[jfranek]

Hi,
A bit of background - Recently I had to buy a new DVD player and bought a Samsung smart blu ray player. It has DLNA capability and I am streaming pictures, music and movies from my PC to the player and connected TV. I am using Mezzmo as a server. I have all sorts of movie files with external subtitles.
I am not happy with the GUI on the TV. Very basic - looks like Samsung ran out of development money or time ...Getting to the libraries to select and play something is not nice - through a tradesmen door.
And then I found out about Kodi. I installed it on my PC and so far I like it. Looks very customisable and elegant. But there is no Samsung application to run Kodi on their players, and from what I have read, Kodi would not be interested to build one.
I do not want to go a way of HTPC, but apparently Kodi can be installed as an addon on Amazon Fire TV. Using a hack, it can then be placed on the main menu and launched from there. That solution I would like.

Questions -

Is the installation of Kodi on Amazon FTV reliable, and so is the hack? I would not want to launch Kodi via Settings menu.
How is the remote GUI - what I see on the TV - constructed? Is it a copy of what is in the Kodi on the PC, or is it constructed separately on the TV screen using the AmazonFTV remote?
Could I utilize my existing Mezzmo library, or would it be better to build a new one in Kodi?
For this exercise, streaming network services (Netfix etc) is unimportant. But Amazon FTV is mostly about that. Should I be looking for a more suitable device to run Kodi on? The esthetics of visual presentation and simplicity in accessing my libraries is important.

cheers
Joe

[Ned Scott]

The home button hacks are mostly reliable, but sometimes glitch every so often.

If you don't need Netflix then there are other Android/ARM based boxes that will work just as well, if not better, than Fire TV for the same price. CuBox-i, MXQ S85, Chromebox, just to name a few.

[jfranek]

Thanks, Ned. I spent a couple of hours reading about your suggestions. Interesting devices, but neither of them seems to have a nice dedicated remote like the Amazon FTV. I am not keen on using phone or tablet as a remote.

Pity you could not help with the other questions.

[Ned Scott]

You just buy a remote to go with them. Most included remotes are very poor quality anyways. The MXQ does come with a remote, though. The CuBox-i can also use CEC which means it will work with most TV remotes.

I have no idea what Mezzmo is.

[jfranek]

Thanks again.

I will look into the remotes, but they will probably cost more than the whole Amazon thing which comes with a remote. I live in Australia, its a different world talking $$.
Lets forget Mezzmo for the time being.

But help me please with the basics. I am reasonably PC literate, but this field is completely new for me. With Kodi running in one of these devices, how will I be able to configure it, for example change the "skins" ? Will it be the same process as doing it on a PC? And will I have to use a USB keyboard/mouse connected to the device, (which would be OK), or use the remote ?

[teeedubb]

You can get good quality HP remotes + ir receiver for about $20aud on eBay.if the device you buy has a built-in ir receiver you can get just the remote for cheaper.

You can configure kodi with a remote as the majority of options are configured via kodis GUI, although sometimes its easier to use a keyboard (eg passwords or long strings).

[jfranek]

Thanks -

Because this whole exercise exists because I am not happy with the visual presentation (UI) on the Samsung smart player, the configurability of Kodi on the device is a key requirement. Happy with you answer.

Now that you mentioned the IR remotes - I would actually prefer non IR. The devices are small, or very small like the CuBox-I, and can't hide the cables connected to it. So IR remote is out. Amazon are making a point that their remote does not need line-of-sight.

How is Kodi updated? There is no Update item that I can find in Settings.

[teeedubb]

Linux via apt (if you have the kodi repo installed.) AFAIK, all other OS's are updated manually. Edit: openelec is updated from within kodis GUI.

Some devices have it receivers built in, or if they have Bluetooth you can use a blue tooth remote, which is what I think the fire TV comes with, eg firetv or ps3 remote.

[jfranek]

Linux via apt (if you have the kodi repo installed.) AFAIK, all other OS's are updated manually. Edit: openelec is updated from within kodis GUI.

If I bought the Amazon FireTV it runs android, I believe, I would not probably bother to update it. However, if Kodi came out with something new, I might. But Kodi player GUI does not have a way of updating itself. Or does it?

[teeedubb]

No, kodi does not update itself.