Display Signal Loss After GStreamer 1.20.7 Installation on Jetson D131ONB Kit

Issue Overview

Users of the Nvidia Jetson D131ONB kit are experiencing a complete loss of HDMI signal output to their 4K monitors after installing GStreamer version 1.20.7. This issue consistently occurs on multiple Jetson kits and persists after restarting the Ubuntu operating system. While the display becomes unresponsive, users can still access the system via SSH, indicating that the underlying OS remains functional.

The problem specifically arises after following a set of installation steps for GStreamer 1.20.7, which involves removing existing GStreamer packages, installing dependencies, cloning the GStreamer repository, and building the software from source.

Possible Causes

1. Software Incompatibility: The manually upgraded GStreamer version (1.20.7) may not be fully compatible with the existing Jetson software stack or drivers.

2. Configuration Conflicts: The installation process might have altered system configurations related to display output or graphics drivers.

3. Driver Issues: The new GStreamer version could be conflicting with the existing graphics drivers, causing the display output to fail.

4. Package Dependency Problems: Removing all existing GStreamer packages before installation might have unintentionally removed critical dependencies for the display subsystem.

5. Kernel Module Conflicts: The installation might have introduced conflicts with kernel modules responsible for HDMI output.

Troubleshooting Steps, Solutions & Fixes

1. Revert to Default JetPack:

   • As suggested by a forum respondent, try reverting to the default JetPack 5.1.3 to verify if the issue is indeed caused by the manual GStreamer upgrade.
   • Reflash both affected Jetson kits with JetPack 5.1.3.
   • Test the HDMI output functionality with the default configuration.

2. Check System Logs:

   • SSH into the affected system and examine relevant log files:

     sudo dmesg | grep -i hdmi
     sudo cat /var/log/Xorg.0.log | grep -i error
     

   • Look for any error messages or warnings related to display output or graphics drivers.

3. Verify Graphics Driver Status:

   • Check the status of NVIDIA drivers:

     nvidia-smi
     

   • If the command fails or shows errors, try reinstalling the NVIDIA drivers.

4. Rollback GStreamer Installation:

   • If possible, attempt to revert the GStreamer installation:

     sudo apt install --reinstall *gstreamer*
     

   • Reboot the system and check if the display functionality is restored.

5. Check HDMI Connection and Monitor Settings:

   • Ensure the HDMI cable is securely connected.
   • Try a different HDMI cable or port.
   • Test with another monitor to rule out monitor-specific issues.

6. Reconfigure X Server:

   • Generate a new X server configuration:

     sudo nvidia-xconfig
     

   • Reboot the system and check if the display works.

7. Investigate Kernel Module Loading:

   • Check if necessary kernel modules are loaded:

     lsmod | grep nvidia
     

   • If modules are missing, try loading them manually:

     sudo modprobe nvidia
     sudo modprobe nvidia_drm
     

8. Consult NVIDIA Developer Forums:

   • If the issue persists, consider posting a detailed description of the problem, including all steps taken, on the NVIDIA Developer Forums for more specialized assistance.

9. Consider Alternative GStreamer Versions:

   • If reverting to JetPack 5.1.3 resolves the issue, research compatible GStreamer versions for your specific Jetson kit and JetPack version.
   • Consider using NVIDIA-provided packages or following official upgrade procedures to minimize compatibility issues.

10. System Restore:

    • As a last resort, if no other solutions work, consider performing a complete system restore to a known working state before the GStreamer upgrade.

Remember to document all troubleshooting steps and their outcomes. This information will be valuable for further debugging or for assisting other users who might encounter similar issues.