Installing Kodi

Pre-Requisites

• Download IOS Signer from https://dantheman827.github.io/ios-app-signer/

• Download/Install XCode

Configure Apple Account

You will need a developer account unless you want to have to re-install the app every 7 days.

• Open XCode
• Setup your account

Create Basic App

Open XCode and select File->New→Project

Select TVOS and Single View App and click Next.

Add your AppleTV to Xcode

• Navigate to Settings>Remotes and Devices>Remote App and Devices on your ATV4.
• Go to your mac and use Xcode's Window menu >Devices and Simulators..you should see your ATV4 in the Discovered list on the left.
• Click on the Apple TV Icon in Devices panel... it will ask you for a Pairing Code that is displayed on the ATV4.
• Enter the code and Xcode should begin pairing with the ATV4.

Download Kodi Deb File

Download a stable version of kodi for TVOS from http://mirrors.kodi.tv/releases/darwin/tvos/

Version 20.1 has joystick support enabled by default which requires you to disable it before being able to use with your remote.

So I installed version 19.5: org.xbmc.kodi-tvos_19.5-0-tvos.deb

Sign the Kodi Deb File

Select the Kodi Deb file for the input file.

Select the signing certificate and provisioning profile.

Click Start

Give it a name and Select your team.

Transfer Kodi to AppleTv

Open up the Devices and Simulators from XCode->Windows→Devices and Simulators

Select your appleTV from the device list. You may need to connect your USB-C cable to your appleTV if you don't see your device.

Click the + icon and select the signed kodi ipa file:

Wait for it to install and enjoy!

Add-Ons

http://www.narcacist.com/repo/

https://team-crew.github.io

http://streamarmy.co.uk/repo

http://diamondbuild.xyz

http://fusion.tvaddons.co 

https://dobbelina.github.io/

Configuring Samba Mounts

Enable Samba Client Version 1 to 3 by going into Settings → Services → SMB Client.

Set minimum to v1 and max to v3

home:

URL: smb://192.168.1.60/tv/

tripmate:

URL: smb://10.10.10.254/UsbDisk1_Volume1/

Issues

AppleTV clears it's cache which uninstalls Kodi's Add-Ons. 

TvOS grants 500Kb of permanent storage. Everything else is in a "cache" directory which can be cleared by tvOS whenever it sees fit.

https://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=329625

If you're stuck using a fire stick and are unable to upgrade to a better device, then you need to use the "EZ Maintenance" addon. You can set it to auto clear cache, but more importantly you can set the preset for running a weak device, which should increase your overall performance.

Install openwizard addon and set auto cleanup of cache on startup.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Addons4Kodi/comments/103qx0t/the_amount_of_times_i_must_clear_the_cache_is_too/

Installed EZ Maintenance, so we will see... So far so good.

References