This may seem dumb, but to me the reason for XBMC /Kodi has been to play movies and shows that you have ripped from disc. I have some friends that are purchasing various prebuilt Kodi devices and they don't seem to know what I am taking about when I suggest software to rip their discs. My impression is that they think this is a streaming player like Roku or Fire TV. In fact, to me it is quite the opposite since there is no direct support for services like Netflix or Amazon Prime, especially on Linux or OpenElec. Are people not purchasing for the right purpose and font realize that they have to rip their media? Or am missing some kind of functionality that I haven't been aware of?
Quote:but to me the reason for XBMC /Kodi has been to play movies and shows that you have ripped from disc
This is quite literally the main reason. You nailed it.
A lot of those boxes your friends are talking about are using PIRACY addons. Those addons are not discussed here or supported.
Anyone who can code in python can make an addon, and there a lot of great LEGIT addons that people have made. After those preloaded boxes are sold, the PIRACY addons often do break/stop working, then the users come here asking for help because the "seller" has buggered off. Check out the garbage bin section of the forum for proof of that.
Yeah, there are a bunch of pirate streaming sites out there that stream various pirated content and people have made addons for these sites. They're also #1 on the hit list for content owners so the sites can go up and down, change rapidly, jump domain, so it's not just that it's straight up pirated, which they obviously won't support here, but the game of wack-a-mole being played can leave the addons to break sooner or later. So your friends who buy boxes just for streaming will find that their pirated streaming will break and they don't know how else to use the box.
I had a feeling piracy was what it was. I've been advising these friends to realize the intended usage of Kodi but they don't seem to get the concept and think they are getting something that will give them content. I just thought maybe I was missing something. ;-)
I mostly use Kodi for music at home. Secondly I watch movies and TV shows that I download.
However and most importantly, I think that Kodi MUST improve the support for streaming services such as Netflix. That's the future. People won't store their movies or tv shows for much time if these other services keep improving in terms of quality and quantity.
Thats up to Netflix by the way, you don't think that the Kodi Team wouldn't love to integrate Netflix?
(2015-01-09, 22:32)patseguin Wrote: [ -> ]I had a feeling piracy was what it was. I've been advising these friends to realize the intended usage of Kodi but they don't seem to get the concept and think they are getting something that will give them content. I just thought maybe I was missing something. ;-)
You realize that once those addons break, they'll come to you asking you to fix it, right?
(2015-01-09, 23:07)DJ_Izumi Wrote: [ -> ] (2015-01-09, 22:32)patseguin Wrote: [ -> ]I had a feeling piracy was what it was. I've been advising these friends to realize the intended usage of Kodi but they don't seem to get the concept and think they are getting something that will give them content. I just thought maybe I was missing something. ;-)
You realize that once those addons break, they'll come to you asking you to fix it, right?
Haha, yup.
And I don't think that Kodi MUST support streaming services. It would be a plus to have Netflix and Amazon Prime, but to me the whole point of the software is to play your media.
I'm not sure I'd admit either that my primary usage is using downloaded movies and TV shows. Piracy is illegal and should not be promoted.
(2015-01-09, 22:36)Faire Wrote: [ -> ]I mostly use Kodi for music at home. Secondly I watch movies and TV shows that I download.
However and most importantly, I think that Kodi MUST improve the support for streaming services such as Netflix. That's the future. People won't store their movies or tv shows for much time if these other services keep improving in terms of quality and quantity.
I personally use kodi to play back media that i have purchased and ripped from disc onto my HDD's.
If netflix was 100% free and produced High Quality Video with HD audio, i'd still purchase the media on disc and store it on my server.
Hell there are enough free legit music streaming services around and i still buy albums on disc or through itunes.
Just my 2p's worth.
(2015-01-10, 01:32)karandras24 Wrote: [ -> ] (2015-01-09, 22:36)Faire Wrote: [ -> ]I mostly use Kodi for music at home. Secondly I watch movies and TV shows that I download.
However and most importantly, I think that Kodi MUST improve the support for streaming services such as Netflix. That's the future. People won't store their movies or tv shows for much time if these other services keep improving in terms of quality and quantity.
I personally use kodi to play back media that i have purchased and ripped from disc onto my HDD's.
If netflix was 100% free and produced High Quality Video with HD audio, i'd still purchase the media on disc and store it on my server.
Hell there are enough free legit music streaming services around and i still buy albums on disc or through itunes.
Just my 2p's worth.
Yeah same here. I use Fire TV when I want to rent movies or watch their free ones but I'll always buy blu rays for movies and shows I want to own. Every time I buy a blu ray these days the first thing I do is rip it and copy it to my NAS. I never even put it in my blu ray player and see the menus. The only downside is that I often don't see the extras.
I intend mostly to watch my own media .... taken from discs and the played back from hard drives.
And the person who brought up music was right... Kodi is a fantastic music server and can play multi channel high rez audio gapless. It's amazing for that.
However,... There are so many many different ways to use Kodi. Some of the add ons are banned but many of them just take video that's online for anyone to see and wrap that same video into a better interface. Services like YouTube, Vevo, USTVNow, Animal Planet, DIY Network, HGTV... lots of great content and I don't think any of it is ill legit.
I'm not sure if it's banned or not, but I love the NBCSports Extra add on for watching football.... I will use it today for the Pats/Ravens game and in a few weeks for the Superbowl. It's high quality internet streaming which is available in web browsers but on Kodi ... the commercials are all skipped... ha ha... love it.
-Brian
p.s. On a side note.. I hate Netflix.... but that's just me.
How do I access my iTunes library in Kodi? I have Home Shating enabled but Kodi doesn't see it. I turned on iTunes server on my Synolgy NAS and I'm currently copying over my iTunes library. Will Kodi see some kind of Synolgy share? Even though files are still copyinging, I tried adding a source for "Diskstation iTunes" which I created with iTunes Server but Kodi still doesn't see that. Is it just at not possible for Kodi to see iTunes music?
You would need to point Kodi directly to the iTunes music files and have it scan in. Kodi hasn't been able to see iTunes music sharing (DAAP) since iTunes 6.0.
Gotcha thanks Ned. Works good now!
I have friends buying this Matricom G-Box and they seem to advertise it as a streaming player which is fine. However, people on Fascebook seem to think when they get this they are getting free preimiums like HBO, sports, TV shows, PPV. I posted in a thread of theirs that people have to realize that they provide their own media and that Kodi isn't intended to provide free stuff. People are stating they ordered the box "fully loaded" whatever that means and think they are getting all kinds of free media. They all see to think it is a box like Roku or Fire TV. Maybe I am missing something...