It runs well on what (by Intel Atom standards) are relatively underpowered OpenGL 1.3 (with GLSL support), OpenGL ES 2.0 or Direct3D (DirectX) 9.0 capable systems that are IA-32 x86, x86-64, ARM (AArch32 and AArch64), or PowerPC G4 or later CPU based. Powerful 3D GPU chips are common today in most modern computer platforms, including many set-top boxes, and XBMC, now Kodi, was from the start designed to be otherwise very resource-efficient, for being as powerful and versatile a framework as it is. Since the XBMC for Xbox version was never distributed, endorsed, or supported by Microsoft, it always required a modchip or softmod exploit to run on the Xbox game-console. The Xbox version of XBMC had the ability to launch console games, and homebrew applications such as emulators. The ending of Xbox support by the original project was also the reason that it was renamed XBMC from the old Xbox Media Center name, and why it later was renamed Kodi. Kodi also functions as a game launcher on any operating system.
Unlike other media center applications such as Windows Media Center, MediaPortal and MythTV, Kodi does not include its own internal digital TV-tuner code for Live TV or DVRPVR recording functionality, as instead it acts as a unified DVRPVR front-end with an EPG TV-Guide GUI interface which, via a common API, abstracts and supports multiple back-ends via PVR client add-ons from third parties, with those running either locally on the same machine or over the network. The later versions also have a personal video-recorder (PVR) graphical front end for receiving live television with electronic program guide (EPG) and high-definition digital video recorder (DVR) support. Kodi is customizable: skins can change its appearance, and plug-ins allow users to access streaming media content via online services such as Amazon Prime Instant Video, Crackle, Pandora Internet Radio, Rhapsody, Spotify, and YouTube. It allows users to play and view most streaming media, such as videos, music, podcasts, and videos from the Internet, as well as all common digital media files from local and network storage media. Please help improve it by removing promotional content and inappropriate external links, and by adding encyclopedic content written from a neutral point of view. October 2019 ) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message ). Please improve this by adding secondary or tertiary sources.