OliveTin EZ-Start: A New Way to Deploy OliveTin-for-Channels Using Just Two Environment Variables to Get Started!

Playground
,
#221

Thanks for the push. I found I had installed a non-lts version of portainer. I removed it and reinstalled the lts version (latest) and reinstalled a trimed down OliveTin without useing EzStart. Still messing around with email but otherwise I think I am in a stable state. Thanks again. If you see anything, let me know. I am learning!

Checking your OliveTin-for-Channels installation...
(extended_check=false)

OliveTin Container Version 2026.04.23
OliveTin Docker Compose Version 

----------------------------------------

Checking that your selected Channels DVR server (192.168.1.62:8089) is reachable by URL:
HTTP Status: 200 indicates success...

  % Total    % Received % Xferd  Average Speed   Time    Time     Time  Current
                                 Dload  Upload   Total   Spent    Left  Speed
100  1276  100  1276    0     0   425k      0 --:--:-- --:--:-- --:--:--  623k
HTTP Status: 200
Effective URL: http://192.168.1.62:8089/

----------------------------------------

Checking that your selected Channels DVR server's data files (/mnt/192.168.1.62-8089) are accessible:
Folders with the names Database, Images, Imports, Logs, Movies, Streaming and TV should be visible...

total 8
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 Mar 29 22:35 .
drwxr-xr-x 1 root root 4096 May  2 02:31 ..
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root    0 May  1 09:04 Database
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root    0 May  2 02:31 Images
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root    0 Oct 14  2023 Imports
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root    0 Apr 29 23:01 Logs
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root    0 May  2 01:00 Metadata
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root    0 Mar 29 22:35 Movies
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root    0 Mar 29 22:35 Streaming
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root    0 Apr 25 23:59 TV

Docker reports your current DVR_SHARE setting as...
/var/lib/docker/volumes/channels-dvr/_data

If the listed folders are NOT visible, AND you have your Channels DVR and Docker on the same system:

Channels reports this path as...
D:\DVR

When using WSL with a Linux distro and Docker Desktop, it's recommended to use...
/mnt/d/DVR

----------------------------------------

Checking that your selected Channels DVR server's log files (/mnt/192.168.1.62-8089_logs) are accessible:
Folders with the names data and latest should be visible...

total 12
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 Apr 29 08:00 .
drwxr-xr-x 1 root root 4096 May  2 02:31 ..
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root    0 Apr 12 08:00 2026.04.12.0247
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root    0 Apr 21 08:00 2026.04.21.0659
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root    0 Apr 22 08:00 2026.04.21.2033
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root    0 Apr 23 08:00 2026.04.23.0705
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root    0 Apr 25 08:00 2026.04.25.0633
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root    0 Apr 27 08:00 2026.04.26.0749
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root  829 Apr 29 08:00 Channels DVR Server.lnk
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root    0 May  2 02:24 data
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root    0 Apr 29 08:00 latest

Docker reports your current LOGS_SHARE setting as...
/var/lib/docker/volumes/channels-dvr-logs/_data

If the listed folders are NOT visible, AND you have your Channels DVR and Docker on the same system:

Channels reports this path as...
C:\ProgramData\ChannelsDVR

When using WSL with a Linux distro and Docker Desktop, it's recommended to use...
/mnt/c/ProgramData/ChannelsDVR

----------------------------------------

Checking if your Portainer token is working on ports 9000 and/or 9443:

Portainer http response on port 9000 reports version 2.39.1
Portainer Environment ID for local is 3
Portainer https response on port 9443 reports version 2.39.1
Portainer Environment ID for local is 3

----------------------------------------

Here's a list of your current OliveTin-related settings:

HOSTNAME=olivetin
CHANNELS_DVR=192.168.1.62:8089
CHANNELS_DVR_ALTERNATES=
CHANNELS_CLIENTS=
ALERT_SMTP_SERVER=smtp.gmail.com:587
ALERT_EMAIL_FROM=[Redacted]@gmail.com
ALERT_EMAIL_PASS=[Redacted]
ALERT_EMAIL_TO=[Redacted]@att.net
UPDATE_YAMLS=true
UPDATE_SCRIPTS=true
PORTAINER_TOKEN=[Redacted]
PORTAINER_HOST=192.168.1.86
PORTAINER_PORT=9443
PORTAINER_ENV=3

----------------------------------------

Here's the contents of /etc/resolv.conf from inside the container:

# Generated by Docker Engine.
# This file can be edited; Docker Engine will not make further changes once it
# has been modified.

nameserver 127.0.0.11
search localdomain
options edns0 trust-ad ndots:0

# Based on host file: '/etc/resolv.conf' (internal resolver)
# ExtServers: [host(127.0.0.53)]
# Overrides: [search]
# Option ndots from: internal

----------------------------------------

Here's the contents of /etc/hosts from inside the container:

127.0.0.1       localhost
::1     localhost ip6-localhost ip6-loopback
fe00::  ip6-localnet
ff00::  ip6-mcastprefix
ff02::1 ip6-allnodes
ff02::2 ip6-allrouters
172.27.0.3      olivetin
#222

Better, but the above indicates you're using an even older version of the OliveTin Docker Compose (as now there's no version number showing at all). I've been pointing you to the latest one, but I'll post it here as well.:

services:
  olivetin: # This docker-compose typically requires no editing. Use the Environment variables section of Portainer to set your values.
    # 2025.08.25
    # GitHub home for this project: https://github.com/bnhf/OliveTin.
    # Docker container home for this project with setup instructions: https://hub.docker.com/r/bnhf/olivetin.
    image: bnhf/olivetin:${TAG:-latest} # Add the tag like latest or test to the environment variables below.
    container_name: ${OLIVETIN_NAME:-olivetin}${EZ_START}
    hostname: ${OLIVETIN_NAME:-olivetin}${EZ_START}
    dns_search: ${DOMAIN:+${DOMAIN}} # For Tailscale users using Magic DNS, add your Tailnet (tailxxxxx.ts.net) to use hostnames for remote nodes, otherwise use your local domain name.
    ports:
      - ${HOST_PORT:-1337}:1337
    environment:
      - OLIVETIN_COMPOSE=2025.08.25${EZ_START} # Do not change this value.
      - CHANNELS_DVR=${CHANNELS_DVR_HOST}:${CHANNELS_DVR_PORT:-8089} # Add your Channels DVR server in the form CHANNELS_DVR_HOST=<hostname or ip> and CHANNELS_DVR_PORT=<port>.
      - CHANNELS_DVR_ALTERNATES=${CHANNELS_DVR2_HOST:+${CHANNELS_DVR2_HOST}:${CHANNELS_DVR2_PORT}}${CHANNELS_DVR3_HOST:+ ${CHANNELS_DVR3_HOST}:${CHANNELS_DVR3_PORT}} # Space separated list of alternate Channels DVR servers to choose from in the form hostname:port or ip:port.
      - CHANNELS_CLIENTS=${CHANNELS_CLIENTS} # Space separated list of Channels DVR clients you'd like notifications sent to in the form hostname or IP.
      - ALERT_SMTP_SERVER=${ALERT_SMTP_SERVER} # SMTP server to use for sending alert e-mails. smtp.gmail.com:587 for example.
      - ALERT_EMAIL_FROM=${ALERT_EMAIL_FROM} # Sender address for alert e-mails.
      - ALERT_EMAIL_PASS=${ALERT_EMAIL_PASS} # SMTP "app" password established through GMail or Yahoo Mail. Do not use your everyday e-mail address.
      - ALERT_EMAIL_TO=${ALERT_EMAIL_TO} # Recipient address for alert e-mails.
      - UPDATE_YAMLS=${UPDATE_YAMLS:-true} # Set this to true to update config.yaml.
      - UPDATE_SCRIPTS=${UPDATE_SCRIPTS:-true} # Set this to true to update all included scripts.
      - TZ=${TZ} # Add your local timezone in standard linux format. E.G. US/Eastern, US/Central, US/Mountain, US/Pacific, etc.
      - PORTAINER_TOKEN=${PORTAINER_TOKEN} # Generate via <username> dropdown (upper right of WebUI), "My account", API tokens.
      - PORTAINER_HOST=${PORTAINER_HOST:-$CHANNELS_DVR_HOST} # Hostname or IP of the Docker host you're running Portainer on.
      - PORTAINER_PORT=${PORTAINER_PORT:-9443} # https port you're running Portainer on. 9443 is the default.
      - PORTAINER_ENV=${PORTAINER_ENV:-2} # Set this is if you're using an alternate Portainer Environment for some reason. 2 is the default.
      - PERSISTENT_LOGS=${PERSISTENT_LOGS:-false} # For supported Actions, log files are retained on an ongoing basis. false is the default.
    volumes:
      - ${HOST_DIR:-/unused}${HOST_DIR:+/olivetin:/config} # Add the parent directory on your Docker host you'd like to use.
      - ${DVR_SHARE:-/unused}${DVR_SHARE:+:/mnt/${CHANNELS_DVR_HOST}-${CHANNELS_DVR_PORT}} # This can either be a Docker volume or a host directory that's connected via Samba or NFS to your Channels DVR network share.
      - ${LOGS_SHARE:-/unused}${LOGS_SHARE:+:/mnt/${CHANNELS_DVR_HOST}-${CHANNELS_DVR_PORT}_logs} # This can either be a Docker volume or a host directory that's connected via Samba or NFS to your Channels DVR logs network share.
      - ${TUBEARCHIVIST_SHARE:-/unused}${TUBEARCHIVIST_SHARE:+:/mnt/${CHANNELS_DVR_HOST}-${CHANNELS_DVR_PORT}_ta} # This can either be a Docker volume or a host directory that's connected via Samba or NFS to your TubeArchivist videos network share.
      - ${DVR2_SHARE:-/unused}${DVR2_SHARE:+:/mnt/${CHANNELS_DVR2_HOST}-${CHANNELS_DVR2_PORT}} # Note that these volume mounts should always be to /mnt/hostname-port or /mnt/ip-port (dash rather than a colon between).
      - ${LOGS2_SHARE:-/unused}${LOGS2_SHARE:+:/mnt/${CHANNELS_DVR2_HOST}-${CHANNELS_DVR2_PORT}_logs} # This can either be a Docker volume or a host directory that's connected via Samba or NFS to your Channels DVR logs network share.
      - ${TUBEARCHIVIST2_SHARE:-/unused}${TUBEARCHIVIST2_SHARE:+:/mnt/${CHANNELS_DVR2_HOST}-${CHANNELS_DVR2_PORT}_ta} # This can either be a Docker volume or a host directory that's connected via Samba or NFS to your TubeArchivist videos network share.
      - ${DVR3_SHARE:-/unused}${DVR3_SHARE:+:/mnt/${CHANNELS_DVR3_HOST}-${CHANNELS_DVR3_PORT}} # Note that these volume mounts should always be to /mnt/hostname-port or /mnt/ip-port (dash rather than a colon between).
      - ${LOGS3_SHARE:-/unused}${LOGS3_SHARE:+:/mnt/${CHANNELS_DVR3_HOST}-${CHANNELS_DVR3_PORT}_logs} # This can either be a Docker volume or a host directory that's connected via Samba or NFS to your Channels DVR logs network share.
      - ${TUBEARCHIVIST3_SHARE:-/unused}${TUBEARCHIVIST3_SHARE:+:/mnt/${CHANNELS_DVR3_HOST}-${CHANNELS_DVR3_PORT}_ta} # This can either be a Docker volume or a host directory that's connected via Samba or NFS to your TubeArchivist videos network share.
      - /var/run/docker.sock:/var/run/docker.sock
    restart: unless-stopped

  static-file-server:
    image: halverneus/static-file-server:latest
    container_name: ${SFS_NAME:-static-file-server}${EZ_START}
    dns_search: ${DOMAIN}
    ports:
      - ${HOST_SFS_PORT:-0}:8080
    environment:
      - FOLDER=${FOLDER:-/web}
    volumes:
      - ${HOST_DIR:-/unused}${HOST_DIR:+/olivetin/data:${FOLDER:-/web}}
    restart: unless-stopped

#0#volumes: # Remove the #x# to enable. Use this section if you've setup a docker volume named channels-dvr, with CIFS or NFS, to bind to /mnt/dvr inside the container. Set ${DVR_SHARE} to channels-dvr (DVR_SHARE=channels_dvr) in that example.
  #1#channels-dvr:
    #1#external: true
  #2#channels-dvr-logs:
    #2#external: true
  #3#tubearchivist:
    #3#external: true
  #4#channels-dvr2:
    #4#external: true
  #5#channels-dvr2-logs:
    #5#external: true
  #6#tubearchivist2:
    #6#external: true
  #7#channels-dvr3:
    #7#external: true
  #8#channels-dvr3-logs:
    #8#external: true
  #9#tubearchivist3:
    #9#external: true

Your current set of env vars are probably fine, but here's the sample set, in the event you want to compare them to what you've defined:

TAG=latest
DOMAIN=localdomain tailxxxxx.ts.net
HOST_PORT=1337
CHANNELS_DVR_HOST=local-server
CHANNELS_DVR_PORT=8089
CHANNELS_DVR2_HOST=another-server
CHANNELS_DVR2_PORT=8089
CHANNELS_DVR3_HOST=a-third-server
CHANNELS_DVR3_PORT=8089
CHANNELS_CLIENTS=appletv4k firestick-master amazon-aftkrt
ALERT_SMTP_SERVER=smtp.gmail.com:587
[email protected]
ALERT_EMAIL_PASS=xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[email protected]
UPDATE_YAMLS=true
UPDATE_SCRIPTS=true
TZ=US/Mountain
HOST_DIR=/data
DVR_SHARE=/mnt/dvr
LOGS_SHARE=/mnt/channelsdvr
TUBEARCHIVIST_SHARE=/mnt/dvr
DVR2_SHARE=
LOGS2_SHARE=
TUBEARCHIVIST2_SHARE=
DVR3_SHARE=
LOGS3_SHARE=
TUBEARCHIVIST3_SHARE=
HOST_SFS_PORT=8080
FOLDER=/web
PORTAINER_TOKEN=xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
PORTAINER_HOST=docker-host
PORTAINER_PORT=9443
PORTAINER_ENV=2
PERSISTENT_LOGS=false

When you replace the Docker Compose you're using with this more up-to-date version, be sure to un-comment those same lines in the volumes section to support your Samba shares.

#223

OK. Done. I'm getting there...slowly. Finding things on CDVR website always is a problem.

Checking your OliveTin-for-Channels installation...
(extended_check=false)

OliveTin Container Version 2026.04.23
OliveTin Docker Compose Version 2025.08.25

----------------------------------------

Checking that your selected Channels DVR server (192.168.1.62:8089) is reachable by URL:
HTTP Status: 200 indicates success...

  % Total    % Received % Xferd  Average Speed   Time    Time     Time  Current
                                 Dload  Upload   Total   Spent    Left  Speed
100  1276  100  1276    0     0   504k      0 --:--:-- --:--:-- --:--:--  623k
HTTP Status: 200
Effective URL: http://192.168.1.62:8089/

----------------------------------------

Checking that your selected Channels DVR server's data files (/mnt/192.168.1.62-8089) are accessible:
Folders with the names Database, Images, Imports, Logs, Movies, Streaming and TV should be visible...

total 8
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 Mar 29 22:35 .
drwxr-xr-x 1 root root 4096 May  2 03:46 ..
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root    0 May  1 09:04 Database
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root    0 May  2 02:31 Images
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root    0 Oct 14  2023 Imports
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root    0 Apr 29 23:01 Logs
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root    0 May  2 01:00 Metadata
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root    0 Mar 29 22:35 Movies
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root    0 Mar 29 22:35 Streaming
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root    0 Apr 25 23:59 TV

Docker reports your current DVR_SHARE setting as...
/var/lib/docker/volumes/channels-dvr/_data

If the listed folders are NOT visible, AND you have your Channels DVR and Docker on the same system:

Channels reports this path as...
D:\DVR

When using WSL with a Linux distro and Docker Desktop, it's recommended to use...
/mnt/d/DVR

----------------------------------------

Checking that your selected Channels DVR server's log files (/mnt/192.168.1.62-8089_logs) are accessible:
Folders with the names data and latest should be visible...

total 12
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 4096 Apr 29 08:00 .
drwxr-xr-x 1 root root 4096 May  2 03:46 ..
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root    0 Apr 12 08:00 2026.04.12.0247
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root    0 Apr 21 08:00 2026.04.21.0659
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root    0 Apr 22 08:00 2026.04.21.2033
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root    0 Apr 23 08:00 2026.04.23.0705
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root    0 Apr 25 08:00 2026.04.25.0633
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root    0 Apr 27 08:00 2026.04.26.0749
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root  829 Apr 29 08:00 Channels DVR Server.lnk
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root    0 May  2 03:36 data
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root    0 Apr 29 08:00 latest

Docker reports your current LOGS_SHARE setting as...
/var/lib/docker/volumes/channels-dvr-logs/_data

If the listed folders are NOT visible, AND you have your Channels DVR and Docker on the same system:

Channels reports this path as...
C:\ProgramData\ChannelsDVR

When using WSL with a Linux distro and Docker Desktop, it's recommended to use...
/mnt/c/ProgramData/ChannelsDVR

----------------------------------------

Checking if your Portainer token is working on ports 9000 and/or 9443:

Portainer http response on port 9000 reports version 2.39.1
Portainer Environment ID for local is 3
Portainer https response on port 9443 reports version 2.39.1
Portainer Environment ID for local is 3

----------------------------------------

Here's a list of your current OliveTin-related settings:

HOSTNAME=olivetin
CHANNELS_DVR=192.168.1.62:8089
CHANNELS_DVR_ALTERNATES=
CHANNELS_CLIENTS=
ALERT_SMTP_SERVER=smtp.gmail.com:587
ALERT_EMAIL_FROM=[Redacted]@gmail.com
ALERT_EMAIL_PASS=[Redacted]
ALERT_EMAIL_TO=[Redacted]@att.net
UPDATE_YAMLS=true
UPDATE_SCRIPTS=true
PORTAINER_TOKEN=[Redacted]
PORTAINER_HOST=192.168.1.86
PORTAINER_PORT=9443
PORTAINER_ENV=3

----------------------------------------

Here's the contents of /etc/resolv.conf from inside the container:

# Generated by Docker Engine.
# This file can be edited; Docker Engine will not make further changes once it
# has been modified.

nameserver 127.0.0.11
search localdomain
options edns0 trust-ad ndots:0

# Based on host file: '/etc/resolv.conf' (internal resolver)
# ExtServers: [host(127.0.0.53)]
# Overrides: [search]
# Option ndots from: internal

----------------------------------------

Here's the contents of /etc/hosts from inside the container:

127.0.0.1       localhost
::1     localhost ip6-localhost ip6-loopback
fe00::  ip6-localnet
ff00::  ip6-mcastprefix
ff02::1 ip6-allnodes
ff02::2 ip6-allrouters
172.27.0.3      olivetin
#224

Looks good!