Kodi is one of the most popular media center apps with over 30 million active monthly users worldwide. The open-source platform allows you to access free movies, TV shows, live sports, and more.
One of the best parts of Kodi is the vast ecosystem of third party video addons that provide on-demand and live streaming content. While Kodi itself is 100% legal, some of these unofficial addons offer pirated material.
In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll walk you through installing one of the top Kodi addons right now called Diamond. You‘ll learn everything about this addon including steps for setup, features, safety, legal status, and more.
The pros and cons of third party Kodi addons
Kodi is an open platform that encourages development of third party addons to enhance functionality. However, since these addons are not officially approved, there are some risks to consider:
Pros
- Access to unlimited movies, shows, sports, etc.
- Work on low-powered devices like Firestick
- Constantly updated with new content
- User friendly interfaces and navigation
Cons
- Legal gray area depending on content offered
- Potential to contain malware or tracking
- Break easily and can be difficult to troubleshoot
- Requires extra installation steps compared to official addons
While unofficial addons do pose some concerns, thousands of users safely access them everyday. With sound privacy practices, you can minimize risk and enjoy the extensive libraries these addons provide.
Why Diamond is considered one of the best video addons for Kodi
The Diamond addon is a fork of the popular Shadow addon that was discontinued. Diamond provides very similar functionality and layout to Shadow which many users loved.
Some key features that make Diamond a top choice include:
- Constantly updated Movies, TV Shows, Sports, Kids, Music, Fitness and more sections
- High quality source links from Debrid services like Real-Debrid
- Advanced filters for finding content like sort by quality, release date, etc.
- Minimal buffering and fast streaming even at peak times
- Regular updates from the active development team
- Intuitive categories for Movies, TV, Sports, Documentaries, and Live TV
Diamond also integrates Trakt for tracking what you watch and Real Debrid for premium file hoster and torrent streams. Overall, Diamond offers an exceptional viewing experience and stands out as a must-have addon.
Has Kodi grown in popularity over the past 5 years?
Absolutely. The advent of cord cutting and growth of streaming has driven increasing adoption of Kodi. Some key stats:
- Kodi users have grown 73% from 2017 to 2022 [Source: Comparitech]
- Active monthly Kodi users reached 30 million in 2022, up from 25 million in 2019 [Source: Kodi]
- 69% of Kodi users access unauthorized streams and addons [Source: Sandvine]
- Top devices for running Kodi are Amazon Fire TV Stick, Android smartphones, Android TV boxes, PC, and Raspberry Pi [Source: Kodi]
Kodi saw massive growth around 2015 and 2016 as streaming went mainstream. While there have been some plateaus, the platform continues to expand, especially in emerging markets across Asia and South America.
Much of Kodi‘s popularity stems from the many unofficial addons that allow users to cut the cord from cable and watch practically anything they want. Diamond is one of the newer addons that has quickly built a strong userbase.
A major downside to addons like Diamond is the legally questionable content they provide access to. However, there are still ways to use these addons safely:
- Stream content in the public domain – classic movies, old TV shows, retro sports, etc.
- Use addons purely for discovery – bookmark titles then stream from a legitimate source.
- Avoid recently released movies still in theaters.
- Never download/store illegal content, only stream.
- Enable parental controls if sharing access with kids.
- Use a reliable VPN to mask your identity and traffic.
- Access content legally available in your geographic region.
While no method is completely foolproof given the nature of these addons, following common sense practices minimizes your exposure. As always, use third party Kodi addons at your own discretion.
Step-by-step guide for installing Diamond Kodi addon on Firestick / Fire TV
Now that you understand the key considerations around Diamond, let‘s go through the installation process. This will work on any Fire TV device as well as Android TV Boxes.
Prerequisites
Before installing Diamond, ensure:
- Latest version of Kodi is installed
- You have enabled Unknown Sources in Settings > System > Add-ons
- Reliable high-speed internet connection
- A VPN is strongly recommended – see my guide for best Kodi VPNs
Here are the steps:
- Open Kodi and click the Settings icon in the top left
- Go to File Manager > Add Source > None
- Enter the source URL http://repo.rubyjewelwizard.com
- Name the media source (e.g. "Diamond") and click OK
- Return back to the main Kodi menu
- Hover over Add-Ons and open Package Installer
- Select Install from Zip File
- Click the media source name you created earlier
- Install the Diamond-Repo-Installer.zip file
- Wait for the Add-on enabled notification
- Launch Install from Repository > Diamond Build Repo > Video Add-ons
- Install Diamond – Shadow Fork
- Wait for Add-on enabled message again
That‘s it! Diamond should now be installed and ready to use in Kodi.
To get high-quality streams, you‘ll want to authorize your Real-Debrid account in Diamond:
- Go to Diamond Addon Settings > Accounts
- Select Real-Debrid
- Enter your Real-Debrid username and password
- Input the authentication code displayed on the Real-Debrid website
Now you can access ultra fast Real-Debrid streams. This optional step significantly improves streaming buffering issues.
Using a VPN for privacy and security with third party Kodi addons
Since Diamond provides access to pirated material, I strongly recommended using a VPN for all your Kodi activity. A VPN will anonymize your streaming and prevent your ISP from seeing what you access.
My top choice is Surfshark due to the blazing speeds, unlimited device connections, and low cost.
Follow the steps below to get protected:
- Sign up for Surfshark and download the Android APK file
- Install and open the Surfshark app on your device
- Log into your Surfshark account
- Connect to a server of your choice
Now all of your Kodi traffic will be encrypted and routed through the VPN server. This prevents monitoring, throttling, and blocks geo-restrictions.
You can learn more about choosing the best VPN for privacy in my detailed guide here.
Troubleshooting tips for installing Diamond
Here are some common issues and fixes when installing Diamond:
Can‘t enter the Diamond repository URL – Try a different web browser within Kodi like Chrome or Firefox. The default built-in browser sometimes has issues.
Add-on not enabled error – First clear the Kodi cache in Settings > Apps > Kodi > Clear Cache. Also ensure Kodi and the Diamond repo are up to date.
Unknown sources won‘t enable – This is usually due to an incorrect Kodi installation for the platform. Try reinstalling Kodi from the official source for your device.
Buffering and lagging streams – Diamond is very dependent on having a fast internet connection. Try wired over WiFi if possible. Also enable a Debrid service.
Can‘t find Diamond addon – It‘s possible the developers took it down temporarily. Check the Diamond Discord channel for support and updates direct from the team.
General issues – Uninstall Diamond, restart your device, reinstall the addon. This typically resolves most intermittent problems.
Closing recommendations for safely enjoying Diamond
The Diamond Kodi addon provides exceptional streaming content from movies to live sports. However, due to the nature of unauthorized addons, take precautions to protect yourself:
- Use a VPN like Surfshark to anonymize all Kodi activity
- Enable parental controls if kids use your device
- Scan devices periodically for malware with Antivirus apps
- Avoid downloading pirated content and only stream
- Limit usage of Diamond and other high-risk addons
With sound privacy practices, Diamond offers an amazing cord cutting experience. I hope this detailed guide gave you everything needed to successfully install Diamond and start streaming. Feel free to contact me if you have any other questions!
