Install in a Proxmox LXC Container

ChannelWatch runs as a Docker container. These steps show how to run that container inside a Proxmox LXC guest. ChannelWatch does not have a native Proxmox package.

Before you start

This is an advanced setup. If you are not already comfortable with Proxmox LXC, use a VM or the standard Docker Compose guide on a regular Linux host instead.

Caution

Docker inside LXC needs host and guest configuration that is outside the ChannelWatch install path. Do not change an existing guest’s privilege or isolation settings just to follow this guide. Use a VM if Docker cannot run safely in your intended LXC configuration.

Create the LXC guest

Use a recent Debian or Ubuntu LXC template with enough CPU, memory, and disk for Docker plus your ChannelWatch config data.

For the least friction, enable the options required for Docker-in-LXC before you start installing packages.

Install Docker inside the guest

After the guest is ready, install Docker Engine and Docker Compose inside the LXC itself. Once Docker is working, deploy ChannelWatch the same way you would on any other Linux host.

services:
  channelwatch:
    image: coderluii/channelwatch:latest
    container_name: channelwatch
    network_mode: host
    volumes:
      - /opt/channelwatch/config:/config
    environment:
      TZ: "America/New_York"
    restart: unless-stopped

Persistent storage

Keep /config on storage that survives guest reboots and upgrades. A bind mount into the LXC is easier to inspect from Proxmox, while an internal Docker volume is simpler if you manage everything from inside the guest.

Network considerations

Docker host networking shares the LXC guest’s network, not the Proxmox host’s. The guest still needs a route to the DVR and local multicast access for discovery.

If you switch to bridge networking inside Docker, map port 8501 manually and use the DVR server’s LAN IP in the setup wizard.

Caution

Docker bridge networks may not carry Bonjour and mDNS discovery. If no DVR appears, enter its LAN host and port manually. Monitoring can work without discovery.

Open the web UI

After the container starts, open:

http://your-lxc-ip:8501

Then complete First-Run Configuration.

Note

Use the web UI for DVR connection settings. CHANNELS_DVR_HOST and CHANNELS_DVR_PORT are deprecated and should not be carried forward from older compose files. See Migrating from v0.7 if this LXC guest replaces an older install.

Upgrading

For compatible releases, use Settings > Updates in ChannelWatch. See Updating ChannelWatch for supported source versions and runtime limits.

If an image update is required, use docker compose pull followed by docker compose up -d inside the guest, keeping the same persistent /config mount. Restarting the existing container alone does not install a new image.

Related pages

• Install (Docker Compose)
• First-Run Configuration
• Migrating from v0.7