janvda/kodi repository overview

⁠docker-kodi

⁠Preinstallation

Assure that a keyboard and mouse is connected to your Kodi device so that you have a way to configure Kodi.

Note that adding a keyboard/mouse when Kodi container is already running won't work. In that case you have to stop and start Kodi.

⁠Installation

1. Logon (ssh) to the machine where you want to run kodi
2. pull my latest kodi version from docker hub

docker pull janvda/kodi:2.2.3

1. launch kodi using x11docker. E.g.

x11docker --backend=docker   --xorg  -xc  -I       \
            --pulseaudio                           \
            --gpu                                  \
            --wm=none                              \
            --user=jan                             \
            --home=/home/jan/kodi-jan/home2         \
            -- -v kodi-jan-media2:/media:ro -v /run/user/1001/pulse/native:/x11docker/pulseaudio.socket -p 8090:8080 --      \
            janvda/kodi:2.2.3 &

1. Exit the shell (command exit) - this will assure that kodi keeps on running.

⁠Kodi-remote app

Using the Official Kodi Remote app from App Store you can control Kodi.

To use this you first need to enable "remote" control in Kodi

1. via Settings >Services > Control:
   1. web server > Allow remote control via HTTP
   2. Application Control > Allow remote control from applications on other systems.

⁠TED add-on installation

1. install the zip version you find in the /add-ons/ folder

⁠VRT MAX add-on installation

1. Install the zip version you find in the /add-ons folder
2. Configure it with your VRT max username and password
3. Try playing a file this should install widevine
4. It is normal that playing won't work - you have to stop and start kodi to get it working !!

⁠Troubeshooting

The log file can be found in folder ~/.kodi/temp/kodi.log

Enter following command in attached shell

more ~/.kodi/temp/kodi.log

⁠Change History

• 2.2.3 (2025-04-26): updated vrt max version to 2.5.37+matrix.1 in /add-ons folder
• 2.2.2 (2025-04-26): added video ted addon version 5.0.1 iso 5.0.0 to /add-ons folder
• 2.2.1 (2025-04-23): installed also mesa-va-drivers mesa-vdpau-drivers
• 2.2.0 (2025-04-21): Kodi version 20.5 on ubuntu release noble-20250404
• 2.1.0 (2023-06-12): added latest version of vrt nu add-on in /add-ons folder
• 2.0.0 (2023-06-12): Kodi version 20.0 on ubuntu release lunar, TED add-on in /add-ons folder
• 1.1.0 (2022-06-28): Kodi version 19.4 - having problems with TED, VRT max.
• 1.0.0 (2022-06-25): First version

⁠Original Readme from erichough/kodi

Here below the original README.md from erichough/kodi

Dockerized Kodi⁠ with audio and video.

⁠Features

• fully-functional Kodi⁠ installation in a Docker⁠ container
• audio (ALSA or PulseAudio⁠) and video (with optional OpenGL hardware video acceleration) via x11docker⁠
• simple, Ubuntu-based image that adheres to the official Kodi installation instructions⁠
• clean shutdown of Kodi when its container is terminated

⁠Host Prerequisites

The host system will need the following:

1. Linux and Docker⁠

   This image should work on any Linux distribution with a functional Docker installation.

2. A connected display and speaker(s)

   If you're looking for a headless Kodi installation, look elsewhere!

3. X⁠ or Wayland⁠

   Ensure that the packages for an X or Wayland server are present on the Docker host. Please consult your distribution's documentation if you're not sure what to install. A display server does not need to be running ahead of time.

4. x11docker⁠

   x11docker allows Docker-based applications to utilize X and/or Wayland on the host. Please follow the x11docker installation instructions⁠ and ensure that you have a working setup⁠ on the Docker host.

⁠Usage

⁠Starting Kodi

Use x11docker to start the erichough/kodi Docker image. Detailing the myriad of x11docker options is beyond the scope of this document; please consult the x11docker documentation⁠ to find the set of options that work for your setup.

Below is an example command (split into multiple lines for clarity) that starts Kodi with a fresh X.Org X server with PulseAudio sound, hardware video acceleration, a persistent Kodi home directory, and a shared read-only Docker mount for media files:

$ x11docker --xorg                                 \
            --pulseaudio                           \
            --gpu                                  \
            --homedir /host/path/to/kodi/home      \
            -- -v /host/path/to/media:/media:ro -- \
            erichough/kodi
       

Note that the optional argument passed between a pair of -- defines additional arguments to be passed to docker run.

⁠Stopping Kodi

You can shut down Kodi just as you normally would; i.e. by using the power menu from the Kodi home screen. Behind the scenes, the Docker container and x11docker processes will terminate cleanly.

You can also terminate the container from the command line⁠.

⁠Example systemd Service Unit

[Unit]
Description=Dockerized Kodi
Requires=docker.service
After=network.target docker.service

[Service]
ExecStartPre=/usr/bin/docker pull erichough/kodi
ExecStart=/usr/bin/x11docker ... erichough/kodi
Restart=always
KillMode=process

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

⁠Advanced

The advanced topics⁠ documentation describes a few more useful features and functionality:

• Custom add-ons⁠
• Image Variants⁠
• Custom Startup Behavior⁠
• Command-Line Shutdown⁠

⁠Help!

Something not working quite right? Are you stuck? Please ask your questions in the discussion group⁠, where we exchange help and share ideas.

⁠Contributing

Constructive criticism and contributions are welcome! Please submit an issue⁠ or pull request⁠.