Kodi: Screen blacks out for 3 seconds when PC can't log on to Steam

Dave3000

Golden Member
Jan 10, 2011
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When I'm in Kodi, whether watching a movie or in the interface, I noticed that the reason why sometimes my screen blacks out for 3 seconds is because my PC can't login to Steam in the background. This happened when my internet connection was out and lately Steam is asking for my login info and I think that's when my screen is blacking out for 3 seconds. Is there a way for Kodi to not let programs running in the background in Windows interfere with Kodi. It's annoying when watching a movie through Kodi and my screen blacks out for 3 seconds because my PC did not make a connection to Steam.
 

SMOGZINN

Lifer
Jun 17, 2005
14,202
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It is not going to be a part of Kodi but your OS. This is caused by a notification trying to pop-up during a full screen playback. If you are using Windows go into the notifications properties and tell it to not show any notifications.
 

Dave3000

Golden Member
Jan 10, 2011
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I tried Kodi4Launcher and it's causing Kodi to freeze up on me after around 5 seconds from starting Kodi as a quick launch item in the taskbar. This is from starting Kodi as a quick launch item in the taskbar. If I launch Kodi through the shortcut keys that Kodi4Launcher assigns to launch Kodi after Kodi4Launcher loads up then no freezing, but I must waiting about 5 seconds for Kodi4Launcher to load up in the background after Windows startup or else the assigned shortcut keys for Kodi4Launcher won't launch Kodi4Launcher and do the normal function for Windows. I don't want to wait an extra 5 seconds after Windows startup so I can launch Kodi through this launcher, I just want to start Kodi as soon as Windows starts up without waiting for programs to load up in the background.
 

Dave3000

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Jan 10, 2011
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Also since this is a general purpose PC, I prefer to keep the Windows desktop interface as my default interface and just launch Kodi manually whenever I want to use Kodi, so that means I will have to wait for Kodi4Launcher to load up before I can run Kodi through Kodi4Launcher.
 

Dave3000

Golden Member
Jan 10, 2011
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I uninstalled Kodi4Launcher and Kodi is still freezing up on me shortly after Kodi starts up. However I don't get the screen blackout so I think some stuff from Kodi4Launcher are still in my system since this freezing happened ever since installing Kodi4Launcher but not starting Kodi through Kodi4Launcher.
 

Dave3000

Golden Member
Jan 10, 2011
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I disabled Steam from loading when Windows starts and that seems to have fixed the issue. For some reason Steam wanted me to manually login again about a week ago even when I had Steam set to log on automatically when Windows starts. Why can't Windows just give priority for running programs in full screen, such as Kodi in real full screen mode. If it weren't for Openelec changing the time in Windows each time I boot into Windows after using Openelec I would be still using Openelec instead of Kodi but I'm not going to get rid of Windows on my PC as I also game on it.
 

poofyhairguy

Lifer
Nov 20, 2005
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Use the Steam plugin for Kodi and then you can just launch Steam when you need it. That is what I do.
 

Dave3000

Golden Member
Jan 10, 2011
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Use the Steam plugin for Kodi and then you can just launch Steam when you need it. That is what I do.

This is a general purpose PC as I do office work on it as well. The Windows desktop interface is quicker to access my office apps, internet browsing, and games on Origin and Uplay. Kodi is not the primary use of my PC, office work is. I can also quick launch Kodi from the desktop interface pressing a button from my remote.
 

poofyhairguy

Lifer
Nov 20, 2005
14,612
318
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This is a general purpose PC as I do office work on it as well. The Windows desktop interface is quicker to access my office apps, internet browsing, and games on Origin and Uplay. Kodi is not the primary use of my PC, office work is. I can also quick launch Kodi from the desktop interface pressing a button from my remote.

Sure, just saying that if you are using Steam for "couch gaming" Kodi can pull it up in big picture mode if you want.