[denis93c]

i was asked this and was not 100% sure of the answer... This might be a stupid question but I'm gonna ask it anyway, if they can make fork versions of 17.1 to run on 4.4 boxes why can't kodi make 17.1 run on 4.4? because the fork versions are exactly the same and run better.
i thought it was something like this... tbh im not 100% sure,but i think kodi developed the code for api above 19 and several python codes
can you tell me more clearly please?
tbh i have not seen a fork of 17.1 just 17.0

[jools5000]

I know quite a bit of this was due to changes with Passthrou audio, although theres probably other reasons

http://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=289735

Basically Kodi used to do something a hacky way which isn't recommended to do. Newer Android can handle this poperly now, but you need a newer version, so the API jump and Lolliipop or newer depenency

Kodi is open source, nothing to stop somebody forking the code and changing it back to the old way, but it isn't recommened and you take the risk. In the future more new features will probably result in anotther jump forward and forking to support older OS versions will become harder

[Tinwarble]

Basically, because the decision was made not to support API levels below 21.

At some point you have to make a cut off of API level support as it becomes to much work to support the newer APIs and the lower level APIs which in most cases require hacks in order to make them work properly.

[wrxtasy]

Even old Microsoft and Apple Hardware that can only run older Operating Systems have had to have recent Kodi supports for them dropped.

Like @Tinwarble said, Kodi being Open Source free software too has had to drop the custom hacks and standardize they way Android Kodi works for the long term benefit of every modern Android hardware platform.

If Firmware in old Android Boxes packs nothing but old hacky API's needing custom Kodi code then they are no longer supported. The support burdon becomes too great on developers too.

This of course does not stop 3rd parties like MyGica forking Krypton code and supporting their own Old Android v4.4.2 Hardware themselves.

[Koying]

Considering that no-one wants to actively have and/or test older devices, you only got 2 cboices:
- leave it available and have the "it doesn't work for you? Too bad" attitude
- pull the plug altogether in newer versions and make it clear

It's a bit like a declining marriage. Better end it proper and divorce cleanly before it becomes bitter...

[ianw22873]

Well said koying but out of curiosity has anyone forked 17.1 yet or has spmc matched it apologies for lack of knowledge am new in this area.

Sent from my SM-G935F

[wrxtasy]

Hint... follow the breadcrumbs in the START HERE thread in the top section of this forum.