KODI on Samsung SmartTV

Hello Stranger on 22/09/2016 - 22:23

Hi everyone,

I recently got a smart TV that doesn't have the Google Play store so have very limited apps available to me.

I have done some research on how to get Kodi on it and currently have found the following options:

Chrome Cast
Android Box
Raspberry Pi

I'm don't know much about these and not sure how they work. I've done some reading on them but it hasn't fully sunk in yet.

Are any of you use this already? If so, what are the negatives/positives of each of them? How easy are they to set up and use?

PS. Not sure if this helps, but I have a Samsung UA55KU6000.

Thanks heaps!

Electrical & Electronics

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altomic on 22/09/2016 - 22:53

+1

i have an android box hooked up to my 32" samsung TV.

the TV becomes a monitor for the android box. i.e. I have a 32" android tablet (but i use a wireless mouse + keyboard instead of a touch screen)

i Like android boxes as they are extremely easy to use. easy to add stuff to them e.g. I added VLC to mine. piece of cake. google vlc, download + install. android.

Kodi - no problem to install. super easy. google, search, find, install. done.

I can't talk about the others as I have no experience with them.

android = easy.
- Hello Stranger on 23/09/2016 - 08:05
  
  Ah Ok, so the android box is similar to a desktop but having the TV as the monitor? Does it have any affect on turning on and off the TV? Like does the android box need to be shut down like a normal desktop, or will it turn off automatically once the TV is off?
  - altomic on 23/09/2016 - 21:04
    
    yep like a desktop monitor. no effect turning on and off the TV - change TV input to what ever socket you've plugged the android box into - HDMI 1, HDMI2, etc.
    
    it doesn't need to shutdown but I always shut it down (I always turn devices off at the power point). they are really fast booting up.
spal on 23/09/2016 - 07:37

Try getting es file explorer on your computer, download an SDK of Kodi (google for source of SDK apps, some you tube videos may help too) and side load it to your tv, it should work. I don't know much, but that is how I got some apps on my Nvidia. I could do it, it shouldn't be that difficult. Hope this helps.
- Hello Stranger on 23/09/2016 - 08:03
  
  Thanks for that, didn't even considering side loading it onto the TV. Will look into this.
nahkk on 23/09/2016 - 22:40
I have raspberry pi running kodi on raspberian attached to my samsung smart TV. I considered having android box but dropped the idea because of these reasons:

My TV remote and Yatsee remote android app works with RPI. I feel it is convenient than using a keyboard.

I was able to install and experiment different softwares on rpi, run a server/scrapper at night when kodi is idle etc. etc. You have SSH and SCP access to RPI that you won't have to android box.

Whenever I feel like playing around, I backup the RPI sdcard on my laptop or use a new sdcard in RPI. This ensure that I can return to last stable state (with all the updates and customization) just by restoring my backup.

The CON is, you will need to setup RPI and do some whistle and bell to make it the way you want. If you are not techy person or if points 2 and 3 above are not your cup of tea then probably you should not go to RPI path.

An android box is easier to setup and usually has pre-isntalled software/apps but there is a limit to customization that you can do.
- Hello Stranger on 24/09/2016 - 17:08
  
  Hi Nahkk,
  
  Thanks for your insight. The RPI was the first option I had as it was suggested by one of my friends, but I'm not too techy and usually get lost when reading into too much tech related things online.
  
  I'm going to give the android box a shot and see what happens :)
gasman70 on 30/09/2016 - 16:52

Just save yourself the trouble and get one of these:

http://www.geekbuying.com/item/X9-TV-BOX-Android-6-0-Amlogci…

KODI on Samsung SmartTV

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