The more people that join the Kodi third party add-ons chat on social media the more things get blown out of proportion. Member numbers on some of the social media groups are at an all time high which leads to the panic and fear that the days of Kodi and getting all your TV and movies for free is over, but what did you expect from people that have never seen this happen before? For those like myself that have been engaged in the Kodi platform and all that, it can do will know that this is not new territory, that we have been here before and that eventually, the storm passes. There is no need for panic, these things do and will continue to happen just like they have in the past.
What has happened?
Dish TV is attempting to sue TVAddons and Zem TV for using/reproducing their content. The fallout of this lawsuit is that a number of the Kodi Addon creators have hung up their keyboards only this time...they mean it. Or do they? Of course, they don't mean it. These people are normal people and the only thing they have in their lives to make them feel significant or important is add-on development. They aren't walking away from that. What you will find happening is they will take a short break and return under a new identity ready to push out a new product. Even if they don't there are new developers ready to fill the voids. This is the cat and mouse game of piracy that has been running for years. It's like whack a mole, they hit one mole and another one pops up somewhere else.
So here is where we are!
Covenant = Exodus
The Exodus add-on is no longer being maintained by the developers. The developers of Exodus have just released the Covenant add-on. It looks and functions exactly like Exodus.
We highly recommend opening BUILDS AND UPDATES and doing a Fresh Install (Fresh Install will delete all of your favorites, Addons you have added, Real Debrid and BoomBoom TV username and password. This will remove the Exodus add-on and replace it with the Covenant add-on.
You are free to not install this update and to continue to use Exodus. However, over the next few weeks, it will get less and less sources and will eventually die. We highly recommend jumping on board with Covenant instead of sticking to a dying add-on.
IMPORTANT - Covenant was released less than 12 hours ago. It has a minor bug where it will crash Kodi the first time it is searching for sources for links. After this initial crash, it will work perfectly fine. The developers are aware of this and are going to push an update to fix this issue.
You are able to install Real Debrid exactly the same way you did in Exodus.
The end of Kodi the start of KDPlayer v5
While everyone is running around flapping about the end of Kodi we are quietly getting on with Version 5 of our KDPlayer.
This upgrade of our software is the biggest project we will have undertaken to date. The main objective is as always to provide the user with all the streaming content and android goodies all in one easy to navigate place but the backend support system will also be massively improved with added options and features that will allow us to react quicker to changes in the market.
We won't be going in to too much detail in this post about the interface and everything that it can do but what we will be giving away some of the secrets we have been keeping from you.
The end of Kodi
I just want to quickly touch in this subject before we dive in with the KDPlayer v5 news. This is not the end of Kodi and third party addons. Sure, a few have hung up their developers hats but make no mistake this is not the end. New addons are born, they age and then they disappear. That is the nature of Kodi and third party addons. It happens all the time.
Dish TV network has flexed their muscles and some developers have run for the hills. I promise you this, once the developer gets to hills he will assume a new identity and jump in the first taxi back to where they came from. All this will do is strengthen the Kodi addon developers. They take the lessons and they learn from them. They will come back stronger and better than ever because nothing unites people better than a common enemy. At the moment the end of Kodi is nothing more than click bait to get you to visit some google advert and some poor content.
Just in case there are any uncertain times within the Kodi community in v5 we have removed the need to rely on Kodi for streaming services. There is always more than one way to skin a cat.
What's new in v5 for the users?
Pretty much everything. The user interface, or UI, has been totally re designed and has been ascetically enhanced. We have followed the lead of 2 of the most popular launchers in regards to layout and delivering the content.
The same options will be available, apps, Kodi Builds, gaming, BoomBoom TV but the content will be displayed better and there will be way more of it. The gaming section has been totally redesigned and will be almost complete with thousands of ROM's to load for your favorite consoles from yesteryear.
What's new in v5
This is where the work is really going in to the software. A whole new interface with way more features.
I know what you're thinking, "Something new to have to learn" yes, but it will be worth while.
Push notifications not just to all users but individual devices too. Need to get in touch with us? you can message us directly and we can message you back.
Universal RSS feeds for the builds. We will be able to have custom messages and have it passed in to any build that the user downloads.
Better settings options, rather than just linking to the Android Settings, which universally was very good, we will be linking to sections of the settings in Androids. Direct links to connection settings, display settings, app settings and all the common items that a user would need to access.
That's everything we can tell you so far....
There is so much more we could tell you now but we don't want to let the cat out of the bag just yet. We have always kept the bulk of our work secret up until the time of release. At this stage we are on target for a beta release towards the end of the month, final release early August.
Thanks for reading, next time we post we will be including some screen shots for you to consume.
PS - it's not the end of Kodi 🙂
Stay Calm and Stream On!
Upgrade your Android TV Box
In the beginning, most guys that were selling boxes would use an install wizard to install add ons directly on your box. The problem is that each box had to be serviced individually ever time an add-on closed it's doors which happens often.
Our new software KDPLAYER v4
Last year we developed our own software that allows us to push updates to all of our boxes across the internet. That in conjunction with your ability to reinstall your builds from our new interface solve 99% of our support issues. If your home screen does not look like the home screen to the left then you need to bring your box into one of our stores to be upgraded. If you are a current customer the upgrade is $25. If you have a box or a firestick that needs to be upgraded and you did not buy it from us the cost of the software update is $75.
The Exodus add-on is no longer being maintained by the developers. The developers of Exodus have just released the Covenant add-on. It looks and functions exactly like Exodus.
We highly recommend opening the BUILDS and UPDATES app and doing the update (Update will delete all of your favorites, Add-ons you have added, Real Debrid and BOOMBOOM TV login information.) This will remove the Exodus add-on and replace it on your home screen with the Covenant add-on.
You are free to not install this update and to continue to use Exodus. However over the next few weeks it will get less and less sources and will eventually die. We highly recommend jumping on board with Covenant instead of sticking to a dying add-on.
IMPORTANT – Covenant was released less than 24 hours ago. It has a minor bug where it will crash Kodi the first time it is searching for sources for links. After this initial crash it will work perfectly fine. The developers are aware of this and are going to push an update to fix this issue.
You are able to install Real Debrid exactly the same way you did in Exodus.
So what is a VPN? That’s a question that people are asking more and more lately. And with good reason.
I’m not going to get into the technical details. If you’re interested in that, I’m sure there are lots of sites where you can get your nerd on.
Think of a VPN like a direct link to get from your device (computer, smartphone, TV box, etc.) to another server anywhere in the world. Many people use them professionally for logging in to their work network when working from home. VPN’s are, by definition, private which makes them popular for the professional road-warrior and remote worker.
Even if you’re not using it for work, VPN’s are still popular because they provide a greater level of anonymity than local connections. Think of a “local connection” as plugging your computer directly in to your router or cable modem. Basically, there’s nothing between you and your Internet provider.
The trouble with most local connections is that they essentially provide a big, flashing red beacon to your location to anyone who wants to know.
Don’t believe me? Check out IP-Tracker.org, which is one of many free sites which provide geo-tracking services based solely on your IP address.
Image credit: NYC.gov
What is a VPN?: An llustration
The best way I can think of to conceptually explain a VPN is to think of a huge underground tunnel, like this one in New York City. It’s so big, you can stand up in it and still feel small. That’s the Internet. That tunnel carries lots of “water”, but it’s not secure at all. The water, i.e. your data, can seep through the cracks or get contaminated from other things.
See those pipes on the left hand side? Those pipes go directly to one destination, and it’s very difficult for anything to get in or out of those pipes that doesn’t belong there. They’re used for things that are more important than the dirty water that’s running down the center of the tunnel. The stuff in those pipes (whatever it is), can’t risk being polluted by outside contaminants. In our example, those pipes are a VPN.
Both a VPN and your local Internet connection will get you to where you want to go. But a VPN makes sure that your data doesn’t get intercepted or polluted along the way.
Why use a VPN for Android TV boxes?
There are a couple of important reasons to use a VPN. At a high-level, you’re either looking to protect yourself or get around restrictions that someone else has put on your Internet activity. Even though we only use our TV boxes for streaming and maybe downloading torrents, you should still consider getting an Android VPN for your TV box.
Privacy
It’s hard to think back to a time when we didn’t have to worry about privacy. Long before “Big Data” was a household phrase, our right to privacy was being assaulted on a daily basis. From traffic cameras to browser cookies, it seems we are giving up more and more of our personal information every day. Many people start thinking about using a VPN in the hopes of keeping some of that private information to themselves.
Anonymity
Anonymity goes hand-in-hand with privacy, but there are some important distinctions. You can think of Privacy as keeping control over your personal information. Anonymity is deliberately hiding, or obscuring, who you are. We can all take simple steps to anonymity, and most of us do. For example, I have a separate junk email address with a fake name and information. Parents with small children will sometimes create fake personas for their online or gaming activity. Why do we do this? Because marketers are getting more and more savvy, and learning more about us as consumers every day.
Nothing can make us truly anonymous on the Internet. But a good, secure VPN can go a long way to help.
Security
VPN’s were originally designed to provide a secure connection to another network. As I said before, I use one when I’m working from home. My hardware VPN connects to my wireless router. When my work PC is within range, it automatically connects to the hardware VPN device and accesses my network at the office. To me, it’s just like I’m sitting at my desk.
You’re probably thinking: “Great…but this doesn’t affect me at all.”
Well, when’s the last time you connected to a public Wi-Fi?
Public Wi-Fi connections are hotspots (pun intended) for hackers and digital thieves. Using an Android VPN whenever you connect to public Wi-Fi is a great way to protect yourself.
Geo-Blocking
This probably won’t come as a surprise to you, but big media companies have put limits on what we can watch based on where we live.
Some of the more common reasons they do this is to control access to certain shows so that some countries get it sooner than others. The BBC was one of the bigger culprits of this in recent years. Some series would air in the UK a full season before they aired in the US.
If you’re more of a sports fan, then geo-blocking has probably already affected you.
Think of the last time you wanted to watch your favorite team but couldn’t because the game was blacked out. Personally, this is my biggest reason for getting a VPN. If the game I want is blacked out in my local area (or country), I can hop on a different server and bypass those restrictions. Game on!
Legality
Let me be blunt: If you’re using one of the unofficial (and probably illegal) Kodi addons to stream your movies, and you’re not already using a VPN, you’re a fool.
I’m not here to judge your streaming habits – I don’t care. Right now, it seems that streaming is OK, but downloading is not. But that can change at any time. Personally I wouldn’t put much faith in the loophole that streaming movies is legal, as long as the files aren’t downloaded to your system.
The odds may be in your favor right now, but is that a chance you really want to take?
Important things to consider
Now that you’ve got a little bit of background on virtual private networks, I want to get some caveats out of the way. I think it’s important to understand my perspective so you can decide for yourself whether you want to take my advice. If you agree with how I’m looking at things, then keep reading. If not, you’re free to say that “this guy is nuts” and stop reading. My feelings won’t be hurt.
I’m Not a “Privacy Guy”
As strange as it might be for some people to believe, I’m not using a VPN because I’m concerned about privacy.
I’ve never cared to read George Orwell’s Ninteen-Eighty-Four and Animal Farm. I don’t look at all of the dystopian movies like Hunger Games or Minority Report and immediately get up in arms about a “Big Brother” style of government that is watching my every move. Personally, I’ve got more important things to worry about.
In the most recent study I could find, Americans use 18MB of data every single minute of the day. In my day job, I’m an analyst for a Fortune-100 company. I see the benefits of using data to make people’s lives easier, more relevant and more connected – not just to their devices, but to each other.
You may take your privacy very, very seriously. That’s OK, and I’m not going to tell you that you shouldn’t. But, please understand going forward, that’s not how I’m going to look at things.
Geo-Blocking and Freedom of Information
I may not care too much about privacy, but I believe very strongly in freedom of information.
The Internet was founded to share ideas across the world. But today, information is kept locked away behind man-made walls – only accessible to certain people.
To be clear, I’m not saying that everything should be “free” on the Internet. This is not an excuse for piracy. But, I believe that information that is available in one place in the world should be available in every place in the world.
It doesn’t matter if it is a political paper speaking out about an oppressive government, or a television show that can only be accessed in one particular country. Information should be accessible to everyone.
VPN Affiliates
I want to say a couple quick words about affiliates, because you’ll see it a lot with VPN’s.
Most sites will use affiliate links, including mine. This can be OK or it can be a huge conflict of interests. It all depends on how the site handles it. Affiliate links are a way for website owners to actually cover the costs of operating a site. Affiliate sales don’t cost you anything extra as the consumer, but the owner of the site gets a small commission based on any sales that they refer.
In theory, you only put affiliate links for things that you’ve actually used and are honestly recommending. Sites that want to be honest with their readers will disclose that up front. That’s why on this site, there is a full disclosure page, as well as a brief affiliate disclosure at the bottom of every single page on the site. Go ahead. Scroll all the way down. I’ll wait.
Where this can go bad is if sites recommend things based on how much it will pay out and then call it a “review”. If you Google “VPN” you’ll see that the search results are littered with fake review sites that are nothing more than sales pages.
Use caution when you’re looking at these so-called VPN reviews. Look at the article and make sure that it reads like a review, not like a sleazy sales page.
So what Android VPN do I recommend?
This is the point in most of the articles that you’ll come across where the author will give his or her recommendations. “Here is the VPN that will solve all your problems”….blah blah blah.
All I can tell you is that I have tried 1/2 a dozen different VPN’s and Pure VPN is the one that I settled on. It has a great price, easy interface and good speed. The most important item is that it is not based in the US.
Privacy
Security
Geo-Blocking
Legality