[Tanny]

Hi,

I'm new to media servers, and have a basic question.

Can Kodi send content from my Mac/Yosemite to our TV, via Roku or AppleTV?

If yes, can you link to any articles or discussion on this topic?

Thanks!

[Memphiz]

Google for airplay mirroring from mac to appletv4

[Tanny]

Google for airplay mirroring from mac to appletv4

Thanks for the reminder about Airplay.

I should refine my question.

I just spent 3 days wrestling with Plex and decided it's not for me. I'm looking for something that does what Plex does, but more simply, and especially more reliably.

I'm hoping to create a setup where when my Mac is booted up it will automatically launch some media server. Then we can navigate and play the designated media on the Mac from the TV.

I'm attempting to determine whether Kodi can do this job before I install it and learn it etc. When Kodi is installed will we be able to browse our media content (that's on the Mac) from the TV? Will there be an interface on the TV that shows folders and sub-folders of our media?

I can't seem to find such a direct explanation on the site. There's a lot of whizz bang marketing hoopla etc, but not much specific information for those of us new to media servers.

I hope this is clearer. Many thanks.

[Tinwarble]

I can't seem to find such a direct explanation on the site. There's a lot of whizz bang marketing hoopla etc, but not much specific information for those of us new to media servers.

I hope this is clearer. Many thanks.

To begin with, there is no "marketing hoopla" as Kodi is not a product. It's free open-source software that is developed and maintained by a group of volunteers.

That being said, what you appear to want from this and you other post is something that will cast to another device. That is not what Kodi is nor meant to do.

Kodi is a media player with a fancy UI that is meant to run on a device that is attached to your TV.

[Memphiz]

That second post from him more sounds like wanting to have a upnp server on the mac - which kodi can do too but a dedicated upnp server mght do better. Most tvs support streaming from upnp servers.

[Tanny]

To begin with, there is no "marketing hoopla" as Kodi is not a product. It's free open-source software that is developed and maintained by a group of volunteers.

I don't want to argue, so I'll just refer you to the Kodi home page, which provides almost no useful information to anyone who is not already familiar with Kodi and media servers generally. Not a complaint really, but an attempt at a constructive suggestion. Perhaps some volunteers will emerge who know how to write useful copy. Rome was not built in a day.

https://kodi.tv/

That being said, what you appear to want from this and you other post is something that will cast to another device. That is not what Kodi is nor meant to do.

Ok, thanks, I'm getting that now.

I arrived here trying to replace Plex, which I now see is unsupported beta software (ie. unreliable).

Kodi is a media player with a fancy UI that is meant to run on a device that is attached to your TV.

Once I understand how you control Kodi from the TV, I think I'll be on the right path. Yes, a remote. But what remote? Still trying to get to the bottom of that.

Plex connected to our Roku box, so you used the Roku remote. Simple. Unreliable, but simple when it worked. It appears that Kodi does not access Roku or AppleTV, so I don't yet understand how one controls Kodi with a remote.

Does the Apple Remote work with Kodi perhaps?

[Tanny]

That second post from him more sounds like wanting to have a upnp server on the mac - which kodi can do too but a dedicated upnp server mght do better. Most tvs support streaming from upnp servers.

Sorry for any confusion from my posts. I'm just trying to set up some method of streaming content from Mac to TV that will require almost no nerd learning by my wife. Ideally, something like this...

1) Wife hits power button on Mac. She can do this.

2) Wife uses TV remote to select Mac desktop to appear on TV. She can do this.

3) Navigates and plays content on Mac using some simple interface on the TV, such as perhaps Kodi.

[Tinwarble]

I don't want to argue, so I'll just refer you to the Kodi home page, which provides almost no useful information to anyone who is not already familiar with Kodi and media servers generally. Not a complaint really, but an attempt at a constructive suggestion. Perhaps some volunteers will emerge who know how to write useful copy. Rome was not built in a day.

https://kodi.tv/

And even on there:

Kodi (formerly XBMC) is a free and open source media player application developed by the XBMC/Kodi Foundation, a non-profit technology consortium. Kodi is available for multiple operating-systems and hardware platforms, featuring a 10-foot user interface for use with televisions and remote controls. It allows users to play and view most videos, music, podcasts, and other digital media files from local and network storage media and the internet.

However, most people who are looking for Kodi already have a general idea of what it is. It's not like there isn't a ton of information floating around about it.

Sorry for any confusion from my posts. I'm just trying to set up some method of streaming content from Mac to TV that will require almost no nerd learning by my wife. Ideally, something like this...

1) Wife hits power button on Mac. She can do this.

2) Wife uses TV remote to select Mac desktop to appear on TV. She can do this.

3) Navigates and plays content on Mac using some simple interface on the TV, such as perhaps Kodi.

There's no "nerd" learning to use Kodi. Once it's setup it's just a matter of point and click. If my wife can use it then anyone can, and it's a lot simpler to use than what you appear to be attempting to do.

As already suggested to you (in your other thread) why don't you just get a dedicated device to run Kodi on. It's much simpler than trying to use your Mac to push content to your TV.

Get something like a Raspberry Pi, throw LibreELEC on it, get a remote and you're done.

But if you're dead set on trying to cast to your TV, I'd suggest a Chromecast.

[Tanny]

However, most people who are looking for Kodi already have a general idea of what it is. It's not like there isn't a ton of information floating around about it.

Well, for the sake of debate, you have no way of knowing that. The vast majority of people who are confused by any site just hit the back button and vanish. Only rare random wackos like me go to the trouble to join the site and whine about being confused. :-)

There's no "nerd" learning to use Kodi. Once it's setup it's just a matter of point and click.

Ah, "once it's set up". Look at the page about using remotes with Kodi. Only 1 in a 100 people will bother with understanding all of that. I'm a perl programmer with over 20 years of tech experience on the Net, and I can't be bothered either. Sorry, that's just the way it is, no offense intended.

As already suggested to you (in your other thread) why don't you just get a dedicated device to run Kodi on. It's much simpler than trying to use your Mac to push content to your TV.

Because it's not close to worth it to spend hundreds of dollars to do something I can already do only slightly less conveniently. I already have an interface for browsing and playing media, the MacOSX Finder. I can already stream it to our TV via Airplay.

Any media server has to be very simple and easy to compete with that. If I could just install Kodi, connect it to a Roku app, and then be done, that would work.

[nickr]

Plug your computer into your tv via HDMI. Install Kodi on your computer. Consult the wiki for further instructions.

[Tanny]

Plug your computer into your tv via HDMI.

I can already do that. Once that's done, I can already browse the media on the Mac using the Finder. Why do I need Kodi?

And...

I don't want a 30 foot cable running across the middle of our living room.

Not arguing, just explaining. I don't get it.

[Tinwarble]

[Well, for the sake of debate, you have no way of knowing that. The vast majority of people who are confused by any site just hit the back button and vanish. Only rare random wackos like me go to the trouble to join the site and whine about being confused. :-)

Which is fine, Kodi is not for everyone and if someone is not willing to learn how to use it then they are welcome to look elsewhere.

Ah, "once it's set up". Look at the page about using remotes with Kodi. Only 1 in a 100 people will bother with understanding all of that. I'm a perl programmer with over 20 years of tech experience on the Net, and I can't be bothered either. Sorry, that's just the way it is, no offense intended.

That depends on what you use, and/or the remote that choose to use. Many devices don't even need a separate remote and have simple remotes that have only left, right, up, down, select and a couple of extra buttons and they work just fine with Kodi.

The Nvidia Shield TV remote for instance:

Because it's not close to worth it to spend hundreds of dollars to do something I can already do only slightly less conveniently. I already have an interface for browsing and playing media, the MacOSX Finder. I can already stream it to our TV via Airplay.

Who said you need to spend hundreds of dollars? A Raspberry Pi runs $35 dollars, and you can pick up something like a Fire TV Stick for about $40. There are also a ton of ARM boxes that you can pick up on the cheap, all come with their own remotes. And no, you don't have a interface for browsing .and playing media, you have a file explorer.

Mac Finder does not equate to a Media Center interface:

[Tanny]

Which is fine, Kodi is not for everyone and if someone is not willing to learn how to use it then they are welcome to look elsewhere.

Agreed. And if someone finds Kodi useful, and enjoys the necessary learning, that's good too. I have no argument with that.

I'm just reporting my own situation. Media streaming doesn't merit much hassle, or any expense, for me.

Who said you need to spend hundreds of dollars? A Raspberry Pi runs $35 dollars, and you can pick up something like a Fire TV Stick for about $40.

More things to find, buy, learn, install, debug etc, just to do something I can already do only slightly less conveniently. I'm looking for solutions that make my life easier, not harder.

There are also a ton of ARM boxes that you can pick up on the cheap, all come with their own remotes.

No idea what an ARM box is, but ok, thanks for the info.

And no, you don't have a interface for browsing .and playing media, you have a file explorer.

And yet, somehow I've been playing video just fine on my Mac for over twenty years. :-)

We don't need to debate this. Kodi is for you. It's not for me. There's no problem here.

[Tinwarble]

We don't need to debate this. Kodi is for you. It's not for me. There's no problem here.

There's no debate. You asked and I'm attempting to explain. Whether you use Kodi is up to you and no one is going to lose any sleep if you don't want to.

And yet, somehow I've been playing video just fine on my Mac for over twenty years. :-)

Playing videos on a Mac isn't the same as playing on a TV. I can use my Windows PC to navigate to my videos and play them too, but is a poor way to do so for TV viewing.

EDIT: Meaning using a file explore.

I'm just reporting my own situation. Media streaming doesn't merit much hassle, or any expense, for me.

It's only a hassle if you think of it that way. Millions of people use Kodi, millions of others use Plex (some use both), if it where such a hassle it wouldn't be as popular as it is. But like anything new that you haven't done before, you have to learn to walk before you can run.

More things to find, buy, learn, install, debug etc, just to do something I can already do only slightly less conveniently. I'm looking for solutions that make my life easier, not harder.

So you never buy anything new? Something you've never used before? Just because you don't know that it will make your life easier doesn't mean it won't.

No idea what an ARM box is, but ok, thanks for the info.

ARM refers to the type of SoC (System on Chip) a device uses. ARM is the architecture of the SoC. For instance, if you were to buy a iPad Pro it uses a Apple A9X, which is a ARM SoC.

EDIT: Also, you seem to be focused on the UI, which yes Kodi has, but what Kodi is first and foremost is a powerful media player.

[Memphiz]

The time you invested in posting here would also already have been enough to plug your mac to the tv and bind your apple remotr to your mac, install kodi on it and simply give it a try. Yes - kodi on mac osx supports the white and silver apple remotes (not sure of the black atv4 remote - can it even be bound to a mac?)

Or just give it a try on the mac by using mouse and keyboard and if you are feeling its ok for you - get a raspberry pi 3 and put libreelec on it - after that its like a set top box which you are most likely able to navigate with your tv remote out of the box (if you have a common TV).

We won't be able to guarantee you that kodi is for you - you need to invest some time to try it out first.