Migrate from Ubuntu 22.04 to Debian 13.2 - Config+Channels

Jef Bosk · 2025-11-23T14:06:23+00:00

Hi Tvheadend fans, Due to the fact that a Kodi update for Ubuntu users is only possible with a switch to Flatpak, which for me would mean losing the PVR Re...

userxy79

Yes, building your self means no automatic updates, because you build it yourself.
Yes, this means evry time you need to build new.

But, if you just got used into Build Process you can write your self a little Script that combines all the neccessary Commands to build a new Version and so you just need to runs the Script and, viola, you have an up to date new build.

Jef Bosk

You are right. Still, I am a bit scared of screwing up things. It would be so easy if there was a list of commands to just type one after the other, instead of several IF/THEN's. But I can already say, my htpc is running on wayland protocol 😉

userxy79

I understand you and you have 2 Options.

Option 1 - You install Debian 13 and follow my first suggestion for the migration.

Option 2 - You gain some confidence, familiarize yourself with the topic of Building from Sources, and dare to build from them. Afterwards, you'll be proud of yourself for having accomplished this and will know how to proceed in the future with potentially needed builds where there are no pre-built or maintained packages available.

How you decide and which path you want to take is now up to you. No one can do the work for you, but if you need support, no one will let you down, neither here regarding TVH nor in the Kodi forum regarding Kodi.

And if nobody can explain the whole building process to you so that you understand what you're doing and aren't just blindly following commands, there's always the last resort of AI like ChatGPT, Copilot, or Gemini, which can be quite suitable in their free versions.

Just my 2 Cent`s 😉

Jef Bosk

userxy79, thanks, I appreciate your comments and also the "we won't let you down" 🙂

Actually I was getting myself into the philosophy of compiling Kodi myself, starting from "write down the single commands for myself, out of the Kodi Wiki tutorials".

But "by coincidence", last night I discovered a (maybe) 3rd possibility. Kodi Omega is now appearing as Snap in Ubuntu 22.04. So, maybe there is a smarter/more comfortable solution for me and many other users, instead of switching from Ubuntu to Debian...try to install Omega from snap.

In my case the whole story starts from the fact that since the kodi ppa is not maintained, many users will remain stuck on the actual version, unless they compile kodi themselves or install the Flatpak version. However, the Flatpak version has the disadvantage for all users of TV-Cards like me, that the addon "PVR Recording & Power Manager" does not work under the Flatpak environment anymore.

There would also be a 4th option, but I don't really like it...Install "Flatpak-Kodi" and instead of using Kodi's PVR Recording & Power Manager, type the rtcwake command in terminal manually each time i need the pc to wake up for a recording.
This last option is definitely not smart at all 😉

And for my understanding, the 3rd option would have the advantage that a Kodi installation from snap would make things easier once you upgrade ubuntu to a new release, as applications from snap are "more independent" when is comes to release upgrades? ...Or am I wrong on this?

DeltaMikeCharlie

Jef Bosk the addon "PVR Recording & Power Manager" does not work under the Flatpak environment anymore.

You should consider reporting this to Team Kodi.

Jef Bosk When you start kodi after install for the first time, you come into a loop of "do you want to activate this addon?" and you don't come out from there...it's repeating and repeating...

Have a look on the Kodi forum? Perhaps another user has encountered these symptoms and a solution was posted there.

userxy79

Seems "PVR Recording & Power Manager" automaticly start/shutdown the PC if a recording in TVH is planned/finished and start/shutdown the System for a specific Timeperiod. This is what i have found out in a short search, correct me if i am wrong.

First things first, you are using Ubuntu 22.04 as you sayed and i guess with Kodi 20.2 from official Kodi ppa with build Date 2023-06-30. And also the actually functional Addon PVR Recording & Power Manager.

I use the same Ubuntu 22.04 and Kodi 20.2 from official kodi ppa. It is absoult stable in my case. So, Ubuntu 22.04 Support will end April 2027 and with Ubuntu Pro (freeaccount) it gets updates until April 2032, so in my Case i dont see any real reason to upgrade either Ubuntu or Kodi. Beside the wish to keep everything uptodate wich is just a wish but there is no real need.

So, if everything is running fine in your environment and there is no real specific reason to upgrade to Ubuntu 24.04 LTS or Kodi 21 Omega, is there a real need to do so?

As former Network and Systemadmin, one of the first things i learned the hard way was "Never touch a running System", except you have a good reason 😉

Jef Bosk

userxy79, yes, that's exactely my setup, ubuntu 22.04 with kodi 20.2. And for users with tv cards that addon is just fantastic.

Indeed, I belong to the guys who love to have the new versions...,not to be among the first wave, but maybe at the second wave 😉

And you are right. Indeed I could take this as a "detox" and hold back from updating. After all, the htpc is running very smoothly. So what for? 🤔

I could even subscribe for Pro, it's free and would be set until 2030.
You know what? I'll follow your advice...never change a running system was a good rule not only in the 20th, also in the 21st century! 🙂

Anyway, I installed today the kodi omega version 21.3. from snap on my ubuntu notebook, just to give it a try, and found out, that this option is still not really viable. When you start kodi after install for the first time, you come into a loop of "do you want to activate this addon?" and you don't come out from there...it's repeating and repeating...

Jef Bosk

DeltaMikeCharlie You should consider reporting this to Team Kodi.

Yes, I am also "active" at Kodinerds, where "PvD", the author of the addon is also active. PvD writes, that the problem are the limitations that Flatpak itself imposes. As far as I understand, the addon writes a script to trigger the rtc command, but flatpak is very restrictive and does not allow to write the command outside of the flatpak environment. Flatpak can certainly be duped to write to the RTC, for example, using policies, but PvD does not have the necessary expertise.

DeltaMikeCharlie Have a look on the Kodi forum? Perhaps another user has encountered these symptoms and a solution was posted there.

Not yet. I would have preferred to leave a note to the author, but there is no possibility in Snap to do such a thing. Really pity. Her/his work is rated bad, none knows the reason why. A person investing so much time and work for the comminity for bad votes, not nice 🙁

DeltaMikeCharlie

Jef Bosk Flatpak can certainly be duped to write to the RTC, for example, using policies, but PvD does not have the necessary expertise.

AI suggests using flatpak override --device=rtc.

Jef Bosk

Thanks for the suggestion, unfortunately I do not have the necessary skills to adapt the addon

That thread has no further action since Nov. 2024. I myself posted a question in September 2025 asking "any solution on this?", 214 hits, 0 answers 🙁

userxy79

@"Jef Bosk"

Little Update from my Side, i just switched into my Ubuntu 24.04 on my Laptop to run apt update as i do from time to time and noticed i have not installed Kodi.

So i "apt search kodi* and it sayed kodi 20.2, this means to me that Kodi 20.2 is still under Ubuntu 24.04 Repository the standart package. So i installed Kodi and started it up and it sayed its 20.5 as last Build from mid to end 2024.

So if you really "need" to upgrade Ubuntu from 22.04 to 24.04 and want to install Kodi from official Ubuntu repository its 20.5 wich will be installed and maybe there is a good chance that your "PVR Recording & Power Manager" will still work under last stable 20.x Version in this case 20.5 of Kodi.

Just for your notice 😉

Jef Bosk

Userxy79, let us summarize...first you persuade me, not to change a running system, then you try to convince me to upgrade! 😜

Jokes apart, thanks for testing, good to know.

If I am bored or "inspired" during the coming Xmas holiday, I may upgrade to ubuntu 24. If not, it's a very helpful information for a later upgrade.

By the way, I uploaded the issue direct with the kodi omega snaps author, let's see what the colleague manages to do.

userxy79

😉 Yes, my post is only meant to provide information in case of an "needed" upgrade from 22.04 to 24.04 that Kodi 20.5 can be installed from official ubuntu repository with a good chance your "PVR Recording & Power Manager - Addon" will work and is not intended to encourage upgrading.

Quite apart from that, a system backup of your operating system hard drive, for example using Clonezilla, is never a bad idea before a system upgrade. Even if the upgrade from 22.04 to 24.04 seems safe, something can always go wrong, and problems usually occur when you least expect them or think everything is fine.

It's better to make one backup too many than one too few.

Jef Bosk

👍 no upgrade before imaging, of course. I never needed to restore an image so far, but you never know 🤷‍♂️. I use clonezilla since many many years, just need to watch few movies & delete them afterwards, as I do not have enough space on my backup disk.