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Chris230291 · 2019-08-31, 19:33

Hello. Why are Kodi add-ons the way that they are?
YouTube for example. Why is it the old list/directory based experience and not something much more like an app on tvOS or Android?
Most people will suggest to just use the official apps... But I don't want to. I want Kodi to be the "OS". I don't want to run Android etc.

I cant be the only one who thinks this way?
Is it just not possible with how Kodi works right now? If so maybe its time to move on?

Chris.

**Klojum** · 2019-08-31, 20:07

(2019-08-31, 19:33)Chris230291 Wrote: it the old list/directory based experience and not something much more like an app on tvOS or Android?

Kodi has its own framework of text, list and input objects, which are used within its user interface. Creating a full Youtube experience would go beyond the scope of the current Kodi UX engine, and likely not match the overall current snappiness.

Also, Youtube management might not be pleased with an identical 'look'. Things like "plagiarism" and "copyright theft" come to mind.

Chris230291 · (This post was last modified: 2019-08-31, 20:18 by Chris230291.)

(2019-08-31, 20:07)Klojum Wrote:
(2019-08-31, 19:33)Chris230291 Wrote: it the old list/directory based experience and not something much more like an app on tvOS or Android?

Kodi has its own framework of text, list and input objects, which are used within its user interface. Creating a full Youtube experience would go beyond the scope of the current Kodi UX engine, and likely not match the overall current snappiness.

Also, Youtube management might not be pleased with an identical 'look'. Things like "plagiarism" and "copyright theft" come to mind.

I think the Plex addon (the official one) uses a different UI style, more similar to what I think a "real" YouTube UI would look like.
Is it just something that's never going to happen? I guess its been this long so it probably would have happened by now if it was going to?

I don't think Google get a say honestly. Their UI is very similar to lots of other video streaming interfaces across a variety of platforms. No one "owns" that style at this point. It gets used because it makes the most sense.

I don't want to come across as ungrateful. I just feel what we have now is stuck in the 2000's... which makes sense but isn't ideal.

Chris

V8MEM · 2019-08-31, 20:25

Are you watching the menus or the videos?

Chris230291 · 2019-08-31, 21:05

You probably thought that was a smart answer. You were wrong.

**enen92** · 2019-08-31, 21:15

Kodi might soon include a webbrowser framework, enabling web-based add-ons. Once (and if) that is possible you'll be able to run YouTube as in webos, atv, etc since it is a simple web app. However note that one of the main strong points of Kodi is the use of the same interface for all the content.
I personally hate to have to discover/understand every single interface and the lack of standardisation.

**Klojum** · 2019-08-31, 21:17

(2019-08-31, 21:05)Chris230291 Wrote: You were wrong.

Not really. Not everyone finds the looks of the UI more important. Plenty of people find playing videos correctly more important (that includes me). I also don't mind how my PC looks, as long as it works flawlessly. I don't need a window in my PC case.

**ronie** · 2019-08-31, 21:36

it all depends on how the addon developer chooses the code the addon...
for video addons, there are basically two ways to code it:
- as a plugin
- as a script

plugins will use the look and feel of the skin you're currently using (what you call the old 'list/directory based experience').
scripts, on the other hand, come with their own user interface and there's no stopping them from looking exactly like the official youtube app.

writing a plugin is far less work, as the developer does not have to code the user-interface part.
also, plugins guarantee a unified look and feel across addons (and our local video collection).

but as said, it is certainly possible for an addon to ship with it's own user-interface.
as an example, here's a youtube addon written as a script: https://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=230259

the_other_guy · 2019-09-01, 04:20

why not just search for sites and add to favourites

or find a skin that uses custom widgets and use nodes

lightsout · 2019-09-01, 04:27

I noticed a custom skin can make a huge difference. For example the Netflix plugin looks a little boring as well. But when I installed it with the embuary skin it's totally different.

Looks great.

bigretromike · 2019-09-01, 11:42

(2019-09-01, 04:27)lightsout Wrote: I noticed a custom skin can make a huge difference. For example the Netflix plugin looks a little boring as well. But when I installed it with the embuary skin it's totally different.

Looks great.

That's true!
Because from what I see (and my userbase) people confuse SKINs with color pallets. When they see 'skin' they think it will change only colors, imges and not the UX, the confuse it to be a 'persona' thing in firefox or theme in PS4 - just a fancy name for color/background.

Yet in fact, skin in Kodi is sometimes a game changers for some users, and with the officials one are more than a color tweak.