RTSP Stream Capture Issue on Nvidia Jetson Orin Nano Dev Board

Issue Overview

Users have reported difficulties in capturing RTSP streams using the Nvidia Jetson Orin Nano Developer Kit (8GB RAM). The primary symptom is that the GStreamer pipeline intended for this task fails to function correctly.

• Context: The issue arises when users attempt to implement a GStreamer pipeline to capture an RTSP stream and pass it to an appsink. The problem occurs specifically with the following pipeline:

  snprintf(rtspPipeLineBuffer, RTSP_PIPELINE_MAX_CHAR_COUNT,"uridecodebin uri=%s ! videoconvert ! x264enc bframes=0 speed-preset=veryfast bitrate=512 byte-stream=TRUE tune=zerolatency ! video/x-h264,stream-format=byte-stream,alignment=au,profile=baseline ! queue ! appsink sync=TRUE emit-signals=TRUE name=appsink-video ",rtspUri);
  

• Comparison: Users noted that a similar setup on the Jetson Nano board worked successfully with a different pipeline that included the nvvideoconvert plugin:

  snprintf(rtspPipeLineBuffer, RTSP_PIPELINE_MAX_CHAR_COUNT,"uridecodebin uri=%s ! nvvideoconvert ! videoconvert ! x264enc bframes=0 speed-preset=veryfast bitrate=512 byte-stream=TRUE tune=zerolatency ! video/x-h264,stream-format=byte-stream,alignment=au,profile=baseline ! queue ! appsink sync=TRUE emit-signals=TRUE name=appsink-video ",rtspUri);
  

• Impact: Users experience a failure to receive any video frames when using the Orin Nano setup. Additionally, when a workaround was found by including the nvvideoconvert plugin, users reported a delay of approximately two seconds in the video stream.

Possible Causes

• Missing Plugin: The absence of the nvvideoconvert plugin in the original pipeline may lead to incompatibility with hardware acceleration features available on the Orin Nano.

• RTSP Stream Latency: The default latency settings in uridecodebin could contribute to delays in video playback. By default, rtspsrc has a latency of two seconds.

• Configuration Errors: Incorrect configuration of GStreamer elements or properties may prevent successful stream processing.

• Software Bugs or Conflicts: Potential bugs in the GStreamer version being used or conflicts with other installed plugins could affect functionality.

Troubleshooting Steps, Solutions & Fixes

1. Verify Plugin Installation:

   • Ensure that the nvvideoconvert plugin is installed and accessible. Use the command:

     gst-inspect-1.0 | grep nvvideoconvert
     

   • If not installed, consider updating your GStreamer installation or installing necessary plugins.

2. Update GStreamer Pipeline:

   • Modify your GStreamer pipeline to include the nvvideoconvert plugin:

     snprintf(rtspPipeLineBuffer, RTSP_PIPELINE_MAX_CHAR_COUNT,"uridecodebin uri=%s ! nvvideoconvert ! videoconvert ! x264enc bframes=0 speed-preset=veryfast bitrate=512 byte-stream=TRUE tune=zerolatency ! video/x-h264,stream-format=byte-stream,alignment=au,profile=baseline ! queue ! appsink sync=TRUE emit-signals=TRUE name=appsink-video ",rtspUri);
     

3. Adjust Latency Settings:

   • To reduce latency, adjust the uridecodebin properties by adding:

     uridecodebin source::latency=0 ...
     

   • This change can significantly decrease playback delay.

4. Test Different Configurations:

   • Experiment with various combinations of plugins and properties to isolate issues further.
   • Consider testing with different RTSP sources to rule out network-related issues.

5. Monitor System Logs:

   • Check logs for any error messages during pipeline execution:

     GST_DEBUG_FILE=gst_log.txt GST_DEBUG=*3 ./your_gstreamer_application
     

   • Review gst_log.txt for insights into what might be failing.

6. Consult Documentation and Community Resources:

   • Refer to official Nvidia and GStreamer documentation for updates or known issues.
   • Engage with community forums for shared experiences and solutions.

7. Best Practices:

   • Regularly update your Jetson software stack and GStreamer libraries to benefit from bug fixes and performance improvements.
   • Document any changes made during troubleshooting for future reference.

Recommended Approach

Multiple users confirmed success by implementing both the nvvideoconvert plugin and adjusting latency settings. This combination appears to be an effective solution for capturing RTSP streams on the Jetson Orin Nano board while minimizing video delay.