I have a WebDav server that contains some movies and shows. I use Infuse on Apple stuff and NOVA Video Player on Android to watch these. The directory is not organized, file names aren’t manually adjusted, and the movies and shows are mixed together. Yet, both of these programs are able to index recursively, get metadata, create a library and let me watch my media without issues.

Kodi, on the other hand, seems to be unable to index nested directories, requires you to tell it what type of media is in the individual directories and cannot identify anything correctly unless I go and manually rename directories/files. It also is exclusive for TV usage and not very suitable for desktop.

So, are there alternative programs to Kodi, ideally better suited to desktop usage or extensions I can install to make it work properly?

  • wewbull@feddit.ukEnglish
    13·
    9 hours ago

    Ok but Jellyfin is a web service. Not really suitable for a Home Theatre PC. If there was a frontend application that worked in a kiosk type way, then it would replace Kodi.

    • SquiffSquiff@lemmy.world
      1·
      11 minutes ago

      Sorry but it doesn’t sound like you know what you’re talking about. Jellyfin is a server. Sure you can use a web client but there are many others too

    • digdilem@lemmy.mlEnglish
      1·
      1 hour ago

      Not really suitable for a Home Theatre PC

      Not sure where you got that idea, but it’s absolutely what I use it for. That I can also watch content from multiple sources as well is part of the appeal. Plus no constant upsell like Kodi and Emby.

    • Psiczar@aussie.zone
      7·
      9 hours ago

      No, Jellyfin has a server backend which manages the media and serves it up to the client frontends which support most modern operating systems like Windows, Linux and Android. See https://jellyfin.org/ for details.

      I’d ditch the HTPC, and go for an Android based media player like the Shield, no moving parts, no keyboard/mouse and rarely requires an update. Had a HTPC for many years and anytime I wanted to watch something I had to mess about with it first before it would play.

      • The Zen Cow Says Mu
        1·
        7 hours ago

        I’d ditch the HTPC, and go for an Android based media player

        This is the way. Especially given the number of streaming services that work much better as an android app than in a browser.

        Used to run an HTPC in the living room (linux, ran kodi-standalone). Now replaced with a back-end server in the basement (serving plex and mythtv) and a googleTV chromecast running plex and kodi and various subscription apps attached to the TV