[elsmandino]

Hello,

I am currently running the latest stable version of Libreelec (Kodi 17) on a Raspberry Pi Model 3B+.

Everything is perfect but for one thing - if I want to watch Netflix, I have to plug my laptop into my TV.

Am I correct in thinking that OSMC offers more of a complete OS, I can close down Kodi, open Firefox and watch netflix via the Pi?

[Klojum]

Netflix on LibreELEC is still a work in progress: https://forum.libreelec.tv/thread/11582-...r-kodi-17/

[Sam.Nazarko]

You can use Netflix on OSMC or LE using a Kodi v18 build.
See https://discourse.osmc.tv/t/testing-kodi...y-pi/20631.

OSMC has apt, so you have more access to the underlying system, i.e. you can install Chromium or a desktop environment: https://discourse.osmc.tv/t/testing-x11-...etch/16846, but it won't be that useful for streaming.

[elsmandino]

Thanks for that - it is really encouraging that a Netflix plugin will be available for Kodi 18, so I might just wait until the appropriate Libreelec update becomes available.

I think that I might have a fundamental misunderstanding of what OSMC is, compared to Libreelec.

I though that if I closed OSMC down, I would be left with a GUI that would allow me to install and use any Linux programs, such as Firefox,  Is this not the case, then?

[Sam.Nazarko]

You'd need to install a desktop environment (which is trivial enough via SSH).
OSMC doesn't include a desktop environment by default at this time, but you can add one.

[elsmandino]

Ok, I am with you.

I know that this is going to be a very subjective question, but do you think I should try and stick with Libreelec, in light of the upcoming Netflix plugin?

If all I use my Pi for is watching recorded TV, Videos and Live TV, is there any to be gained by switching to OSMC?

I have tried reading as many "Libreelec vs OSMC" threads as I can find and the crux of what I found is that:

1. OSMC is slightly more hardware intensive and thus less suitable for older Pi versions (probably not relevant to me as I have the latest one).
2. OSMC receives more frequent updates, so Kodi 18 is going to be more quickly available via this route.
3. OSMC is better designed Kodi users that want to use the Pi for other purposes in the background - server, home automation etc.

What do you think?

[Milhouse]

If you decide to stick with LibreELEC then you can upgrade your current installation to a LibreELEC 9.0/Kodi 18 build using the latest test build from this thread. This has working Netflix - I would suggest using the Kodinerds repository (details in note #6) to install the Netflix addon, as this will also allow you to install the required Widevine library using the Inputstream Helper addon.

Note that this is very much a test build, and there are some issues right now (unrelated to Netflix).

For your list of observations, I'd say that OSMC is a better choice if you want something closer to a general purpose Linux that allows you to install a broad range of applications using apt-get - LibreELEC is intentionally more limited as it is an "embedded" solution (it supports applications and add-ons, but through the Kodi add-on interface). Both OSMC and LibreELEC receive regular updates and normally release updates as soon as a new Kodi release is available. In terms of performance I'd say they're similar, so it really comes down to the type of installation you want (embedded or not) and what you plan on installing.

[elsmandino]

Perfect - thanks very for much that.

I think I am going to stick with Libreelec and have a go with the alpha version of 18, as suggested (I can always go back to 17 if I come across anything too problematic).