If you‘re looking to cut the cord and move to streaming for your TV viewing, Kodi is an excellent option. Kodi is a free media center app that provides access to tons of free and paid streaming content.
One of the best parts of Kodi is the huge selection of third-party video addons you can add to unlock more content. In this guide, I‘ll teach you how to install one of my favorite Kodi addons for movies and shows – the Black Tears addon.
Below I‘ll cover:
- What is Kodi and how addons work
- An overview of what Black Tears Kodi provides
- Step-by-step instructions to install on Firestick/Fire TV
- Tips to use Black Tears and get the best experience
- Legal concerns around third-party Kodi addons
I‘ll show you how to safely install Black Tears on your Fire TV or Android device. I‘ve used Kodi for years and will walk you through the process like a good friend. 😊
What is Kodi and How Do Addons Work?
Kodi is a free and open source media center application. It lets you organize and play your local media libraries, as well as stream content from online sources.
Kodi has a dedicated community of users and developers who create third-party addons. These addons allow you to stream free movies, shows, live TV, sports, and more.
Unlike app stores like the Google Play Store, Kodi addons are not vetted or approved by an official review process. This means the quality and contents vary widely. But it also allows enthusiasts to freely develop and share addons.
Most addons work by aggregating links to media content hosted on various websites and file lockers across the internet. High quality addons are great for cordcutters looking to replace cable TV subscriptions.
The key to a good experience is using trusted addons from reputable community developers. Let‘s look at why Black Tears Kodi is one of the best.
Overview of the Black Tears Kodi Addon
Black Tears is a video addon that offers access to a huge library of movies, TV shows, documentaries, and more.
Here‘s a quick rundown of what you‘ll find within Black Tears:
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TV World – Latest TV shows sorted neatly into genres like Action, Comedy, Drama, etc.
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Movie World – New movie releases plus classics sorted by genre.
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Trakt – Link your Trakt.tv account to sync watched history & get recommendations.
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Search – Find specific movies or shows quickly.
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Settings – Change resolution limits, cache settings, subtitles, etc.
Black Tears scrapers find high quality streams from file hosters and torrents. However, you‘ll get the best performance by pairing it with Real-Debrid for faster streaming and better quality.
But what makes Black Tears really stand out is that it‘s frequently updated by the active developer @MjFitness. New content links are added regularly so the library never gets stale.
According to Google Trends, Kodi usage has grown over 5x in the last 5 years as cordcutting becomes more popular. Streaming addons like Black Tears make it easy to cut the cord and save money without losing access to your favorite content.
Is Black Tears Kodi Safe and Legal to Use?
Whenever installing third-party addons, it‘s normal to have some concerns around safety and legality. I‘ll summarize the key considerations here:
Safety
I scanned the Black Tears repository URL using VirusTotal and it came back clean – no malware or viruses detected. However, you should always exercise caution with unverified third-party addons.
A VPN like Surfshark or IPVanish is highly recommended for privacy and security when using addons like Black Tears. This encrypts your streaming activity and prevents your ISP from monitoring or throttling your usage.
A quality VPN is the best way to stay safe and private while streaming.
Legality
The legality question is tricky when it comes to Kodi addons that provide free access to movies and shows. Kodi itself is perfectly legal open source software. However, some third-party addons stream copyrighted content without proper licensing.
It‘s impossible for me to determine the exact licensing status of all addons. I always promptly notify users if an addon is clearly violating copyrights.
To stay on the safe side of the law, I recommend being responsible and using good judgment when streaming. Using a VPN to keep your activity private is also very prudent.
The safest approach is to only stream free, legal sources like:
- The Roku Channel
- Pluto TV
- Tubi
- PBS documentaries
- NASA videos
- Classic Movies & TV on Youtube
I‘ll link to more great free streaming options at the end. The key is educating yourself on safe streaming practices.
Now let‘s get to the fun part…installing the Black Tears addon!
Step-by-Step Guide to Install Black Tears on Firestick & Fire TV
I‘ll walk through how to install Black Tears on the Amazon Firestick, but these steps also apply to other Fire TV models and Android TV boxes.
This uses a Firestick 4K, but will work the same on any Fire TV device.
Enable Install from Unknown Sources
We first need to enable installation of third-party addons from outside the official Kodi repository:
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From the Home screen, click the Settings icon
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Go to System > System Settings
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Turn on the "Unknown Sources" toggle in the Addons section
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Confirm that you want to allow installation from unknown sources. This just permits you to install addons outside the official Kodi repository.
Add the Source URL for the Chains Repo
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Now go back to the System Settings menu then open File Manager
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Select "Add Source"
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Enter the repository URL exactly as shown below, then click OK:
http://thechains24.com/ChainsRepo -
In the box below, enter a name like "ChainsRepo" and click OK again
This adds the media source that will host the repositories we need.
Install the Chains Repository
Now we can install the repo that contains Black Tears:
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Back under Addons, choose "Install from zip file"
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Click on "ChainsRepo" as the source
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Install the
repository.chainsrepo.zipfile -
Wait for the repo installation to complete
Once you see the "Repository Installed" notification, the Chains Repo has been added successfully.
Install the Black Tears Addon
With the repo in place, we can now install Black Tears:
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Go back to "Install from repository"
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Select the "Chains Repo"
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Enter the "Video add-ons" section in the repo
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Choose the Black Tears addon and click Install
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Wait for the "Addon installed" confirmation
Access the Black Tears Addon
To launch the addon:
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Go back to the Kodi Home screen
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Click "Add-ons"
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Select "Video add-ons"
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Choose Black Tears
The first time you open Black Tears, you may get a popup. Just hit the back button to close it.
And that‘s it! You can now enjoy Black Tears and stream tons of free movies and TV shows on your Firestick/Fire TV.
Tips for Getting the Best Experience with Black Tears
Here are some tips to improve streaming quality and performance with Black Tears:
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Enable Real-Debrid – This debrid service finds better quality streams and improves buffering. It‘s worth the small monthly fee.
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Configure Trakt – Link your Trakt account to sync watched history across devices. Get neat features like recommended content.
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Use a VPN – Protect your privacy, security, and streaming speeds with IPVanish or Surfshark.
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Adjust Settings – Play with settings like default resolution, subtitle languages, cache, etc.
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Clear Cache – Regularly clear the Kodi cache in System > System Settings > Advanced to resolve any issues.
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Check for Updates – Open Black Tears > Check for Updates to stay on top of fixes and new additions.
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Seek Help – Kodi has a great community. Google any issues or post on the Kodi subreddit for support.
Let‘s go a bit deeper on how a debrid service and VPN can enhance your experience.
Real-Debrid
Real-Debrid integrates with supported addons like Black Tears to find high quality streams from file hosters and torrents.
The benefits are:
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Faster streaming – No buffering or lag even on large 4K files
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Better quality – Streams in HD and 4K without compression artifacts
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More reliable – Greater link longevity so dead streams are less common
Although Real-Debrid costs a few bucks per month, it‘s more than worth it. The improvement to streaming is dramatic.
Real-Debrid is a game changer, especially if you stream high-bitrate 4K content. Give the free trial a test.
VPN Recommendation
I always encourage using a VPN when streaming on Kodi for better privacy, security and speeds.
It encrypts & protects your connection in 3 key ways:
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Hide your activity from your ISP, government agencies, copyright trolls, and hackers.
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Prevent throttling by your ISP based on streaming usage and traffic types.
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Access geo-restricted streams only available in certain regions. A VPN gets you around these artificial barriers.
My top recommendation is Surfshark due to the low pricing, great speeds, and unlimited device connections.
For the best deal, use the link https://get.surfshark.net/aff_c?offer_id=6&aff_id=6301 to get the huge discount and free extra months exclusively for my readers.
Give the 30 day money back guarantee a try without risk. A VPN is the perfect pairing with Kodi.
I hope these tips help you tune Black Tears to your liking. Let‘s recap the key takeaways around safety and legality next.
Legal and Ethical Considerations for Kodi Streaming
Given the questionable legal status of some third-party Kodi addons, I want to re-emphasize the need for personal responsibility when streaming.
While Kodi itself if perfectly legal, some addons provide access to pirated movies, shows, and live sports without proper licensing.
You are responsible for the legality of the content you stream. The burden is on you to know the source and licensing status of your streams. When in doubt, read up on fair use copyright principles.
To stay on the safe side of the law, I strongly encourage using free, legal sources like:
- The Roku Channel – Ad-supported movies & shows
- Tubi TV – 100% free movies & shows
- Pluto TV – Free live TV, movies & more
- Crackle – Free ad-supported streaming
- PBS – PBS documentaries & educational programs
- Nasa TV – Live stream & huge library of space & NASA footage
- Archive.org – Public domain movies, music, books & more
- Free Movies on Youtube – Hundreds of free-to-watch movies with ads
- Popcornflix – Ad-supported free movies
Take some time to explore these 100% free and legal options. They make the need for risky piracy obsolete.
I hope this guide has shown you how to safely install Black Tears on your Firestick, Fire TV, or Android TV box. But more importantly, I hope it provides the knowledge to responsibly stream your favorite movies and shows.
If you have any other questions about Kodi, feel free to reach out!
