News AI
July 21st, 2024

Stremio OS Is Now Available for Raspberry Pi 5 and 4

Stremio introduces Stremio OS for Raspberry Pi 5 and 4, supporting 4K playback on Pi 5 but limited to Pi 4 due to hardware constraints. The release includes LineageOS v21, Stremio, auto-updates, and user control over OS behavior. Installation involves downloading the image, writing to an SD card, and setup. Experimental project with upcoming developments in 2024.

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Stremio OS Is Now Available for Raspberry Pi 5 and 4

Stremio has announced the availability of Stremio OS for Raspberry Pi 5 and 4, with the ability to be installed on an SD card of at least 8GB. While Raspberry Pi 5 supports smooth 4K playback, Raspberry Pi 4 has hardware limitations preventing 4K content playback. The release utilizes LineageOS v21, based on Android TV 14, and includes Stremio, Stremio Launch on Boot, and Aptoide TV for auto-updates. Users have full control over the Android TV OS behavior, including starting Stremio on boot and disabling this feature later. To install Stremio OS on Raspberry Pi, users need to download the correct image, write it to an SD card, expand the main volume if necessary, insert the SD card into the device, and complete the one-time setup for Android TV. The project is still experimental, and more surprises are promised for users in 2024.

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AI: What people are saying
The article on Stremio OS for Raspberry Pi 5 and 4 has generated various comments:
  • Some users appreciate the potential of peer-to-peer networks for streaming, suggesting it could reduce latency and overhead for services like Netflix.
  • There is a desire for Stremio to be open source, with users willing to contribute to its development.
  • Comments highlight the limitations of Stremio on Raspberry Pi 4 for 4K playback due to hardware constraints, while the Pi 5 can handle it better.
  • Users compare Stremio to other media centers and streaming solutions, noting its strengths and weaknesses, including buffering issues and ad presence.
  • Some users are already using Stremio with LineageOS on Raspberry Pi 4 and find it functional for installing various apps.
Link Icon 13 comments
By @nilsherzig - 9 months
Stremio is a Mediacenter thingy. You can provide different video sources using Plugins.

People mainly use it for torrenting. It's nice in theory since it allows you to watch basically anything without having to download it first. It will find and download Torrents on demand and start playing them after a small buffer has been built.

But stremio users are only active on a given Torrent while watching its content. Meaning that they contribute nothing back to the network. If everyone (or a large enough percentage of users) would act like this the whole (public) BitTorrent Network would no longer work.

By @LeoPanthera - 9 months
Never heard of Streamio before, but from the FAQ:

> We run non-intrusive ads occassionally

(Their typo, not mine.)

So it's like Plex, but, with ads in it.

By @brunoqc - 9 months
> What is Stremio?

> Stremio is a modern media center that gives you the freedom to watch everything you want.

https://www.stremio.com

By @Sparkyte - 9 months
So I am kind of opposed to piracy but the novel idea of a peer based CDN has its merit. Imagine an encrypted framework where Netflix operates in a peer to peer communication. It would drastically reduce the overhead a streaming service would require to send content to users. If people are all watching the similar content or opt-in to supporting the network chunks of data could stored across many customer peers to complete the mesh. This would allow high quality content with a reduced amount of latency for delivery. It is why piracy took of during the DSL/Cable era. Networks were not fast and streaming could not work that efficiently so a p2p network alievated the stress allowing viewers/listeners to grab media and be quick about it.
By @schappim - 9 months
They state: "While the Raspberry Pi 5 is fully capable of smooth 4K playback, Raspberry Pi 4 will not be able to play 4K content due to hardware limitations."

This likely depends on the codec. The Pi 4’s BCM2711 SoC, unlike the BCM2712 in the Pi 5, has hardware support for H.265 (HEVC) up to 4Kp60. However, the Pi 5 can still support H.265 (HEVC) up to 4Kp60 through software-based decoding, thanks to its more powerful CPU and GPU.

By @alias_neo - 9 months
I have no interest in Streamio, but I have really wanted an Android TV OS I can run on commodity hardware for things like Netflix, YouTube et al, I wonder if this might be a suitable solution?

My goal really is to have a sleek, up to date TV OS that doesn't rely on me buying a specific TV or replacing it every 5 years when it stops receiving app updates.

By @synicalx - 9 months
I've been using Stremio for about a year now and have been very happy with it, if I had an Rpi I'd definitely give this a try.
By @aw4y - 9 months
I already use Stremio with LineageOS on Raspberry 4, it's android so you can install a lot of apps directly from the store, stremio included.
By @mavamaarten - 9 months
I wish the app was open source. I have plenty of experience with android and video app development and would love to contribute some features. But alas.

As far as their app goes, it's a really good app though. It brings a better experience than most paid alternatives (Netflix, Prime Video, ...)

By @piyuv - 9 months
You have everything in a single app with somewhat nice UX. If/when someone/a company is able to find a solution to the licensing problem and releases this with a good enough price point, privacy will be ‘solved’
By @h4ch1 - 9 months
Used it for 2 weeks, shows, movies kept buffering even though it's supposed to use BitTorrent. Switched back to popcorn time, no issues since.