Media consumption, players, and music playback are very demanding sections in the world today and have become an essential part of our daily livelihood.
Many brands like Kodi and Roku have come forward to market their software and hardware sectors in different ways. The internet has flourished their businesses also.
Key Takeaways
- Kodi is an open-source media player software, while Roku is a proprietary streaming device and platform.
- Roku offers a user-friendly interface and curated content, whereas Kodi allows greater customization and flexibility for users.
- Kodi supports various add-ons and plugins, while Roku primarily focuses on official channels and apps.
Kodi vs Roku
Kodi, formerly known as XBMC (Xbox Media Center), is a free and open-source media player software application that can run on various operating systems. Roku is a hardware device that connects to a TV and allows users to stream content from various online platforms such as Netflix, Hulu, and more.
Kodi is a company that delivers software named Kodi. This Kodi software is an application created by using programming and enables media to play seamlessly.
Certain elements can be streamed on Kodi. It is a free and open-source media application installable on every hardware device.
Roku is a brand or a company that deals with hardware like digital media players. It is a set-top box capable of enhancing the media capabilities of a device.
Roku has its own free and paid mechanism interests and runs several software apps like Netflix, Prime, etc.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | Kodi | Roku |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Kodi is a software application installed on a device for playing media and utilizing multimedia. | Roku is a hardware device like a box that works as a media player by utilizing online media providers. |
| Processor in use | Kodi demands at least a 2 gigahertz dual-core processor on the device for installation. | Roku is a hardware device that itself has an ARM Cortex A7 processor which is quad-core at 800 megahertz. |
| Storage space | Roku asks for a recommended 8 gigabytes of storage on the device for installation. | Roku is a set-top box that uses 256 megabytes for channel storage and an operational memory of 512 megabytes. |
| Remote control | Kodi doesn’t support remote controllers and has its features that can be accessed within the device only. | Roku comes with a remote controller for making alterations in the box and using its features. |
| Customizations | Kodi offers several customization features that work well on the software for media consumption. | Roku has fewer customization options than Kodi but it still has several amenities like a voice assistant. |
What is Kodi?
Kodi is software that was developed by XBMC Foundation in 2002 as Xbox Media Player. It is open-source multimedia enhancing software that is used to play almost all the media content that is present over the internet.
It runs on devices like Television, laptops, tablets, PC, etc. Kodi has grabbed so much popularity, updates, and enhancements that it can be made to run over any operating system like Windows, Mac, etc.
Kodi enables us to play or stream media like pictures, music, videos, series, and many more. Streaming the media from local or private networks makes use of the Internet. It requires software permission to browse through the internet and entertain us.
Kodi is also good at customizations. The original version of the Kodi app featured a lot of customizations that the user can make to enhance his/her experience with the app.
It can get compatible with the media services providers like Amazon Prime, Netflix, Hotstar, and other online streaming platforms.
The Kodi application also involves quite manageable internals on almost any device that can support Kodi and its installation. Though it is possible to view copyrighted content on Kodi, it becomes a security concern.
What is Roku?
Roku is a set-top box or a hardware device that runs on other devices like a television, PC, etc, for media consumption. Just like Kodi, Roku also plays media and streams multimedia from all over the internet using the streaming service providers like Netflix, Prime, etc.
Roku was developed and owned under Roku Inc. in 2002 and has been very active since 2008.
Roku produces hardware media devices that play multimedia and support streaming from streaming service providers for entertainment with movies, videos, pictures, serials, and podcasts.
As Roku is a hardware company, it also manufactures remote controllers for a more enhanced experience with its devices. Roku also offers its own set of serials and media categories that is licensed under its name and comes in the class of their free and paid content in the box.
Roku has internals that is worthy enough to get compatible with any device like TVs or PCs but requires a high-speed set-top internet connection for streaming purposes.
It also has access to Roku TV for free content and subscription-based applications. Roku also comes with smart AI delivering features like Smart Search and Alexa Assistance for actions through voice commands.
Main Differences Between Kodi and Roku
- Kodi has the support of add-ons and extended media plans that work on the software only, whereas Roku provides default access to all the content and apps demanding subscriptions.
- Kodi has a downgrade when it comes to legal or illegal content streaming because it can also play copyrighted content, whereas Roku has a valid algorithm and legal access.
- Kodi plays HD content at 5 megabytes per second, whereas Roku streams HD content at 9 megabytes per second.
- Kodi works on a device with at least 2 GB of RAM, whereas the Roku box itself has 512 MB of RAM.
- Kodi has a better performance at content storage and high-quality viewership, whereas Roku does not.
Last Updated : 13 July, 2023
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Piyush Yadav has spent the past 25 years working as a physicist in the local community. He is a physicist passionate about making science more accessible to our readers. He holds a BSc in Natural Sciences and Post Graduate Diploma in Environmental Science. You can read more about him on his bio page.
This is a fascinating read. The detailed comparison between Kodi and Roku is thorough and well-presented. I appreciate the depth of analysis in this article.
Absolutely, I concur with your sentiment. This article provides a valuable resource for individuals interested in making informed decisions about media consumption.
I’m glad you enjoyed it. It’s always helpful to have a clear breakdown of the differences between two popular media platforms.
I am inclined to disagree with the characterizations of both Kodi and Roku, as they are oversimplified. Both are far more nuanced and complex.
This article makes compelling points about the differences between Kodi and Roku. The points of differentiation are clearly laid out.
The author did a fantastic job of laying out the intricacies of Kodi and Roku. This information is incredibly useful for anyone looking to understand the media landscape better.
It’s great that this article clearly outlines the differences between Kodi and Roku. However, media consumption in general does not have to be so dependent on these two applications. In fact, there are many alternatives to consider.
Could you possibly share some of your insights with the alternatives? I’m eager to learn more about this topic.
The author does a great job comparing and contrasting Kodi and Roku. I find these details very informative and interesting.