This repository contains a comprehensive archive of 35+ XBMC skins, showcasing the evolution of media center interface design from the Xbox Media Center era. These skins represent the creative work of numerous developers and designers who contributed to the XBMC community, preserving a vital piece of home theater PC history.

🎨 Skin Gallery

This collection includes 35+ unique skins, each with their own distinctive visual style and user interface approach.

Featured Skins

Back-Row

The most actively developed skin in the collection

Multiple versions supporting XBMC releases from Dharma through Jarvis

Xperience 1.1

Feature-rich skin with stunning visual effects

Extensive graphics library with over 3000+ assets

Ellipsis

Minimalist elegance meets functionality

Clean, modern interface focused on content

Other Notable Skins

Skin	Description
Project Mayhem Series	Project Mayhem I, II, and III - Evolution of a classic design
MediaStream	Clean, modern interface with streaming focus
MC360	Xbox 360-inspired dashboard design
Fusion	Dynamic visual effects and transparency
TheOrbs	Unique circular design elements

📦 Complete Skin Collection

Click to view all 35+ skins

Skin Name	Skin Name	Skin Name
amped	Basics-101	Basics-Vision
BLUEblack	CEOMR	Clearity
Containment	Empty	MARK-III
MediaPortalX	MiniMeedia	Mint
PDM	skin.Connected	T9
Vision	Vision2	Visor
xbmcTV	Xbox-Classic	xForm
Xii	XMBOX	xTV

🛠️ Utilities

XBMC Skin Manager - Python-based tool for managing and switching between skins

📐 Skin Architecture

XBMC skins follow a modular structure with multiple components:

skin-name/
├── 📄 skin.xml              # Skin metadata and info
├── 🎨 media/                # Graphics, icons, backgrounds
├── 📝 *.xml                 # Window layouts and UI definitions
├── 🔤 fonts/                # Custom TTF font files
├── 🔊 sounds/               # UI feedback sound effects
├── 🎨 colors/               # Color scheme definitions
└── 📺 Resolution folders/   # PAL, NTSC, 720p, 1080i, etc.

Key Components

Component	Description
XML Layouts	Define UI structure, controls, and window behavior
Media Assets	PNG/JPG images for backgrounds, buttons, and icons
Fonts	Custom typography with TTF files
Sounds	WAV audio files for user feedback
Colors	Theme-able color schemes
Multi-Resolution	Support for PAL, PAL16x9, NTSC, NTSC16x9, 720p, 1080i

📜 Historical Context

XBMC (Xbox Media Center) began as a media player application for the first-generation Xbox console in 2002. What started as a modded Xbox app evolved into one of the most popular media center platforms, eventually becoming Kodi in 2014.

The skinning system was revolutionary for its time, allowing users to completely customize every aspect of their media center interface. This repository preserves these skins as a snapshot of media center UI design from the golden age of home theater PCs.

Legacy & Impact

Many of these skins influenced:

🎯 Modern Kodi skin designs
🖥️ Other media center applications
📱 Smart TV interfaces
🎮 Gaming console media apps

👥 Authors & Contributors

This collection represents work from 20+ talented developers and designers who contributed to the XBMC community.

See AUTHORS.md for the complete list of contributors from the original SourceForge repository.

Notable contributors include: blackbolt, blittan, ceomr, jezz_x, jmarshallnz, spiff_, teamblackbolt, and many more!

🚀 Usage

⚠️ Note: These skins were designed for older versions of XBMC and may not be compatible with modern versions of Kodi without modification.

Exploring the Collection

To explore a skin's structure:

📁 Navigate to the skin directory
📄 Review the skin.xml file for metadata
🖼️ Examine XML files for window layouts
🎨 Browse the media folder for graphical assets
🎨 Check resolution folders (PAL, NTSC, 720p, 1080i) for layouts

For Developers

These skins serve as excellent reference material for:

Understanding XBMC/Kodi skin architecture
Learning classic UI/UX patterns
Studying media center interface design
Inspiration for modern skin development

📋 Compatibility

✅ Compatible With

XBMC versions (mid-2000s - early 2010s)
Codenames: Dharma, Eden, Frodo, Gotham, Helix, Isengard, Jarvis
Original Xbox, Windows, Linux, Mac platforms

⚠️ Limited/No Support

Modern Kodi versions (Matrix, Nexus, Omega+)
Requires significant modification for current releases
Different skinning engine in modern Kodi

🤝 Contributing

This is primarily a historical archive maintained for preservation and educational purposes.

We welcome contributions of:

📦 Additional XBMC skins from this era
🐛 Bug fixes and corrections
📝 Documentation improvements
📖 Historical information and context

📄 License

Licensing varies by skin. Please check individual skin directories for specific license information. This repository is maintained for historical, educational, and preservation purposes.

🌟 Star this repository to preserve XBMC history! 🌟

This repository serves as a historical archive of the XBMC skinning community's creative contributions.

From Xbox to the world — the legacy lives on 🎮 ➜ 🖥️ ➜ 📺

Languages

C# 48.5%

Python 41%

Batchfile 3.3%

HTML 2.3%

Shell 1.8%

Other 3%