The PreShow Experience add-on for Kodi is a robust tool designed to elevate your home theater ambiance, effectively replicating the immersive atmosphere of a movie theater. True to its name, this add-on recreates the pre-movie experience akin to what you'd encounter in a classic cinema. Consequently, prior to the main feature, viewers can relish trailers, advertisements, and even tailor-made intros that establish the mood for the film.

Moreover, PreShow Experience empowers users to tailor their movie-watching journey to their liking. You can construct sequences of  trailers, slideshows, or trivia segments to play before or after the film, thereby crafting a personalized cinematic adventure. The add-on goes the extra mile by enabling the creation of themed pre-shows, complete with launching home automation and external lighting. This feature adds depth to the overall mood and amplifies the anticipation for the main attraction.

In essence, the PreShow Experience add-on for Kodi offers a distinctive and adaptable movie-watching adventure, rekindling the thrill and anticipation of visiting a traditional movie theater. Its capacity to automate the experience, generate thematic pre-shows, and seamlessly integrate with other Kodi add-ons renders it an invaluable tool for anyone aiming to enrich their home theater experience.

PreShow is designed for use with movies on your local network and is not compatible with streaming Kodi addons.

Kodi Version Compatibility

PreShow Experience is compatible with Kodi 19 Matrix and Kodi 20 Nexus. 

You can open the settings for PreShow Experience a few different ways.

1. If you go to your add-ons page you can right click on the add-on and select Settings.

2. Alternatively, you can click on the add-on to open the Sequence Editor and click the Settings icon in the top right. 

3. You can also go to the add-on information page and select Configure.

Continue to General Settings

1. Create a new text document.
2. Input the command that you want to use.
3. Save the file as <file_name>.action in the Actions directory of your PreShow Experience content folder.
4. You can also find pre-built Actions for different home automation solutions in the Downloads section of our website.
5. If you have any improvements or new Actions that you create, please share them with us. We can host them on the site for others to use.

Action Files use the following Syntax, Methods, and Protocols:

• Syntax:

  • Use "#" at the beginning of a line to ignore the contents of that line.
  • Use "<protocol>://" at the beginning of a line to specify the protocol for that command.
  • Use "<method>:" at the beginning of a line to specify the method for that command.

• Protocols:

  • Currently supported protocols:
    • "http://" or "https://": Passes JSON commands via a URL.
    • "addon://": Runs a script or add-on.
    • "command://": Runs a command or application at the OS level and pass arguments.
    • "module://": Runs a Python script with a main() method that is imported and called.
    • "python://": Run a Python script.
    • "sleep://<milliseconds>": Pauses the Action File for the specified time in milliseconds.

• Methods:

  • Currently supported methods to communicate with the target device or application:
    • "HEADERS:": Sends header information.
    • "POST:": Sends a POST command to create information.
    • "PUT:": Sends a PUT command update information.
    • "DELETE:": Sends a DELETE command to delete information.

Actions in Action Files can be single-line or multiple-line commands. Blank lines are used to separate commands. The first line of any Action is the Execution Line. The line following the Execution Line can be a Headers Line or a Data Line.

• Headers Line: Specifies the content type or any other headers. Prefix the line with "HEADERS:".
• Data Line: Used to pass arguments or data. Prefix the line with the desired Method ("POST:", "PUT:", or "DELETE:"). If no method is specified, the default method used is POST.

Examples

Example 1: Sending a JSON command via URL

# This is a comment
http://api.example.com/endpoint?param1=value1&param2=value2

Example 2: Running a script or add-on by add-on ID with arguments

addon://1234567890?arg1=value1&arg2=value2

Example 3: Running a command or application at the OS level with arguments

command://path/to/executable --option1 value1 --option2 value2

Example 4: Running a Python script with a main() method that is imported and called

module://path/to/script.py

Example 5: Calling a normal Python script via the operating system

python://path/to/script.py

Example 6: Adding a sleep (pause) of 500 milliseconds before moving to the next action

sleep://500

Example 7: Sending a POST command with data and headers to activate a Home Assistant Webhook

https://YOUR_DNS_HOSTNAME.com/api/services/scene/turn_on
HEADERS: {"Authorization": "Bearer LLATStringOfRandomCharacters", "Content-Type": "application/json"}
POST: {"entity_id": "scene.movie_start"}

Example 8: Sending a PUT command to change Hue brightness

http://<hue-bridge-ip>/api/<hue-bridge-user>/groups/<hue-light-group>/action
PUT:{"on":true,"bri":40,"transitiontime":10}

Example 9: Sending a PUT command to turn off Hue light

http://<hue-bridge-ip>/api/<hue-bridge-user>/groups/<hue-light-group>/action
PUT:{"on":false,"transitiontime":30}

These examples demonstrate various use cases and combinations of syntax, methods, and protocols in Action Files.

The latest PreShow Experience zip is available here:

Installing PreShow Experience

Once you have downloaded the zip for PreShow Experience, you are ready to open Kodi and install the add-on.  You'll start by changing Kodi's setting so that you can install 3rd party add-ons.

1. Open Kodi and then from the home screen click the Settings icon.  Your screens may look different if you have a different skin installed.

2. Click the System

3. Navigate to the Add-ons section and find Unknown Sources on the right. If it’s disabled, select it to enable it.

4. Click Yes to the warning prompt.

4. Then go back to the System page and select Add-ons.

5. Then select Install from zip file.  Navigate to your downloaded file and select it.

6. PreShow Experience will then be installed and you'll be ready to configure it.

Please note that the context menu will not load until Kodi has been restarted.

Uninstalling PreShow Experience

1. To uninstall PreShow Experience, navigate to your add-ons and right click on PreShow Experience and select Information.   

2. Then click Uninstall to remove PreShow Experience.

1. In the Kodi settings page, click System

2. Navigate to the Add-ons section and find Unknown Sources on the right. If it’s disabled, select it to enable it.

4. Click Yes to the warning prompt.

Add the PreShow Repository source

1. Go to your Kodi settings page and click File manager.

2. On the left side, click  menu and click Add source.

3. The Add file source popup window will appear. Then click <None>.

4. Enter the source URL of https://preshowmedia.com/repo/ in the path field, then click OK. 

5. Next, type the source’s name, PreShow Repo, in the media source field and click OK.

7. Click the OK option below the source input box.  You have now successfully added the PreShow source Next, we will install the repository.

Part 2: Installing the PreShow Repository

1. Go to the Kodi Settings page and click Addions.

2. Select Install from zip file.

3. Next, click PreShow Repo, or whatever you named the source.  Note that there may be a lot of other options on this screen.

4. Then, click on repository.preshow-###.zip.

5. You now have the repository installed and are ready to install PreShow Experience from it.

Part 3: Installing PreShow Experience

1. Go back to the Addons main page and click the Install from Repository option.  Then select PreShow Repository

2. Select Program add-ons.

3. Next, click the PreShow Experience.

4. Finally, click the Install button in the bottom right to install PreShow Experience from the repository

PreShow Experience settings and editors can be accessed from the Kodi Home-screen > Addons> Programs Add-ons.

This module is only recommended for advanced users.

Action modules allow you to add dynamic functionality to your sequence, including changing settings in Kodi or interacting with your home automation.

Action scripts must be configured outside of the sequence editor and saved in your action folder of your PreShow sequence.

More information about creating action files can be found here:

This module will display a video based on the detected audio format of your feature film.  You must have audio format bumpers in your content folder to display these.  Audio Format Bumpers can be downloaded here:
https://preshowexperience.com/files/category/5-audio-format/

Settings for this module include:

• Method - The default is Auto select from source.  Other options include Choose format and Choose file.  If file is selected, a new option of Path will appear below 

  • File - Select the video that you would like to play

• Fallback - You can choose a file or format here in case your video doesn't match any of existing audio bumpers.

• Format - Select a default format folder to be played

• Play 3D if 3D Feature - Select a default single video file to be played.

• Volume (% of current) - Sets the volume for the audio format bumpers

Dolby Atmos and DTS:X are not currently detected in Kodi.  In order to properly trigger those animations, your movie file name must include "atmos" or "dtsx" to show the appropriate video.

This module includes your feature film and ratings, if you choose to show them.

Settings for this module include:

• Count - The number of movies you want to show.

• Rating Bumper - You must have ratings content in your content folder to display these.  Options include:

  • Default - Use whatever you have selected in your PreShow settings.

  • Video - Show only videos from your ratings bumper content folder

  • Image - Show only images from your ratings bumper content folder

  • None - Don't show ratings

• Ratings Style Selection 

  • Default - Use whatever you have selected in your PreShow settings.

  • Random - Randomly pick from any files that you have in your ratings bumper content folder

  • Style - Creates an additional option of Rating Style

    • Ratings Style -Select a single folder from your ratings bumper content

• Volume (% of current)

This module is required to be in every sequence.

This modules allow you to set up loops in your sequences.

This you to set loops in your sequence or skip content before your first or last movie in your queue.

Settings for this module include:

• Direction - Back or Skip

• Number of modules - Number of modules to jump back or forward

• Condition - Set the condition for the loop

  • Duration 

  • Time of Day

  • Number of loops

  • Feature queue is full (This requires your to have your feature count set to greater than 1.)

  • Feature queue is empty

Module Settings

Note that all slideshows need to be in a sub-folder in the Slideshow content folder.

Order - Alphabetical or random.   If a directory isn't selected with the option below, alphabetical folder-filename for order.

Select Slideshow Directory 

• Default - randomly select images from all the folders in your Slideshow content folder.

• Directory - Reveals Directory (in slideshow folder) below.

  • Directory (in Slideshow folder) - Select the Slideshow folder in your content settings that you want the sequence to pull from.  The sequence will only select files from this folder.  It currently allows you to select any folder.  If you select a folder that's outside of your Slideshow folder the sequence will not play trivia.

Duration - Set the max duration you would like your slideshows to run.   Note that your slideshow will stop after all images have been displayed, even if this time has not been exceeded

Question duration- Set how long you would like your images to be on screen.

Transition - Transition between slides.  Options include fade, slide up, slide down, slide right and slide left.

Transition duration (milliseconds) - Set the transition time between slides.

Music

Music - Select your music source if you want to play music during your slideshow.  Options include:

• None - No music will be played

• Content - This will play from the music folder in your PreShow content folder.

• Directory - This will play from the folder selected below in Music: Path.

• File - This will play the track selected below in Music: File.

Music: Path - Select a folder that contains your music that can be anywhere.

Music: File - Select a single file to play with your music.