Heyo, 0.6.4, here we go!
I’m not going to go much into detail about what changed, as I’ve consolidated the changelog a little. Probably the biggest changes are:
- Fixes for trailers and proper support for multiple media versions
- Slow connection mode**
- Fixes for all embedded subtitles issues (this is a Kodi bug)
- The ability to minimize the addon and maximize it again
- Full support for all playback settings/autoskip features per show instead of just binge mode on/off
Next on my list are probably the watchlist and the ability to hide libraries and home screen sections.
Slow connection mode explained
Kodi’s cache/buffer management is pretty broken. The default readfactor is 4, which means that the cache should fill with a bandwidth of 4 times the media bitrate. This happens only occasionally and the buffer tends to starve until the last second, which obviously creates issues with wonky connections and/or high bitrate files. “Slow connection” mode is a manual workaround for that issue. It sets the readfactor to 20 (which is the minimum value where Kodi decides to actually fill the buffer fast(er)). PM4K monitors the buffer level and pauses the playback on playback-start if necessary - then resumes playback when the buffer is considered healthy (buffer fully filled or 10% of media file buffered).
Please set the buffer/cache higher than the default (use recommended value if in doubt).
This feature is one you want to enable only in the worst conditions, like a hotel Wi-Fi that doesn’t sustain its bandwidth constantly. It might also be detrimental to users with high bitrate passthrough audio on the NVIDIA SHIELD.
I’ve tested it with a hotel connection that provided 4mbit and slumped to <1mbit regularly, on a 4mbit bitrate video file, and it worked amazingly well.
Changelog:
- Fix preplay mediachoice issues
- Fix seeking with auto-skip scenarios on slower devices
- Fix online/trailer quality issues (was always using a low quality before)
- Fix round-robining in episode view
- Fix Kodi 18
- Fix some rare Kodi playback errors in logs, mostly cosmetic
- Fix player sometimes not sending the last timeline state after playback ends
- Fix playback issues when multiple versions exist but one of them is missing
- Fix embedded subtitle display delays on playback start and on subtitle change while playing back (backseeks 1 second) (this is a Kodi bug)
- Fix double-back-button necessary to exit when cancelling autoskip
- Fix chapters not showing when no markers present
- Fix User Pin entry not showing errors
- Fix reactivating addon after minimize
- Fix autoskip marker continuing to count down when paused; don’t hide autoskip marker when paused
- Add support for multiple media versions and fix individual stream selection support
- Add support for stream selection in trailers/extras
- Add current cache/buffer state to progress bar
- Add video/audio/subtitle stream selection for trailers
- Add zero drift playback timers for current time, time left, ends at
- Add minimize option to exit
- Add playback settings manager to enable full settings per TV show instead of just binge mode toggle;
- Add slow connection support (e.g. in a hotel); waits for the buffer to fill to a reasonable amount until playback; sets readfactor to 20 (don’t use with passthrough)
Migrate previous binge mode data to new extensible format, stored as addon_data/playback_settings.json - Player: Better/more immediate intro-auto-skip implementation
- Cache/Buffer: Allow 26% and 30% “overcommit” (+android 23%)
- Cache/Buffer: Add readfactor to settings (needs Kodi restart)
- Cache/Buffer: Add support for new kodi-omega-master Cache/Buffer GUI settings
- Harden next/prev episode handling in auto-skip scenarios
- Harden next/prev button handling
- Settings: allow vertical round-robining for settings and options lists
- User Switch: Allow cancellation of switch; select the current user by default when switching
