Kodi is the multimedia streaming application preferred by most and Raspberry Pi is the geek board par excellence with which you can create the most interesting projects. Ok, you can always buy a TV Box with Kodi similar to an Android TV, but it is something that goes against the geek spirit of some people. For those who still do not know what Kodi is, I recommend the following article explaining everything you should know about Kodi.
The Raspberry Pi plates are not only used to install Kodi, but they have a lot of practical utilities. That said, if you're looking for a simpler solution, we recommend that you buy a TV Box Kodi. However, if you want to rummage and learn things, you are in the right article. Let's see how to install Kodi on Raspberry Pi 3 using OSMC.
How to Install Kodi in Raspberry Pi 3
During the installation process you will need some things.
Things you will need
Make sure you have these things at hand before starting the installation:
- A Raspberry Pi 3 plate with its power supply
- A microSD card with USB adapter
- A USB keyboard
- An HDMI cable
- Although it is not essential, it is recommended that you have a box for your Raspberry Pi 3.
How to install OSMC on a microSD card
Download the OSMC installer for your operating system. OSMC is an operating system based on Debian with Kodi pre-installed. The installer is available for Windows, Linux and MacOS. These are the steps to install it:
1. The first time you open the OSMC installer, you should be able to see a welcome message. Since we can not choose another language, we have to choose English. Next, in the lower selection field, we have to select Raspberry Pi 2/3. Then, click on the arrow to advance.
2. Select the version of OSMC you want to download, which will usually be the most recent, and click on the arrow to continue. The installer will try to download the selected version. As an alternative if the download fails, you can try to download the image from the OSMC website and select the option "Use a local build on my computer" .
3. Insert a microSD card into the card reader of your computer or, if you do not have a reader, connect a card reader to the USB port of your computer and insert a microSD card inside it. Select the option "On an SD card" when the installer asks you where you want to install OSMC and click on the arrow to continue.
4. In this step, select the type of network connection . If you use Ethernet connection, select "Wired connection" and if you use WiFi, select "Wireless" . Click on the arrow to continue.
5. If you have selected the WiFi connection, you must enter the access data in the following section before continuing.
6. Select the device that will be shown to you and click on the arrow to continue. Keep in mind that the installation of OSMC will format the microSD card, so it is best to make sure you make backup copies of important files that may be in it.
In the event that you can not see any device, make sure that the card reader is connected (if any) and that you have a microSD card inside it. Also make sure that the reader is properly configured, something that can happen, especially in Linux.
7. Accept the license agreement and go ahead with the installation.
8. The download between 150 and 200 MB will start and should be completed in a few minutes, depending on your network connection.
When the installation is finished, it will be time to move on to the configuration of the board components.
Required hardware connections
1. Insert the microSD card into the card slot of the Raspberry Pi. Also connect the USB keyboard and the power supply .
2. Connect the HDMI cable to an external display (for example, a monitor or a TV) and also connect the power supply.
3. Now you should be able to see the OSMC load screen .
4. When the load is completed, you will see the start assistant , which is very basic. Use your keyboard to navigate the interface and select things. Select your preferred language, the time zone, the device name and some other thing.
5. You can select between two pre-installed themes: Estuary , which is Kodi Krypton's default theme, or the OSMC theme itself. Quiet, because later you can download many other topics.
Well, we're finished. Easy and for the whole family.
As we can see, the installation of Kodi in Raspberry Pi is tremendously simple if we use the OSMC installer. If for some reason you are looking for an alternative to OSMC, you can also try OpenELEC .
Using Kodi in Raspberry Pi 3
At least in my tests, Kodi worked perfectly on Raspberry Pi 3. The 1.2 GHz CPU and the GB of RAM made it possible for the playback to be very smooth . I had no problems when connecting via WiFi or to search or install add-ons.
The Raspberry Pi also has an Ethernet port, so you can connect to the Internet via cable in case you have problems with WiFi. It is possible that the interface goes somewhat slow when you try to play a video with a lot of quality , but in terms of FPS or images per second, the reproduction will be perfect , which is what matters.
The temperature of the plate was also adequate, although some people claim to have certain heating problem . If you want, you can monitor the temperature of Raspberry Pi directly from the Kodi settings. Perhaps these problems are due to the purchase of an inadequate box , so make sure you have a box that does not obstruct the air circulation. If you want, you can also buy a heatsink.
The fact is that through the combination of Kodi, OSMC and Raspberry Pi, we have an excellent streaming solution at a very affordable price.