Integrating Kodi with WMC for Amazon, Netflix, etc.

tonywagner

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#21

Post by tonywagner » Fri Feb 02, 2018 4:36 pm

DavidinCT wrote:Could we setup each icon (Kodi program to direct run) with Relanch ? This actually closes WMC and gives a command to close the app that you are running and then restart WMC. I use it for little applications like YouTubeTV with Chrome and my Emulation Station setup. If I hit "the green button" on the remote, it closes the app completely.
I haven't used Relaunch, but I don't see why you couldn't use it. My method just makes a batch file, so you should be able to call it from anything. I just used Media Center Themer because I liked the idea of a new menu strip on the main menu, and it was super easy to use.

Although in regards to my follow-up post above, you should be able to close WMC at the beginning of the batch file:

Code: Select all

taskkill /IM ehshell.exe
And then re-launch it at the end of the batch file:

Code: Select all

C:\Windows\ehome\ehshell.exe

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DavidinCT

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#22

Post by DavidinCT » Fri Feb 02, 2018 6:06 pm

Thanks, If I get time this weekend. My full backup (OS drive only) runs every Friday night right after midnight, so I should have a roll back plan incase everything fails completely.

it would be nice to watch Amazon video in WMC finally...and other apps...This could open a whole new world for my HTPC...

As for NEW menu strip, I renamed a lot of the current and put things based on type of content. I like a simple clean interface, adding new menu strips kind of clutters it up in my eyes.
-Dave
Twitter @TheCoolDave

Windows Media Center certified and WMC MVP 2010 - 2012

tonywagner

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#23

Post by tonywagner » Fri Feb 02, 2018 8:39 pm

DavidinCT wrote:As for NEW menu strip, I renamed a lot of the current and put things based on type of content. I like a simple clean interface, adding new menu strips kind of clutters it up in my eyes.
Agreed. I used Media Center Themer to hide a bunch of strips/items too, before I added the custom one.

tonywagner

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#24

Post by tonywagner » Fri Feb 02, 2018 8:44 pm

Also, I made a mistake when compressing my service add-on into a ZIP file. The "mistake" ZIP has been removed, and a fixed version is now attached to the original post. So you should be able to download (or re-download) that and successfully "Install from zip file" within Kodi.

jachin99

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#25

Post by jachin99 » Sat Feb 03, 2018 2:48 am

I have been toying around with some kodi skins, and if for whatever reason you want to poke around in the Kodi menus, I've configured the TItan skin with one row of tiles, and this is the closest I could get it to looking like WMC. It also has an option for a coverflow type view once your actually in the plugin.

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#26

Post by jachin99 » Sat Feb 03, 2018 11:48 pm

I keeping poking around the kodi forums to see what else might be useful to me. So far I can find two plugins that might help consolidate streaming, and both of them attempt to put content from Kodi add-ons into a Grid guide. Add-on one is the most obvious, and this is pseudoTV, and add-on 2 is Fullscreen TV Guide. I'm sure both have their perks but it looks like the developers for both are pretty tied up, and I'm not sure how long it would take for them to implement whatever changes are needed for Kodi 18 (Which Is still in Alpha). Either way, creating a shortcut in WMC that points towards a grid guide with streaming content might be simplest implementation of this trick. If you want to go even further, you could install serverWMC, import schedules direct guide data via mc2xml, and have your regular guide in WMC, and the Kodi guide with the same data AND streaming. The drawback is that live TV in Kodi has never been as good as it has been in WMC BUT it might be convenient to just change over to a different channel real quick.

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#27

Post by jachin99 » Sun Feb 04, 2018 4:14 am

Is there an option to only show English movies and TV?

tonywagner

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#28

Post by tonywagner » Mon Feb 05, 2018 4:04 pm

jachin99 wrote:Is there an option to only show English movies and TV?
For Netflix, or Amazon, or what? I think I am only seeing English stuff (because of my region),

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#29

Post by tonywagner » Mon Feb 05, 2018 4:09 pm

I've played with TV in Kodi before, using ServerWMC and other backends, but it was just way too clunky for my liking. WMC is perfect for TV, as far as I am concerned.

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#30

Post by tonywagner » Mon Feb 05, 2018 4:21 pm

jachin99 wrote:I have been toying around with some kodi skins, and if for whatever reason you want to poke around in the Kodi menus, I've configured the TItan skin with one row of tiles, and this is the closest I could get it to looking like WMC. It also has an option for a coverflow type view once your actually in the plugin.
Good point on the skins! I just used the default Kodi 18 "Estuary" skin, but you could absolutely use something else (and I have seen Titan endorsed before).

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#31

Post by jachin99 » Tue Feb 06, 2018 2:03 am

I have spotify, Netflix, and amazon all working really well. I'm also using the beta Titan skin but that still has a few bugs here and there.

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#32

Post by jachin99 » Mon Feb 26, 2018 7:30 pm

I have setup Kodi along side wmc on two machines now and it works pretty well. I haven't finished the integration pieces yet but I'm still working on this.

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DavidinCT

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#33

Post by DavidinCT » Wed Mar 14, 2018 12:45 am

jachin99 wrote:I have setup Kodi along side WMC on two machines now and it works pretty well. I haven't finished the integration pieces yet but I'm still working on this.
I just need the time to do it... I just want Amazon videos in WMC... some way some how... I hate using my smart TV for that feature. I have almost everything in WMC besides Amazon..
-Dave
Twitter @TheCoolDave

Windows Media Center certified and WMC MVP 2010 - 2012

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#34

Post by jachin99 » Wed Mar 14, 2018 1:30 am

I hacked away at this a little more tonight. Maybe when I'm finished I can share my files. If I ever get lots of time, and I feel ambitious I'll make a cmd installer. I'm working on a theme also and it's all kind the same goal.

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#35

Post by jachin99 » Sun Mar 18, 2018 4:59 am

Alright, so I think I got all of this right except home.xml for the skin. When i start kodi under any circumstances with my modified home.xml file, I see an amazon splash screen, and koid freezes. Here is a copy of what i believe to be the flawed code. I think just put it in the wrong part of home.xml. This is lines 0-24 of the xml file. This example reflects me commenting out my changes to make kodi launch normally.

Code: Select all

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!--window>
   <controls>
      <control type="image">
         <aspectratio>keep</aspectratio>
         <texture>special://home/media/splash-amazon.png</texture>
      </control>
   </controls>
</window>
<window>
   <controls>
      <control type="image">
         <aspectratio>keep</aspectratio>
         <texture>special://home/media/splash-netflix.png</texture>
		</control>
	</controls>
</window>
<window>
   <controls>
      <control type="image">
         <aspectratio>keep</aspectratio>
         <texture>special://home/media/splash-spotif.png</texture>
      </control>
   </controls>
</window-->     
<window>
	<defaultcontrol>9000</defaultcontrol>
	<backgroundcolor>background</backgroundcolor>
	<controls>
		<control type="button" id="20000">
			<include>HiddenObject</include>
			<animation effect="fade" time="300" start="100" end="0">Focus</animation>
			<onfocus>SetFocus(2000)</onfocus>
			<onclick>noop</onclick>
			<visible allowhiddenfocus="true">Control.HasFocus(20000)</visible>
		</control>
		<control type="button" id="20001">

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#36

Post by Timoty » Sat Oct 06, 2018 1:15 am

I realize this string hasn't been active for a bit, but I am hoping someone here can help me. I just killed my cable so I am reintegrating media centre PCs back into my house. I loaded Windows 7 64 bit because I needed the OS to be able to access the extra memory on an older laptop I am using for a media centre. On my other machine that runs the 32 bit version, I was able to add Kodi (XBMC) Windows Media Center Integration to WMC. This simple app adds a buton to WMC so that I can start Kodi. Hit the Green buton on the remote, and I go back to WMC. Unfortunately, that app doesn't work in the 64 bit windows media centre. I get an error about system.componentmodel.win32exception. I stumbled upon this while trying to find a fix. I was able to setup a very simple menu that brings me to kodi uing the first part of this string (Thank you). The first time I press the menu buton I created for Kodi, Kodi starts up great. I can then push the green buton on my remore to go back to WMC. However, once Kodi is open, if I try to press the kodi menu item in WMC a second time, it takes me to kodi for a split second and then throws me back into WMC. The only time the menu item works is the first time when Kodi is not yet open.

On a side note, I tried to install your addon to shut Kodi down upon exit, but it gave an error when installing it.

Thanks for any help anyone can offer. In the end, I just want to be able to go back and forth between Kodi and WMC.

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#37

Post by Timoty » Sat Oct 06, 2018 1:27 am

Actually. I figured it out. That little app adds a registry setting here \\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Teknowebworks, LLC
Kodi loads into a different place on the 64 bit OS so I just had to change that one thing.

However,if you can tell me how to get your addon working that kills kodi on exit that would be great.

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#38

Post by DjFourmoney » Tue Dec 25, 2018 12:00 am

tonywagner wrote: Thu Feb 01, 2018 10:00 pm
DavidinCT wrote:Does WMC go minimized when you run this ?
Yes, it appears so. But that might just be a limitation of Media Center Themer. I installed the following program to add a Kodi shortcut within Media Center, and it indeed closes WMC rather than minimizes:

http://www.teknowebworks.com/Kodi-Windo ... ntegration

Looks like with some registry digging, one could customize this shortcut, or even figure out what makes it different than Media Center Themer. EDIT: Looks like the application stores its Kodi path/arguments in "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Teknowebworks, LLC\KodiIntegration", and then creates its Media Center menu item in one of the entry points under "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Media Center\Extensibility\Entry Points".

I also wonder if MCE Reset Toolbox would behave differently.
I have been using that integration tool for 7-8 years now? Works with Krypton and I suppose it will work with Leia.


Thanks for the work you put into this. I would like to try a few things you listed as I am messing around with my HTPC.

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DavidinCT

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#39

Post by DavidinCT » Sun Mar 03, 2019 4:40 pm

Is there a list of Addons for Kodi that could be used here. I still got to try this but, still interested in more of native type experience with Media Center...
-Dave
Twitter @TheCoolDave

Windows Media Center certified and WMC MVP 2010 - 2012

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#40

Post by jachin99 » Sun Mar 03, 2019 8:15 pm

I think you can start Kodi directly into most add-ons. The trick would be learning the command line arguments. Keep in mind Netflix and Amazon only work with Kodi 18

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