Unable to stream video using Gstreamer on Jetson Orin Nano

Issue Overview

Users are experiencing difficulties streaming video from a Raspberry Pi HQ camera (based on IMX477R) using Gstreamer on the Jetson Orin Nano. The main symptoms include:

• Error messages when trying to use certain encoders (e.g., "no element nvv4l2h264enc")
• Inability to use hardware encoding
• High latency (5-6 seconds) when streaming video
• Problems capturing video streams using OpenCV

The issue occurs during setup and attempts to stream video, affecting the overall functionality of video-related applications on the Jetson Orin Nano.

Possible Causes

1. Hardware limitations: The Jetson Orin Nano lacks a hardware encoder, which is causing issues with certain Gstreamer elements and encoding methods.

2. Software compatibility: The absence of specific Gstreamer plugins or codecs may be preventing the use of certain encoding elements.

3. Driver issues: Incompatibility or missing drivers for the Raspberry Pi HQ camera might be causing problems with video capture and streaming.

4. Configuration errors: Incorrect Gstreamer pipeline setup or misconfigurations in the video streaming process could lead to errors or high latency.

5. OpenCV build issues: The locally built OpenCV might not be correctly configured to work with the specific video streaming setup on the Jetson Orin Nano.

Troubleshooting Steps, Solutions & Fixes

1. Use software encoding instead of hardware encoding:
   Since the Jetson Orin Nano lacks a hardware encoder, use software encoding methods. For example:

   gst-launch-1.0 nvarguscamerasrc ! nvvidconv ! 'video/x-raw(memory:NVMM), format=NV12' ! nvvidconv ! 'video/x-raw, format=I420' ! x264enc ! h264parse ! rtph264pay ! udpsink host=127.0.0.1 port=12940 sync=false
   

2. Optimize encoding settings:
   Experiment with different encoding parameters to reduce latency. Try adjusting bitrate, framerate, or using different software encoders.

3. Use Argus stack for Bayer sensors:
   For Raspberry Pi HQ camera (IMX477R), use the Argus stack with Gstreamer or Jetson Multimedia API. Example Gstreamer pipeline:

   gst-launch-1.0 nvarguscamerasrc ! 'video/x-raw(memory:NVMM),width=1920,height=1080,framerate=30/1' ! nvvidconv ! 'video/x-raw,format=NV12' ! omxh264enc ! rtph264pay ! udpsink host=127.0.0.1 port=12940
   

4. Install necessary Gstreamer plugins:
   Ensure all required Gstreamer plugins are installed:

   sudo apt-get install gstreamer1.0-plugins-bad gstreamer1.0-plugins-base gstreamer1.0-plugins-good gstreamer1.0-plugins-ugly
   

5. Check camera compatibility:
   Verify that the Raspberry Pi HQ camera is properly supported and configured for the Jetson Orin Nano. Consult the Jetson documentation for compatible cameras and their setup procedures.

6. Use v4l2 for video capture:
   If Gstreamer is problematic, try using v4l2 for video capture. Example command:

   ffmpeg -f v4l2 -framerate 30 -video_size 1920x1080 -input_format nv12 -i /dev/video0 -c:v libx264 -preset ultrafast -tune zerolatency -b:v 4M -f mpegts udp://127.0.0.1:12940
   

7. OpenCV video capture:
   For capturing video streams in OpenCV, ensure that OpenCV is built with Gstreamer support. Use a Gstreamer pipeline string instead of "udp://127.0.0.1:12949". Example:

   cap = cv2.VideoCapture("udpsrc port=12949 ! application/x-rtp,media=video,payload=96,encoding-name=H264 ! rtph264depay ! h264parse ! avdec_h264 ! videoconvert ! appsink", cv2.CAP_GSTREAMER)
   

8. Consider hardware upgrade:
   If hardware encoding is crucial for your application, consider upgrading to Jetson Orin NX or Xavier NX, which have hardware encoding capabilities.

9. Use Jetson Multimedia API:
   As an alternative to Gstreamer, explore using the Jetson Multimedia API for video capture and streaming, which may provide better performance and compatibility with the Jetson Orin Nano.

10. Monitor system resources:
    Use tools like top or htop to monitor CPU and memory usage during video streaming. This can help identify if the system is overloaded, causing high latency or other issues.