Privacy Cookbook

Privacy Cookbook - Chapter 18.3 - The One with the Pi - Kodi Pi

3 days ago by Privacy Advocate • 3 min read

In case you hadn't realised by now, I am kind of a Raspberry-Pi fan. One of the best uses for a Raspberry-Pi is to protect your privacy, Pi-Hole and AdguardHome both run smoothly on a Pi, but today's entry is about something about which I am very passionate.

If you read the EXPOSED! Series you may have seen the article explaining how Samsung TVs (and also pretty much every smart TV) are listening to and monitoring you. LG & Samsung have lately even been pushing their ads to you. Yes, you buy a TV and get ads, isn’t that great? Free ads! Love it! But let’s pretend you are not so into ads, let's even pretend you are willing to pay for Disney+, Netflix, Hulu and the like? But that you signed up for these services to get them not get ads! Moreover, you would like your data to stay as yours and not be sold to the next ad collecting company for auctioning off! Well, guess what? There is a Pi for that!

This works with any Raspberry Pi including the old Raspberry Pi 3 and even the Raspberry Pi Zero, but, of course, this depend on what you add at your liberty and a newer Raspberry Pi 4 is the best current solution.

If you use the Raspberry Pi installer you can just select LibreElec as your OS and that takes care of the entire installation for you - super easy and ready within minutes.

Another even better solution is known as OSMC and you can follow the Raspberry Pi instructions here, in their download page:

https://osmc.tv/download/

As mentioned this works with any Pi, from the demo Pi Zero up to the Pi 4.

If you would like to install Netflix on Kodi you'll first need to do a few things:

Start by launching Kodi, then click the little gear icon next to the power button, then select System, change it to Advanced or Expert and finally enable Unknown Sources in the add-ons.

You will get a warning message which you can dismiss by clicking Yes.

Now go back one step and select File Manager.

Select Add Sources and add http://fusion.tvaddons.co

Name it Netflix and click OK.

Now go back and select Package installer on Add-Ons. Click then install from Zip File.

Click on Netflix

Click Kodi–repos

Click English (if applicable)

Click repository.castagnait-x.x.x.zip (the newest version number)

Just wait for a while until you see the “CastagnaIT Repository Add-on installed” notification appear in the top right-hand side/corner.

Now go back one screen and select Install From Repository

Click CastagnaIT Repository

Click Video Add–ons

Click Netflix and install the newest version (usually the first one on top with the newest version number).

Then press Ok. You should now see Netflix Add-on installed in the top-right corner.

Congrats!!! You now have Netflix without a smart TV! No ads from Samsung or LG, no data collecting etc. You can also use a VPN to have Netflix from a different country. Netflix detects some VPN providers and will let you know that you are using a proxy or VPN, so not every VPN works. IVPN works for me, but that could change anytime.

You could get Netflix free with add-ons like Exodus, or Seren 2.0 (which also offers the newest Box Office movies), Hulu, Disney+, Discovery+ and many more awesome channels in a Netflix like setup for free, I won’t post a how-to guide for it. It's a grey area, and this is a privacy manual and not a guide on how to get around paid services.

However, I have mentioned some names for you to follow up and in 'Kodi Tips' you can follow the guide on how to stream over Seren

https://koditips.com/seren-kodi-addon/

Bear in mind, though, that the tip on how to watch Netflix is a guide on how to actually watch a paid service but without privacy invasions. It is still a paid service and you do need the logins you have for Netflix. The link I've posted goes around that but once again think about what you are doing and maybe support yourf favourite streaming service like Netflix, Apple+ and co., but do it with a Pi and keep your privacy protected.

Finally, the Raspberry Pi should pick up your remote control so you can zip through Netflix (or any other installed service) using just your normal smart TV remote control.

Keep your Smart TV away from Wi-Fi or wired internet and use a Pi, you can thank me later for providing a more privacy-focused way to watch Netflix. You can install many other services and make the Pi the smartest little machine in your living or bedroom.

Stay safe and watch safe! And always keep in mind, there is always a Pi solution somewhere, for nearly everything!