Setting up a laptop for a friend who's gonna use it and a dock in order to HDMI to his large TV... I've given him a nice EmulationStation install w/ tons of media to PLAY...

I was thinking of installing KODI for him, but anyone who's used it before knows how different add-ons and plug-ins go in and out of style. I know Exodus is a good one - but they seem to change from year to year... I don't use KODI much myself. I do remember, in years past, that there was some kind of script or theme or even an image file that had all good current add-ons built it. Does anyone know of a 2o21 solution to this? I want something that automatically sets up a KODI install with good streaming add-ons for grabbing movies, shows, etc.

Last question - anyone know of any decent free VPN service? I've been told to look at Proton, but that it won't be super fast... I could let him borrow my VPN account, but thats prolly not too smart...

Anyway, thanks if anyone knows any tips about these two topics. :P



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I want something that automatically sets up a KODI install with
good streaming add-ons for grabbing movies, shows, etc.

Ay, did you want a reach around as well? o_O

Keep in mind, any KODI image you install would (by default) wipe your EmuStation install. I'm sure you already know this, but I feel obliged to
point it out.

Last question - anyone know of any decent free VPN service? I've been
told to look at Proton, but that it won't be super fast... I could let
him borrow my VPN account, but thats prolly not too smart...

'Free' and 'decent' cannot be combined when describing VPNs. It's one or the other! Personally, I'm using PrivateVPN, which costs...um...shoot, give me a second...

Currently, $72 USD for three years service, or about $2 a month.

For God's sake, man! Unless you're talking about family, do NOT (repeat NOT) share any password to any account!

Wasn't too long ago you were giving hell to a certain someone (might have
been me) for root-ing mystic...But account sharing is totally okay? XD

------

All kidding aside, if you want to set your friend up with a good KODI install, you'll have to do it the hard way. For two reasons:

A) You've already got a working OS installed, and KODI works with (basically)
anything. Why dual-boot?

B) No official release of KODI has the plugins you're looking for...for pretty
obvious reasons.

C) It takes only a few minutes to find and install these plugins from within
KODI itself!

(okay, three reasons)

Hope this helps more than it annoys!

McDoob
SysOp, PiBBS
pibbs.sytes.net

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A46 2020/08/26 (Raspberry Pi/32)
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I want something that automatically sets up a KODI install with
good streaming add-ons for grabbing movies, shows, etc.

I've found what these are called - KODI Builds. I went with Misfit Mods, because they had some 12/21 builds. These go out of... compatibility/current status quickly - but there are a few that are current.

If anyone else wants to search for these, try 'Kodi 2021 Best Builds'...



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Re: KODI themes/images?
By: paulie420 to All on Fri Dec 17 2021 06:21 pm

Last question - anyone know of any decent free VPN service? I've been told t look at Proton, but that it won't be super fast... I could let him borrow my VPN account, but thats prolly not too smart...

An VPN for what?

If anonimity is not an issue you are usually well served rending some cheap VPS overseas and running the service from it. This is assuming you are talking about consumer grade VPNs which people uses to connect to the Internet from home, as opposed to actual VPNs corporations use for connecting one network to another over the Internet.

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gopher://gopher.richardfalken.com/1/richardfalken
--- SBBSecho 3.14-Linux
* Origin: Palantir * palantirbbs.ddns.net * Pensacola, FL * (21:2/138)

Ay, did you want a reach around as well? o_O

Would be nice enough..

Keep in mind, any KODI image you install would (by default) wipe your EmuStation install. I'm sure you already know this, but I feel obliged to point it out.

No - I installed my Emu on top on a Linux distro; hes using it as a computer, not a device - and these services are now all installed as applications. Of course, when you fire up Emu or KODI the system is basically taken over by either - but they all live together happily.

And just to answer, they are called KODI builds - basically you turn on unsupported add-ons, add a repo and install one of many builds that are out. I forget the one I went with, but its really nice - you just have to trial and error till you find a decent, updated one. :P

'Free' and 'decent' cannot be combined when describing VPNs. It's one or the other! Personally, I'm using PrivateVPN, which costs...um...shoot, give me a second...

For God's sake, man! Unless you're talking about family, do NOT (repeat

Yea, what I ended up doing was installing the same software that *I* use, and he'll just have to decide to purchase or not. If not, I'll suggest not using the modified KODI and if so, he can just plug in his username and be on his way... :P

Wasn't too long ago you were giving hell to a certain someone (might have been me) for root-ing mystic...But account sharing is totally okay? XD

Whats rooting Mystic? I'm all for free data in every sense - but I wouldn't share accounts like this for obvious reasons.



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An VPN for what?

It is for consumer grade basic stuff... getting regional streaming, hiding torrents and downloads...

I just installed what I use set it all up correctly - if he buys an account he can just plug in the deets.

If anonimity is not an issue you are usually well served rending some cheap VPS overseas and running the service from it. This is assuming you

Thanks for the suggestion - I appreciate it.



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No - I installed my Emu on top on a Linux distro; hes using it as a computer, not a device - and these services are now all installed as applications. Of course, when you fire up Emu or KODI the system is basically taken over by either - but they all live together happily.

Ah, my mistake. For some reason, when you said EmuStation, I was thinking RetroPi, and then...you know...Maybe I should spend a little less time
messing about with this thing...

Whats rooting Mystic? I'm all for free data in every sense - but I wouldn't share accounts like this for obvious reasons.

Running Mystic as root...

Cheers!

McDoob
SysOp, PiBBS
pibbs.sytes.net

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A46 2020/08/26 (Raspberry Pi/32)
* Origin: PiBBS (21:4/135)

Ah, my mistake. For some reason, when you said EmuStation, I was thinking RetroPi, and then...you know...Maybe I should spend a little less time messing about with this thing...

LOL - Actually, the install on Ubuntu that I was referencing IS RetroPie. :P But still; I can install that on top of Ubuntu... :P

I understand what you're saying - but I was installing in on an x86 system - and you can doso over top a nix distro... not on Arch, tho - that requires EmuStation - which I decided against, because I have an RPi 4 thats perfectly capable of doing that task. I love MY PiBoy DMG - I hear you... yer validated; yes, on a Raspberry Pi 4 IMAGE of RetroPie it would be the entire system. :P

Running Mystic as root...

Yea, you shouldn't do that...



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Man, don't use builds.. They will get outdated, for sure, and who knows what kinds of things they could be doing in the background. Scanning your network? Mining for crypto? Joining seti to search for aliens? Not to mention that
they usually add a ton of repos that you will never use. If you really need
to, check one out just to see what addons you will like to use.

I personally have a web-accessible directory where I keep the repo ZIPs of
the addons I want (currently The Oath) and I add that as a directory to
install ZIP files from using the File Manager.

You can use Kodi to play emulated games! In fact there is an Internet Archive game downloader/streamer that lets you pick a game to grab and play. Like Netflix for emulation.

--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A46 2020/08/26 (Raspberry Pi/32)
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Man, don't use builds.. They will get outdated, for sure, and who knows what kinds of things they could be doing in the background. Scanning
your network? Mining for crypto? Joining seti to search for aliens? Not
to mention that they usually add a ton of repos that you will never use. If you really need to, check one out just to see what addons you will
like to use.

I know... I used to know folks who sold 'free cable boxes' that were just thin client pc's and KODI with a stupid build on it.

This is for a friend, tho - and I'm not 'current' with KODI add-ons. Yer right, tho, grabbing one just to see what add-ons to grab isn't a bad idea. I went with one of the mainline builds, so... eh.

I personally have a web-accessible directory where I keep the repo ZIPs
of the addons I want (currently The Oath) and I add that as a directory
to install ZIP files from using the File Manager.

The Oath is one of the add-ons his build uses. Right now, it looks like its working pretty well - I know it'll spud out soon enough, but... its called 'Hardnox'.

You can use Kodi to play emulated games! In fact there is an Internet Archive game downloader/streamer that lets you pick a game to grab and play. Like Netflix for emulation.

Now this I didn't know, and it sounds cool - I think I might start messing around with KODI on my emulation system... and I'll try to create my own build. The Oath, Internet Archive... what other add-ons might you suggest?

Thanks for the chat on this topic. I'll get ironed out one day. :P



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