stremio.com
Digital media is really popular these days. Everywhere you look, movies and TV shows are popping up on digital devices. This includes smart TVs in our bedrooms, our cellphones when we go out, and even our Amazon Echo devices in our kitchens. You can't avoid it.
Personally, I think this is a great thing. As technology becomes more and more embedded into our lives, it becomes easier to learn and stay entertained. Knowledge is more conveniently accessed, we are never not entertained, and we are constantly connected with friends and family. Some people may criticize the inundation of technology in our lives, but I say embrace it! This is why I'm excited to learn about new ways to interact with the digital space like streaming software suites and media centers.
A media center is a device where you can access all of your digital media sources. It's actually almost exactly what it sounds like - a single place where you can find all of your streaming services, music, movies, and more. Some media centers let you access everything from your computer, mobile device, smart TV, or Roku.
I don't know about you, but I hate having to constantly switch between menu after menu and put up with remembering all the little design and functionality quirks of every streaming and media platform that I use. Because, of course, none of them is uniform. Going from Hulu to Netflix, for instance, sometimes makes me feel like I have to relearn each app every time I revisit. Media Centers, however, like Kodi, Plex, or the one we will be taking a look at today, Stremio make life so much simpler when it comes to streaming video or accessing pictures and music.
I recently decided to invest in a media center and I was amazed at how much easier things became. I never considered how much brain power I was using when it came to keeping track of which videos were on which drivers and which movies and shows were currently on which streaming services. Thanks to services like Stremio, I no longer have to worry about it.
Moreover, Stremio is much cheaper in the long run. Sure, you could spend a lot of money on Kodi if you're looking for a top-of-the-line media center, but for most people that isn't really necessary. In fact, I'd say that most people could actually save money by choosing Stremio over Kodi.
Stremio offers addons that don't install directly on your device or computer. They install onto Stremio's servers, meaning that Stremio is taking on all the risk - in case of a malicious third-party developer who wants to try and hide viruses or tracking software into their customized addon. Media centers like Kodi or Plex, however, put that risk on the user. So, Stremio can be a bit safer to use.
Some people might see this as a hindrance, but it can also be a blessing because Stremio doesn't allow you to customize your skins or builds. Sure, this can be a bummer for someone who wants to be able to make his interface reflect his personality in some way. But the upside is that there will be no risk of accidentally breaking the installation, which is something you'll want to be careful of with uploading customized skins onto software such as this one.
Looking at Stremio, it seems like it might be a great option for those just getting into media centers. It's easy to use and has a lot of features that are perfect for anyone. But let's take a closer look to see if Stemio is the right media center software for you.
Design
As I have already alluded to, Stremio's design is extremely intuitive. This is especially true given that Netflix and Hulu's designs are not as simplistic as Stremio's. It is very easy to use, and moreover, it is tailored to your tastes based on what you have chosen as your three main categories of content. Upon installation, for example, you will be asked to choose at least three main categories of different types of content. These selections will dictate what Stremio suggests for you upon launch.
On the main screen of Stremio, you will find a long list of videos. Some of these videos are picked out for you based on the categories you chose earlier, while others may be suggested to you based on what other users have watched. If you would rather use the search bar to find a specific movie or TV series, you can do so by making use of the search bar at the top of the screen.
On the left-hand side of the board, you can browse content by genre and category. You can filter content with ease by clicking on any of the following: Movies, Series, Channels, TV Channels, Top, Oscar Winners, and then a list of genres. Here, you will also be able to conveniently access your own addons. So, for instance, if you have Netflix, Vodo, Hulu, iTunes , Amazon,, or Twitch account - once they have been linked, you can quickly switch between them here.
Content
While Stremio does provide an extensive list of add-ons, there are only a few of them to choose from. I'm afraid that this comparison might not be fair, as the addon library of Kodi and Plex is much more expansive.
Other cool features that Stremio offers include the ability to sync watched content with Trakt. This will allow you to keep track of all of the content that you watch, assuming you have already created and linked your Trakt account with Stremio. It is a fun and convenient way to remember what you've already seen and to make recommendations to friends and family.
Stremio makes it easy to keep track of what's airing new episodes of your favorite shows, so you never have to miss them again.
Desktop and Mobile Experience
Many operating systems and devices have Stremio available as a convenient app. This streamlined and intuitive experience makes it easy to watch streaming content on your smartphone, PS4, Xbox, Roku, Chromecast, Roku, Mac, Windows, or Linux. If you can watch stuff on it, you can use Stremio to do so.
I really enjoy the fact that, no matter what device I access it on, Stremio offers an equally user-friendly and dependable experience.
Pricing and Plans
Stremio is 100% free to use and open-source. So, in order to browse the library (without watching anything) and access the media center itself (which can still be used to organize and archive your own video files), you won't have to pay a dime. However, of course, in order to get the most out of Stremio, you'll have to have at least one streaming service to your name. So that will cost you. Personally, for me, Stremio becomes the most useful when I have numerous services linked together - after all, that's kind of the point!
Suggestions that I have for Stremio
I think Stremio could easily offer more add-ons than they currently do if they wanted to truly compete with media centers like Kodi or Plex. It is already so much safer and easier to use than any other media center that I have seen, so adding more would be easy.
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