ERROR: pipeline could not be constructed: no element “nvarguscamerasrc”

Issue Overview

Users are encountering an error when attempting to access video streams from a Waveshare Binocular Camera Module Dual IMX219 connected to the Nvidia Jetson Orin Nano Developer Kit. The specific error message is:

ERROR: pipeline could not be constructed: no element "nvarguscamerasrc".

Symptoms and Context

• Error Message: The primary symptom is the inability to construct a GStreamer pipeline due to the missing nvarguscamerasrc element.

• Context of Occurrence: This issue arises during attempts to read frames from the camera using GStreamer commands, specifically gst-launch-1.0.

• Hardware and Software Specifications:

  • Jetson Orin Nano Developer Kit
  • Kernel version: 5.10.192-tegra-35.5.0-20240219203809
  • Jetpack versions attempted: 6.0, 5.1.3, and 5.1.2 (with DeepStream)
  • Host machine OS: Ubuntu 20.04.6 LTS and Ubuntu 22.04

• Frequency: The issue appears consistently across multiple Jetpack versions and configurations.

• User Experience Impact: Users are unable to utilize the camera for video capture, significantly hindering their projects that rely on camera input.

Additional Context

The camera was previously functional on a different NVIDIA Jetson Nano, and the connections have been verified as secure and correctly oriented. The device’s LED indicator confirms it is receiving power.

Possible Causes

• Software Bugs or Conflicts: The presence of blacklisted libraries indicates potential conflicts or incompatibilities with GStreamer elements.

• Driver Issues: The absence of nvarguscamerasrc suggests that the necessary drivers or plugins may not be properly installed or loaded.

• Configuration Errors: Incorrect configuration during the flashing process or in GStreamer settings might lead to this issue.

• Environmental Factors: While less likely, power supply issues could affect device performance.

• User Errors: Misconfigurations during setup or flashing processes could contribute to the problem.

Troubleshooting Steps, Solutions & Fixes

Step-by-Step Troubleshooting

1. Verify Camera Connection:

   • Ensure that the camera’s ribbon cables are securely connected and oriented correctly.

2. Check for Device Recognition:

   • Run the command:

     ls /dev/video*
     

   • Confirm that /dev/video0 and /dev/video1 are present.

3. Inspect GStreamer Installation:

   • Check if nvarguscamerasrc is available:

     gst-inspect-1.0 nvarguscamerasrc
     

   • If it returns an error, proceed to the next steps.

4. Review Blacklisted Libraries:

   • Run:

     gst-inspect-1.0 -b
     

   • Identify if libgstnvarguscamerasrc.so is blacklisted (as noted in the forum discussion).

Recommended Solutions

• Flash Jetpack Without DeepStream:

  • Users reported success by flashing Jetpack 5.1.2 without DeepStream using SDK Manager.

• Update GStreamer Plugins:

  • Ensure all necessary GStreamer plugins are installed and not blacklisted.

• Reconfigure GStreamer Elements:

  • If nvarguscamerasrc is blacklisted, attempt to remove it from the blacklist if possible or reinstall GStreamer with proper configurations.

Commands for System Information

To gather relevant system information, use:

gst-launch-1.0 --version

This will confirm your GStreamer version, which should be compatible with your Jetpack version.

Best Practices for Prevention

• Always ensure that you are using compatible versions of Jetpack and DeepStream.

• Regularly check for updates on drivers and libraries related to GStreamer and NVIDIA hardware.

Unresolved Aspects

Further investigation may be needed regarding why libgstnvarguscamerasrc.so is blacklisted and how to resolve this conflict effectively. Users may also need to explore compatibility issues between different Jetpack versions and their respective libraries.

By following these steps, users should be able to diagnose and potentially resolve the issue with their Nvidia Jetson Orin Nano Developer Kit and Waveshare Binocular Camera Module Dual IMX219 setup.