I installed it before but I just can't get used to the navigation. So I reverted back to default Kodi mode. It's pretty awesome to look at though 

I've installed it before and been using it for quite awhile till I recently sold off my box. Chris's repo is down. However, you can install it through "Ares Wizard".

In addition to Ares Wizard (which is amazing by the way), Chris has fixed up the repo. You can now get his build from Spartan Pixel. You are welcome and a Merry Christmas to you & family. 

Yup, so far I've favored the Beast's setup myself. Yeah, what happens in KODI, stays within KODI and won't affect your other installed android apks in any manner. As for running multiple builds;
1. You could have two separate KODI variants installed and setup separately (which I can confirm works).
2. Setup separate profiles and during launch, you'll be requested to select a profile to login. Profiles can be password protected in case your have ehem..research files/addons to protect . Adding multiple profiles to KODI.
***  Gee, like PC on different OS! Did not know that. Will explore and then try it out. I like The Beast and may use that for my H8 TV Box. Enjoyed watching Genesis concert last night on The Beast. By the way, you can open up another selection list by using the left arrow button when you are on the main selection menu. That is where I found the concerts list!

*** Good tip on the password for SPECIAL RESEARCH files! Ha. Will come in handy.


Whichever method you choose, be sure to do regular backups.... Ares Wizard; Once you've installed a particular build, to install another, its usually best to perform a fresh install vs overwriting files from the previous builds, to avoid inconsistencies. So means, clear data & cache, launch KODI as new, install Ares Wizard again and select new build.
*** Aiyoh, so much work? Ha. Need to install Areswizard again? I thought just run the program and select the new build. No?

Downloading, streaming or playing local files? Hmmm... Usually, the cache is cleared after playing the media content or at most after exiting KODI. IMO, I use the official KODI more than the pre-installed version. Reserving the latter for instances where for some reason I'm unwilling to troubleshoot or don't have the time to at that moment (just want to hit play) for a local file that refuses to play on the official version. Never had such an issue. You might want to look into creating an advancedsettings.xml file with an increased cache size. I've attached mine as reference... Worked smoothly with 15.2.
*** Thanks.

what u experience is normal.

kodi links do not allow big jumps in FF. dunno why, probably buffering protocols, congestion due to massive nos. of users worldwide.

it has always been like that, as far as i know.

other apps - some also need a little time to complete buffering, some are almost immediate, dependent on no. of seeds and peers. but most are faster than kodi for FF.

From what I can tell, Kodi only cache a small portion ahead, so if you fast forward, it has to do a fresh search from the server for the portion you want. There will surely be delay.

When this new portion is found, it will replace the previous cache with the new one. If you try to go back , the previous one no longer exist, so a new search will start all over again.

Answers to questions on the Beast & Builds are just a few pages back... Please use the search feature if too tiresome to click and read. Korean & Local shows? No idea.
IMO, fast forwarding speed and handling depends on buffering, network congestion, and source. If playing from local content and you've got decent buffering space, FF on KODI is a breeze. Same with streaming off local networked content. Fast forwarding does get tricky when it comes to streaming sources of the internet as those largely depend on how much already buffered content is available for KODI to access. So larger buffering size + current internet speed + server strength + manually setting how fast KODI fills up the cache leads to better FF performance. Outside already buffered content, either option 1 or 2 is the best way to get KODI to jump forward. Have to remember that KODI is designed to be efficient to avoid the app crashing as a result of too little storage space available for smooth media playback.

Bro, this is KODI thread.. Ask in or create a thread in the appropriate section..

Why are you comparing stereo sound from RCA analog cable with Bluray 5.1/7.1 sound using Optical or HDMI ?  .

most online streams are either 2.0 or 1.0 incl kodi and china sites.

a minority in kodi are dd/dts 5.1.

in general, do not expect good audio with online streaming.

for that, stick to yr BR discs or downloaded stuff.

My 1st thought too.. You would think one who bought or uses an AVR would at least understand sound & formats available. Noob or not.. An AVR system sounds better than TV speakers... Well that's a shocker.. 

No offense meant... Some questions need not be asked especially if the answers are one Google search away.

let me help u understand it completely.

online streaming can't have the best audio yet because it takes a much higher broadband speed and most people don't have it. hd video is already difficult for most users, let alone dd/dts or hd audio.

yr old avr should have only toslink (optical) and coaxial (rca) input. hdmi did not exist then. it also has red/white rca stereo input.

yr device (h8) has hdmi (good for hd video and hd audio which i suppose u now connect direct to tv), toslink (dd/dts only, cannot do dtshdma/ddtruehd) and stereo red/white (rca).

with red/white rca, u get only stereo. the "surround" effect is just "all channels stereo" - an avr giving u as good as it can with a stereo stream.

if u connect device output via toslink to avr, you should get dd/dts if the stream is such and for usb playback. stereo streams will be almost like the same as using red/white rca.

"After failing in getting any sound with the optical cable" - this may be due to yr box audio audio setting. try the different settings available - auto, spdif, lpcm.
*** I have tried HDMI, SPDIF & LPCM earlier. No success. If current limitation is due to streaming audio technology, think I will just stick to RCA. Then wait for my next system upgrade to get 70-80% of what technology has to offer.

if required, please post further in the android/himedia box thread!
*** Will do.

While a video is playing in KODI, press the letter "O" for codec info or "M" for onscreen player controls (OSD). To find out video & sound format being played.
*** Only have remote and mouse to my H8. Will try that once I have a keyboard.

There is no such thing as 5.1 stereo sound. "Stereo" means two channels of sound. RCA can only handle two channels.
*** Understood. My current setup is 5.1 and I am only getting sound from the front 2 speakers. Nothing from the center and 2 side speakers with my current streaming setup. If I said "5.1 stereo" earlier, my apology.

So you'll get stereo with RCA cables, not 5.1 surround.
*** Really? I hooked up BR player and also ASTRO via RCA to the AVR. Got surround. Maybe my ears are playing with my mind. Ha.

Many receivers will have audio listening modes that allow stereo sound to be sent to all 5 speakers. Dolby Pro Logic is an example of just such a surround sound simulator. So the "5.1" you are getting is simply a simulation & not the real deal as intended.
*** This explains how I got surround via the RCA. Only simulated surround. Ha.

IMO, the best connection for HD surround sound is actually thru an HDMI connection. Even most TVs with optical out will only send out stereo sound. Plus optical (box) to optical (AVR) is also plagued by the limitations of a toslink connection.

S/PDIF is based on the professional AES3 interconnect standard. S/PDIF can carry two channels of uncompressed PCM audio or compressed 5.1/7.1 surround sound (such as DTS audio codec); it cannot support lossless formats (such as Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio) which require greater bandwidth like that available with HDMI or DisplayPort.
*** Thanks for a quick lesson on Audio 101! Ha.

Plumberly , if the source is only stereo (you can see the info in the playback Window), then whether you select 5.1 or even 10.1 (haha , just a joke) you will still get only stereo.
*** Understood. I thought audio from streaming is like audio from playing BR until AVFAN explains that they are mostly just stereo.

Btw, when you selected 5.1 in your Kodi Settings did you read the on-screen notes that appeared when you placed your mouse/pointer on the selection button ?

It says this 5.1 settings is only for analogue 5.1, that 's probably for PC that uses 5.1 anologue channels to it's speakers.
*** Not using PC for this. Using H8.

Enabling passthrough will have no effect on the above settings, since it's analogue.

If you want to play Dolby or DTS 5.1 source, connect Optical cable from your PC/Android Device to your old AVR (which does not have HDMI).

From your Kodi settings, select 2 channels (yes, you heard right ; again read the notes to know why, it's a special mode), then enable passthrough,  and don't forget to select the correct Audio Output Device and Passthrough Device to SPDIF that matches your Android/PC connection.

Also don't forget your SPDIF output is properly enabled and configured  in your PC/Android Box.

And most important, your source must be Digital 5.1 before you can get 5.1 decoding from your AVR.
*** Thanks. This was the light at the end of the tunnel for me as I assumed wrongly that streaming audio is by default 5.1

online streaming kodi or otherwise is NOT going to give u good audio.

to enjoy the best audio, get a new AVR! then get bluray material.

yr device can handle:

Audio codec : DTS, DOLBYDIGITAL PLUS, AC3 ( support DTS-HDMA passthru, Dolby TrueHD 7.1 passthru and ATMOS passthru )

Hello,

I'm newbie here. I don't know is it right to ask? I need an android tv box for youtube, iflix and streaming channel. any suggestion for budget under RM250? Fyi i'm using unifi 30mbps.

Thanks

thanks bro. may i know what kind of devices and softwarez you using it? do you manage to play youtube or iflix at your tv? sorry if wrong thread again ... 

TED Talks... Available in KODI's addon repository.

Well, there's always YouTube... You could also check out the documentary section within the Phoenix addon or the Decado documentary addon. I haven't tried this yet, but check out the Learning Zone addon inside the SR repo.

Wont have prob. Its just another addon.

UI almost similar as Genesis.
1080P content (particulary Dizilab source for drama).