KODI - ZDMC - MATRIX 19.5 - NEXUS 20 - 21

1) That's correct.
2) Exactly, no changes needed.

 

1) & 2) correct on both
It just works correctly as soon as it is installed. You can then tweak some of Kodi's various settings to your liking.

 

So I came across an unusual issue in ZDMC/KODI. I have added an SMB network and an https network in ZDMC - the files on both are the same, the HTTPS network has the backup of the files in my own internal SMB network.

THere is a discrepancy when I try files from my own network (Windows/SMB) versus if I try to play the exact same files from a remote server (HTTPS) in ZDMC.

Here is the discrepancy:

1. Playing the file through my smb network in ZDMC shows the respective logo of the format (for example DV, and the framerate matched) whereas playing that same file from HTTPS in ZDMC does not display that logo.

2. Playing the dolby vision file through my smb network in ZDMC properly plays it as a dolbyvision file; whereas if I play that file through the https network I added to Kodi, the file plays, but does not play as DolbyVision.

Is it at all possible that ZDMC is using a different player (non-zidoo) when I use the HTTPS network whereas when I play the same file from my smb network in ZDMC?

Again, the files are identical across my own SMB network and the HTTPS network that I have. To make this clear: I have the same files hosted in two separate networks, one my SMB, but I have also backed them up in an https server that's not part of my own internal network.

 

That's exactly what I'm suspecting here. According to your description, probably Kodi's own player is used for webdav/https files. You should see the difference when pressing pause during play, the players (control buttons etc.) should look differently.

I'm using only SMB here, so I can't confirm definitively, but that's what it looks like.

 

For local content the Zidoo will use the Zidoo hardware player, for online content it uses NuPlayer which is part of the Android/Google framework.

 

So is there any way that I can change the player for online content from nuplayer to zidoo’s own, either from within kodi or in zidoo’s settings? Or is this not possible?

 

Not as far as I'm aware.

 

Gents, are the skins working for you with 19.4?
I have fresh new installation of ZDMC 19.4 on new Z9X. Tried few skins from Kodi repo. None of them are working form me. Missing files or won't run. Default skin with bluish tiles is depressing.

 

You can but only if you turn off the external player toggle and use an playercorefactory.xml file explained here for Android. Keep in mind the zidoo player is still locked down for DTS-HD , Atmos DTS-X TrueHD ...bitstreaming from kodi is not fully functional without sync issues, stutters etc due to the realtek soc being locked down for the zidooplayer. You cannot use zidooplayer except with that toggle from ZDMC. You would need to look into using an Kodi built, a wrapper and possibly rooting your zidoo device to achieve anything like that but at the end of the day, zidoo still locks down the bitstreaming from the realtek chip and only allows the realtek/zidoo player code.

If it wasn't clear the external toggle for ZDMC (the zidoo player) will override anything called by playercorefactory.xml however you can still have it in your userdata folder for when you want to test it or use it and toggle off the external player setting in ZDMC.



https://kodi.wiki/view/External_players#Android

 

https://github.com/SerpentDrago/skin.auramod/releases/tag/v1.1.7
Auramod for Matrix Kodi 19.x
You will thank me later. It is an amazing skin.
Just follow the directions, Will take you about an hour to set it up the first time, if you are not familiar with kodi overall.
You will spend some time registering for api keys at tmdb rotten tomatoes, etc weather etc. youtube, but its worth the bounty and will trump anything HT posterwall can give you if you are patient.

Below is the pre and post install instruction:
https://github.com/SerpentDrago/skin.auramod/wiki

Good Luck,

 

Thanks for the explanation. Is there any zidoo or other product on the market that would be able to override kodi's player xml settings and fully take advantage of high end audio and video formats?

 

Sure, the Nvidia Shield and it can stream all your favorite services as well. ( No 3D though, at least not frame packed/ packing or MVC. Only SBS 540P

Nvidia is great for not being locked down though. Used standard Kodi build and standard Kodi IEC audio mapping. They are different products though, The zidoo is more versatile for the perfect local playback experience or near-perfect in my opinion. Why not have both. It is a great solution!

There will never be a single box. Gave up on it over a decade ago.

 

Zidoo doesn't lock down anything with regards to Kodi, quite the opposite - Historically, Android has always been a poor platform for vanilla XBMC/Kodi and Realtek SOCs more so - nothing to do with Zidoo. These are simply not, nor were they ever designed to be, Kodi boxes.

ZDMC was developed as a fill in before HT and works rather well as a wrapper allowing the Zidoo player to be used externally - it's elegantly executed as compared for example with HiMedia's KDMC which was as clunky as hell.

ZDMC aside, the only Android box capable of a making a decent go at vanilla Kodi is the Shield and even there, it's only in recent years that it's become stable on the Tegra platform. That's why SPMC, and later, MRMC were developed.

 

Thanks for the links. I watched YouTube video overview of this skin. Looks promising. Interesting is info overlay screen over running movie. Obviously this is not going to work with Zidoo native player. Lots of good features with trailers playing in the corner (Netflix style), movie and file info. Time consuming to set it up with separate plugins and your own account api key for multiple media database providers.

I'll be missing my all time favourite Black Glass Nova skin focused on artwork. It hasn't been updated for years and no go on Kodi 19

 

Mark it was late and what I believe I meant to say is that Realtek is closed source on their SOC as far as video audio processing which is why a vanilla Kodi build is not compatible. Am i correct in stating it is realtek that is locked down? Also would be explain why MX Player and Video Lan Player (VLC) also will not support bitstreaming from the Realtek SOC. Nothing past DTS anyways. or 5.1. I did not mean to imply that Zidoo was the one hosing buyers over, They have no obligation to support Kodi or third party players. They licensed Realtek SOCs for a reason and they have built a player and front end around the support of that chipset for several generations of players made at a very affordable cost.

 

Aeon Nox: Silvo skin works on ZDMC 19.4
Much better compared to default Estuary and all in one package, no extra add-ons or API keys. Even trailers work with YouTube plug-in without any configuration or account setting.

I'm very impressed with ZDMC 19.4. Kodi player actually works without skipping frames and stuttering. Wow, I didn't think it was possible with Raltek chipset. Yes, audio is not perfect but this is not a primary player. Even simple HD stream was skipping frames in the past.
This is not to replace Zidoo player or take away from HT but this is just an alternative for movie / TV shows scraping and second player in case Zidoo player has a difficulties with an odd file.

 

Yeah seems like there is no perfect device even the nvidia shields seem to ignore the second DV layer. If only there was a device that could utilize kodi and add ons like venom, seren with full audio/video specs.

Nothing beats local playback but it would be crazy as hell to be able to play an infinite amount of cached torrents and sources with a debrid service and get dv/hdr and hd audio.

Just a dream...

 

Completely agreed. I'm also using Aeon Nox Silvo, absolute bliss. It's beautiful, fast and no big hassle to set up and configure compared to other skins where you need to use additional repos, depedencies etc. Recommended!

 

Howdy Folks..
Slowly getting my head around the Zidoo and ZDMC.. but have a couple of questions.

1. Getting an Alarm Clock error in the log, it sometimes crashes out ZDMC. How do I turn off or disable the Alarm Clock ?
2. Have created NFO's with TMM ( although it annoys me to have a mess of files through out my Library ), and it has improved scraping heaps.. What Scrape Add On do most people use for TV Shows and another for Movies ?
3. Also what is the most preferred SKIN that is slick and not so busy ?? I understand this is personal taste, but would be interested to hear what other people are running.

Got to say, my old PCH-200 running YAMJ, still scraped better than either the Zidoo HT4 or ZDMC... and that was 12 years old tech.... Just staggering that it has actually got worse... I would put YAMJ at about 95% Accuracy out of the box, and that is without NFO File help at all.
Where HT4 is about 60% and ZDMC at about 75% without NFO's.
Now before everyone gets all upset and goes down the File Format path, TV Series file names, episodes, and structures are taken directly from THETVDB, and all movies are labelled in their own directories. ( eg. tvseriesname SxxExx.ext and moviename (year).ext ).
Need to mention also, YAMJ chewed through an update in 12mins ( 33-35k files ) not sure either HT4 or ZDMC is that quick, although it is a bad comparison as YAMJ was on my Server, not a small Realtek appliance.

Anyhoo, I am sticking with it... need that 4K, and Audio support with the new TV, so I got to suck it up.. LOL...

Cheers

 

Hey Jasper,

good to see you getting into the Kodi/ZMDC thingie

1. I just sifted through my log, but don't see any alarm clock entries there; maybe that belongs to some skin you have installed? You could also check your addons if you have an alarm clock thing there.

2. Without using nfo files at all, I didn't have too many wrongly scraped movies and tv shows in my initial scanning, as I remember, maybe 5-10%. I regularly use universal movie scraper for movies. Sometimes short movies or special movies are not recognized by it, then I use The Movie Database Python scraper on those. For tv shows I use the standard The Movie Database scraper. I don't think I needed to use any nfo files at all (I don't like them cluttering up my files either). If there's a plot or so missing, I simply write/paste it directly into Kodi's mariadb database - et voilà.

3. See my post above yours, I'm very happy with Aeon Nox Silver. It's in the official Kodi repo, fast, quick to set up and still has lots of configuration possibilities. I suggest you try it out!