In recent weeks, the name Kodi has been echoing across the web. Known a few years ago as XBMC, Kodi has become by its own merit the go-to media player for millions of users, and its compatibility with add-ons enables the integration of services that have left its developers in more than one bind. However, what brings us here today is the recent update to version 17.5 “Krypton”, probably the last before Kodi 18 “Leia” becomes final.
To be honest, Kodi doesn't need an extensive introduction. Its adventure began in 2002 as Xbox Media Player, then transformed into Xbox Media Center or XBMC, and from there it never stopped growing. If you have a small server or a NAS unit loaded with series and movies on your internal network, Kodi is without a doubt one of the most robust options, and the best part is that it doesn't demand too much processing power (a detail we will explore in another article). The latest news about Kodi insists on associating the software with piracy activities, even though it doesn't offer any content. The so-called “Kodi boxes” ready to use with add-ons that allow access to illegal streaming services put its developers in the spotlight (the MPAA already spoke of the project as if it were the fifth horseman of the apocalypse), who went as far as asking for the closure of portals dedicated to the distribution of such add-ons.
Every user will have to decide for themselves if they want to install those plugins or not. Meanwhile, our idea is to talk about the latest update for the player, 17.5 “Krypton”. In general, we shouldn't expect many changes, as it is a build focused on bug fixes. Kodi 17.5 Krypton optimizes audio output on Android devices, repairs DVD playback over a network on Linux, eliminates remote control issues on macOS High Sierra, includes improvements in Retina support on Apple devices, and updates FFmpeg to version 3.1.1, although it's still a bit far from the stable build 3.4.
As always, Kodi is available for download on Windows, Linux, Android, iOS, macOS, Raspberry Pi, and other alternatives at the level of BSD, Freescale hardware, Nvidia Shield, Amazon Fire TV, and the ODROID platform. I have been testing the Windows version, and I must admit its playback is flawless. Highly recommended.
