Streaming Issues with Nvidia Jetson Orin Nano and AWS Kinesis Video Streams

Issue Overview

Users are experiencing problems streaming local video from the Nvidia Jetson Orin Nano to AWS Kinesis Video Streams using the amazon-kinesis-video-streams-webrtc-sdk-c. The symptoms include an error message indicating that the stream opens in blocking mode when the client connects with the master. This issue occurs specifically after modifications were made to the kvsWebrtcClientMasterGstSample.c file, particularly in the GStreamer pipeline settings. The modified pipeline includes changes to video resolution and bitrate settings. Users have reported that the same code functions correctly on Ubuntu 20.04 but fails on the Jetson Orin Nano. The problem is consistent, significantly impacting user experience by preventing successful video streaming.

Possible Causes

• Hardware Incompatibilities: The Jetson Orin Nano may have specific hardware limitations or compatibility issues with certain GStreamer plugins or configurations.
• Software Bugs: There may be bugs in the amazon-kinesis-video-streams-webrtc-sdk-c or GStreamer that affect performance on the Jetson platform.
• Configuration Errors: Incorrect pipeline configurations or parameters may lead to failures in establishing a stream.
• Driver Issues: Outdated or incompatible drivers could cause conflicts within the GStreamer framework or affect video encoding/decoding.
• Environmental Factors: Power supply issues or overheating could impact performance, especially during intensive tasks like video streaming.
• User Errors: Misconfigurations in the GStreamer pipeline setup may lead to errors, particularly if parameters exceed allowable limits.

Troubleshooting Steps, Solutions & Fixes

1. Verify GStreamer Pipeline:

   • Use gst-launch-1.0 with a fakesink to test the pipeline independently of the application. This can help identify whether the issue lies within the GStreamer configuration.
   • Command example:

     gst-launch-1.0 uridecodebin uri=<your_rtsp_uri> ! nvvideoconvert ! videoconvert ! videoscale ! video/x-raw,width=256,height=144 ! x264enc bframes=0 speed-preset=veryfast bitrate=100 byte-stream=TRUE tune=zerolatency ! fakesink
     

2. Check Logs for Errors:

   • Review log files for specific error messages when attempting to connect to the stream. Look for indications of where the process fails.

3. Isolate Components:

   • Break down the GStreamer pipeline to isolate which component may be causing issues. Test individual elements of the pipeline sequentially.

4. Adjust Pipeline Parameters:

   • Modify parameters such as latency and bitrate settings in the GStreamer pipeline to see if it resolves blocking issues.

5. Update Drivers and SDK:

   • Ensure that all relevant drivers and SDKs are up-to-date. Check for updates specific to Jetson Orin Nano and GStreamer.

6. Test with Simplified Pipeline:

   • Temporarily simplify the pipeline by removing non-essential components to determine if a basic configuration works, then incrementally add complexity back.

7. Consult Documentation and Forums:

   • Refer to official Nvidia documentation for any known issues or updates related to streaming with AWS Kinesis Video Streams.
   • Engage with community forums for additional support and shared experiences from other users facing similar issues.

8. Best Practices for Future Prevention:

   • Maintain a backup of working configurations before making changes.
   • Regularly check for updates from Nvidia and AWS regarding SDKs and libraries used.

9. Unresolved Aspects:

   • If problems persist after following these steps, further investigation may be required into specific hardware interactions or deeper software bugs in either Nvidia’s SDK or AWS services.

By following these troubleshooting steps, users should be able to diagnose and potentially resolve streaming issues encountered on their Nvidia Jetson Orin Nano devices when using AWS Kinesis Video Streams.