but what is being done? They suggest informing people that the illegal streaming is done by 3rd party apps & not Kodi, but people look dumbfounded when I try explaining this.
(2017-02-27, 10:42)jz1276 Wrote: [ -> ]Back in 2004/2005, I made a visit to my tech-savvy friends house to hang out on a Saturday afternoon. I was always up on all the latest tech but this guy was always a step ahead of me. I noticed he had this program on his TV that I had never seen before & asked him what it was I was looking at. That was the first time I had seen or heard of XBMC.
I was so enthralled by everything he showed me that I went to Game Stop that day to buy a used XBOX console. This was the first gaming console I had purchased since Super Nintendo in the early 90's. I brought the XBOX back to his house so he could 'mod the chip' & set up XBMC on my newly purchased machine. In the following weeks I did a ton of reading up to further my knowledge of this program & came across web sites selling customization pieces to make the XBOX unique. I purchased a crystal clear case & threw in a 750GB hard drive & have been a loyal XBMC user ever since.
I eventually moved on to using XBMC on a Zotac Zbox ID34BR connected to a 4 bay HDD enclosure housing 15TB of media connected via USB, as well as Kodi on my Android phone, my Amazon Fire tablet, & my RaspberryPi in my bedroom. Anyone who came to my house always asked me what it was they were seeing on my TV & I didn't mind because I loved telling people about Kodi.
Now that I got the story of my love affair with Kodi out of the way, I can get to the point of this topic. Someone, somehow needs to put an end to the absurd popularity of people using / selling Kodi on the Amazon Fire Stick or whatever other popular devices that are being used to stream illegal content. It is beyond ridiculous how many Fire Stick owners I overhear talking about Kodi & how they saw this movie that is still in the movie theater or watched that for free or this for free & are canceling their cable, etc. People that have been to my house on more than one occasion, who have seen Kodi on my TV & have asked me about it, I hear talking how they just bought an Amazon Fire stick with Kodi & how great it is. I ask them; "Don't you remember seeing Kodi & asking me about it when you came to my house that time?" They had no idea it was the same thing. They are amazed when I tell them that Kodi has other uses besides streaming illegal content & how I have been using it for almost 15 years & it originated on the first XBOX. They didn't even know that Kodi could be installed on other devices besides the stick, or on a computer for that matter.
I have a friend who sells the Kodi installed Amazon Fire sticks for $120. His sales pitch is telling people it is like an illegal cable box (if you guys remember, this was a big thing 20 or so years ago that you could buy to get all the cable channels). Anyway, he came over my place one night to hang out & we got to talking about the Fire Stick. I was never big on using add-ons, I especially have never installed any for the purpose of illegal streaming; not because I am I a strict law abiding citizen, but because I know the quality of the content & have no desire to watch someone in a movie theater recording the screen with a video camera. Anyway, after he talked & talked it up, I said he could install it while I ran out for a pack of smokes. I assumed that all he was going to do was install some sketchy add-on that I could easily uninstall if I didn't like it. When I returned to my house to check out what everyone has been raving about lately, I came to find he totally wiped out my version of Kodi & replaced it with some other version bundled with all the illegal streaming add-ons. The home screen was a mess, icons and shit everywhere. All my settings were gone. All my sources gone. Everything. Apparently, he did not know you could just install these add-ons by themselves. Needless to say I was furious.
After I calmed down, he was still trying to tell me how great & how much better his version of Kodi was than what I had & he started showing me these add-ons. One of them he couldn't even get to launch. When he finally got one working, he pulled up content from an HBO link. I thought I was watching a 3rd generation VHS tape. This was followed by a broken link, then another broken link & so on. This is tarnishing the Kodi name & how great it is. I am worried that even though none of this is Kodi's fault that eventually Kodi will be sued & shut down. I am not even exaggerating when I say how many people I know or hear talking about their Kodi installed Amazon Fire stick. It is extremely popular.
People think that Kodi / the Fire Stick / illegal streaming go hand-in-hand. I am sure the developers are troubled by this & I have read some articles concerning it on Kodi's page but what is being done? They suggest informing people that the illegal streaming is done by 3rd party apps & not Kodi, but people look dumbfounded when I try explaining this.
I'd would have shot him for messing with my Kodi install or least he'd wish he'd never been born.
(2017-02-28, 20:14)speedwell68 Wrote: [ -> ]I'd would have shot him for messing with my Kodi install or least he'd wish he'd never been born.
But...
(2017-02-27, 10:42)jz1276 Wrote: [ -> ]...I said he could install it...
sounds self-inflicted.
Anyway that's what backups are for.
(2017-02-28, 20:20)trogggy Wrote: [ -> ] (2017-02-28, 20:14)speedwell68 Wrote: [ -> ]I'd would have shot him for messing with my Kodi install or least he'd wish he'd never been born.
But...
(2017-02-27, 10:42)jz1276 Wrote: [ -> ]...I said he could install it...
sounds self-inflicted.
Anyway that's what backups are for.
Good point, well made.
He should drag himself outside and get his mate to shoot him.
(2017-02-28, 20:20)trogggy Wrote: [ -> ] (2017-02-28, 20:14)speedwell68 Wrote: [ -> ]I'd would have shot him for messing with my Kodi install or least he'd wish he'd never been born.
But...
(2017-02-27, 10:42)jz1276 Wrote: [ -> ]...I said he could install it...
sounds self-inflicted.
Anyway that's what backups are for.
(2017-02-28, 20:47)speedwell68 Wrote: [ -> ] (2017-02-28, 20:20)trogggy Wrote: [ -> ] (2017-02-28, 20:14)speedwell68 Wrote: [ -> ]I'd would have shot him for messing with my Kodi install or least he'd wish he'd never been born.
But...
(2017-02-27, 10:42)jz1276 Wrote: [ -> ]...I said he could install it...
sounds self-inflicted.
Anyway that's what backups are for.
Good point, well made.
He should drag himself outside and get his mate to shoot him.
Guys, I came here & took the time to post my thoughts on this expecting intellectual replies.Your comments have nothing to do with the topic at hand. Yeah, it was a mistake letting him mess with my shit but like I said, I thought all he was going to do was install an add-on.
Anyway, I just came back from visiting my dad who asked me about the Fire stick. Said one of his buddies sells "some box or stick for $80 that lets you watch all movies still in the theater & tv shows for free". Of course he couldnt follow me when I tried to explain what it is & I really had no argument because he said he knows 3 or 4 people that have one and they love it. I installed the Exodus add-on a couple of days ago out of curiosity. I believe this is the main add-on they install on the Fire stick. I won't watch the bootleg films that people record with a cam in the theaters, but there is a SHITLOAD of content to choose from & I can't really blame people for wanting it considering the ridiculous prices the cable companies charge.
I get upset half the time I let ME toy with my own Kodi setup. "Well great, it was working FINE and NOW look what you did because you think you're such a smarty pants!" I sure as heck would never let someone ELSE play with the configuration.
Yeah people often want something for nothing, and we oblige with the software for free (and Free/Libre).
Yes the Team are aware that Kodi's name is being tarnished.
Yes we try to do what we can about it. We are in communication with various websites etc and try to get ads taken down when we can.
No we do not have endless funds to throw at trademark enforcement cases.
Nice post Jz as you bring up a plethora of separate but related topics.
You will never put away the popularity of using KODI. This goes well beyond people using this specific device for shady measures and goes back to simple idea of getting something for free. It happened with Music and napster. That didn't go away (and nearly put the music industry out of business). It happened with VCRs. It happens with consoles. Movies are no different. KODI unfortunately just makes it extremely convenient and very close to user friendly. As the ability to use something becomes easier the use of that thing becomes wider.
I'm not against what you do in your own home in your private time as that's your right (and risk). But I agree about the people selling these devices pre-loaded. Not only is it blatently illegal, It is outright lying to the consumers in terms of the goods they are paying for. Part of it I see as buyer beware (you get what you pay for), but some of the advertising is just plain lies. Yes I think they should be stopped. Yes people SELLING these PRE-LOADED boxes should go to jail. But what I fear more than people losing money, that the 'powers that be' get involved and for lack of a better term start to "fuck things up" to the detriment of KODI as a product, the development team and the community.
I've always questioned the value of movies in the back of my head. Thinking if movies were 1.00 to see would people still use KODI in that manner? Meaning is the reason of these pre-loaded boxes the result of movies being too expensive? Or a sign of a missed demand of people wanting to watch movies in their homes instead of theaters? It sounds like the Music Industry failure from the late 90s... you know, when people started downloading MP3s instead of buying albums. From my perspective that was more about people wanting to choice of the songs they wanted and in digital form rather than buying an entire physical album. Instead of looking at Napster and what they were doing and copying it and putting a reasonable pricing model to it they decided to fight it and we all know how that ended up.
I feel movies are in the same space now, not so much that people want to own the movie (though of course they exist) but more so the choice to watch what content you want when you want. Today I cannot get a single source to watch everything I like to watch. I would have to Get Netflix here, Hulu there, HBO GO for this, CInemax for that, Amazon for this thing. Its rediculous. So when you have people who demand content in that fashion and you dont provide a means to deliver it, one will be created and I think that whats happening. Now I dont know what it would take for the movie industry to license their material for a single source like (or multiple sources or whatever the model might be) but it just feels like they aren't talking about it or at least sharing that is an active interest they want to go in. That will be there downfall and I see it ended up in two ways. One the Internet Providers get regulated and prevent streams at the routers and core (which would be a horrible step on freedom but not unrealistic) or the movie industry will adjust there model enough to offset the pirates from their profits. Now obviously I'm being dramatic to prove a point, but I dont see the outcome being too far off.
Movies (TV, media in general) are still using an outdated Broadcast-based model that has been around for over 50 years. Yes they have made some changes allowing content on portable devices and the such, but they need to re-invent how it all should work in this new Digital age.
Now in terms of your idiot friend who is selling boxes, people like that just piss me off because they are just smart enough to hurt someone other than themselves. First of all those 'packaged' versions of KODI are bloated, probably has some viruses or spyware, and as you found out don't work consistently. If you truly wanted to go down that right use google and tweak the add-ons yourself. Like I said earlier, KODI makes this process extremely easy. And I know having ...experiences... in the digital underworld. If you weren't technical back in the early 90s you weren't doing this stuff.
Long story short, business is always about supply and demand. If you give the people what they want, they will pay for it. If you don't, they will find another way to get it. They always have...
Think about it...
(2017-03-01, 05:09)jz1276 Wrote: [ -> ] (2017-02-28, 20:20)trogggy Wrote: [ -> ] (2017-02-28, 20:14)speedwell68 Wrote: [ -> ]I'd would have shot him for messing with my Kodi install or least he'd wish he'd never been born.
But...
(2017-02-27, 10:42)jz1276 Wrote: [ -> ]...I said he could install it...
sounds self-inflicted.
Anyway that's what backups are for.
(2017-02-28, 20:47)speedwell68 Wrote: [ -> ] (2017-02-28, 20:20)trogggy Wrote: [ -> ]But...
sounds self-inflicted.
Anyway that's what backups are for.
Good point, well made.
He should drag himself outside and get his mate to shoot him.
Guys, I came here & took the time to post my thoughts on this expecting intellectual replies.Your comments have nothing to do with the topic at hand. Yeah, it was a mistake letting him mess with my shit but like I said, I thought all he was going to do was install an add-on.
Anyway, I just came back from visiting my dad who asked me about the Fire stick. Said one of his buddies sells "some box or stick for $80 that lets you watch all movies still in the theater & tv shows for free". Of course he couldnt follow me when I tried to explain what it is & I really had no argument because he said he knows 3 or 4 people that have one and they love it. I installed the Exodus add-on a couple of days ago out of curiosity. I believe this is the main add-on they install on the Fire stick. I won't watch the bootleg films that people record with a cam in the theaters, but there is a SHITLOAD of content to choose from & I can't really blame people for wanting it considering the ridiculous prices the cable companies charge.
Just so you know not all the content on that particular add-on are people recording with cameras in theaters. You effectively get content from all different (mostly paid) sources in various resolutions some of which are decent HD. And all you have to do is type in what you want to watch? Its an easy sell.
Again not condoning the action, but painting the reality of its popularity (as it seems people want to overlook that). Looking at it that way it really isn't that surprising and to me, kind of expected.
(2017-03-02, 00:51)Jokerchyld Wrote: [ -> ] (2017-03-01, 05:09)jz1276 Wrote: [ -> ] (2017-02-28, 20:20)trogggy Wrote: [ -> ]But...
sounds self-inflicted.
Anyway that's what backups are for.
(2017-02-28, 20:47)speedwell68 Wrote: [ -> ]Good point, well made.
He should drag himself outside and get his mate to shoot him.
Guys, I came here & took the time to post my thoughts on this expecting intellectual replies.Your comments have nothing to do with the topic at hand. Yeah, it was a mistake letting him mess with my shit but like I said, I thought all he was going to do was install an add-on.
Anyway, I just came back from visiting my dad who asked me about the Fire stick. Said one of his buddies sells "some box or stick for $80 that lets you watch all movies still in the theater & tv shows for free". Of course he couldnt follow me when I tried to explain what it is & I really had no argument because he said he knows 3 or 4 people that have one and they love it. I installed the Exodus add-on a couple of days ago out of curiosity. I believe this is the main add-on they install on the Fire stick. I won't watch the bootleg films that people record with a cam in the theaters, but there is a SHITLOAD of content to choose from & I can't really blame people for wanting it considering the ridiculous prices the cable companies charge.
Just so you know not all the content on that particular add-on are people recording with cameras in theaters. You effectively get content from all different (mostly paid) sources in various resolutions some of which are decent HD. And all you have to do is type in what you want to watch? Its an easy sell.
Again not condoning the action, but painting the reality of its popularity (as it seems people want to overlook that). Looking at it that way it really isn't that surprising and to me, kind of expected.
No, I know that not all the content is low quality CAM movies. The fact that users can watch films that are still in the theater is the first thing that is always brought up & is what draws people to these Fire sticks.
(2017-03-02, 00:41)Jokerchyld Wrote: [ -> ]Nice post Jz as you bring up a plethora of separate but related topics.
You will never put away the popularity of using KODI. This goes well beyond people using this specific device for shady measures and goes back to simple idea of getting something for free. It happened with Music and napster. That didn't go away (and nearly put the music industry out of business). It happened with VCRs. It happens with consoles. Movies are no different. KODI unfortunately just makes it extremely convenient and very close to user friendly. As the ability to use something becomes easier the use of that thing becomes wider.
I'm not against what you do in your own home in your private time as that's your right (and risk). But I agree about the people selling these devices pre-loaded. Not only is it blatently illegal, It is outright lying to the consumers in terms of the goods they are paying for. Part of it I see as buyer beware (you get what you pay for), but some of the advertising is just plain lies. Yes I think they should be stopped. Yes people SELLING these PRE-LOADED boxes should go to jail. But what I fear more than people losing money, that the 'powers that be' get involved and for lack of a better term start to "fuck things up" to the detriment of KODI as a product, the development team and the community.
I've always questioned the value of movies in the back of my head. Thinking if movies were 1.00 to see would people still use KODI in that manner? Meaning is the reason of these pre-loaded boxes the result of movies being too expensive? Or a sign of a missed demand of people wanting to watch movies in their homes instead of theaters? It sounds like the Music Industry failure from the late 90s... you know, when people started downloading MP3s instead of buying albums. From my perspective that was more about people wanting to choice of the songs they wanted and in digital form rather than buying an entire physical album. Instead of looking at Napster and what they were doing and copying it and putting a reasonable pricing model to it they decided to fight it and we all know how that ended up.
I feel movies are in the same space now, not so much that people want to own the movie (though of course they exist) but more so the choice to watch what content you want when you want. Today I cannot get a single source to watch everything I like to watch. I would have to Get Netflix here, Hulu there, HBO GO for this, CInemax for that, Amazon for this thing. Its rediculous. So when you have people who demand content in that fashion and you dont provide a means to deliver it, one will be created and I think that whats happening. Now I dont know what it would take for the movie industry to license their material for a single source like (or multiple sources or whatever the model might be) but it just feels like they aren't talking about it or at least sharing that is an active interest they want to go in. That will be there downfall and I see it ended up in two ways. One the Internet Providers get regulated and prevent streams at the routers and core (which would be a horrible step on freedom but not unrealistic) or the movie industry will adjust there model enough to offset the pirates from their profits. Now obviously I'm being dramatic to prove a point, but I dont see the outcome being too far off.
Movies (TV, media in general) are still using an outdated Broadcast-based model that has been around for over 50 years. Yes they have made some changes allowing content on portable devices and the such, but they need to re-invent how it all should work in this new Digital age.
Now in terms of your idiot friend who is selling boxes, people like that just piss me off because they are just smart enough to hurt someone other than themselves. First of all those 'packaged' versions of KODI are bloated, probably has some viruses or spyware, and as you found out don't work consistently. If you truly wanted to go down that right use google and tweak the add-ons yourself. Like I said earlier, KODI makes this process extremely easy. And I know having ...experiences... in the digital underworld. If you weren't technical back in the early 90s you weren't doing this stuff.
Long story short, business is always about supply and demand. If you give the people what they want, they will pay for it. If you don't, they will find another way to get it. They always have...
Think about it...
Thank you for an intelligent response. I don't have a problem with people ripping off the movie industry, & I didnt have a problem when people started ripping off the music industry either. It's the fact that Kodi is at risk. Like I said, I've been using it now almost 15 years, I use it pretty much every day. Something should be done now before it's too late. Nickr said "we do not have endless funds to throw at trademark enforcement cases." Of course I know that. I don't even know if this is possible but what if Kodi was made to only run approved add-ons?
(2017-03-02, 12:17)jz1276 Wrote: [ -> ]Of course I know that. I don't even know if this is possible but what if Kodi was made to only run approved add-ons?
Wow!
No really.
Why has nobody come up with that gem before?
Brilliant!
(2017-03-02, 12:17)jz1276 Wrote: [ -> ] (2017-03-02, 00:51)Jokerchyld Wrote: [ -> ] (2017-03-01, 05:09)jz1276 Wrote: [ -> ]Guys, I came here & took the time to post my thoughts on this expecting intellectual replies.Your comments have nothing to do with the topic at hand. Yeah, it was a mistake letting him mess with my shit but like I said, I thought all he was going to do was install an add-on.
Anyway, I just came back from visiting my dad who asked me about the Fire stick. Said one of his buddies sells "some box or stick for $80 that lets you watch all movies still in the theater & tv shows for free". Of course he couldnt follow me when I tried to explain what it is & I really had no argument because he said he knows 3 or 4 people that have one and they love it. I installed the Exodus add-on a couple of days ago out of curiosity. I believe this is the main add-on they install on the Fire stick. I won't watch the bootleg films that people record with a cam in the theaters, but there is a SHITLOAD of content to choose from & I can't really blame people for wanting it considering the ridiculous prices the cable companies charge.
Just so you know not all the content on that particular add-on are people recording with cameras in theaters. You effectively get content from all different (mostly paid) sources in various resolutions some of which are decent HD. And all you have to do is type in what you want to watch? Its an easy sell.
Again not condoning the action, but painting the reality of its popularity (as it seems people want to overlook that). Looking at it that way it really isn't that surprising and to me, kind of expected.
No, I know that not all the content is low quality CAM movies. The fact that users can watch films that are still in the theater is the first thing that is always brought up & is what draws people to these Fire sticks.
(2017-03-02, 00:41)Jokerchyld Wrote: [ -> ]Nice post Jz as you bring up a plethora of separate but related topics.
You will never put away the popularity of using KODI. This goes well beyond people using this specific device for shady measures and goes back to simple idea of getting something for free. It happened with Music and napster. That didn't go away (and nearly put the music industry out of business). It happened with VCRs. It happens with consoles. Movies are no different. KODI unfortunately just makes it extremely convenient and very close to user friendly. As the ability to use something becomes easier the use of that thing becomes wider.
I'm not against what you do in your own home in your private time as that's your right (and risk). But I agree about the people selling these devices pre-loaded. Not only is it blatently illegal, It is outright lying to the consumers in terms of the goods they are paying for. Part of it I see as buyer beware (you get what you pay for), but some of the advertising is just plain lies. Yes I think they should be stopped. Yes people SELLING these PRE-LOADED boxes should go to jail. But what I fear more than people losing money, that the 'powers that be' get involved and for lack of a better term start to "fuck things up" to the detriment of KODI as a product, the development team and the community.
I've always questioned the value of movies in the back of my head. Thinking if movies were 1.00 to see would people still use KODI in that manner? Meaning is the reason of these pre-loaded boxes the result of movies being too expensive? Or a sign of a missed demand of people wanting to watch movies in their homes instead of theaters? It sounds like the Music Industry failure from the late 90s... you know, when people started downloading MP3s instead of buying albums. From my perspective that was more about people wanting to choice of the songs they wanted and in digital form rather than buying an entire physical album. Instead of looking at Napster and what they were doing and copying it and putting a reasonable pricing model to it they decided to fight it and we all know how that ended up.
I feel movies are in the same space now, not so much that people want to own the movie (though of course they exist) but more so the choice to watch what content you want when you want. Today I cannot get a single source to watch everything I like to watch. I would have to Get Netflix here, Hulu there, HBO GO for this, CInemax for that, Amazon for this thing. Its rediculous. So when you have people who demand content in that fashion and you dont provide a means to deliver it, one will be created and I think that whats happening. Now I dont know what it would take for the movie industry to license their material for a single source like (or multiple sources or whatever the model might be) but it just feels like they aren't talking about it or at least sharing that is an active interest they want to go in. That will be there downfall and I see it ended up in two ways. One the Internet Providers get regulated and prevent streams at the routers and core (which would be a horrible step on freedom but not unrealistic) or the movie industry will adjust there model enough to offset the pirates from their profits. Now obviously I'm being dramatic to prove a point, but I dont see the outcome being too far off.
Movies (TV, media in general) are still using an outdated Broadcast-based model that has been around for over 50 years. Yes they have made some changes allowing content on portable devices and the such, but they need to re-invent how it all should work in this new Digital age.
Now in terms of your idiot friend who is selling boxes, people like that just piss me off because they are just smart enough to hurt someone other than themselves. First of all those 'packaged' versions of KODI are bloated, probably has some viruses or spyware, and as you found out don't work consistently. If you truly wanted to go down that right use google and tweak the add-ons yourself. Like I said earlier, KODI makes this process extremely easy. And I know having ...experiences... in the digital underworld. If you weren't technical back in the early 90s you weren't doing this stuff.
Long story short, business is always about supply and demand. If you give the people what they want, they will pay for it. If you don't, they will find another way to get it. They always have...
Think about it...
Thank you for an intelligent response. I don't have a problem with people ripping off the movie industry, & I didnt have a problem when people started ripping off the music industry either. It's the fact that Kodi is at risk. Like I said, I've been using it now almost 15 years, I use it pretty much every day. Something should be done now before it's too late. Nickr said "we do not have endless funds to throw at trademark enforcement cases." Of course I know that. I don't even know if this is possible but what if Kodi was made to only run approved add-ons?
In the same boat, completely hooked on KODI (especially Krypton and the Estuary interface ... its brillant). I'm saying I don't think anything (other than denouncing the pre-installed boxes) can be done. The problem I believe is lack of understanding from the public (outside the community). KODI itself as a piece of software is not illegal and that should be the basis of any legal argument. KODI should not be hurt by 3rd party extensibility. But I dont think we can stop people from believing that "KODI downloads illegal movies" especially if they are stuck on believing that. And even in that (ignorant) case, coming down on KODI won't stop the problem. Something else (maybe not as sophisticated) will replace KODI and it will become the new-new.
I'm not in favor of restricting the add-ons, partly because it gets into the argument of what is considered approved and mostly because I like being able to do what I want with a device that I purchase, and thirdly KODI isn't the problem. Again, in the privacy of my own home. Not for public viewing. Definitely not for sale.
I do think its a matter of time before KODI (in terms of functionality) is duplicated in commercial settop boxes. I mean to be honest, this interface (or something close to it) is what a cable box (or perhaps an "internet" box) should display. Who wouldn't want one place to see local content, online content, youtube and a slew of other things. And looking at the latest update from my local cable provider, they have already started. Movies now have star rating. They are more visual (showing "box art" instead of text). And the interface is a bit cleaner. But it is still slow, has tons of bugs that make me have to recycle the power to fix... all of which is unacceptable to me especially at the astronomical price I am paying. Today I have cable only because my wife HAS to watch Walking Dead the SECOND it comes on. Me, I ONLY watch KODI. I dont have to worry about commercials, and everything thats on is something I want to see. Also having my kids watch their cartoons on KODI has improved their focus as their shows aren't (constantly) interrupted by commericals. They also dont know as much as about the new toys that are out so I save a dollar here and there
As I've argued, the problem isn't KODI at all but the cost and means to the access of content. KODI is just the conduit for the means today.
These days, if you have an he homerun prime, you can watch cable in Kodi.
(2017-03-02, 12:29)trogggy Wrote: [ -> ] (2017-03-02, 12:17)jz1276 Wrote: [ -> ]Of course I know that. I don't even know if this is possible but what if Kodi was made to only run approved add-ons?
Wow!
No really.
Why has nobody come up with that gem before?
Brilliant!
Go be an asshole somewhere else if you wanna be a prick.
(2017-03-02, 23:36)jz1276 Wrote: [ -> ] (2017-03-02, 12:29)trogggy Wrote: [ -> ] (2017-03-02, 12:17)jz1276 Wrote: [ -> ]Of course I know that. I don't even know if this is possible but what if Kodi was made to only run approved add-ons?
Wow!
No really.
Why has nobody come up with that gem before?
Brilliant!
Go be an asshole somewhere else if you wanna be a prick.
I just wish I had a pound for every time the genius suggestion of locking everything down has been made.
'Hey, I just had this great idea.'
The fact it's coming from someone who's just posted about how much he's enjoying Exodus is fabulous.