Kodi unable to start GUI

[Pitel]

RPi 3B+, freshly installed Raspbian Buster minimal/lite.

When I try to start kodi from console, I get error: "unable to start gui, exiting"

Googling, I found it's probably the missing xserver. So, what is the minimal package needed for this?

Also, shouldn't it be a dependency for kodi package?

[Pitel]

Hmm, xinit package make startx works, but Kodi still doesn't.

[Rascas]

Kodi available on Buster is still the Debian generic version, not optimized for the Pi. For it to work you have to select the opensource video drivers aka as VC4 FKMS or VC4 KMS. It will be slow and without HW video decoding. You will have to wait for a RPi optmized version.

[madjo1983]

Kodi available on Buster is still the Debian generic version, not optimized for the Pi. For it to work you have to select the opensource video drivers aka as VC4 FKMS or VC4 KMS. It will be slow and without HW video decoding. You will have to wait for a RPi optmized version.

Hi,

I have the same issue. Raspberry Pi 3 B+.
From console, the launching Kodi generates an error: ERROR: Unable to create GUI. Exiting
From X, it runs but taks almost 97%CPU and is very slow.

Could you explain more this topic about opensource video drivers VC4 FKMS or VC4 KMS ?
Will it allow a launch from console ?

Cheers,
Orlando

[Rascas]

In raspi-config. Search the forum s for more info, there is alot in here already.

[madjo1983]

I saw some posts.
I tried some stuff.
Is there a command line to know if VC4 FKMS or VC4 KMS are activated ?

Thanks.

[madjo1983]

I saw some posts.
I tried some stuff.
Is there a command line to know if VC4 FKMS or VC4 KMS are activated ?

Thanks.

sudo nano /boot/config.txt

Should appear:
dtoverlay=vc4-kms-v3d

[madjo1983]

Kodi available on Buster is still the Debian generic version, not optimized for the Pi. For it to work you have to select the opensource video drivers aka as VC4 FKMS or VC4 KMS. It will be slow and without HW video decoding. You will have to wait for a RPi optmized version.

Is this a better idea to install stretch raspian version instead and use 18.2 Kodi version with usual parameters ?

[Rascas]

Kodi available on Buster is still the Debian generic version, not optimized for the Pi. For it to work you have to select the opensource video drivers aka as VC4 FKMS or VC4 KMS. It will be slow and without HW video decoding. You will have to wait for a RPi optmized version.

Is this a better idea to install stretch raspian version instead and use 18.2 Kodi version with usual parameters ?

Yes.

[Enigma776]

Just encountered this issue my self but can not find a way to install kodi 18.2 is there a known repository or command to install 18.2?

[Pander]

See also https://bugs.launchpad.net/raspbian/+bug/1834970