Understanding the Kodi Experience
The Foundation of Digital Entertainment
Kodi’s strength lies in its adaptability. It serves as a centralized hub for your media, allowing you to organize and enjoy your content, from personal files to streaming services. Its interface is highly customizable, and its add-on architecture is what truly unlocks its potential. Add-ons, built by independent developers, allow Kodi users to stream content from all over the internet. This includes accessing movies, television shows, live television channels, and much more, all within the familiar Kodi environment. Add-ons are a way to expand the capabilities of Kodi, offering a range of features, making it one of the most used and favored media platforms.
The Allure of Stream All The Sources (SALTS)
A World of Streaming at Your Fingertips
SALTS, short for Stream All the Sources, is a video add-on designed to connect users to a plethora of online streaming sources. It differs from traditional streaming services by aggregating links from various websites and providers. This means you have access to a massive collection of films and television shows, potentially spanning a wide range of genres, languages, and availability. Users favor SALTS because it is a hub for streaming online content. SALTS actively searches for multiple links to the desired content and displays them. This allows users to stream from a variety of locations with various qualities, and choose the one that works best for them. It’s regularly updated and is very user friendly.
Essential Preparations Before You Begin
Setting the Stage for Success
Before diving into the installation process, it’s vital to ensure you have everything in place for a smooth experience.
Kodi is a Must-Have
Make sure you have the Kodi media player installed on your device. Kodi is compatible with a wide range of platforms, including Windows, macOS, Android devices, iOS devices, Amazon Fire TV devices, and more. Download and install the latest stable version from the official Kodi website or your device’s app store.
A Strong Internet Connection is Key
A reliable and fast internet connection is essential for streaming content. Since you’ll be accessing streaming sources online, a stable connection prevents buffering and interruptions, which greatly enhances the streaming experience.
Get to Know Kodi’s Settings
Familiarize yourself with Kodi’s settings. You will need to make adjustments to your settings, allowing your Kodi installation to utilize add-ons from outside sources. The specific settings that are needed will be explained further in the installation instructions.
Privacy and Security
It’s prudent to consider your online privacy and security, especially when streaming content from unknown sources. Although not mandatory for installation, it is highly recommended you use a VPN (Virtual Private Network) for several key reasons. A VPN encrypts your internet traffic, masking your IP address and location, thereby protecting your identity and privacy from potential threats. This is particularly useful when accessing streaming services from outside your geographic area. A VPN also assists in avoiding potential ISP (Internet Service Provider) throttling, which can slow your internet speed. Choose a reliable VPN provider to ensure your digital security. This is an extremely important and useful part of ensuring safety when using add-ons.
Navigating the Kodi Add-on Installation Process
The Step-by-Step Guide
The procedure for installing the SALTS Kodi add-on involves a few simple steps, beginning with configuring your Kodi settings.
Unlocking Unknown Sources
The first essential step is to allow Kodi to install add-ons from external sources. This is essential because SALTS isn’t directly available through the official Kodi add-on repository.
Begin by opening Kodi on your device. Find the “Settings” option; it is represented by a gear icon, typically located on the Kodi main menu. Click this icon to open the settings menu.
Within the settings menu, locate and select the “System” option.
From the System menu, go to the Add-ons tab.
There will be a toggle that states “Unknown sources”. Toggle the button to “On.”
A warning message might appear, alerting you to the risks of installing add-ons from untrusted sources. This is a standard disclaimer to safeguard users. Review this information carefully and click “Yes” to proceed. You should only install add-ons that come from a trustworthy source.
Adding a Media Source to Kodi
The next step is to add the location of the source that will contain the SALTS repository. This involves adding a file path that Kodi can access.
Start from the Kodi main menu, select the “Settings” option. Then, select “File manager.” The file manager allows you to add or modify your media sources.
In the File Manager, click on “Add source.” This will open a window where you can enter the file path to the repository.
You will be prompted to “Enter the paths or browse for the media locations”. Now, you will need the URL address of the repository where the SALTS add-on can be found. This is usually a web address provided by the add-on developer. The URL can vary over time, so make sure you have the correct and most up-to-date repository URL before proceeding. Double-check the source from which you obtained the address to confirm that it is a trusted and reliable source. Enter the URL into the box provided, exactly as it appears.
Next, assign a name to this source. This is a friendly name that will help you identify it later. For instance, you might name it “Addon Repository,” “TVAddons Source,” or similar. This name will make it easier to find the source in the subsequent steps. After assigning a name, click “OK.”
Installing the Add-on Repository
Now, you’re prepared to install the repository that contains the SALTS add-on. The repository serves as a library of add-ons that Kodi can access.
Navigate back to the Kodi main menu.
Select “Add-ons” from the menu.
Next, click on the “Package installer” icon. This icon looks like an open box and is located in the top-left corner of the add-ons screen.
Select “Install from zip file.” This selection allows you to install add-ons directly from a zip file.
In the ensuing window, find and select the source name you added in the previous step. For example, if you named it “Addon Repository,” select that.
After selecting your source, you will see a list of zip files. Choose the correct repository zip file. The name of the file will usually include the word “repository.” It may have a version number in its name.
Once you choose the zip file, Kodi will begin installing the repository.
Wait for the “Add-on installed” notification to appear. This confirms that the repository has been successfully installed.
Installing the SALTS Add-on Itself
Now, it’s time to install the SALTS add-on from the repository you just installed.
From the Add-ons screen, select “Install from repository.”
Now, choose the repository you installed in the previous steps. For example, if you installed the TVAddons repository, choose it here.
Browse the categories within the repository, and find the section that displays video add-ons.
Locate “SALTS” in the list of video add-ons. Click on it.
You should now see a window with information about the SALTS add-on. Select the “Install” option.
Wait for the installation process to complete. You will see an “Add-on installed” notification when SALTS has been successfully installed.
Accessing and Operating SALTS
Getting Started with the Add-on
After installation, you can now access and start using SALTS.
The SALTS add-on can be found in the video add-ons section. It should now be present on your Kodi main menu or within your video add-ons.
Clicking the SALTS add-on opens its interface. It typically offers options to browse movies and TV shows, organize content, and configure settings. The interface is usually quite straightforward, resembling the standard Kodi layout.
You can explore different content categories, search for particular titles, and select your desired streams. SALTS offers a streamlined search functionality.
Navigating Further Configuration
Customizing Your Experience
While SALTS works seamlessly after the initial installation, some users may want to customize their experience.
You will have access to add-on settings. This can be found through the add-on’s interface. This can include configuring settings for your account, media providers, and other preferences.
Some users may also choose to integrate with Trakt.tv. Trakt.tv is a service that tracks your viewing history and allows you to sync across devices. This can be a useful feature if you wish to log what you have watched.
Troubleshooting Potential Issues
Resolving Common Problems
Despite following the installation steps meticulously, you might encounter various challenges while using SALTS. Here are some frequently-seen problems and their potential solutions.
If you experience “No stream available” errors, try selecting other streams. SALTS pulls from multiple sources, and some streams might be unavailable. If many streams are unavailable, check your internet connection. Also, check the official SALTS forums or social media pages for announcements about potential outages or issues. Clearing the cache and temporarily disabling your VPN might help.
If you encounter buffering issues, try different streams, and adjust the playback settings within SALTS to optimize stream quality. You may also be able to increase the cache settings in Kodi. If your internet connection is slow, you might experience buffering regardless of the stream chosen.
If SALTS fails to work at all, make sure that you have the correct repository installed. Ensure that both your Kodi and SALTS add-ons are updated to the latest versions. Restarting Kodi can sometimes resolve a variety of problems.
Concluding Thoughts
Wrapping Up Your Installation
Installing the SALTS add-on can significantly enhance your Kodi streaming experience. This guide has provided a comprehensive, step-by-step walkthrough to help you successfully install and use this powerful add-on. However, Kodi add-ons are always in flux. They are developed and maintained by external entities.
Always do your research before installing any add-on, and ensure that your sources are reliable.
Remember to access content legally and ethically.
Using this comprehensive guide, you are now prepared to install and run SALTS to its full potential. Enjoy streaming.
