[tmartin6]

Hi! I'm just learning about KODI. I hope you don't mind this very introductory post. I hope someone can help. My objective for looking into KODI is to see if there is a way that I can legally increase our television viewing options and perhaps eliminate cable TV. We don't watch much live TV. When we do, we'll just switch to the local channels. We are usually watching Netflix (movies and TV series). We spend some time on Amazon Prime. It is usually whatever we can get in the subscription or for free. Here is my big question. A friend recommended that I purchase a "MI Box" for $69. He then told me to get an app for the MI Box called SMPC KODI build. If you purchase a media streaming box with an interface on it, why would you want to use KODI? What does KODI have that is not in the interface for the media center box? From what I understand, KODI is a media center interface. To get movies and television series, you need to get apps to do that for you. Some are free and the others are subscription-based. From what I understand, if I were to do this, I would have two media center interfaces to choose from; the one that came with the box and KODI. Is this correct? What are the advantages? Would I be able to increase my viewing options. Thank you for putting up with this introductory post.

Terry

[bry]

free content (wiki) kodi is a media player. We do not provide any content. If you are happy with the above services you are best with a roku.

[Tinwarble]

Welcome to the forum.

First of all, Kodi is not a "interface", it is a media player with a UI that allows you to organize and play you locally stored media (movies, music, pictures, etc.) as well as, with a PVR backend/frontend, watch Live TV. Kodi on Android is just another app and although some people do use it as their main interface (it can be used as the main UI) and it is capable of launching other apps from within Kodi, that is not it's main purpose.

Just like the Netflix app is used to view the library and stream videos from Netflix, Kodi is designed to view and play your local media library and it's interface is designed around doing that.

[DarkHelmet]

If you want to watch Netflix and Amazon Prime go for an amazon fire tv. As an extra you can install kodi or spmc on the box. There might be addons for kodi/spmc that are not available for fire tv.

[tornicade]

There are far more android apps with legal free content for internet streaming than Kodi Addons.

If you have a big digital move collection Kodi is a great library manager.

My primary media is tv channel apps so I use Kodi as a home screen and launcher for that media.

If you get the box you should get it for the Android apps youll have access too including Kodi.

Kodi is such a potpourri of things one really has to "play" with it to figure out if its something they want to have.

It is free after all.

As far as how much use you get directly from Kodi it really depends on your network setup. do you use your computer for your media... do you have a tv card tuner. Do You use Plex, playon, Mediaportal, are you wanting to have your own pvr etc


If your goal is to cut cable cost. and you have multiple cab; boxes. you might want to consider buying a hdhomerun box which works perfectly with Kodi the ccable card version is about 130 bucks or for 90 bucks you can get one that receives OTA signals. If you have channels you have to have that require a subscription. you can get sling tv or playstation vue for internet streaming (this market is growing every day)

You can also use Yahoo view which is free to get next day airing of a lot of shows.


for me Kodi is a tool to enhance and integrate my entertainment regardless of its intended main function.

If you want to eliminate Cable. identify what channels you absolutely must have and don't want to wait 6 months to a year for it to show up on Netflix


I also wouldn't buy an STB cause it is Cheap. do your research and make sure it is something that will be supported.

If I was buying a box today . I would make sure it had AC wireless and HDMI in and out( not a deal breaker though) and most likely a TV tuner with multiple USB ports as well. as well as the latest arm processer.