This is a modified version of the TIDAL Addon for Kodi.
See changelog.txt for information.
With this method you will get updates automatically.
If you use my TIDAL2 repository, please uninstall this repository before upgrading to Kodi 19 or 20.
After the Kodi update to 19 or 20 you can install the new TIDAL2 addon from zip file as described above, or you can install my new TIDAL2 Repository for Kodi >= 19 and upgrade the TIDAL2 addon from this repository.
The TIDAL2 addon uses the TIDAL web API to browse through your music library and play music and videos. To use this API the addon has to use specific client credential to identify, which kind of device is using the API. This credentials (client ID and client secret) has to be used to log in to TIDAL via the OAuth2 login method.
Because the TIDAL2 addon doesn't contain any IDs and secrets, the user has to provide them to the addon.
The easiest way to find a client ID is to select one from the TIDAL Android app (the original TIDAL APK installation file for Android).
### Prepare the addon for login
1. Download the latest version of the original TIDAL APK file from the internet. To find it, search for "TIDAL apk mirror" in the web.
If you find more than one variant of the APK, use the normal APK version and not the BUNDLE version!
2. Copy the APK file into a folder or on an USB flash drive where your Kodi platform can access this file.
3. Open the addon settings dialog of TIDAL2 and choose "Select device type from TIDAL APK file".
4. A file selector dialog appears where you search for you downloaded TIDAL APK file.
5. After you've selected the APK file, the addon reads the device types out of the APK file and shows them in a selection dialog.
It can take a few seconds on slower platforms until the selection dialog appears, please wait.
6. Select the device type you want to use.
### Use the login page of the TIDAL2 addon
1. Open the addon settings again and go to the "Extended" settings folder.
Remember the value for "IP-Port for internal HTTP Server". The default value is 5555.
2. Close the addon settings.
3. Open the login page on a web browser of your choice (on the same PC or a different device).
Use the IP and the port number of the Kodi device for the URL: http://ip-address:port-no
If Kodi runs on your local PC, you can use http://localhost:5555
4. If you don't known the IP address of your Kodi device, go to the "system info" page of Kodi.
There you will find the network IP address.
The short method:
1. Open the music addon TIDAL2 on Kodi.
2. Select the "Login" item on the home page of the TIDAL2 addon to display the login URL.
3. Open this URL on a web browser of your choice (on the same PC or a different device).
The next actions depend on your selected device type, because they can use different OAuth2 authentication methods.
1. The "Device Code Link" method.
This is the easiest login method. You will get a link like https://link.tidal.com/ACODE which you have to open in a browser. This link will redirect you to a TIDAL web page where you can log in with your username and password. The TIDAL2 addon will detect the successful login and resumes the login session automatically. But you have to know that the code link URL is only valid for 30 seconds. You will get a timeout message if you're not fast enough with your login!
2. The "PKCE" method: (PKCE = Proof Key for Code Exchange)
This method uses a link to open the login page on the TIDAL web site where you have to provide your username and password.
Then the TIDAL web site sends a redirect URL back to the browser which contains a one-time-authorization code to complete the login session.
Your browser can't redirect to this point and shows an "Oops" page.
To complete the login you have to copy the URL from this "Oops" page and paste it to the input field of the TIDAL2 login page.
Then press the login button on the the TIDAL2 web page to complete the login session.
After successful login the TIDAL2 addon will refresh its home page and begins to load all your favorites and playlist entries into a cache.
This will be shown in a progress window. Please wait until the cache is completely build.
### Choosing the right device type (client ID)
There are many device types available, but only a few are truly useful.
This are the device types I prefer:
| Device Type | Login Method | AAC/FLAC
Streams | MQA
Streams | Atmos
played as | Sony 360
played as | Plays HiRes
up to 192kHz |
| ---------------------- | ---------------- | ------------------- | -------------- | ------------------ | --------------------- | --------------------------- |
| Automotive | Device Code Link | https | https | MQA | MQA/FLAC | No |
| Automotive Dolby Atmos | Device Code Link | https | https | Dolby-AC3 | MQA/FLAC | No |
| Default | PKCE | MPEG-Dash | https | MQA | -- | No |
| Hi Res | PKCE | MPEG-Dash | https | FLAC | -- | Yes |
### How to play Hi-Res audio up to 192kHz sample rate
If you want to play Hi-Res audio, which TIDAL supports since the APK version 2.87, you have to select the "Hi Res" device type from the TIDAL APK.
Of course, your playback hardware must be able to play these audio formats. Otherwise it doesn't make any sense.
I've tested this USB-DACs which work well for Hi-Res playback:
- Meridian Explorer 2
- Lotoo PAW S2
- FiiO BTR7
## How to play MPEG-Dash with FLAC content on Linux platforms
I found out that the imputstream.ffmpegdirect addon for Linux platforms isn't able to play MPEG-Dash streams.
The Dash demultiplexer seems not to be compiled into this addon.
This seems to affect all Linux platforms like Ubuntu for PC, Raspi OS for Raspberry Pi 4 or LibreELEC for PC or Raspberry.
Windows, MacOS and Android platforms are not affected and MPEG-Dash streams will work on this platforms with FLAC content.
If you want to play Hi-Res audio with TIDAL2 on a Linux platform, you have to compile the inputstream.ffmpegdirect addon by yourself.
Here is a [short description](README-Dash.md) how I compiled it.