Struggling with making Kodi and retropie a couple

jtadeo

Over the past few weeks i have been trying to figure out the best way to run Kodi and Retropie on my pi3. I am sorry if this comes up a lot or i am posting in the wrong spot. if i am please let me know where to post and i will move my post.

I am really looking to run the most stable and current version of Kodi and Retropie

Option 1
run two different SD cards. OSMC(Kodi) 16gb, Retropie 32gb.
biggest issue is having to switch the cards. Which isnt the end of the world but i feel like its would be easy to lose or damage a card.

Option 2
Running Kodi on Retropie
Issues. I just tried this option.
Kodi
- Older version. I really would like 16.0 at least
- I backed up my data from my other kodi on a usb hard drive. the usb hard drive didnt show up in file manager or backup
addon
- I had a usb control which worked fine on osmc(kodi) which no longer worked right
Question
Does running Kodi inside "ports" vs running it outside of "ports" by making the advance changes make a difference in the way kodi runs? I would think not just because its installed the same way.

Option 3.
I like omsc a lot and i heard about "retrosmc" which I have no tried. Any input would be appreciated.

If there are any other options please let me know. For example is there a way to install both Kodi and retropie on a fresh Install of Raspbian which would be easy to switch between? Some how make it boot to choose. Or I saw someone made an addon on for osmc of retropie. Is that a challenge? what would that be considered a custom build? Not looking for someone to hold my hand but maybe just a finger pointing in a direction.

I know this was long but thank you for taking the time to read it.

BuZz

RetroPie includes Kodi 16.1 - via the experimental menu in retropie-setup

For controller set up see https://github.com/RetroPie/RetroPie-Setup/wiki/KODI

jmebd

@jtadeo Mine runs great thru the ports menu. I even went ahead and installed all the pvr add-ins manually as well to allow live TV from my main pc and tv tuner cards over my lan. Takes a bit to exit out of Kodi back to Emustation but it's not that big of a deal for me as I mainly leave Kodi on and just drop out to play a game or two now and then.

I used to use a 360 wireless controller on mine (and it worked great for all emulators as well as on the Emulation station menu; except the analog sticks didn't work on the emustation menu but not a big deal) but have since moved to the PS3 dualshock crowd (dang $45!). It's said that Kodi works just fine out of the box with the 360 wireless but mine just freaked out and kept going left on the 10 ft menu screen of Kodi until it reached the Weather and stopped. Never could get it to go right unless I held down the right arrow on the keyboard. Totally unusable for me...perhaps it was because I didn't map the keys for the controller in the Kodi config ( I didn't wanna mess with manually testing keys and then editing another config file as I just didn't have the time to screw with it...but some say it works out of the box. My 16.1 didn't work right for whatever reason so I just abandoned it) or something I dunno but I do know the PS3 controller works fine (with a bluetooth dongle of course and onboard bluetooth disabled).

Two microsd's would work but why not take it one step further if you're gonna do that and just get 2 pi's and use 2 HDMI connections on your tv and switch the inputs via remote control if you wanna get real fancy/lazy? LOL <just joking> Would be a LOT faster switching between the two rather than waiting for them to boot (not to mention less wear and tear on your microsd slot).

Rascas

I have updated and simplified Kodi's Wiki page.
@administrators please check if it is fine or if something is missing.

herb_fargus

@Rascas looks good, thanks

jtadeo

Thank you so much for the quick response. I right now have two pi's could do it that way. The main this is the other people in my house that would use it. I would want it as simple as possible. I reinstalled KODI and everything i said was an issue fixed itself. I was able to recover from a back up. I was able to use my remote with minor changes. I think I might just run it like you are.

My question that got lost in the mix. Does kodi execute in a different way when moved from ports to its own menu item. Is that just creating a short cut instead of having to click on it in ports or does it actually change the way the program loads.

Rascas

@jtadeo said in Struggling with making Kodi and retropie a couple:

My question that got lost in the mix. Does kodi execute in a different way when moved from ports to its own menu item. Is that just creating a short cut instead of having to click on it in ports or does it actually change the way the program loads.

It is the same, the only difference is the way you see it in Emulation Station and how you start it. Just cosmetics.

jtadeo

@Rascas that's what I thought. Thank you for clearing it up for me.

RustyMG

"Option 1
run two different SD cards. OSMC(Kodi) 16gb, Retropie 32gb.
biggest issue is having to switch the cards. Which isnt the end of the world but i feel like its would be easy to lose or damage a card.

Option 2
Running Kodi on Retropie
Issues. I just tried this option."

Erm, you do know there are dual boot images out there?

smithers for almost a year now has been releasing dual boot RetroPie / OpenELEC (kodi) images that work brilliantly.
He has also done triple boot images for people who also want to use the Pi2 as a bona fida PC.

jtadeo

@RustyMG

Thank you so much for responding. I am newer to the seen and trying to get caught up. Now that i under stand more. I want to do more. I really like osmc because its is basically high high level raspbian with Kodi starting. From what I read and could be wrong. I will be able to install more packages from the debian repository. I dont think OpenElec gives me the same options. I was thinking about the triple boot. Or actually running raspbian and installing both retropie on top along with Kodi and run it like a pc. But at the moment I think i am going with OSMC with adding retropie onto it.

I just wish i new more or where to start. I want to know how to make some of these builds. Linux is so flexable i feel like i could install raspbain and install Kodi and retropie on it. When it boots it asks me in graphically way please pick. 3 icons which i can used my remote for kodi/retropie to select desktop, kodi, retropie. When i exit those applications its takes me back to that menu. Hell i wouldnt care if i wasnt graphically. I guess that is like dual booting minus the booting.

Thanks everyone for help and input.

Wolfman100

I personally have been running RetrOSMC which is basically having RetroPie running as a 'Programme' that you can launch from within OSMC and this has worked marvelously for me.