Customizing XBMC/KODI

**mahrkpat** · Mar 16th 2015

I am using KODI both for my mx box and windows but I am sure the guide will work for XBMC install as well.

As this is a enthusiasts forum I want to create a guide here so you can mess around with settings so that your install is to your exact specifications, KODI is extremely customizable here I will guide you through all the different ways you can customize it from using libraries, smart playlists and the super favorites addon and even changing skins can give you options.

BASICS

I don't know about you but I find the RSS feed really annoying and it does consume a little of your bandwidth (for those with slow broadband) so I would recommend disabling it, unless you really need it. I am using Aeon Nox skin at the moment and that doesn't allow disabling but you can change to confluence which allows it then change back to the skin of your choice.

1 In the Kodi main menu, go to System > Settings.
2 Select the Appearance tab to configure appereance settings.
3 In the skin tab, scroll down and disable show RSS news feed.
4 Now, go back to the main menu by pressing the back key on the remote control or ESC-key on the keyboard.

My box came from Hong Kong so I had to change my time settings so this is how you do that.

1 Go to System > Settings > Appearance.
2 Select the second tab called International. Select Language to change it and then select Region.
3 Select the suitable region from the list.
4 Now, your system clock will show the correct time.

You can have the weather for your location, I tried the met office but found yahoo easier to use.

1 Go to System > Settings > Weather.
2 Select “Service for Weather Information”.
3 Select “Get More…”
4 Select “Yahoo! Weather” add-on.
5 Type in your location, all done.

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Kodi/XBMC TV and Movie Library

Thanks to MJD

This easy to follow guide will show you every step you need to integrate Genesis with your Kodi/XBMC TV and Movie Library.

This guide shows how to integrate the TV Shows section. To integrate movies just repeat the process but choose Movies instead of TV Shows at the final step. This can also be done with add-ons like iStream.

This guide is done on a Mac and so the path I take to get to the stored Genesis TV & Movies links is different to that of a Windows/Linux/Android/FireTV user. The paths for Windows/Linux/Android/FireTV users is located at the bottom.

For some devices we need to show hidden files otherwise you will not be able to find the path to your TV Shows-Movies. This is very simple:

Select SYSTEM

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Select Appearance

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Select File Lists and turn on Show Hidden Files and Directories

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Now you can move on to integrating Genesis with you Kodi/XBMC Library

On your XBMC homescreen select VIDEOS > Files

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Select ADD VIDEOS...

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Select Browse

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Select HOME FOLDER

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Select LIBRARY

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Select APPLICATION SUPPORT

Select XBMC or Kodi if you have upgraded to 14.0 Helix

Select USERDATA

Select ADDON_DATA

Select PLUGIN.VIDEO.GENESIS

Select TVSHOWS

You will now see a list of all the TV Shows you added to Genesis. Select OK

You can change the name of the media source in this screen to anything you want if you wish. Select OK

You will now see a screen like the following. Click on none until you see TV Shows

When you have selected TV Shows select OK

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Select YES and allow Kodi/XBMC to refresh the new content

This is now completed. If you go to your home screen you will now see a TV SHOWS link. Clicking on that link will take you to the shows you have subscribed to in Genesis. Now if you do exactly the same but choose Movies instead of TV Shows there will be a link to your Movies library on your home screen as well.

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Use the following path for Windows. If you are on Kodi select Kodi and not XBMC:

C:\Users\AppData\Roaming\XBMC\userdata\addon_data\ plugin.video.genesis\TVShows

Thanks to 'Another Michael' for providing that.

The path for Linux users is. If you are on Kodi select Kodi and not XBMC:

/home/USERNAME/.xbmc/userdata/addon_data/plugin.video.genesis/TVShows

Thanks to 'lassegs' for providing that

The path for FireTV users is. If you are on Kodi select Kodi and not XBMC:

/storage/emulated/0/Android/data/org.xbmc.xbmc/files/.xbmc/userdata/addon_data/plugin.video.genesis/TVShows/

Thanks to Dhorlo for providing that.

Use the following path for Android replacing XBMC with Kodi if you have updated.

/storage/emulated/0/Android/data/org.xbmc.xbmc/files/.xbmc/userdata/addon_data/plugin.video.genesis/TVShows/

or

Root filesystem/sdcard/Android/data/org.xbmc.xbmc/files/.xbmc/userdata/addon_data/plugin.video.genesis/TVShows/

This tutorial has been done for genesis but it works with any video or music addon that uses the library function and I have also found that tv shows or movies added to the libraries auto play when clicked and you don't have to choose stream source like you would when you use the genesis addon directly. Also once you have created a tv show or a movie category I will show you to how add them to your home screen for easy access later on in this thread (which makes it wife and kids friendly.)

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SMART PLAYLIST

At the moment I am going through how to organise your tv shows and movies it takes a bit of time but at the end it will enhance and make your viewing experience that much better. The smart playlist creates a filter for your collection, say you have 100's of movies and you want to separate them so that you can easily find what you are looking for. (can be used for tv shows and music)

In my example I am want all my animation movies in one group so using a smart playlist I create this group and all my animation movies will automatically go in this group.

Video>playlists

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new smart playlist

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select movies then new rule

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select genre is then click browse

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select animation then ok

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give your playlist a name eg ANIMATION press ok, all done

now if you look in video>playlist you will see your new list there

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selecting the ANIMATION playlist will only have animated movies

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remember you can choose the way the list is presented and you want the wow factor

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This is another step towards the goal of personalizing our kodi install

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Super Favourites

In effect this addon lets you create a custom addon in which you can add bits from other addons.

Super Favourites is a Kodi / XBMC add-on that offers a better way of managing your XBMC/Kodi favourites.

Just about any menu item within XBMC/Kodi can be added to Super Favourites, even from addons that don't normally provide this feature.

You can create sub-folders where your Kodi favourites can then be copied or moved into.

The add-on allows you to create your own custom addon with just the best bits of your favourite addons. Search your favourite addons, play your favourite music, read your favourite comic strips, select your favourite playlists, browse your favourite movies, listen to your favourite radio stations, watch your favourite cartoons, the possibilities are endless, all from within one easy to use addon.

Open Kodi / XBMC
Select SYSTEM > Settings (depending on the skin you are using it may just be Settings)