Installation

Installation

This page covers what TinyPPI needs, how to install and update it, and where it keeps its data.

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Requirements

Requirement	Details
Operating system	CoreELEC 22 or later. TinyPPI checks for /etc/coreelec (or a coreelec entry in /etc/os-release) and for a Kodi major version of 22 or higher before it opens a view. On anything else it shows "Only CoreELEC 22 or later is supported".
Kodi	Kodi 22 (the add-on imports xbmc.python 3.1.0).
Hardware	An Amlogic device running CoreELEC. The Amlogic driver supplies the display mode, pixel format, EOTF/gamut and Dolby Vision state; VS10 switching writes to the Amlogic Dolby Vision driver.
Skin	A skin with a 1080i layout (Estuary and most current skins). A skin that ships a 720p folder is refused with "720p skins are not supported".
Dependency	script.module.sidedata 1.6.0 or later. It parses the raw Dolby Vision / HDR side data CoreELEC 22 publishes. Kodi installs it together with TinyPPI as a declared dependency.
Network (dashboard only)	A phone, tablet or laptop on the same local network as the box. No internet access is needed.

Why CoreELEC 22? All Dolby Vision and HDR readings come from Player.Process(video.sidedata), an InfoLabel CoreELEC 22 introduced. It carries the raw RPU, the dvcC/dvvC configuration record, the HDR10+ payload and the static SEIs of the frame being decoded, which is what lets the overlay follow the stream frame by frame instead of probing the file.

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Install from the repository (recommended)

1. In Kodi open Settings → File manager → Add source.
2. Enter the repository URL and give the source a name (for example jamal2362):

   https://ce-repo.github.io/repository.jamal2362/
   

3. Go to Settings → Add-ons → Install from zip file and pick the source you just added.
4. Install the repository ZIP file it contains.
5. Go to Install from repository, open the repository, choose Program add-ons → TinyPPI and select Install.
6. Confirm the dependency list (it includes script.module.sidedata).

Installing from the repository is what keeps TinyPPI updated: Kodi checks the repository and installs new versions on its own, following your Settings → System → Add-ons → Updates choice.

If Install from zip file is greyed out or blocked, enable Settings → System → Add-ons → Unknown sources first.

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After installing

TinyPPI has two parts:

• A background service that starts with Kodi. It publishes the color theme, registers the overlay's fonts in the active skin, runs the codec-logo splash, owns the web dashboard and opens views quickly when asked to. It is running whenever the add-on is enabled.
• The script you launch (from a keymap, the add-on list or another add-on). It asks the service to open the overlay or the VS10 dialog; see Launching and Keymaps.

Nothing has to be configured before first use. Start a video, switch to fullscreen, and launch TinyPPI. The defaults are listed in the Settings Reference.

On first start after an update the service may print a few log lines such as "carried N color setting(s) over to the color picker" (colors from versions before 2.14.0 are converted once) or "removed N outdated cached logo texture(s)". Both are expected.

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Updating

• From the repository: automatic, or Add-ons → My add-ons → Program add-ons → TinyPPI → Update.
• Settings are kept across updates. Settings removed in a newer version are ignored, and color values from older versions are migrated.
• The What's new text in the add-on information shows the changes of the installed version only. Older versions are listed on the Release History page.

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Uninstalling

Add-ons → My add-ons → Program add-ons → TinyPPI → Uninstall. Kodi asks whether to remove the add-on's data as well. If you keep it, the data folder below stays in place.

TinyPPI also adds two font entries (font23_narrow at 21 px and font32 at 32 px, both using Kodi's own arial.ttf) to the active skin's Font.xml. They are harmless when unused, and a skin update or reinstall replaces Font.xml anyway.

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Where TinyPPI keeps its data

Path (CoreELEC)	Contents
/storage/.kodi/addons/script.tinyppi/	The add-on itself. Replaced on every update, so do not edit files here.
/storage/.kodi/userdata/addon_data/script.tinyppi/settings.xml	Your settings, including the dashboard access token.
/storage/.kodi/userdata/addon_data/script.tinyppi/imax_titles.txt	Optional. Your own additions to the IMAX title list (see IMAX Detection). Survives updates.
/storage/.kodi/userdata/addon_data/script.tinyppi/scaled_images/	Codec logos scaled down to their on-screen size. A cache: deleting it is safe, and it is rebuilt when needed.
/storage/.kodi/temp/kodi.log	Kodi's log. Every TinyPPI line starts with TinyPPI (see Troubleshooting).

On other Kodi installs the same folders live under Kodi's userdata directory (special://profile/addon_data/script.tinyppi/).

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Next: Getting Started