We hope you've had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

As you may have noticed, we didn't release an OSMC update in November. After a lot of hard work, OSMC's slightly belated December update is here with Debian Stretch and Kodi 17.6. This yields a number of improvements, and is one of our largest OSMC updates yet:

  • Better performance
  • A larger number of software packages to choose from
  • More up to date software packages to choose from

We'd like to thank everyone involved with testing and developing this update.

Here's what's new:

Bug fixes

  • Fixed degraded performance when using WebDAV shares in Kodi
  • Fix VPN DNS leaks caused by running OpenVPN independently of ConnMan
  • Fix an issue which caused missing CEC options under Settings -> Peripherals on some platforms
  • Fix an issue which would cause VC-1 encoded content to stutter if played back at its native refresh rate on Vero 4K
  • Fix an issue which could cause further flickering during HDR playback on Vero 4K
  • Fixed an issue with ARM-accelerated versions of selected functions from <string.h> on Raspberry Pi
  • Fix an issue which prevented remotes from working correctly when built with kernel headers > 4.4 on experimental versions of OSMC with Debian Stretch
  • Fix an issue where OSMC my not reconnect to WiFi when upgrading the ConnMan package
  • Fixed an issue causing poor GUI sound response on Vero 4K
  • Fixed an issue with the OSMC installer caused by a Windows 10 update which prevents writing to removable media
  • Fixed an issue which prevented Netflix from working on Vero 4K in Kodi Leia nightly builds
  • Fix a number of issues which prevented Bluetooth A2DP streaming from working reliably
  • Fix an issue which prevented external DACs and Bluetooth audio streaming from working on Kodi Leia nightly builds for Raspberry Pi
  • Fix a regression with legacy (2009 era Philips TVs) that misadvertise support for their colour space on Vero 4K
  • Fix an issue where multi-channel audio may be incorrectly mapped on Vero 4K
  • Fix an issue where some HDR videos would not activate HDR mode on a compatible set automatically on Vero 4K

Improving the user experience

  • Added initial support for OpenVPN to OSMC
  • Improved stability of MT7610U based wireless devices
  • Ensure that there is enough free space before attempting to update OSMC to a major new release
  • Updated BlueZ to version 5.43 for improved Bluetooth device compatibility
  • Set sysctl variables on a per-device basis instead of with a global package for improved performance
  • Added support for 2nd generation OSMC RF Remote Control.
  • Improved out of the box playback for Vero 4K to reduce buffering and utilise a larger sized cache by default
  • Improved WiFi connection reliability
  • Added support for FreeWay T3 RF/IR Air-Mouse
  • Reduced filesystem size by improving APT cache cleanup routines
  • Added CVBS video output support for Vero 4K
  • Added initial support for international keyboard layouts

Miscellaneous

  • Add system uptime to OSMC logs
  • Add USB/IP support for Vero 4K
  • Updated to Kodi version v17.6
  • Add initial support for initramfs on PC
  • Updated Transmission Torrent Client to version 2.92
  • Use secure (HTTPS) links when fetching kernel sources
  • Add Multiple Device support and improved crytography for Vero 4K
  • Ensure that OSMC does not bundle man pages with ConnMan by default
  • Updated to ConnMan 1.35
  • Added support for ext4 filesystem improvements with updated e2fsprogs.
  • Added support for sound sequencing for Vero 4K
  • Added support for custom branding (boot screens) on Vero 4K

Wrap up

This is a large OSMC update and will take some time to install on your system; depending on the number of packages installed on your system and the quality of your peripherals (i.e. SD card).

We will maintain an upgrade path for OSMC users on October 2017 or earlier until 31st December 2018. After this point, it will not be possible to update from an older version of OSMC without a reinstallation.

To get the latest and greatest version of OSMC, simply head to My OSMC -> Updater and check for updates manually on your exising OSMC set up. Of course — if you have updates scheduled automatically you should receive an update notification shortly.

If you enjoy OSMC, please follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook and consider making a donation if you would like to support further development.

You may also wish to check out our Store, which offers a wide variety of high quality products which will help you get the best of OSMC.