xobx one

kodi

The media streaming software, Kodi actually used to be known as XBMC, or Xbox Media Center.  But, what’s funny is that it didn’t actually work on the Xbox One until now.  Kodi has finally unveiled version “18.0-Alpha1” for the XBox One.  Which is going to give owners of the console a new streaming option.  While it looks just like the Windows 10 version (as well as others) the current version may not be stable and can’t access your Blu-ray drive or attached storage, unfortunately.  Not only that, but it can only access your video and music folders in an extremely limited way.

Kodi states, “due to the nature of how UWP (Universal Windows Platform) works, our hands are tied in some areas.  Some parts are not even finished yet and our developers are still working on getting it up to the regular standard”.

The journey to an XBox One app is kind of interesting though. XBMC was originally developed for the Xbox because it was one of the few affordable devices without a TV. The only way to get the open source player to run on an older Xbox One was to hack the console itself.   But as smartphones, tablets and other “boxes” came onto the market, the developers stopped working on the Xbox itself.  The early alpha app is currently available on the XBox One store.

kodi

Kodi is likely best known for their third-party add-ons.  Many of these add-ons, however, allow users to stream pirated content on any device that will run the software.  Kodi does not endorse pirating, but it is undoubtedly one of the reasons the player has gotten as much attention as it has over the last several years.  But “they” seem to be cracking down on this now.

Using Kodi itself is not illegal.  But the software (add-ons) that are used in a way to perform illegal activities is where it becomes an issue.  Which is why the name Kodi is synonymous with this idea of illegal activity.  It’s also illegal in some places to load the add-ons onto a Kodi box, and then sell those boxes.  Kodi themselves don’t make the hardware, the boxes can be purchased by a number of retailers.

kodi

What you might not know about Kodi is that it’s not just another media player.  Its versatility has made it an extremely popular platform.  The platform supports virtually all audio and video file formats, ensuring that all of your content, no matter how old or obscure, is accessible in a single location. Once you’ve configured your Kodi account to access the files you want, your files are automatically available on all your connected devices.

As well as being convenient, Kodi is also a well-designed piece of software, with the platform pulling in a range of programme-specific bios and cover art around your content and enabling you to navigate your catalog in an accessible, visual, tile-based format. There’s another bonus to Kodi: the cost. The software itself is completely free to download and use, perfect for those tired of forking out significant sums for subscription-based streaming services they don’t make full use of.  All of that being said, how and why you use it is up to you.  What’s exciting is that it’s now available for Xbox One clients.  It’s also kind of nice that it’s going to be available on its original platform. Bringing it back to its roots.

One thought on “The Kodi App is now Available for the XBox One – It’s About Time!”

Comments are closed.