Kodi is by far the most popular open-source media player/platform. It is available for several devices, from Smartphones to SmartTVs. Installing it on a smart TV might take some effort, but it is an easy-to-use media player.
If you are not sure about Kodi, here are some benefits that Kodi provides you,
1) Kodi has universal media compatibility.
Kodi has several third-party logins that allow you to,
- Stream,
- Read,
- Listen,
- Watch,
- Look at the content.
2) Kodi works with different media sources.
You can play all sorts of media like local storage, paid streaming, cloud storage, etc., by using Kodi’s plugins.
3) Kodi works on a volume of devices.
Unlike other software, Kodi is not available to a specific platform only. It can work on,
- Mac,
- Android,
- iOS,
- Windows,
- Linux,
- Amazon Fire Devices.
How to add movies to the Kodi media player?
If you already have Kodi installed on your device, you can either set it up by yourself(which might take some time) or use a build that takes less time.
Here is a guide to adding an add-on to your Kodi player.
- Open Kodi, go to the Add-on tab, and click on it,
- Navigate to the Video add-ons option. In case you have an existing video add-on, you will find that here. If you do not have it, you can see an option named Enter add-on browser,
- After clicking on the Enter add-on browser option, you will find a list of hundreds of add-ons from Kodi’s repository,
- You can use any of them, but let us take the Classic Cinema add-on as an example for now,
- Once you find this(or any preferable add-on), click on it, and you will find an option to install at the bottom,
- Select whatever you want to stream.
You can follow the simple instructions to install any official add-ons to your Kodi. If you want to know about some good official add-ons, here is a small list,
1) Tubi TV
You get over 50,000 movies and TV shows with this add-on. You can also get some of them in high-definition quality.
2) Crackle
It is a legal and completely free add-on. It gives you content like movies and TV shows that are licensed by Sony.
3) Popcornflix
It is a smaller version of the Tubi TV add-on. It gives you movies from different categories.
4) Classic Cinema
If you love the history of films and TV shows, the Classic Cinema add-on is for you. You get historical content(copyright-free) in one place.
5) FilmRise
FilmRise has TV and film licenses. It hosts that licensed content for free. You might also find its content on YouTube, but using this add-on can give you all the movies in one place.
However, if you want to install third-party add-ons, you have to follow a little more complicated process than this one.
You will find several pirated shows, movies, and links with those add-ons. So, you might not want to use them, but if you do, using a VPN might be the best option. It will increase the buffering speed and add an extra layer of security.
How to watch content from local storage?
You can locate your video files on Kodi by following these steps,
- Scroll down and after you find the Videos option, click on it,
- Click on the Files option,
- Now, you might want to click on the Add Videos option,
- Click on the Browse option after that,
- Find your video file and click OK.
That is how you add your file to Kodi. Now, you can organize and personalize your video library by
- Renaming files,
- Creating Playlists,
- Adding thumbnails and more.
Should you use a VPN with Kodi?
If you often use official add-ons and stream copyright-free content, you do not need a VPN for safety concerns. You can still use it if you want to use other benefits.
But, if you are using content with copyrights, you might want to use a VPN. Here’s how it will help you.
1) You will browse and stream more privately.
Your Internet Service Provider can collect data about your browsing habits or internet activity. If you use a VPN, you become undetectable by masking your IP address. Some VPNs can log your internet activity, so be cautious when choosing.
2) A VPN will eliminate internet throttling.
Throttling is a big issue in some countries. Internet Service Providers slow down your connection to improve their network performance. It can result in buffering, lagging in games, and a bad experience of streaming, gaming, and surfing in the long term. If you use a VPN, you can achieve better internet speed.
3) Safe Torrenting
If your Kodi add-ons use torrents to give you the content, your device might be vulnerable to malware and hackers. To avoid them, using a VPN is always recommended.
VPN Options
If you can not pick a good VPN, you can select any of these five VPNs.
- Express VPN,
- Nord VPN,
- IPVanish VPN,
- Windscribe VPN,
- Proton VPN.
Several add-ons(official or unofficial) and VPNs might not work with all versions of Kodi. Kodi keeps giving updates for an overall better experience. Kodi’s new version release is named 19.4 Matrix. You might want to update your Firestick to this version for taking advantage of all the new features.
Final Verdict
Kodi is one of the best applications/software overall. If you know how to bring the most of it, you might never go back to using another application. Kodi’s builds and add-ons are the best things to explore more about it.
Installing and updating Kodi is also simple if you can get a good post or guide. You can follow easy and quick steps to do the job in minutes.
Streaming copyright-free content through official add-ons, you might not need a VPN. You also do not need a VPN if you stream some content from your local storage. However, if you use third-party add-ons, I suggest using a VPN for more secure and fast streaming.
You might want to know all about the VPN’s pros and cons before choosing it.
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