Kodi: important innovations at a glance
The popular open source media center Kodi is getting a major update. Version 21.1 brings numerous bug fixes and improvements for various platforms. We show the most important new features and what users can benefit from them.
Long list of changes
The developers of the free media center software Kodi have released a new update. An update for version 21 – codename “Omega” – is now available for download and brings with it a variety of bug fixes and optimizations. The change list is impressively long and includes improvements for all supported platforms. For developers and technically savvy users, the complete changelog is available on GitHub available There you will also find detailed information about all the changes and improvements in Kodi 21.1.
Improvements for various platforms
The update to version 21.1 contains optimizations for various platforms:
- Windows:
Improved detection of AMD RX6400 graphics cards - Androids:
Fixed issues waking from sleep mode with HDMI active - Xbox:
Fixed crashes in display information - macOS:
Optimized rendering for live window resizing - Linux:
PulseAudio is used by default again, smarter choice between PulseAudio and PipeWire
Furthermore, cross-platform improvements have been implemented. For example, the performance of the “Select version” dialog has been optimized and issues with playback delay for content from UPnP sources have been resolved.
Bug fixes
Other fixes in Kodi 21.1 include:
- Fixed issues with HDR display on SDR displays
- Fixed crashes when creating EPG-based reminders
- Improved network status display in system information
- Fixed rare audio dropouts on TrueHD sources
- Optimizing file system caching
- Improved performance when reading external SRT subtitle files
- Fixed issues loading video thumbnails in the image browser
Refinements have also been made to the user interface. Among other things, the display of subtitle help texts has been corrected and issues with the display of “Seen” icons for episodes and collections in the Estuary interface have been resolved.
Background to the Kodi project
Kodi has a long history. The project was launched in 2003 by a group of programmers and is now managed by the non-profit XBMC Foundation. More than 500 developers have contributed to the source code so far. Thanks to the work of over 100 translators, Kodi is now available in more than 70 languages.
The software can be adapted to individual needs using numerous extensions. In addition to desktop operating systems, Kodi is also available for mobile platforms such as Android. A companion app for remote control is available for iPhone and iPad.
System requirements and availability
Kodi 21.1 is now available for free from the official website can be downloaded – you can also get the Windows version in the WinFuture download area. For macOS, at least version 10.14 (Mojave) is required. There are separate versions for Intel and Apple Silicon Macs. Updated builds have also been released for Windows, Linux and Android.
Kodi is a popular open source solution for managing and playing media content such as films, music and photos. The software supports numerous audio, video and image formats and can also play streams. Kodi has been running natively on Apple Silicon Macs since spring. What do you think of the new Kodi version? Do you use the software as a central media center or do you rely on other solutions? Feel free to share your experiences and opinions in the comments!
Digital marketing enthusiast and industry professional in Digital technologies, Technology News, Mobile phones, software, gadgets with vast experience in the tech industry, I have a keen interest in technology, News breaking.
