We will see the configuration of Kodi, also known as XBMC (Xbox Media Center) on a Windows PC, but it will be almost identical on other platforms. When you install Kodi for the first time, there will be no content, so you'll have to set things up manually. Go for it.
User interface
The Kodi Interface may not seem very easy or modern, but it is certainly very functional. The main page of Kodi includes sections of Images, Videos, Music, Programs and System. You can simply hover over each of these sections with your computer mouse to get more options such as files, add-ons, system information, settings and more.
In the lower left corner of the main page, you will find the favorites button, which shows the add-ons you have and your favorites, which are add-ons or files that you have added to favorites. In addition, you will find an off button that allows you to exit Kodi, turn off the system, restart it or put it on hold. You can even set a custom shutdown timer.
When entering any of the sections, you will find a return button and a start button in the lower right, as well as a sidebar to the left. This bar will allow you to select the view and other diverse options.
If you love using keyboard shortcuts to navigate, you'll see that Kodi very easy to use with a keyboard. In addition, there are a number of supported keyboard shortcuts.
Options and configuration
Come now with some interesting options:
Create profiles with password
The main page of Kodi includes different sections and sub-sections of Images, Videos, Music, Programs and System. Before going to the Configuration page to see the different options, you must create a profile or simply establish a Master lock lock so that nobody else has access to your private collection of content.
To do this, go to System -> Profiles . Here, you can enable the login screen and set the blocking preferences of a profile. Say that if you have already put Kodi in Spanish, you should have gone to System -> Profiles .
Select the configuration level
Once done, you can go to System-> Settings , go to any of the available options and select the "Configuration Level" . The levels are Basic, Standard, Advanced and Expert. We recommend that you select the expert level to make sure that all the options are visible to you.
Settings page
Next, go to the different configuration options. This is what you will find in each of the options:
Appearance : Here you can change the skin of the Kodi interface to completely change its appearance.
You can choose between several available skins or download new skins. In addition, you can change the source, the start window, the sounds, edit the RSS feed from the bottom, change the language and region, the screen saver and much more.
Video : As the name suggests, the video options are divided into several options for video playback, video library, subtitles, discs or volumes and accessibility. Each of these options includes a variety of small options.
TV : As for the video, you can configure the various TV options such as playback, parental control, recording, energy saving and much more.
Music : Music options allow you to configure the library the way you want. In addition, there are several advanced playback options, file lists and more.
Images : Here you can change the configuration of file lists and configure the way presentations are shown as slides.
Time : You can choose a time service to display information on the Kodi homepage. Keep in mind that, first of all, you will have to install a weather complement. We will recommend the Yahoo Weather plugin.
Addons : If you want to use Kodi in the best way, visit the Add-on Settings page. Here you will find options to install the various add-ons from ZIP archives or repositories.
Services : Do you want to stream Kodi to a TV or do you want to control Kodi through your smartphone? Here you will find all the options for it.
System : You will find many important options. Here, you can set the video and audio output, set the master lock, activate the power saving mode and much more.
All these pages include a lot of options if you like to tinker with video and audio settings. Now that you're used to several Kodi settings, let's move on to the content itself.
How to access files stored locally in Kodi
If you have many music files, videos, podcasts ... etc saved locally, you can access them in Kodi, besides being able to organize it. First, you will have to add all your files or directories to Kodi.
1 Place your cursor over the Images, Videos or Music section of the main page and click on "Files / Files" .
2 Then, click on "Add music / Add Music" or videos or something else depending on the section you have selected.
3 Enter the path where the files are located on your PC / Mac.
4 Once you have added a path, all files in that folder will be available for playback in Kodi. You can add as many routes as you wish, but it is recommended that you save all your files in a folder with subdirectories to have everything better organized.
Although you have access to the local Kodi archives, the good thing about Kodi are the various add-ons and repositories that exist. We recommend this article that explains how to install Addons in Kodi.