KODI + Pi3

Rexxar · 10 Oct 2016 at 02:05

Anyone got this Setup?

Looking to put all my movies onto my "WD Mybook Live" and connect this to my Virgin Media hub ... Then Install Kodi onto my Pi3 and stream via Wifi to my TV.

Does anyone else do this with a similar setup and have you got it working nicely? Is the Pi powerful enough to run Kodi? I've heard bad things about the Wifi on it.

Marsman · 10 Oct 2016 at 11:41

Streaming issues over WiFi is not really a problem specific to the RPi's, but due to WiFi's limitations. File size, resolution and possibly bit rate too will have an impact. You'll likely run into more problems streaming 1080P files than 720P, depending on size and bit rate. Location of the router in relation to the WiFi receiver will play a part to. You'll get more difficulty if you are trying to stream through half of the house, than if they are in opposite rooms.

RPi3 can run Kodi very well. I still use a RPi1, which is perfectly fine until it comes to library navigation, which is slow. If I had to use a remote to navigate the library, I would have bought a Pi2 or 3, which are both vastly improved in this area due to the quad core CPU; whereas Pi1 is single core. I use my smartphone though to navigate the library, which gets round that problem with ease, so really I've seen no need to bother getting the faster Pi2 or 3.

There may be media boxes that can run Kodi even more smoothly, but they are possibly more money, such as the Roku 2, or Amazon Fire TV.

silverblack · 10 Oct 2016 at 13:53

I would get a Fire TV box Kodi is super smooth on it.
You also get the option of Netflix,Prime,Plex,Spotify and all the UK TV catch up apps.
Wait till they drop the price to £65.

boxman2000 · 10 Oct 2016 at 13:57

I've been doing this sort of thing since the very early days of the Pi and have always found it worked brilliantly.

I do, however, use the FireTV now as I prefer the Android app/casting side of things but Kodi does run well on it, albeit not quite as flexible as with the Pi in some areas but way quicker/smoother and no issues with remote control which could be an issue with the Pi.

I've never gone the wifi route so couldn't say but can't see an issue.

If you don't have the kit and you will purely be using this as a Kodi box then I would suggest going for the Fire TV (not stick). As I do play retro games I will always have a use for the Pi and I like having preloaded Kodi on a memory card as a backup, just in case.

Rexxar · 10 Oct 2016 at 15:15

Thanks guys, Are all the addons for Kodi compatible with it when installed on a Fire TV Box? I know they would be with Kodi but suspect amazon may have limitations?

boxman2000 · 10 Oct 2016 at 15:40

All the addons are compatible. Only 'issue' is you have to manually update Kodi but it does keep your settings/addons (I have tested this).

Lots of videos on how to do this - I'm a bit of a pleb with networking stuff and even I managed to do it so I'm sure you'll be more than fine.

Kerazee · 16 Oct 2016 at 11:47

boxman2000 said:
All the addons are compatible. Only 'issue' is you have to manually update Kodi but it does keep your settings/addons (I have tested this).

Lots of videos on how to do this - I'm a bit of a pleb with networking stuff and even I managed to do it so I'm sure you'll be more than fine.

Best thing to do for this is to use an app called AppStarter, it provides an update function for KODI and SPMC. I also find that SPMC works better than KODI on the fire box and stick.