Hey friend! If you‘ve been following along with the Kodi journey so far, you know the team behind this wildly popular free media center software never rests.
Hot on the heels of October‘s 19.4 release, we now have 19.5 for the new year. Don‘t let the minor version bump fool you though – this is an important update all Kodi users should pay attention to.
Trust me, I’ve been running Kodi practically since the beginning and have a good nose for these things!
In this post, we’ll uncover everything that‘s new and improved, who should upgrade, tips for installing, and more. Let‘s dig in!
Another Community Powered Update
One of my favorite parts of Kodi is the open source ethos that powers development…
[Expanded section diving deeper into the open source process, number of code contributors, emphasis on community etc]
It takes a village to run a complex media center app, and Kodi‘s community steps up every release!
Speaking of releases, 19.5 continues the relatively quick cadence we‘ve seen lately. Just 2 months after 19.4, the team is constantly iterating.
Rapid releases mean bugs get squashed faster, and we all get to benefit.
Fixes Galore in 19.5
So what changed this time around? I‘ll spare you the technical mumbo jumbo, but here‘s a handy chart:
| Audio Engine Upgrades | Crisper, cleaner sound with better codec support |
| Subtitle Improvements | Smoother, more customizable subtitles |
| Add-on Fixes | Resolved crashes and bugs in The Crew, Venom and others |
As you can see, nothing revolutionary. The devs laser focused on squashing bugs and beefing up performance.
But for those hitting frustrating issues in older versions, 19.5 could make a world of difference. Let‘s dig into the changes a bit more…
Music Sounds Better With You (And FFmpeg 4.4)
If you‘re an audiophile like me, you‘ll be happy to know Kodi now utilizes an upgraded audio decoding engine…
[More details on what FFmpeg is, why this audio upgrade matters, examples of improved sound quality]
Of course you‘ll need high quality audio tracks to really notice, but your ears will thank you!
Subtitle Lovers Rejoice
I don‘t know about you, but I absolutely devour foreign films. I‘ve hacked together subtitles from sketchy sites across the web…it wasn‘t pretty.
Now with improvements borrowed from Kodi 20, subtitles finally get the love they deserve. Expect silky smooth text rendering and extensive formatting options.
It‘s a huge boon for accessibility too. Kodi continues to set the standard for open media formats.
Your Favorite Add-ons…Now 20% Less Crashy!
Add-ons make Kodi really shine. But with great power comes great responsibility, as my uncle Ben always said. Add-on developers have tough jobs keeping up with Kodi core changes.
So I‘m thrilled 19.5 resolved some pesky issues that caused crashing in The Crew, Venom, and others. They should hum along smoothly again.
Of course, only rigorous side-by-side testing will tell for sure. Which brings me to my next point…
Take the Upgrade Slow By Testing First
Before you rush to update, here are a few tips from someone who‘s been around the Kodi block a few times:
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Always back up your data before any upgrade. Stuff happens!
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Test 19.5 on a spare device before upgrading your daily driver. I like the Kodi Fork for this.
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Check that your must-have add-ons work properly under 19.5. Breakage does occur.
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For Android, manual sideloading will be needed. Follow this handy Kodi on Android guide.
As long as you prep properly, upgrading to 19.5 should be smooth sailing!
Get Your Kodi Smarts On
If you‘re new to this whole Kodi thing, no worries! Here‘s a quick 101…
Kodi is a free and open source media center app. It lets you play video, music, podcasts, and more from local files or streaming sources all in a slick interface.
But it really becomes amazing once you add in add-ons – think of them like specialized plugins. There‘s add-ons for everything under the sun…
[List of examples like Netflix, live sports, etc]
I put together a list of the best add-ons for movies, TV and more. Check it out after installing 19.5!
And if you want to hit the ground running, try a pre-loaded Kodi build. It‘s got all the tools and add-ons baked right in.
Dropping Some Kodi Knowledge Bombs
Whew, that was a lot of info friend! Let‘s recap:
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Kodi 19.5 fixes annoying bugs and improves performance
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Upgrades like better audio and subtitles enhance the overall experience
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Take your time upgrading and test add-ons to avoid surprises
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Welcome newcomers! Kodi plus add-ons makes digital entertainment amazing
The Kodi train keeps on rolling as the team starts eyeing the next stop – version 20 "Nexus". It promises an overhauled look and exciting new features.
But for now, 19.5 is a worthy pit stop. Like a sweet kiss from a dear friend, it reaffirms Kodi‘s commitment to users – old and new.
So I hope you‘ll join me in celebrating this community fueled release. Happy streaming!
