The XBMC thread - What it is, how it works etc...

[Furmedge]

From what I've seen about the M8 looks the most popular box about.  You can get the box for around £35-£40 without XBMC so the mark up is around 100% for someone loading it for you.  The user interface is virtually the same regardless of the box due to the OS, so you're looking at the boxes performance.  As I say the M8 seems to be the most popular so if you are looking down buying an Android box then that's probably the one to go for.

[Rick Sanchez C-137]

From what I've seen about the M8 looks the most popular box about.  You can get the box for around £35-£40 without XBMC so the mark up is around 100% for someone loading it for you.  The user interface is virtually the same regardless of the box due to the OS, so you're looking at the boxes performance.  As I say the M8 seems to be the most popular so if you are looking down buying an Android box then that's probably the one to go for.

 

Source?

 

Spanks.

[Babb'sBurstNad]

Interesting, I've been thinking about picking up an Android box recently, and the M8 looks pretty well specced. I had a quick look at the Nexus player and the lack of an ethernet port put me off.

[cloggypop]

I would get a Raspberry Pi 2 over an Android box myself. Xbmc runs more stable on a Pi than on Android. You can get everything you need for it for about 45 quid. Easier to set up than the Pi 1 as you don't need it running off a USB 3 stick to be fast enough.

 

At some point you will have to set some stuff up on your box even if you get it already done for you but it is easily done by following a guide.

 

There are also plenty of custom builds available which will install a load of addons at once for you if that's what you want. I prefer just to have the ones I will actually use myself.

 

[Rick Sanchez C-137]

I would get a Raspberry Pi 2 over an Android box myself. Xbmc runs more stable on a Pi than on Android. You can get everything you need for it for about 45 quid. Easier to set up than the Pi 1 as you don't need it running off a USB 3 stick to be fast enough. At some point you will have to set some stuff up on your box even if you get it already done for you but it is easily done by following a guide. There are also plenty of custom builds available which will install a load of addons at once for you if that's what you want. I prefer just to have the ones I will actually use myself.

I have a Pi B+ and have been thinking about getting the Pi 2 as the B+ can lag a bit sometimes.

[cloggypop]

I have a Pi B+ and have been thinking about getting the Pi 2 as the B+ can lag a bit sometimes.

Pi 2 can be used as a retro gaming machine as well if that helps. Just swap the SD card and it will run stuff from MAME up to Playstation and N64 games.

 

http://pimame.org

[Rick Sanchez C-137]

Pi 2 can be used as a retro gaming machine as well if that helps. Just swap the SD card and it will run stuff from MAME up to Playstation and N64 games.

 

http://pimame.org

 

Nice

 

I'm actually going to encrypt my server and build a pi b+/powerline adapter combo into the walls/roofspace as an authentication server, so if my server was ever to be seized they couldn't decrypt it off my network :-)

 

But thats a story for another thread

[Babb'sBurstNad]

Well I decided rather than jumping in and grabbing an Android box I'd try it on an old HTPC I'd let get run down instead.

 

Spent the day giving it a much needed blast of air, defrag and getting rid of a shitty bit of malware I hadn't noticed and just popped on XBMC.

 

Not really had time to fiddle yet, but if it goes alright I think I'll stick with this machine and add an SSD.

[cloggypop]

Yeah defo try it out on something first before you buy a special gizmo for it. It will probably run on your pc/laptop/phone/tablet.

 

It might be worth setting your old HTPC to boot into OpenElec if you are not using it for anything else.

 

http://openelec.tv

[Babb'sBurstNad]

Unfortunately it gets used for the odd thing, so Windows is still needed.

 

I might look to see if it can be dual booted though.

[Alan Sex]

Ok. I've finally got round to jail breaking my old iPhone 4s and put Xbmc or whatever it's called now on - and run the config wizard.

 

Any recommendations as to extra stuff I can add? Any way of getting sporting events where people kick balls?

[cloggypop]

Here is a handy guide on how to get free sporting events where people kick balls

 

https://seo-michael.co.uk/how-to-watch-premier-league-football-using-xbmc/

[Alan Sex]

Here is a handy guide on how to get free sporting events where people kick balls

 

https://seo-michael.co.uk/how-to-watch-premier-league-football-using-xbmc/

Very nice indeed. Cloggy, I think I would like to father your future children.

[Boss]

Has anyone got any recommendations for a good VPN software, thats fast, intuitive to use and just gets the job done? I've been looking into Kodi and the NBC sports add on but a VPN is needed.

[cloggypop]

Has anyone got any recommendations for a good VPN software, thats fast, intuitive to use and just gets the job done? I've been looking into Kodi and the NBC sports add on but a VPN is needed.

I use IPVanish as it comes free when you buy 3 months of usenet access from Eweka. I have it working on Windows/Linux/Android and it is fast and easy enough. It works great with iPlayer, etc out of the UK and also with NBC sports addon when I last tried it but I don't think the addon works now. If you use Usenet anyway it is a decent choice. Eweka are great. If you just want a VPN or DNS service there are probably cheaper alternatives.

 

Vdubt25 has NBC sport working without a VPN in his addon at the moment. I doubt it will have the video on demand but it deffo had our last match in a choice of HD or SD.

 

[Boss]

I use IPVanish as it comes free when you buy 3 months of usenet access from Eweka. I have it working on Windows/Linux/Android and it is fast and easy enough. It works great with iPlayer, etc out of the UK and also with NBC sports addon when I last tried it but I don't think the addon works now. If you use Usenet anyway it is a decent choice. Eweka are great. If you just want a VPN or DNS service there are probably cheaper alternatives. Vdubt25 has NBC sport working without a VPN in his addon at the moment. I doubt it will have the video on demand but it deffo had our last match in a choice of HD or SD.

 

Thanks cloggy, i don't use usenet but it seems to be quite expensive for a standard 1 year membership. Looks really good though, fast, does everything i'd want it to do. Has anyone got any experience with Tunnelbear? basically i'm completely clueless when it comes to VPN's, so aware me.

 

I've downloaded Kodi and Genesis (which i love) also Vdubt25, are there any other really good live tv add ons like Vdubt25 out there? or is there anything as good as Genesis on the movie front? 

[cloggypop]

Thanks cloggy, i don't use usenet but it seems to be quite expensive for a standard 1 year membership. Looks really good though, fast, does everything i'd want it to do. Has anyone got any experience with Tunnelbear? basically i'm completely clueless when it comes to VPN's, so aware me.

 

I've downloaded Kodi and Genesis (which i love) also Vdubt25, are there any other really good live tv add ons like Vdubt25 out there? or is there anything as good as Genesis on the movie front?

BBTS and Halow are both similar to Vdubt25. FTV is great for live UKTV and also has a working TV guide.

 

Istream is my favourite for TV and movies but you have to make sure you add all the services or it won't work. (Use Total Installer and add everything called istream basically, then make sure everything is on) There is a list of loads more a bit earlier in this thread.

 

Istream also has live tv.

 

Phoenix is well worth a try as well. It has a bit of everything but done in a different way.

[RobbieOR]

Got my andoid box updated there and it now has Kodi but before it XBMC. Robinhood is the best for English TV.  Has all the channels and the picture is perfect.

[Alan Sex]

Thanks cloggy, i don't use usenet but it seems to be quite expensive for a standard 1 year membership. Looks really good though, fast, does everything i'd want it to do. Has anyone got any experience with Tunnelbear? basically i'm completely clueless when it comes to VPN's, so aware me.

 

I've downloaded Kodi and Genesis (which i love) also Vdubt25, are there any other really good live tv add ons like Vdubt25 out there? or is there anything as good as Genesis on the movie front?

 

I've been using the free versions of tunnel bear and also Zenmate. Both are decent for free, but have limited usage to 500mb per month. Tunnel bear will bump the number up if you tweet a tunnel bear add - one time per month.

 

Basically I use tunnel bear until it runs out, then switch to zenmate.

[cloggypop]

Got my andoid box updated there and it now has Kodi but before it XBMC. Robinhood is the best for English TV. Has all the channels and the picture is perfect.

The only ones that work for me out of the UK are from FilmOn so exactly the same as FTV.

 

Free Streams by Mikey1234 was fantastic for a few weeks for live TV but most of it has gone now. Still worth a look and it could well come back again.

[Boss]

BBTS and Halow are both similar to Vdubt25. FTV is great for live UKTV and also has a working TV guide. Istream is my favourite for TV and movies but you have to make sure you add all the services or it won't work. (Use Total Installer and add everything called istream basically, then make sure everything is on) There is a list of loads more a bit earlier in this thread. Istream also has live tv. Phoenix is well worth a try as well. It has a bit of everything but done in a different way.

 

Istream is brilliant, finally got it working after hours of tinkering. It went off after i accidentally deleted 'Add on installer', so if your Istream was previously working and now your getting error messages on start up i might have the solution for that. At the moment the best add on's i've seen are Istream, Genesis, Vdub, Naxi X and Phoenix.

 

I've been using the free versions of tunnel bear and also Zenmate. Both are decent for free, but have limited usage to 500mb per month. Tunnel bear will bump the number up if you tweet a tunnel bear add - one time per month.

 

Basically I use tunnel bear until it runs out, then switch to zenmate.

 

I'm going to download both and if tunnelbear works well i'll just pay for it, thanks for the heads up Alan.

[cloggypop]

Try Hotspot Shield. It's free and supposed to work good enough to give 720p in NBC Sport.

 

It is quite irritating though.

 

http://mobile.pcmag.com/reviews/33405-hotspot-shield-elite?origref=

[Boss]

Got my andoid box updated there and it now has Kodi but before it XBMC. Robinhood is the best for English TV.  Has all the channels and the picture is perfect.

 

Are they HD streams or standard definition?

[RobbieOR]

Are they HD streams or standard definition?

 

There are some HD there but they don't work for me because my internet is a bit crap.

[Boss]

Try Hotspot Shield. It's free and supposed to work good enough to give 720p in NBC Sport.

 

It is quite irritating though.

 

http://mobile.pcmag.com/reviews/33405-hotspot-shield-elite?origref=

 

I'll download it and try them all out, see which ones best, thanks cloggy.