Forget Windows Media Centre – you can enjoy your music and movies on a Raspberry Pi. Wayne Williams explains how to get started
Microsoft has killed off Windows Media Centre in Windows 10 due to a reported lack of interest, but there are some excellent alternatives available, including Kodi (kodi.tv). This free program, which used to be called XBMC, lets you access and play all your videos, music and photos – and, if you have a TV tuner installed, you can also use it to watch and record live television.
OSMC (Open Source Media Center) is a port of Kodi for Raspberry Pi. It’s very easy to set up and configure, and offers all the functionality you are likely to need. We explain how to make the most of OSMC.
What you need
If you don’t already have a Raspberry Pi (www.raspberrypi.org), it’s obviously the first thing you’ll need to buy. This low-cost credit-card-sized computer was originally created to encourage children to get back into programming, but it’s become just as popular with adults. There are several types of Pi available: Model A and its newer A+ variant; Model B and the newer B+; and the most recent addition, the Raspberry Pi 2 Model B. Any Pi will be able to run OSMC, but if you don’t already own one, then we’d recommend you go for the £30 Raspberry Pi 2 because it’s faster and more powerful than its predecessors.
When you buy a Raspberry Pi, all you get is the device itself. Before you can start using it, you’ll need to add the following extras:
• A screen – this can be either a TV or a computer monitor.
• An HDMI/DVI cable – so you can connect your Pi to the screen.
• An RCA composite cable – if you want to connect the device to an older TV that doesn’t have HDMI or DVI sockets.
• An Ethernet cable – so you can connect the Pi to your network and the internet.
• A Wi-Fi dongle – if you prefer to go wireless.
• A USB keyboard
• A USB mouse
• An SD card or Micro SD card – depending on the model of Pi you own (Micro SD cards are used in the newer models).
• A microUSB cable or power supply – to power the device. You may have one you use for charging your phone. Make sure it’s 5V, and avoid ones with long cables.
• Headphones or speakers – so you can get sound. Plug them into the Pi’s built-in 3.5in audio socket. Sound over HDMI is also supported.
• An external USB drive – you’ll want somewhere to store all your media (photos, videos and music), and an SD card may not offer enough storage. A USB flash drive will work but, again, it may not be large enough. Alternatively, you can choose to access media stored on devices on your network.
Connect other devices to your Pi to use it like a standard PC
You can buy some of these items directly from RS Components (bit.ly/RScomponents379), Farnell Element14 (bit.ly/farnell379) or ModMyPi (www.modmypi.com), and from most retailers of computer accessories. You’ll probably already have a few of the required cables and peripherals at home that you can use.
You don’t need a case for the Raspberry Pi but it may be worth considering one if you’re going to set up the device as a permanent (or nearpermanent) media centre. ModMyPi has a selection to choose from and The Raspberry Pi Foundation produces an official case for the Raspberry Pi 2, which you can buy from the Swag store for £6 (bit.ly/swag379).
Introducing OSMC
OSMC (osmc.tv) is very easy to install – see below for instructions – and if you’ve ever used a media centre before, you’ll know exactly what to expect from the program. It lets you browse and play all your videos, and although there might be some initial buffering, the Raspberry Pi can handle playback beautifully, even when tackling very large video files. The media centre can play locally stored music tracks (on a connected drive or over your network) and will also let you tune into various online radio stations. Thanks to its Kodi heritage, OSMC supports add-ons, and there are options for Pandora Radio, Rdio, Apple iTunes Podcasts, Internet Archive and many more.
You can view your photos in OSMC and, again, there are various add-ons available to install if you require more features. Any content you access frequently can be added to Favourites, and the My OSMC menu lets you set things up exactly how you want them (this is different from the standard Settings menu). This section has icons for Services, Overclock (if you want to get more performance out of your Raspberry Pi), App Store (which offers extras, such as the Transmission Torrent Client), Network, Remotes, Pi Config (to make changes to the display, GPU and more), Log Uploader and Updates. By default, OSMC will look for new versions daily, but you can change the frequency and time.
OSMC comes with various program add-ons installed including Artwork Downloader, which can download screens for TV shows, movies and music videos. You can expand the media centre’s capabilities further by installing extra add-ons. There’s a very lengthy list of options, including Facebook Media, which lets you browse your photos and videos, and those of your friends, on the social network; and Mail, which lets you access your emails.
There are other features available in OSMC, most notably TV and Weather functions. TV requires you to install and enable a PVR add-on and, of course, you’ll also need a TV tuner attached to your Pi. Setting this up takes time, but it’s relatively easy. You can view forthcoming TV programmes in the EPG (Electronic Programme Guide), and record and play back programmes.
To get the Weather function to appear, you need to select a weather source. Although the BBC recently ended its partnership with the Met Office, it’s still our favourite option. Once you’ve added it, you can view the latest forecast for your region in the Weather section from the home screen.
OSMC can be controlled with a remote control, if you have a compatible one, or by using a keyboard and mouse. It’s worth familiarising yourself with the various keyboard shortcuts the software uses because it’s the easiest way to get around. There’s a list of Kodi ones at kodi.wiki/view/Keyboard_controls.
Turning the Raspberry Pi on or off is simply a matter of connecting or disconnecting the power supply, but OSMC offers a Power menu that can exit the media centre, power off the system, reboot or make use of a custom shutdown timer, which is useful if you’re the sort of person who tends to fall asleep while watching movies or listening to music at night.
Install OSMC on your Raspberry Pi
1 You can download OSMC directly from osmc.tv/download. Grab the version you need (Windows, Mac OS X or Linux) and run it. Choose the language you want and the device you will be installing it on – Vero, Raspberry Pi or Raspberry Pi 2. Once you’ve made your selection, click the arrow button on the right.
2 Select the version of the software you want (there will probably only be one choice) or a local build, then click the arrow to move on. You’ll be asked where you want to install OSMC. Select ‘On an SD card’ and click the arrow. Specify how OSMC will connect to web, so the installer will be able to download the full operating system.
3 Select the device on which you want to install OSMC. If the card doesn’t appear in the list, click Refresh. Agree to the terms, and the software will download and install. When it’s done, insert the SD card into your Raspberry Pi, connect the cables and boot it up to finish the installation. Be patient because it will take a while.
Get started with OSMC
1 When you first run OSMC, you’ll need to set your language and agree to the terms and conditions. The interface is very straightforward, showing the date and time in the top-right corner, and a list of all the options on the left-hand side. Click Settings to configure the software.
2 You can access your media in various ways. If you have a USB drive connected to your Raspberry Pi, you can browse its files and play its media by going to Settings, File Manager. Alternatively, you can access networked content on your PC by going to File Manager, Add Source, Browse. Select ‘Windows network (SMB)’.
3 OSMC’s default look is a bit bland, but you can spice it up in Settings, Appearance, Skin. Download and install any themes you like the look of (the one we’ve chosen is Back Row). You can change the region from USA to UK under International. Screensaver lets you set what happens after a period of inactivity.