Unable to use nvoverlaysink for full-screen display on Jetson Orin Nano

Issue Overview

Users are experiencing difficulties when attempting to use the nvoverlaysink element for full-screen display on the Jetson Orin Nano developer board. The specific error message encountered is "WARNING: erroneous pipeline: no element "nvoverlaysink"" when trying to run a GStreamer pipeline. This issue occurs during the setup of video streaming applications and affects the ability to render video output on the full screen.

Possible Causes

1. Missing or incompatible GStreamer plugins: The nvoverlaysink element may not be installed or properly configured in the GStreamer installation on the Jetson Orin Nano.

2. X11 GUI interference: The presence of the X11 graphical user interface may be preventing the use of certain video sinks like nvoverlaysink or nvdrmvideosink.

3. Outdated or incorrect JetPack version: The user’s JetPack installation may not include the necessary components for nvoverlaysink.

4. Incorrect GStreamer pipeline syntax: The command used to launch the pipeline may contain errors or incompatible elements.

Troubleshooting Steps, Solutions & Fixes

1. Use nvdrmvideosink instead of nvoverlaysink:
   Replace nvoverlaysink with nvdrmvideosink in your GStreamer pipeline. This is recommended for full-screen rendering:

   gst-launch-1.0 nvarguscamerasrc sensor-id=0 ! nvvidconv ! 'video/x-raw(memory:NVMM)' ! nvdrmvideosink
   

2. Disable X11 GUI:
   To use nvdrmvideosink or similar sinks, you need to disable the X11 graphical user interface. Refer to the Jetson Linux Developer Guide for specific instructions on how to do this.

3. Check GStreamer installation:
   Ensure that all necessary GStreamer plugins are installed and up to date. You can use the following command to check for available plugins:

   gst-inspect-1.0 | grep nv
   

   Look for nvoverlaysink or nvdrmvideosink in the output.

4. Update JetPack:
   Make sure you are using the latest version of JetPack compatible with your Jetson Orin Nano. Check the NVIDIA developer website for the most recent release and update instructions.

5. Verify hardware setup:
   Ensure that your display is properly connected to the Jetson Orin Nano and that you’re using a supported display interface (e.g., HDMI).

6. Check system logs:
   If you encounter errors like "Could not open DRM failed", examine the system logs for more detailed error messages:

   sudo dmesg | grep -i drm
   

7. Use alternative video sinks:
   If nvdrmvideosink doesn’t work, try other video sinks compatible with Jetson, such as:

   gst-launch-1.0 nvarguscamerasrc sensor-id=0 ! nvvidconv ! 'video/x-raw(memory:NVMM)' ! nv3dsink
   

8. Consult NVIDIA documentation:
   Refer to the official NVIDIA Jetson Linux Developer Guide for detailed examples and troubleshooting tips related to accelerated GStreamer usage on Jetson platforms.

If these steps do not resolve the issue, consider posting a new question in the NVIDIA Developer Forums with detailed information about your setup, including the exact Jetson Orin Nano model, JetPack version, and any error messages you encounter during troubleshooting.