jfabernathy commented

(Migrated from codeberg.org)

I think butterknife would be a great starting point for any Debian built because of the BTRFS -Timeshift install automatically being done.

I've had good luck using Butterbian-XFCE4, but not much luck starting a KDE Plasma install with butterknife. I can't seem to get the right meta package to install Plasma on a butterknife terminal install. whatever I do misses all the video decoders so video playback is very bad.

I have good luck using the net install of Debian and then select KDE Plasma at the tasksel part of the install, but then I have to do all the btrfs stuff.

There seems to be a bunch of stuff that the net expert install of Debian installs that adds the video decoder stuff before tasksel installs Plasma.

So this issue is mostly my lack of knowledge of how to proceed from the minimal terminal install of butterknife to a desktop.

Not asking for a butterknife option for KDE, but just need to understand what's missing to get to a full install.

I think butterknife would be a great starting point for any Debian built because of the BTRFS -Timeshift install automatically being done. I've had good luck using Butterbian-XFCE4, but not much luck starting a KDE Plasma install with butterknife. I can't seem to get the right meta package to install Plasma on a butterknife terminal install. whatever I do misses all the video decoders so video playback is very bad. I have good luck using the net install of Debian and then select KDE Plasma at the tasksel part of the install, but then I have to do all the btrfs stuff. There seems to be a bunch of stuff that the net expert install of Debian installs that adds the video decoder stuff before tasksel installs Plasma. So this issue is mostly my lack of knowledge of how to proceed from the minimal terminal install of butterknife to a desktop. Not asking for a butterknife option for KDE, but just need to understand what's missing to get to a full install.

justaguylinux commented

2026-05-23 18:33:06 +00:00

(Migrated from codeberg.org)

Let me think about this because you bring up a very real and interesting idea. What if you want to install vanilla (XFCE,KDE,GNOME) prior to first session when btrfs kicks in.

In the meantime and with KDE. I am adding to the README soon with.

# Firmware + video acceleration + codecs (what the Debian installer
# adds behind the scenes when you tick "Desktop" in tasksel)
sudo apt install \
    firmware-linux firmware-linux-nonfree \
    intel-media-va-driver-non-free mesa-va-drivers mesa-vdpau-drivers \
    libavcodec-extra ffmpeg  firmware-intel-graphics \
    gstreamer1.0-plugins-good gstreamer1.0-plugins-bad \
    gstreamer1.0-plugins-ugly gstreamer1.0-libav

Then pick a desktop:

sudo apt install task-kde-desktop
sudo apt install task-gnome-desktop
sudo apt install task-cinnamon-desktop
sudo apt install task-mate-desktop

Let me think about this because you bring up a very real and interesting idea. What if you want to install vanilla (XFCE,KDE,GNOME) prior to first session when btrfs kicks in. In the meantime and with KDE. I am adding to the README soon with. ```bash # Firmware + video acceleration + codecs (what the Debian installer # adds behind the scenes when you tick "Desktop" in tasksel) sudo apt install \ firmware-linux firmware-linux-nonfree \ intel-media-va-driver-non-free mesa-va-drivers mesa-vdpau-drivers \ libavcodec-extra ffmpeg firmware-intel-graphics \ gstreamer1.0-plugins-good gstreamer1.0-plugins-bad \ gstreamer1.0-plugins-ugly gstreamer1.0-libav ``` # Then pick a desktop: sudo apt install task-kde-desktop sudo apt install task-gnome-desktop sudo apt install task-cinnamon-desktop sudo apt install task-mate-desktop

jfabernathy commented

2026-05-23 21:31:59 +00:00

(Migrated from codeberg.org)

I've been testing by installing the missing packages you listed above before I install task-kde-desktop. However, so far I'm still missing something for my system. The PC is a NUC n100, so not old hardware. When I install with net-install like you show in a lot of minimal installs with btrfs it works if I select kde plasma in the tasksel page where you uncheck all the desktops to get your minimal system. Installing KDE this way gets me what I need.

I'm using an open source DVR project, MythTV. In the player is a status screen that shows Video Decoders. With a good install it shows a long list of VAAPI related codecs. In that mode I can select VAAPI hardware or FFMEG/opengl and the video is good. But using butterknife I can't get good performance with the video even when the packages you listed above are install. And the Video Decoder status page shows none available.

So I have a solution, but I like the butterknife concept, but need to find what is missing. As you know it only takes one package to be missing.

I've been testing by installing the missing packages you listed above before I install task-kde-desktop. However, so far I'm still missing something for my system. The PC is a NUC n100, so not old hardware. When I install with net-install like you show in a lot of minimal installs with btrfs it works if I select kde plasma in the tasksel page where you uncheck all the desktops to get your minimal system. Installing KDE this way gets me what I need. I'm using an open source DVR project, MythTV. In the player is a status screen that shows Video Decoders. With a good install it shows a long list of VAAPI related codecs. In that mode I can select VAAPI hardware or FFMEG/opengl and the video is good. But using butterknife I can't get good performance with the video even when the packages you listed above are install. And the Video Decoder status page shows none available. So I have a solution, but I like the butterknife concept, but need to find what is missing. As you know it only takes one package to be missing.

jfabernathy commented

2026-05-23 22:42:25 +00:00

(Migrated from codeberg.org)

More testing. I just installed a Butterbian-XFCE4 system on the same N100 NUC and without installing anything but the .deb for MythTV, the mythfrontend player works perfectly. I not only have the VA-API decoder choices, but I also have VDPAU decoders. On this hardware there is very little difference in performance between VAAPI hardware decoding and the OpenGL FFMPEG in software.

My next test will be to install task-kde-desktop over what I have and see if that works.

More testing. I just installed a Butterbian-XFCE4 system on the same N100 NUC and without installing anything but the .deb for MythTV, the mythfrontend player works perfectly. I not only have the VA-API decoder choices, but I also have VDPAU decoders. On this hardware there is very little difference in performance between VAAPI hardware decoding and the OpenGL FFMPEG in software. My next test will be to install task-kde-desktop over what I have and see if that works.

jfabernathy commented

2026-05-23 23:04:49 +00:00

(Migrated from codeberg.org)

As expected mythfrontend on KDE Plasma worked this time. So whatever video drivers/libraries are install with Butterbian-XFCE4 are the ones needed to be installed on Butterknife before installing task-kde-desktop or any other DE.

justaguylinux commented

2026-05-23 23:29:21 +00:00

(Migrated from codeberg.org)

I got it. firmware-intel-graphics is missing. Adding to butterknife 0.2.4

jfabernathy commented

2026-05-24 00:30:56 +00:00

(Migrated from codeberg.org)

So that worked. I had to install your original list above and add the firmware-intel-graphics.

I also had to install xdg-user-dirs and then run xdg-user-dirs-update as my user.

So that worked. I had to install your original list above and add the firmware-intel-graphics. I also had to install xdg-user-dirs and then run xdg-user-dirs-update as my user.

justaguylinux commented

2026-05-24 01:50:44 +00:00

(Migrated from codeberg.org)

That's confusing. I would have thought KDE would have installed that.

jfabernathy commented

2026-05-24 11:01:36 +00:00

(Migrated from codeberg.org)

I did a full install test again and used the readme comments about firmware and drivers before installing task-kde-desktop. Just ssh'ed into the target N100 from my workstation and cut/pasted the missing packages.

Worked perfectly.

FYI, I've found that if I use a desktop KDE Plasma 6 on Debian is great. BUT, I add Krohnkite KWIN script to add tiling like a WM. I then edit the virtual desktops for the number I want (Workspaces) and edit the keyboard shortcuts in KWIN to match your Meta-sequence and I have the best of both worlds.

I did a full install test again and used the readme comments about firmware and drivers before installing task-kde-desktop. Just ssh'ed into the target N100 from my workstation and cut/pasted the missing packages. Worked perfectly. FYI, I've found that if I use a desktop KDE Plasma 6 on Debian is great. BUT, I add Krohnkite KWIN script to add tiling like a WM. I then edit the virtual desktops for the number I want (Workspaces) and edit the keyboard shortcuts in KWIN to match your Meta-sequence and I have the best of both worlds.

Rows
Columns

Using terminal mode install (0 WM)? #4

Then pick a desktop: