KODI - ZDMC - MATRIX 19.5 - NEXUS 20 - 21

Dear Friends

Is it possible to install the newest version of Kodi and configure it to play movies via Z9X player not built in Kodi?

Sincerely

 

It is what I asked too, using XBMC/ WRAPPER, but I look forward to confirmation.
Because I have to make a decision to buy it.

 

Nope, impossible right now. Configuring kodi 19.1 playercorefactory to invoke com.android.gallery3d will fail with error.

 

Oh well, I guess I will wait.

Hopefully they will lessen the restrictions to access the native player and/or add Trakt integration to their HT player.

 

Yes for MKV if you buy the XMBC Wrapper App in the playstore and set it up correctly, see below.

I ordered the Z9X now.

According to the German forum on android-mediaplayer.de you do NOT need a root anymore if you want Kodi 19.1 + XMBC Wrapper if you just want to play MKV. It changed since Wrapper version 4.10 . You only need root if you want to play ISO files which I don't care about.

Source: https://translate.google.com/transl...f-z9s-kein-root-erforderlich-bei-smb-und-mkv/

 

You know that link is from 2 years ago about the Z9S - completely different box with different SOC, different OS and different SDK right?

 

I know, but according to a user I asked yesterday it applies to the Z9X too, because of the changes in XMBC Wrapper that the developer made. Before that, root was always necessary to get it work at all.

https://www-android--mediaplayer-de.translate.goog/forum/index.php?thread/8738-shield-pro-vs-zidoo-z9x-ultimate-kaufberatung-bezüglich-dolby-vision-problemchen/&postID=133607&_x_tr_sl=de&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=de&_x_tr_pto=ajax,elem#post133607

https://www-android--mediaplayer-de.translate.goog/forum/index.php?thread/8738-shield-pro-vs-zidoo-z9x-ultimate-kaufberatung-bezüglich-dolby-vision-problemchen/&postID=133627&_x_tr_sl=de&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=de&_x_tr_pto=ajax,elem#post133627

 

It'll be interesting to hear how you get on...

 

XMBC Wrapper with mkv, ts, m2ts file can be stream over HTTP protocol for that root are not necessary. Disc image(ISO/BDMV) will need root.
XMBC Wrapper, Zidoo RTD1619DR, Root Magisk are not so stable like are on Zidoo with RTD1295/1296. Mount method are almost not working on Zidoo RTD1619DR.
XMBC Wrapper 4.11 are report on android-mediaplayer.de to be more stable then last beta version on Zidoo RTD1619DR players.
Enjoy Zidoo players.

 

I contacted the wrapper developer and confirmed this too:

usually the wrapper works on most devices in one way or another. If you can't root it, you'll be limited to HTTP or Proxy streaming which has its own limitations. (Slower seek, subtitles might not work, blu-ray and ISOs might not work or will not be a great experience). These can improve with future versions, but I can't promise anything
​

The only downside to this is, that there seems to be no trial version, you have to access the beta programm (important!) in the play store and buy it for 8 dollars.

 

By using only MKV files and some MP4, with XMBC Wrapper there should be no problems, I hope.

 

Partial Success!!

For those using JellyFin as your backend, rejoice!!
I managed to get Kodi 19.1 to stream off the JellyFin backend and playback using the native Zidoo player. Putting this out there for those of you who want to try.
Note that JellyFin Native mode (playback directly from SMB share) won't work. I suspect it does not work due to lack of root access.

Steps:

1. Install Kodi 19.1 app on Z9X (install from Google Play Store).

2. Start Kodi 19.1

3. Follow this guide to install JellyFin repository.
https://jellyfin.org/docs/general/clients/kodi.html

4. Follow this guide to install JellyFin add-on.
https://jellyfin.org/docs/general/clients/kodi.html

5. Configure JellyFin mode to use add-on mode. [Do not use Native mode! This is a very important step.]

6. Sync the libraries
Go to Add-ons -> Jellyfin -> Manage Libraries -> Add Libraries

7. Exit Kodi

8. Create the PlayerCoreFactory.xml file in a temporary location (file contents below).

9. Copy PlayerCoreFactory.xml file to \\Your_Z9X_IP_Addr\Share\Storage\Android\data\org.xbmc.kodi\files\.kodi\userdata\

10. Start Kodi and try playing some media from your JellyFin server; it should activate the native Zidoo player to playback the stream.


PlayerCoreFactory.xml

Code:

<playercorefactory>
    <players>
         <!-- This definition is for native Zidoo player -->
        <player name="Gallery3D" type="ExternalPlayer" audio="true" video="true">
            <filename>com.android.gallery3d</filename>
            <args>-a android.intent.action.VIEW -d {1}</args>
            <hidexbmc>true</hidexbmc>
            <playcountminimumtime>120</playcountminimumtime>
        </player>
    </players>
 
    <rules action="prepend">
        <rule video="true" player="Gallery3D"/> <!-- Default for anything else not listed -->
    </rules>
</playercorefactory>

Kodi.log should show something similar when playback is successful.

Code:

2021-08-19 22:08:43.101 T:30932    INFO <general>: ExternalPlayer Filename: com.android.gallery3d
2021-08-19 22:08:43.101 T:30932    INFO <general>: ExternalPlayer Tweaks: hideconsole (false), hidexbmc (true), islauncher (false), warpcursor ()
2021-08-19 22:08:43.102 T:30932    INFO <general>: OpenFile: http://11.22.33.44:8096/Videos/6e602c96e93a10a66c66cfc66359eff7/stream?static=true&MediaSourceId=6e602c96e93a10a66c66cfc66359eff7&api_key=5a174a12ab95ff6e9473ff765787289a
2021-08-19 22:08:43.102 T:31204    INFO <general>: Process: Player : com.android.gallery3d
2021-08-19 22:08:43.102 T:31204    INFO <general>: Process: File   : http://11.22.33.44:8096/Videos/6e602c96e93a10a66c66cfc66359eff7/stream?static=true&MediaSourceId=6e602c96e93a10a66c66cfc66359eff7&api_key=5a174a12ab95ff6e9473ff765787289a
2021-08-19 22:08:43.102 T:31204    INFO <general>: Process: Content:
2021-08-19 22:08:43.102 T:31204    INFO <general>: Process: Args   : -a android.intent.action.VIEW -d {1}
2021-08-19 22:08:43.103 T:31204    INFO <general>: Process: Start
2021-08-19 22:08:43.103 T:31204    INFO <general>: Process: Hiding Kodi window
2021-08-19 22:08:43.156 T:31204    INFO <general>: ExecuteAppAndroid: com.android.gallery3d
2021-08-19 22:08:43.219 T:31204    INFO <general>: Process: Stop

 

Great.

I think for most of us the idea of hosting a server defeats the purpose of running Kodi.

Glad I cancelled my order and didn’t waste money on this box.

 

Revised PlayerCoreFactory.xml

This one just use Zidoo player for streams, and initiates default video player for everything else.

Code:

<playercorefactory>
    <players>
        <!-- This definition is for native Zidoo player -->
        <player name="Gallery3D" type="ExternalPlayer" audio="false" video="true"> 
            <filename>com.android.gallery3d</filename>
            <args>-a android.intent.action.VIEW -d {1}</args>
            <hidexbmc>true</hidexbmc>
            <playcountminimumtime>120</playcountminimumtime>
        </player>
    </players>
    
    <rules action="prepend">
        <!-- VideoPlayer can play standard rtsp streams -->
        <rule name="rtsp" protocols="rtsp" filetypes="!(rm|ra)"  player="videodefaultplayer"/>
        
        <!-- PVR -->
        <rule name="PVR" protocol="pvr" player="videodefaultplayer"/>
        
        <!-- Internet streams -->
        <!-- JellyFin streams -->
        <rule name="streams" internetstream="true" player="Gallery3D"/>
    
        <!-- Default for anything else not listed -->
        <rule video="true" player="videodefaultplayer"/>
    </rules>
</playercorefactory>

 

I tested my new Z9X in the last two days.

Kodi 19.1 + XBMC Wrapper runs fine. No need for a root. The files start a tad slower than with Media Center/HT/ZDMC but it works.

Tested XBMC 4.1.1 stable and the latest beta 4.1.3b2 - I recommend you use the stable.

On the other hand: ZDMC 18.9 does work perfectly fine for me, I don't have a reason to move to 19.1 (with my X9S im using 17.6)

 

How did you play back the files? Were they hosted off a NAS and what file format were they?

XBMC? Is that iOS?

 

NAS and .mkv only, including Dolby Vision.

The app is just called XBMC Wrapper, because this was the name of Kodi before they changed it 2004 with version 14.0

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=hu.xmister.xbmcwrapper

The wrapper just allows that you can use the external Zidoo player within Kodi, the same what ZDMC does.

 

Your NAS is SMB format?

It's not the file playback I only cared about, as you said 18.9 works just fine, it's the fact that most of the better addons moved on to Python 3, which, I assume doesn't work with Zidoo's internal player for the video addons like Netflix, Tubi, etc.

 

Yes, Im using the SMB protocol.

 

Can this video-tutorial apply to the Z9X?