How to Install Kodi (a media player), FireStarter (a launcher replacment) and use an External Hard Drive for Media Content.
Page 2 of 2Method 2: Using an NTFS Formatted Hard Drive - Step 1.
Let's format a hard drive using NTFS. Download the NTFS for Mac program at MacUpdate. It does have a trial version. If you're going to purchase it you might want to go through MacUpdate as well. Once you've downloaded the program double click it.
Install the program.
Once it has finished it will show you where it places its icon in System Preferences. Click the Restart button.
When your Mac reboots launch System Preferences. You'll see NTFS for Mac OS X in your bottom row of icons. Click it.
In the Volumes tab you'll see your hard drive. Click Erase (Format)...
In the File System drop down box select Windows NT Filesystem. Then name the hard drive and click Erase.
Once it's completed click Done. Now add your content to this hard drive.
Step 2.
Now we need another program by Paragon to run on the Fire TV. This will mount your hard drive so that Kodi can see it. The program is called Paragon exFAT, NTFS & HFS+. You can read about the program at the Google Play store here, but you can't download it there because you need the apk file to sideload on the Fire TV.I downloaded this program from APK Pure here.
Now if you didn't read the Method 1 instructions, you will need to read steps 1 through 5 as they discuss the installation and use of a program called adbFire which is how I sideload applications onto the Fire TV. I'm not going to cover that again here.
Click the Install APK button. If you are watching the screen shots very closely you can ignore the fact that my IP address has changed. I have multiple Fire TVs that I work on.
Navigate to the file, select it and click Open.
Once it has finished installing you can close adbFire.
Launch the Paragon NTFS & HFS+ program.
You will be prompted to allow root access so click GRANT.
Using a mouse or trackpad to click the Next button.
At this screen click YES. If you don't the NTFS hard drive won't mount.
A couple messages will appear about superuser access being granted, and permissive mode being set. The hard drive is now mounted. You can exit the program at this point.
Step 3.
Launch Kodi. This is what you'll see on the initial start up.
Here's the default screen. There are themes available. Kodi will start checking for various updates and add ons and it will take two or three minutes to do this so let it continue.
Select VIDEOS and then Files.
Click Files.
Click Add videos...
In the Add Video source screen click the Browse button.
Click External storage.
If your hard drive is mounted you'll see ParagonNTFS in this list.
Scroll down to ParagonNTFS and press the Select button to open it.
In the Browse for new share screen you may only see ... in the list (although you could see folders here if you've organized your hard drive this way). Click the OK button on the right.
In the Add Video source screen click the Add button.
You can enter a name for your media source below. I chose HD Movies. Then click OK.
At the Set content screen under "This directory contains" I selected Movies. Under "Choose a scraper" I selected The Movie Database. Then I clicked OK. Be warned that when using The Movie Database it can get movies wrong and not only provide incorrect movie artwork, but it will also rename your movie to something else (not on the hard drive, just in the interface). If you don't like what it did, then just uninstall Kodi, when prompted delete the data it added, and then reinstall it.
You'll now see your new media source in the Video - Files screen. Click it.
Not only will you have great artwork to go with the movies in your list, you'll also have HD labels next to your HD content in case you mix it with SD content like I'll be doing.
Additional random information
If you're an iPhone or iPad user don't forget to get the Fire TV and Kodi remote control applications in the App Store. They are very handy for text input among other things.Here's the Kodi Wiki. I'm not going to go over how to setup and configure Kodi so you may want to read some more here.