CoreElec and web browsers

x86 uses xorg, I believe, which allows you to run windowed applications in Linux.
ARM devices don’t implement any window management systems, which means you can’t run a graphical web browser from Kodi.
As @ilovele already mentioned, your only solution at this time is by using Docker.

Thanks everybody. @TheCoolest, it would theorically possible to integrate xorg/X server in the jeOS ?
In case, the chromium launcher could eventually work?

I can’t answer this with 100% certainty, but from what I understand, ARM Kodi won’t work with a window system.
I assume this is part of the reason why not one has integrated any window systems into ARM OE/LE/CE yet.

Got it, thanks. I wonder if it could be possible to use a framebuffer-based web browser such as netsurf (http://www.netsurf-browser.org) in form of add-on.
I might ask to the authors if it might be technically feasible.

According to this thread https://forum.libreelec.tv/thread/234-running-xorg-on-raspberry-pi-through-docker/?pageNo=1 its working. But without mouse input and hardware acceleration. There is also an addon by awiouy maybe someone is willing to continue the project.

This is possible with CEF. But its not done yet.
http://esmasol.de/open-source/kodi-add-on-s/chromium-web-browser/

Hi folks,
tried to contact Alwin Esch in order to understand whether the KODI web browser project is still active or not, but so far got no response… I guess the project might have been discontinued. :frowning:

I, know, this is older thread, but I’v seen one video, that possible in LE : run chrome browser with addon. Maybe the CE devs can build this addon to CE ? Run Chrome in kodi LE

That’s only possible on x86 devices.

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How about Wayland?
AFAIK Wayland was added to Kodi recently.
Does Wayland supported for Amlogic SoCs?

I’m searching for some form of simple browser support within CE/Kodi to get around an Xfinity sign on issue. My daughter just moved into a new apartment building that offers free wifi, but you still need a valid Xfinity account. It’s rather odd but I’ve seen this setup before at free wifi locations where it seems to connect with no username or password but when you launch a browser you get an Xfinity sing on page. Any solution to be able to get this working for her?

Buy a PC or revert her back to Android.

Shoog

Not really a user friendly solution but it might be possible to bypass it using curl or similar tool via command line and then have it autorun on boot or via cron. Something similar to what this guy has done for debian jessie. Unfortunately not all the tools required for that are directly available for CE so it would require some modification, assuming it works.

Other possibility would be to try some text-based browser via entware (elinks,lynx etc.).

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please there is a method that allow us to install a web browser on coreelec ?

No. There are no we browsers designed to work directly with the framebuffer.

Shoog

Well, there are a few… I have no idea how modern they are, though.

See slides 14 and 15 from the “Back to the Linux Framebuffer” presentation from FOSDEM 2020:

https://archive.fosdem.org/2020/schedule/event/fbdev/attachments/slides/3595/export/events/attachments/fbdev/slides/3595/fosdem_2020_nicolas_caramelli_linux_framebuffer.pdf

Someone should try for example NetSurf in docker. But as you already pointed out the question is how modern this browsers are.

The real issue here is that the framebuffer is unique to the hardware and so needs unique coding to make it work. So its not really possible to make a universal web browser to work with the framebuffer.

this is what the x-server or wayland brings to the table - an abstraction layer which isolates the web browser from the hardware layer.

Shoog

If you’re not aiming for any acceleration or compositing, though, isn’t the framebuffer just an array of pixels?

Ask the team of CE how easy it is to talk directly to the framebuffer. There is no inbuilt management to that address space so you can have multiple subprocesses “possessing” it at any given moment. Then there is the whole issue of creating a unique windowing system to make the web browser work.

The reason that its not done is because its difficult and a functionality that has no real place in a media-center. If this functionality is important then forgo the optimization offered by CE and run Kodi under Android. No one is going to re-invent the wheel for a handful of users.

Shoog