CasparCG headless crash

[Ghostbird]

I experience a crash on startup of CasparCG. I'd like to know whether this is a misconfiguration on my side, or a real CasparCG issue. There are a few reasons why this set-up might be considered unusual.

• It's a headless Debian server
• Since it's a headless server, it's built from master (ffd4165), as that feature has been merged, but not released yet.
• I use two Decklink cards, (If you look at the config, you might notice they're not fully configured correctly yet)
• I install in /home/caspar/casparcg-server
• I do not use system CEF.

[2025-09-14 21:34:23.202] [info]    ############################################################################
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.202] [info]    CasparCG Server is distributed by the Swedish Broadcasting Corporation (SVT)
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.202] [info]    under the GNU General Public License GPLv3 or higher.
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.202] [info]    Please see LICENSE.TXT for details.
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.202] [info]    http://www.casparcg.com/
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.202] [info]    ############################################################################
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.202] [info]    Starting CasparCG Video and Graphics Playout Server 2.5.0 ffd41657c Dev
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]    "/home/caspar/casparcg-server/casparcg.config":
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]    -----------------------------------------
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]    <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]    <configuration>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]       <log-level>info</log-level>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]       <paths>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]          <media-path>/home/caspar/media/</media-path>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]          <log-path>/home/caspar/casparcg-server/log/</log-path>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]          <data-path>/home/caspar/casparcg-server/data/</data-path>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]          <template-path>/home/caspar/template/</template-path>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]       </paths>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]       <lock-clear-phrase>secret</lock-clear-phrase>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]       <gpu-enable/>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]       <channels>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]          <channel>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]             <video-mode>1080p5000</video-mode>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]             <consumers>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]                <decklink>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]                   <device>1</device>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]                   <latency>low</latency>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]                   <keyer>external</keyer>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]                   <embedded-audio>true</embedded-audio>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]                </decklink>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]             </consumers>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]          </channel>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]          <channel>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]             <video-mode>1080p5000</video-mode>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]             <consumers>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]                <decklink>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]                   <device>2</device>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]                   <latency>low</latency>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]                   <keyer>external</keyer>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]                   <embedded-audio>true</embedded-audio>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]                </decklink>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]             </consumers>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]          </channel>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]          <channel>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]             <video-mode>1080p5000</video-mode>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]             <consumers>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]                <decklink>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]                   <device>5</device>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]                   <latency>low</latency>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]                   <keyer>external</keyer>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]                   <embedded-audio>true</embedded-audio>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]                </decklink>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]             </consumers>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]          </channel>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]          <channel>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]             <video-mode>1080p5000</video-mode>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]             <consumers>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]                <decklink>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]                   <device>6</device>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]                   <latency>low</latency>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]                   <keyer>external</keyer>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]                   <embedded-audio>true</embedded-audio>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]                </decklink>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]             </consumers>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]          </channel>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]       </channels>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]       <controllers>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]          <tcp>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]             <port>5250</port>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]             <protocol>AMCP</protocol>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]          </tcp>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]       </controllers>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]       <amcp>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]          <media-server>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]             <host>localhost</host>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]             <port>8000</port>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]          </media-server>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]       </amcp>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]       <osc>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]          <default-port>6250</default-port>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]          <disable-send-to-amcp-clients>false</disable-send-to-amcp-clients>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]       </osc>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]    </configuration>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]    -----------------------------------------
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]    Initialized video modes.
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.203] [info]    Initializing OpenGL Device.
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.260] [info]    [asio] Shutting down global io_context.
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.260] [info]    [asio] Global io_context uninitialized.
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.262] [error]   Exception: /home/user/casparcg-server/src/accelerator/ogl/util/context_egl.cpp(42): Throw in function caspar::accelerator::ogl::device_context::impl::impl()
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.262] [error]   Dynamic exception type: boost::wrapexcept<caspar::gl::ogl_exception>
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.262] [error]   [caspar::tag_msg_info*] = Failed to initialize OpenGL: eglChooseConfig
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.262] [error]   [caspar::tag_stacktrace_info*] =  0# 0x000056360C4EFD4A in bin/casparcg
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.262] [error]    1# 0x000056360C4EF35E in bin/casparcg
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.262] [error]    2# 0x000056360C4DC191 in bin/casparcg
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.262] [error]    3# 0x000056360C4CB7D6 in bin/casparcg
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.262] [error]    4# 0x000056360C4BCCFE in bin/casparcg
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.262] [error]    5# 0x000056360C4AE264 in bin/casparcg
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.262] [error]    6# 0x000056360C4B9642 in bin/casparcg
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.262] [error]    7# 0x000056360C482E06 in bin/casparcg
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.262] [error]    8# main in bin/casparcg
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.262] [error]    9# 0x00007F240A033CA8 in /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libc.so.6
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.262] [error]   10# __libc_start_main in /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libc.so.6
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.262] [error]   11# 0x000056360C480931 in bin/casparcg
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.262] [error]   
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.262] [error]   
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.262] [error]    0# 0x000056360C48B190 in bin/casparcg
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.262] [error]    1# 0x000056360C448F56 in bin/casparcg
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.262] [error]    2# 0x00007F240A033CA8 in /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libc.so.6
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.262] [error]    3# __libc_start_main in /lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/libc.so.6
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.262] [error]    4# 0x000056360C480931 in bin/casparcg
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.262] [error]   
[2025-09-14 21:34:23.262] [fatal]   Unhandled exception in main thread. Please report this error on the GitHub project page (www.github.com/casparcg/server/issues).

Below is the unit file used to start it, but note that the same error occurs if run directly by the user from an SSH session.

[Unit]
Description=CasparCG server service
After=network-online.target media-scanner.service
Wants=network-online.target

[Service]
Type=simple
User=user
WorkingDirectory=/home/caspar/casparcg-server
ExecStart=/home/caspar/casparcg-server/run.sh
Restart=on-failure
StartLimitInterval=0
Nice=-15

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

This is the startup command in run.sh:

LD_LIBRARY_PATH="/home/caspar/casparcg-server/lib" bin/casparcg "$@"

[Ghostbird]

As fas as I can tell, it's the headless feature which is not working. If I instead install X11 and set lightdm to auto-login, and use the unit file below and systemctl --user enable casparcg-server.service as the logged-in user, it seems to work.

I'm converting this to an issue.

[Unit]
Description=CasparCG server service
After=DesktopVideoHelper.service
After=network-online.target media-scanner.service graphical.target

[Service]
Type=simple
WorkingDirectory=/home/caspar/casparcg-server
Environment="DISPLAY=:0"
ExecStart=/home/caspar/casparcg-server/run.sh
Restart=on-failure
StartLimitInterval=0
Nice=-15

[Install]
WantedBy=default.target