Let me introduce KODI to you...

[Frosty]

Guys, please be honest, is this really worth the schelp? I followed this from the beginning and it seems like it’s a bigger headache than anything else or am I getting only the bad apples?

I haven’t had DSTV since November last year and only watched the cycling (epic, world track champs, spring classics etc) at friends’ houses. We moved recently and I am now waiting for my internet line (don’t ask why I am waiting so long, thats another story) and I am just worried when I get Kodi going it not going to be worth all this trouble. I cant go on without cycling on TV…..

What Sprocket70 said... ^

 

 

edit: it's like cycling.
When you first start out, something sparks your interest. You either go blind into it and buy a "cheap" bike or you do some research and get what suits your needs.

 

Eventually, as it becomes more addictive, you start looking for new stuff to upgrade/replace what you have. 

 

Is it a schlep? Only if you don't enjoy it.

 

DSTV is good, it's in HD has lots of channels and can satisfy your needs. However, the minute you see something else and then realise what DSTV is offering is perhaps not as good/varied as other services, then your needs change.

Edited March 17, 2016 by geraldm24

[Frosty]

kinda of second this notion

 

tried it and it is proving to be a bit of hassle

 

There is a surround sound system type amplifier selector type thing, the DVD player, the TV (which is a non smart TV) and a PC (which I want in another room).

 

How on does one start to go about connecting these things so they work of a remote (or do you still have to have like 10 remotes?)

Here's my setup:

• AV receiver
• 32" TV (non-smart) - 1 remote to switch the TV on/off;
• HDD/DVD recorder from 2006 (used to record and burn to DVD) - only need the remote when wanting to record/playback or burn to DVD - this is great for the kids, allowing them to watch on a laptop, upstairs or in the car DVD player;
• Blu-Ray player - don't know why I need this but apparantly it can be used to connect to the net. Currently disconnected.
• Roku3 connected via ethernet cable to the router - has it's own remote;
• Samsung tablet, with Kodi, and has screen sharing enabled to the Roku3 which displays on the TV. I didn't have to do anything - it picked it up automatically. The tablet is the remote and engine for using Kodi.
• DSTV - this connects to the AV Receiver by HDMI and to the HDD/DVD recorder by RCA cables (red, white & yellow cables) running through the TV's in/out connections. The HDD machine can't record in HD, so no need for an HD connection. It also doesn't record directly from the PVR.

DSTV will soon disappear, once I've converted my ISP and got Kodi and Roku3 fully setup and tested.

[shaper]

Guys, please be honest, is this really worth the schelp? I followed this from the beginning and it seems like it’s a bigger headache than anything else or am I getting only the bad apples?

I haven’t had DSTV since November last year and only watched the cycling (epic, world track champs, spring classics etc) at friends’ houses. We moved recently and I am now waiting for my internet line (don’t ask why I am waiting so long, thats another story) and I am just worried when I get Kodi going it not going to be worth all this trouble. I cant go on without cycling on TV…..

 

Kodi is a bit like cycling... is hard to learn at first but once up and running you will wonder why it was so hard in the begining!!

 

Is like anything new, you put the time and effort in to understand how it works, it becomes easy to navigate.

 

I have been on Kodi for over 2 years, For me, I no longer need DSTV and have more channels than DSTV

 

I have set up my own Electronic Program Guide (EPG) for the channels I want using webgrab which downloads all the program info.  I have linked all my channels to the EPG and have an automated update of the EPG every 3 days.  So for live tv I have an EPG that looks like DSTV, tells me what is on now and what is on later or tomorrow.  I have UK, USA, Canada and some other channels, which has entertainment, Movies, Sport, Documentaries (History, Discovery, Planet Earth etc Uk and USA versions)

 

There are addons such as FTV Guide and Ivue Guide that list a whole load of channels on an EPG that you can switch off the ones you do not want and then link your streams via favourites or via the inbuilt addons within those guides.

 

I use Genesis/Excodus/Movie25/Movie4k to have an online library of any tv series or movie, some of which the movies are currently on at the cinema... you think of a movie any genre from any year... it can be quickly accessed online and streamed.

 

Pick a radio station local or international, or even a themed station (say 60's music), I can find and stream (tunein addon)

 

I watch sky news, BBC World news, CNN, Al Jazeera, Euronews, Bloomberg, eNCA plus a whole host of others

 

I currently do not use Netflix or Hulu as have not found the need for them as everything is at the touch of my wireless mini keyboard (which is my remote) with a little bit of savy learnt along the way from setting up kodi.

 

If you think it is a hassle and a headache to take time to learn a new operating system (same as you do when you move from windows to Mac or from Iphone to Android) then maybe you better off just downloading via torrents and going to friends or the pub to watch the sport.  Not sure how long friends will be friends if you keep popping around to see them so that you can use their DSTV though.....

 

If as others have mentioned you not tech savy and not interested in the time to learn, then a Roku or Apple TV with Netflix may be the option.

 

As for getting the bad apples, this thread will be mainly guys asking how to do this or to do that because they tried and failed... so it may seem a schlep upon reading... but the questions are asked due to failures... same as anything... you unlikely to see questions about successes as these things work and are taken for granted.

 

Once you know how to load Kodi, understand the operating system, learn to install addons (programs for want of a better word) and then find out which addons are useful or broken... life is quite easy navigating kodi and to use... almost as easy as my DSTV was.

 

For me, I switch on my TV, kodi is on the screen.  I open my EPG which updates and start scrolling through the channels to what I want to watch.  The only hassle becomes if a link to that stream is broken... and I may have to find another one (it happens unless you go the paid subscription option like NTV)

 

Or I switch on the TV, go the Genesis/Exodus and scratch my head when thinking what movie I would like to watch. Do a search or see what the latest online are, then stream live

 

Bookmark this guys webpage https://seo-michael.co.uk/

 

He gives good tutorials on how to do anything on kodi and also keeps up to date news on the latest addons and ones in decline.

 

For me, I will never go back to DSTV and as more tv companies start going video on demand for both live and recorded programs the more streams will become available.

 

It takes an evening to get up to speed on using the basics of kodi. you can install it on your laptop or PC to play with and learn before you start going to the expense of buying a tv box or Raspberry Pi 

 

I even have it on my Samsung phone, in case am travelling and the hotel does not have anything on its tv worth watching... as long as there is good internet can watch anywhere

 

Edit:  Google is also your friend apart from us here

 

Also if you think this thread makes out kodi is a schlep.. imagine a non cyclist wanting to get into cycling and started reading the hub... is nothing apart from doping, broken bikes and how to fix this part or that part and how expensive it has become. 

Edited March 17, 2016 by shaper

[Grebel]

I would like Shaper's last post ^^ twice but Admin won't allow that...

[Grebel]

For me, I am wanting a system that is easy to use and allows the whole family to find something that they want to watch.

 

My setup is as follows:

 

Samsung 40" Smart TV

MXQ-Pro 4k Android TV Box with KODI pre loaded 

Genius 2.1 Speakers connected to the TV which is manually switched on and off but volume is controlled by either the TV or the MXQ remote

 

So essentially 2 remotes at the end of the day of which one is used to switch the TV on and off but I see there is a TV section on the MQX remote... I just need to figure out how to link it to my TV

 

I also have a WD TV Live media player connected but that is only for the KODI learning phase so the rest of the family that are tech challenged can still watch stuff when Dad isn't home. Once the MXQ is up and running the WD will be relocated to the bedroom along with the 40" to make way for a non smart 55" (No need for Smart... The MXQ takes care of that )

 

The reason I went for the Android TV box is that it gave me more options to add apps as well as the fact that KODI came pre loaded and the price was attractive (@ around R800 it was a no brainer actually)

 

I am not a fanboy so no fruit for me. Roku was an option but Android seemed to offer more. The only "issue" is getting Kodi setup. I have played with XBMC and then KODI but purely as a media player to play my existing files. Then I heard about this thing called addons......... That opened up a whole new world!!

 

The cool thing about threads like this is that there are already people out there that have banged their heads so that you don't have to and you can be certain that I will be helping others not to bang their heads as well.

 

There is so much stuff out there. Movies, Series, Documentaries, Sport, Kids stuff, News, Interest channels (Cooking etc) and most of it is what is on offer from DSTV. The trick is finding it and I think that's half the fun.

 

I know it sounds daft but sitting down and figuring out how to watch live sport or installing an addon and getting it to work is half the fun (for me anyway) 

 

Initially it may be a PITA but once you figure it out I can see it being a very satisfying setup from a media perspective anyway.

[shaper]

Is a bit like building your own bike to your own specification... it is always more fun to ride!!

 

That's the luxury of kodi and the millions of addons, you can set it up as you want to and is personalised just for you... and enjoying ways to beat the system 

[Grebel]

Is a bit like building your own bike to your own specification... it is always more fun to ride!!

 

That's the luxury of kodi and the millions of addons, you can set it up as you want to and is personalised just for you... and enjoying ways to beat the system 

 

Pretty much what all DSTV subscribers have been asking for for years now.....

[Frosty]

Spectre currently playing...

 

[Bosbrommer]

Quick question - Can i do this directly on a smart TV or will i still need the smart box to install kodi on?

[Firozfx]

Install the Castaway addon. Then go to Live TV link and then tvone.com. all tv links always seem to work including the SkyF1 channel in good quality. Considering the first race is this weekend.

 

Another good addon is Ccloud

[Grebel]

Quick question - Can i do this directly on a smart TV or will i still need the smart box to install kodi on?

 

I couldn't find a way to get KODI onto my Samsung Smart TV so I eventually went with the TV box.

 

Stretch has managed to cast KODI from his LG Smart phone to his ROKU to his TV though.... There are ways to do it like that but then you have to be there when your kids want to watch something which is not always going to be practical.

[shaper]

It was mentioned earlier, ZemTV. for sports channels...... go to sports and UKTVNOW, all channels working and a decent quality feed including Eurosport for the cycling 

[Frosty]

On Exodus alone I've found more than I have time to watch, so I won't using Netflix/Hulu and other Roku channels for a while, but it's nice to have that option available too.

 

Many 2015 movies and series that haven't aired on DStv (excluding. box office - as I don't use that "extra waste of money" service).

 

Kids still have their stuff and I only have the wife left to ween off KykNet.

 

Have already added the ZemTV addon, so now I just need to remember what Shaper said for UKTVNOW and also setup an EPG.

 

This is a thread worth nominating for "thread of the year", in non-cycling related category.

[Mudbream]

Got my Kodi up and running, with the Exodus and Castaway addons.

Have the Canes Force game streaming now.

 

One question - can anyone point to how to setup and EPG?

I've installed Webgrab Plus, but can't figure out how to now get all this to show in Kodi.

 

Thanks.

[shaper]

To save you time finding your channels

 

You find a channel you like, you can always add it to your favourites.  Go to the channel.. say Eurosports on ZemTV/Sports/UKTVNOW/Eurosports... before clicking to play the channel, click C on your keyboard... it will bring up a dropdown submenu... then add to favourites.

 

Quick access to favourites.... navigate to bottom left the "star icon" and click on.. this will bring up all your favourites that you have saved.  This will save navigating through the various addons to get to the channel you want.

 

For those starting to understand Kodi and wanting an EPG for live streaming of channels... and to know what is on.

 

Try these EPG's

 

FTV Guide https://seo-michael.co.uk/tutorial-how-to-install-setup-ftv-guide-kodi-xbmc/

Ivue https://seo-michael.co.uk/tutorial-how-to-install-ivue-tv-guide-kodi-xbmc/

Renegades https://seo-michael.co.uk/tutorial-how-to-install-setup-renegades-sky-epg/

 

Each of the EPG's are very similar in nature with lots of the same channels.... international, UK, USA, Canada to name a few... in excess of 200 channels (lots of crap ones too)... each one however has a slightly different list of addons built into the EPG, so when you first choose a channel to play it might list a couple of addons that you have installed and you choose which is the preferred one to stream the channels.

 

If there is no suitable addon... a menu will come up to choose stream.  If it is a channel you may have already added to favourites, you can navigate to your favourites and link the channel

 

If the addon channel you may have chosen (for some reason the link is broken), you can always Click C on your keyboard which will bring up the command menu and you can remove that stream and add another.

 

With all of the EPG listed above when the EPG is open, Click on C, navigate to channels... then you can switch off the channels you do not want and also move channels that you do want around into a preferred order that you do like... i.e your regular channels at the top and less frequent ones further down.

 

Like anything takes a bit of playing to get use to but easy to do once you understand the basics

Edited March 18, 2016 by shaper

[shaper]

One thing to add, the guys who look after the EPG's that have listed above do their channel information updating every day (usually at night)... so when you open the EPG for the first time that day it will take time to populate the EPG with the latest information as it is downloading over 200 channels of information.  How quickly this happens is dependent on the speed and power (ram) of your tv box/pc/Rasbpi

 

A Rasbpi2 will take say 30 seconds where as a Rasbpi1 will take a couple of minutes.

 

It only does this once as the info is downloaded, then every time you open the EPG that day it will populate instantly

Edited March 18, 2016 by shaper