I skimmed through this busy thread quickly. Must say I have similar doubts like @fria on including this. I myself have also ran Kodi before, but it comes across as not a very well built system (i am trying to be nice here). I see no real privacy benefits over using an AppleTV tbh or plugging your laptop in with a cable…
1 Like
Maybe it’s because that’s not what you’re into and that’s fine
I would be into it though.
I agree. And I fit that description.
Where I disagree is the presumption that most of us (even in the privacy community) will give up streaming services considering almost none of us are willing to fully give up Youtube (which I think we can agree is a larger privacy violator).
I ask you this, why would I want to pay monthly not to own my content
I don’t want to talk you out of anything, do what works for you, (and as mentioned I actually like Kodi, and have self-hosted Emby, and Plex in the past, and plan to self-host Jellyfin in the future).
I just want us to acknowledge that what Kodi offers does not replace most of the primary value most people get from using a SmartTV (including many privacy conscious people), and framing it as a SmartTV replacement will likely lead to flawed expectations and disappointment. There is no shortage of ways to consume local media, Kodi is a great option, but people are not using streaming services due to lack of availability of local media options.
It also partially confuses what Kodi actually is considering that Kodi is installable on many Smart TV’s and streaming boxes as well as a range of different platforms. It is an application, not an OS or device. As I see it, Kodi and SmartTVs are not really competing or mutually exclusive things in my opinion, they are overlapping but distinct types of thing.
I ask you this, why would I want to pay monthly not to own my content
That is a good but separate question (The reason I think most people would give is cost, convenience, and content discovery). The counter-argument is you own nothing, and have very little control. I say it is separate because local content can be consumed with or without Kodi, and streaming services can be used with or without a Smart TV.
2 Likes
also for apple tv:
We should not forget that this website is read by many who just need things to work. I want PG to be recommending accessible things that everyone can use not only if you happen to be a engineer with some networking skills and a home automation hobby.
Earlier we established that for more things in this area of hobby projects should be kept on the forum cuz that’s where it probably gets more traction amongst you more invested peeps 
1 Like
I think there can be a distinction between things that are easy to install and things that are easy to use.
I alluded to this earlier, but I think there is a space for tools that are easy for anyone to use, even if they are not easy for anyone to install:
Part of this is certainly related to the yet-unresolved discussion: Does Privacy Guides have a stance on self-hosting?
1 Like
I am not sure if you tried Kodi but i don’t find it that easy to use even myself XD. The ui is rather awful. But generally I would agree with the statement otherwise.
Let alone that I do think we should not recommend things that are hard to install, unless we can provide detailed help with it somehow.
Yeah I should definitely get the hang of it first
but Honestly looking at all images, I don’t see how this is hard to use, unless I’m missing something of course 
I could understand for something like jellyfin, it’s not perfect but kodi like hmmm?
Well as I learned in UX design it should pass the “grandma test”. I am sure a grandma can watch TV with but can they navigate Kodi?
Sure I understand your point if that’s the case
but a little counter argument, if grandma can navigate apple tv, how could grandma not use Kodi?
I think you kind of get the point here.
actually my grandparents would love this alternative as they actually are already tired of their TV being a “smart tv” soo yeah
Given the atrocity of UI/UX design in embedded devices like smart TVs and automotive interfaces, which many grandmas do regularly use, I am fairly confident that Kodi would pass this test actually.
4 Likes
Well imho AppleTV is far far better designed and easier to navigate and therefore more accessible for a grandma.
this exactly and my real life point of them at that
Could’ve proposed it but I haven’t thought about it and I didn’t wanna make it sound complicated I guess.
Hmmmm, Pi-Hole is recommended as a self hosted service without detailed help to install it. Also photo-prism. Is Kodi really that much harder to install?
honestly outside of Apple iOS and TvOS it really isn’t hard to install it (Though as I said before I did advice against it due to it requiring jailbreaking for iOS and TvOS)
This doesn’t seem fair, pi-hole can literally be installed in one step.
Just to keep my comment semi on-topic, I think Kodi is fine for the audience this section would serve. I tend to see this type of category filling a similar need as front ends in that these are solutions that make an area that just does not have great privacy options a bit better.
2 Likes
the Kodi UI is actually genuinely the most awful and confusing media player UI in existence.
You have to consult this giant table to know what each key does: https://kodi.wiki/view/Keyboard_controls#Default_keyboard_controls
Using the Kodi Remote app or a game controller does make it viable, but then hard to type/search
2 Likes
I would imagine most people would use this with a remote if it’s on their TV.
1 Like
Alright, looks like we need to all repurpose our old RPis and give them to our grandmas and observe them use it for a weekend and we’ll consolidate the data to see if Kodi passes the test.
- “Yeah Mildred you can come over but you should know my weird grandson is running another one of his science experiments just staring at us while we use his Computer TV Box”
1 Like
Is it just me or are you taking “grandma” test too literally?
If I’m being honest I’d much rather teach them using Kodi than getting frustrated by a smart TV, just my 5 cents