Kodi eBook 2015

A G U I D E T O C U S T O M I Z I N G K O D I 1 4 H E L I X

The latest Kodi 14 Helix (was XBMC) is a great media center software. However, like many other open source projects, it is driven by a very technical community, and it is not necessarily user-friendly enough for the average person to use and customize.

I have spent countless hours crawling all the forums and websites, trying to get the live TV setup, premium online content, automatic light control, and all the other settings right.

In this eBook guide, I will walk you through the relevant customizationtips and tricks I have used with my own HTPC system to take the new Kodi 14 Helix installation to the next level.

If you are not sure how to get started with your Kodi installation, you can follow these steps to make your Kodi Entertainment Center morestunning looking and user-friendly.

Good luck with your HTPC project,

Tuukka Komssi (Author at mymediaexperience.com)

2


Table of Contents

Configure Basic Kodi Settings

Disable RSS Feed

Change Language and Timezone

Configure Weather Settings

Enable Audio If It Is Not Working

Configure Media Sharing Options

Set Up a Media Library

Enable AirPlay

Change Media Library Views

Create Custom Playlists And Filters

Show Movies as Collections

Install Must Have Music, Video and Photo Add-ons

Install YouTube Add-on

Install Spotimc (Spotify Music) Add-on

Install PseudoTV Live Add-on

Install Multi Slideshow Screensaver Add-on

Install XBMC Hue Ambilight Add-on

3


Enable PVR Support and Premium Online Channels

Enable PVR Support (Watch Live TV)

Add PlayOn Media Server as an UPnP Share

Make Kodi Look More Beautiful

Install Mimic Skin

Customize Mimic Skin Main Menu

Stream Content from Media Servers

Install Plexbmc (Plex Media Server) Add-on

Install MediaBrowser Add-on

Play Games

Install Steam Launcher Add-on

4


Disable RSS Feed

In the Kodi main menu, go to System > Settings.

Select the Appearance tab to configure appearance settings.

In the skin tab, scroll down and disable show RSS news feed.

Now, go back to the main menu by pressing the back key onthe remote control or ESC-key on the keyboard.

5


Change Language and Timezone

Go to System > Settings > Appearance.

Select the second tab called International. Select Languageto change it and then select Region.

Select the suitable region from the list.

Now, your system clock will show the correct time.

6


Configure Weather Settings

Go to System > Settings > Weather.

Select Service for Weather Information.

Select Get More

Select Yahoo! Weather add-on.

7


Select Install.

After installation is completed, go back to System >Settings > General > Service for weather informationand select Yahoo! Weather from the list.

Next, in the General tab, select Settings.

In the location setup, choose the Location 1 and enter the name of the nearest town. Press OK, once you have locatedyour city.

8


Enable Audio If It Is Not Working

Go to System > Settings > System > Audio output.

Set the Audio output device to the output you are using.

9


Set Up a Media Library

Go to videos in the home screen menu and select Files.

Select Add Videos and Browse in the add video source.

Browse to the folder where your media files are stored.

Rename the media source, if needed, and select OK.

10


In the set content window, you can set the type of media.Kodi will automatically scrape the movie, TV show, or musicinformation after you have set up the media content.

If your movies are located in separate folders, enableMovies are in separate folders that match the movie title.

Confirm Yes in the Change content question.

Now, you can go back to main menu where you will find anew Movies menu with your recently added movies.

11


Enable AirPlay

First, go to the Services tab under the System menu.Then, navigate to the Zeroconf settings menu and enableAnnounce these services to other systems via zeroconf.

Next, go to Airplay and enable the Allow Kodi to receiveAirPlay content.

12


Change Media Library Views

Go to movie, music, or photo library.

Open the panel by pressing the left key to view options.

Click View to change the view to thumbnail, poster, fanart,and many other ways your media will be presented.

You can also change the way media is sorted by changingthe Sort by option.

13


Create Custom Playlists and Filters

Select videos and go back to root folder by clicking the ...

Select Playlists.

Select New smart playlist

Select the type of the media, for example movie, and enter atitle for the smart playlist, such as, Kids Videos.

14


Click New rule and set the criteria for the filter. Forexample, I selected all movies where genre is equalto animation.

Select OK to save your new smart playlist.

Now you can see your new playlist in the file browser.

Here is an example of how my Kids Videos playlist looks like.

15


Show Movies as Collections

Go to System > Settings > Video > Library.Enable Group movies in sets.

Go back to your movie library, and you will find that allsequels have been grouped as collections.

16


Install YouTube Add-on

Go to System > Add-ons.

Go to Get Add-ons > Kodi Add-on repository > Video Add-ons to, for example, add YouTube add-ons.

Click on the add-on and select install to download it.

You can go back to videos menu, and you will find the newYouTube add-on under the Video Add-ons folder.

17


Install Spotimc (Spotify Music) Add-on

Go to System > Add-ons.

Select Install from zip file.

Browse the folder where you have stored the downloadedfile. Select the zip file, and Kodi will automaticallyinstall Spotimc.

You can go back to music menu, and you will find the newSpotimc add-on under the Music Add-ons folder.

18


Install PseudoTV Live Add-on

Go to System > Add-ons and select Install from zip file. Select zip file, and Kodi will automatically install PseudoTV.

Go back to Programs menu and launch the PseudoTV.

PseudoTV for to first time will prepopulate the EPG.

Customize the settings and categories by pressing the C-key on in the Programs menu and selecting Add-on settings.

19


Install Multi Slideshow Screensaver

Go to System > Appearance > Screensaver > Screensaver mode. Select Get more and Multi Slideshow Screensaver.

Go back to System > Appearance > Screensaver and selectScreensaver mode. Enable Multi Slideshow Screensaver.

Below the Screensaver mode, select Settings.Change mode to AppleTVLike and set the Image Source.

Now, you can test the screensaver by selectingthe Preview.

20


Install XBMC Hue Ambilight Add-on

Download the XBMC add-on script.module.requests add-on.In Kodi, go to System > Add-ons > Install from zip file.

Download XBMC Hue Ambilight add-on.Go to System > Add-ons > Install from zip file.

Restart Kodi and go to System > Add-ons >Enabled add-ons -> Services -> XBMC Philips Hue.

Select Click me for automatic configuration.Save configuration by selecting the OK button.

21


Enable PVR Support (Watch Live TV)

Go to the System from the main menu. Select Live TV and click Enabled on the right-hand side of the screen.

You will be prompted with a list of PVR clients. Choose Tvheadend HTSP client, if you have a Linux-based back-end or DVBLink PVR Client if you are using Windows back-end.

Select Configure and change the IP address according to your back-ends IP address.

Now, Kodi should start importing the EPG from the client.

22


Add PlayOn Media Server as an UPnP Share

In Kodi, go to Videos menu and Add new Video source.

In the Video source settings, browse for the media locations.

Select UPnP Devices and then PlayOn (your computer name) and then select OK.

Go to Videos > Files > PlayOn (your computer name) and start browsing through the list of media services.

23


Install Mimic Skin

24


Go to System > Appearance.

In the Skin tab, click Skin which shows Confluence.

Click Get More to show the list of all available skins.

Select Mimic skin from the list.

Select Install to start downloading the skin.

Click Yes to change to the new skin once prompted.

25


Customize Mimic Skin Main Menu

26


First, lets add Spotimc add-on as a favourite. Go to Music > Music Add-ons and press the C-key to show the context menu. Select Add to favourites.

Go to System > Appearance > Skin Settings > Setup the main menu and select the Custom1 menu item.

Select Default selection action and choose Spotimc add-onfrom the favourite section. You can then edit the label e.g. to Spotify if you want.

Next, lets modify the background for the Spotify menu item. Select Set item background and then Set single image background.

Now, locate the preferred image from your computer.

Go back to main menu, and the new Spotify menu item has been added with a custom background.

27


Install Plexbmc (Plex Media Server) Add-on (does not work on Kodi 14 Helix, but works on XBMC 13 Gotham)

28


Go to Settings > XBMC > Add-ons.

Select Install from zip file and locate the filerepository.plexbmc.addons-3.0.0.zip.

Now, select Get Add-ons > Plexbmc add-ons for XBMC >Video Add-ons > Plexbmc.

Select Install to download and install Plexbmc.

To change the Plexbmc settings, go to Settings > XBMC >Plexbmc settings. You can change the settings such asselecting server or changing playback quality settings.Remember to add the myplex user name and password.

Now, you can go to Plex from the main menu underthe Settings.

29


Install XBMB3C (MediaBrowser 3) Add-on

Download the MediaBrowser add-on. To install this add-on select Install from zip file and locate MediaBrowser.Kodi-master.zip. Select Install.

Once installation is completed, you can go to Videos > Video Add-ons > MediaBrowser to browse your movies.

30


Install Steam Launcher Add-on

In Kodi, go to System > Add-ons > Install from ZIP file and install script.steam.launcher-3.1.1.zip

Go back to home menu and select the Programs (Apps in Mimic skin) menu. Press the C-key over Steam to enter add-on settings in the context menu.

Set the Kodi and Steam location under Windows. Save SteamLauncher settings.

Now, you are ready to launch Steam for the first time.

31


Can You Help Me?I created this eBook because I saw many HTPC builders and technology enthusiasts wanting to know how they could enhance their Kodi (XBMC) experience, and I wanted to provide them with examples on how I have set up my Kodi system.

Im giving away this digital eBook for free. I just want to get this content out to the people who need it. So Im asking for a small favor:can you help me spread the word?

You could tell your friends about this eBook or you could use the linksbelow to tweet, like and share the eBook to your networks.

I know I can count on you. Thank you in advance for your help, and being part of My Media Experience.

Click here to like my page on Facebook

Click here to follow my page on Google Plus

Click here to post this on Twitter

32

Table of ContentsDisable RSS FeedChange Language and TimezoneEnable Audio If It Is Not Working

Set Up a Media LibraryChange Media Library ViewsCreate Custom Playlists and FiltersShow Movies as CollectionsInstall YouTube Add-onEnable PVR Support (Watch Live TV)Add PlayOn Media Server as an UPnP ShareInstall Mimic SkinCustomize Mimic Skin Main MenuInstall Plexbmc (Plex Media Server) Add-on (does not work on Kodi 14 Helix, but works on XBMC 13 Gotham)Install XBMB3C (MediaBrowser 3) Add-onInstall Steam Launcher Add-on

Documents

Kodi eBook 2015