Kodi usage confusion - help please

[topt]

I had not used Kodi before. I bought an Android box which had a version of Kodi (KDMC) already loaded and on the home screen. I tried to change this to load genuine Kodi but couldn't and ended up having to do a factory reset.

 

So to try and understand Kodi a bit better first I decided to load Kodi on to my Win 10 laptop. 

That was reasonably straightforward and then added Diggz Xenon and Chefs Wizard (eventually) which seem to be working (Ie I have watched segments of films, a film and some live golf).....

 

However I was going to try and load another build/add on but I seem to be stuck on the Xenon pages. There seems no way to get back to the standard Kodi program interface.

 

The Xenon page has File Mgr, Install from Repo/Zip buttons but I wanted to check if this is what I should use to add or am I missing something or someway to get back to the standard Kodi interface?

 

PS - if it makes any difference I am not using Play Store/Google for anything.

[FarangRimPing]

I don't know if I can be of much help because I reverted to the standard interface (Estuary) quite a while ago. It was not intuitive. One of the menus, maybe system, and it was not 'interface', it was 'skin' in a different submenu from Interface.

 

I suggest that you go into the main Xenon menus which sound promising and look in the submenus.

Edited August 9, 2022 by FarangRimPing

[FarangRimPing]

I just went into Kodi and switched my Skin to Xenon. I was then able to go back to Estuary by:

 

1. Go into the 'Switch Skins' menu. Then scrolled down and choose 'Estuary'. Confirm.

 

or:

1. Go into 'Xenon Matrix' menu

2. Choose 'Interface Settings'

3. Choose 'Skin'

4. Choose 'Estuary' from the list

5. Confirm.

 

[topt]

1 hour ago, FarangRimPing said:

I just went into Kodi and switched my Skin to Xenon. I was then able to go back to Estuary by:

 

1. Go into the 'Switch Skins' menu. Then scrolled down and choose 'Estuary'. Confirm.

 

or:

1. Go into 'Xenon Matrix' menu

2. Choose 'Interface Settings'

3. Choose 'Skin'

4. Choose 'Estuary' from the list

5. Confirm.

 

Many thanks for that. I would never have guessed that Estuary was the standard Kodi skin......

As you say I don't find it intuitive at all 

[Jai Dee]

Rather than just change the skin back to the default Estuary skin, it might be better to start with a clean install if you are going to try out other builds and add-ons.

 

On 8/8/2022 at 9:39 PM, topt said:

So to try and understand Kodi a bit better first I decided to load Kodi on to my Win 10 laptop.

You can download the latest release of Kodi for your platform of choice here.

 

In your case, you can download the Kodi for Android apk to your Win 10 laptop, then transfer the file to a portable USB drive or thumb drive, plug it into your Android box, open File Explorer and navigate to the thumb drive and install the apk.

 

Once you have installed Kodi on your Android box, you can download and install other builds. Troypoint offer some good (and up to date) suggestions for builds and clear instructions on how to install them.

 

Alternatively you may just want to try out other skins instead which can be downloaded from the Kodi support forum here.

[topt]

3 hours ago, Jai Dee said:

You can download the latest release of Kodi for your platform of choice here.

Thanks that's where I got it from. And also used to load on a USB for my first abortive attempt with the box. I probably did something wrong and now have a little more understanding after playing around with it on my laptop.  

 

I used the Troypoint site to load Diggz and have since added Magic Dragon add on as well.

Next step will be to see if I can get it set up on the android box - when the gf isn't watching something......

[Stocky]

On 8/9/2022 at 9:58 AM, topt said:

I would never have guessed that Estuary was the standard Kodi skin

I think Estuary is an awful user interface, the original default was Confluence which I think is more intuitive; Confluence is still available as an alternative.

[topt]

16 hours ago, Stocky said:

I think Estuary is an awful user interface, the original default was Confluence which I think is more intuitive; Confluence is still available as an alternative.

Thanks. I have downloaded it.

In the settings there is one for Teletext which is enabled whilst watching something. Do you know is there any use for this today or does it have something to do with subtitles?

[Stocky]

1 minute ago, topt said:

Teletext

That's a historical legacy I suspect 

[Jai Dee]

2 hours ago, topt said:

In the settings there is one for Teletext which is enabled whilst watching something. Do you know is there any use for this today or does it have something to do with subtitles?

DVB (Digital Video Broadcast) subtitling was introduced in the mid-1990s as a means of standardising the transmission and display of multiple languages subtitling on TV signals. Sending subtitles as bitmap images overcame a number of problems with character sets and fonts, especially for complex and pictographic languages (like Thai).

 

In Scandinavia back in the early 2000's HD channels had DVB subtitles and SD channels had Teletext subtitles.

 

In the data stream DVBSubtitles and/or Teletext were automatically detected in the DVB Data stream and streamed into the network, however these days teletext subtitles is so "oldschool" that there is not much current demand.

 

The current and best method of displaying subtitles within Kodi is to use a subtitle addon instead and get real subtitles on demand. OpenSubtitles or Subscene are 2 of the more popular subtitle addons.

 

These can either be streamed or downloaded as a SRT file or SubRip Subtitle file.

 

It is important to note that the .srt file must have the same filename as the media file and reside in the same directory for it to work with Kodi... for example the following list of English language subtitle files for the movie Prey (2022):

 

 

All of the above .srt files need to be paired with similarly named .mkv files (or .mp4) in order to work.

[topt]

@Jai Dee (or anybody else) can suggest how to resolve this. 

 

I have no issues using Kodi on my laptop with 19.4

 

On my Android box with what appears to be a copy of genuine Kodi but labelled KDMC version 18.9 it works with the add ons they loaded but I am finding it difficult (no impossible) to get anything I want especially as many online links are for newer 19 Matrix.  I cannot even seem to add stuff from the built in Kodi/KDMC repository...... 

I have not been able to update to 19. Failed to install via apkpure, Google Play or sideloaded from usb. When I deleted the version on the box I could install 19.4 from the usb but after asking for permission with Kodi Version 19.4 showing the screen then just goes black and back to the apps. If I try to reopen same same.

Tried deleting cache/storage and rebooting but nothing changes.

 

Anybody have a suggestion - other than factory reset which I did before and will leave me with a functional but not optional KDMC app.......?

[Mutt Daeng]

11 hours ago, topt said:

@Jai Dee (or anybody else) can suggest how to resolve this. 

 

I have no issues using Kodi on my laptop with 19.4

 

On my Android box with what appears to be a copy of genuine Kodi but labelled KDMC version 18.9 it works with the add ons they loaded but I am finding it difficult (no impossible) to get anything I want especially as many online links are for newer 19 Matrix.  I cannot even seem to add stuff from the built in Kodi/KDMC repository...... 

I have not been able to update to 19. Failed to install via apkpure, Google Play or sideloaded from usb. When I deleted the version on the box I could install 19.4 from the usb but after asking for permission with Kodi Version 19.4 showing the screen then just goes black and back to the apps. If I try to reopen same same.

Tried deleting cache/storage and rebooting but nothing changes.

 

Anybody have a suggestion - other than factory reset which I did before and will leave me with a functional but not optional KDMC app.......?

What version of android is your box running?

Is it compatible with Kodi 19.x?

[topt]

2 minutes ago, Mutt Daeng said:

What version of android is your box running?

Is it compatible with Kodi 19.x?

I was mulling this last night after giving up but it is Android 11 so one would hope so........

 

[topt]

8 minutes ago, topt said:

I was mulling this last night after giving up but it is Android 11 so one would hope so........

 

This box - 

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/i3332940840-s12371529066.html?urlFlag=true&mp=1&spm=spm%3Da2o4m.order_details.item_title.1

 

But even though Arm8 it is only Android 11 32 bit according to AnTuTu benchmark. The 64 bit kodi would not even install.

[Mutt Daeng]

I've just installed Kodi 19.3 from the google playstore on my Minix U9-H which is android 7.1.2. Then I added the Crew repo & video add-on (how-to from Troypoint). The add-on works fine. So that seems to rule out my initial theory of an incompatible android level. Sorry I can't help further.

[Jai Dee]

8 hours ago, Mutt Daeng said:

Is it compatible with Kodi 19.x?

I'm guessing that it might not.

 

@topt Try side loading Kodi 18 Leia and see if that works.

 

You can download previous Android version of Kodi here.

[Jai Dee]

8 hours ago, topt said:

This box - 

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/i3332940840-s12371529066.html?urlFlag=true&mp=1&spm=spm%3Da2o4m.order_details.item_title.1

 

But even though Arm8 it is only Android 11 32 bit according to AnTuTu benchmark. The 64 bit kodi would not even install.

It would seem that there are issues with this particular box and they are not limited to Kodi.

YouTube videos and the HBO Max app also freeze for some users.

It appears to be ROM related.

 

See here.

[topt]

1 hour ago, Jai Dee said:

It would seem that there are issues with this particular box and they are not limited to Kodi.

YouTube videos and the HBO Max app also freeze for some users.

It appears to be ROM related.

 

See here.

Thanks Jai Dee. Must admit I did not think about checking Xda for this.......

I will later try to see if 18.9 loads and works with or without the current install they have created. 

From that link I need to read up on this CoreElec build to see if that will help.......and if it does how to flash it.......

 

My YouTube seems to work ok but not tried it that much yet. 

[topt]

17 hours ago, topt said:

I will later try to see if 18.9 loads and works with or without the current install they have created. 

no. Same as.

 

17 hours ago, topt said:

My YouTube seems to work ok but not tried it that much yet. 

Stopped working.......message says needs some api or something....

Really needs a new ROM to flash but from what I read they all have some issue - like IR remote doesn't work in a couple of cases

 

I have messaged the Lazada seller and he said he would look at it but I said otherwise I want to return. See what he says..... 

 

[Jai Dee]

1 hour ago, topt said:

I said otherwise I want to return.

I think that would be your best option... a return/refund on the basis of the box being limited in function and incompatible with current apps/software.

 

You could call it an "expired item" or it is "defective" from Lazada's valid return reasons:

 

 

For a new box I would recommend the MECOOL KM6... or if you can afford it the UGOOS AM6B Plus.

[topt]

On 8/16/2022 at 1:39 PM, Jai Dee said:

I think that would be your best option... a return/refund on the basis of the box being limited in function and incompatible with current apps/software.

Just to update I was following the discussion on CoreElec and a guy posted a link to Freaktab where someone has been posting the firmware for the box. He updated with latest firmware on 17th which I flashed yesterday - still had to delete installed Kodi but was able to finally install 19.4 and then Diggx. Very happy.

 

Thanks for your advice  

[Jai Dee]

10 minutes ago, topt said:

He updated with latest firmware on 17th which I flashed yesterday - still had to delete installed Kodi but was able to finally install 19.4 and then Diggx. Very happy.

Excellent news!