14 DAY TRIAL // The embedded operating system built specifically to run the famous KODI (XBMC) media player solution, OpenELEC, has been upgraded to version 5.0 RC2 and a new image is now ready for testing and download.
Just like with the Kodi (XBMC) project that it's based on, the OpenELEC devs have released a new RC version of their operating system. Everything that is done in the upstream project, in this case XBMC, is usually implemented in OpenELEC as quickly as possible.
Unlike the media hub, which is just an application, OpenELEC is a Linux distribution and it's composed of numerous "moving parts" that also need attention and careful calibration.
It's not enough to just get all the latest Kodi pieces into place, they also need to work with the rest of the core components. You can think that Kodi is basically the desktop environment of the operating system and you will understand why this is not as easy as it seems.
The time for Release Candidates is almost over
The XBMC devs have almost finished the transition to the Kodi name and the project is about to be relaunched under the new designation. OpenELEC will keep its name, but it will include Kodi from now on, which was to be expected.
Now, given the fact that OpenELEC is a distro that can run on pretty much any embedded devices, it's easy to see why devs need to implement all the latest packages, including the Linux kernel.
"The OpenELEC 4.97 release series are test releases (release candidates) for OpenELEC-5.0. OpenELEC-5.0 will be the next stable release, which is a feature release and the successor of OpenELEC-4.2. The headline change is the big switch from XBMC to Kodi branding. Both project teams have conducted a major find/replace but if you spot residual mentions of XBMC anywhere please let us know."
"Other notable 'under the hood' changes include a version bump from v3.16 to v3.17 Linux kernel, and a switch from OpenSSL to LibreSSL following the heartbleed disclosure. The LibreSSL package includes better licensing and allows OpenELEC to be simplified by removing support for other cryptographic libraries such as GnuTLS," is noted on the website.
Devs also say that FFMpeg has been updated to version 2.4.4, the Mesa drivers are now at version 10.3.5, a new Kodi base is used, and a few other fixes have been implemented.
More details about the changes and improvements can be found in the official announcement. You can download OpenELEC 5.0 RC2 right now from Softpedia, but you also have to keep in mind that this is not a regular image. Still, you can run it from a USB key by using the regular tools.
