GStreamer Interpipes

GStreamer Interpipes

GStreamer Interpipes is a feature from the RidgeRun gst-interpipe plugin that enables dynamic pipeline communication. It allows:

• Multi-pipeline sharing – Pass data between multiple GStreamer pipelines.
• Dynamic linking – Connect or disconnect pipelines without restarting.
• Low-latency media routing – Efficiently stream audio/video between pipelines.

Installing gst-interpipe

Before using Interpipes, ensure you have the required dependencies.

Build System & Development Tools

sudo apt install -y meson ninja-build git

GStreamer Core & Plugins

sudo apt install -y gstreamer1.0-plugins-base

Additional GStreamer Plugins

sudo apt install -y gstreamer1.0-plugins-good gstreamer1.0-plugins-bad \
  gstreamer1.0-plugins-ugly gstreamer1.0-libav

GStreamer Development Libraries

sudo apt install -y libgstreamer1.0-dev libgstreamer-plugins-base1.0-dev

Documentation Tools (Optional)

sudo apt install -y gtk-doc-tools

• (You can disable GTK-Doc with -Dgtk_doc=disabled in Meson if not needed.)*

Installing gst-interpipe Plugin

To install the RidgeRun gst-interpipe plugin, follow these steps:

Clone and Build

git clone https://github.com/RidgeRun/gst-interpipe.git
cd gst-interpipe
meson build
ninja -C build
sudo ninja -C build install

Verify Installation

Check if the `interpipesrc` plugin is installed:

gst-inspect-1.0 interpipesrc

Expected Output

Factory Details:
  Rank                     none (0)
  Long-name                Inter pipeline source
  Klass                    Generic/Source
  Description              Source for internal pipeline buffers communication
  Author                   Michael Grüner <michael.gruner@ridgerun.com>

Plugin Details:
  Name                     interpipe
  Description              Elements to communicate buffers across pipelines
  Filename                 /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu/gstreamer-1.0/libgstinterpipe.so
  Version                  1.1.8
  License                  LGPL
  Source module            gst-interpipe
  Binary package           GstInterpipe
  Origin URL               http://www.ridgerun.com

Core Concepts

Interpipes introduce two main elements:

Interpipe Elements

Element	Description
interpipesink	Sends data to other pipelines.
interpipesrc	Receives data from interpipesink.

Controlling GStreamer Interpipes with gst-client

Each command follows this format:

gst-client COMMAND pipeline_name "PIPELINE_DESCRIPTION"

Creating an Interpipes Source Pipeline

gst-client pipeline_create producer_pipeline "videotestsrc is-live=true ! interpipesink name=sink1"

Parameters:

• pipeline_create producer_pipeline – Creates a new pipeline named producer_pipeline.
• videotestsrc is-live=true – Generates a live video test source.
• interpipesink name=sink1 – Creates an Interpipe sink named sink1.

Use case: This pipeline produces video for other pipelines to consume.

Creating an Interpipes Consumer Pipeline

gst-client pipeline_create consumer_pipeline "interpipesrc listen-to=sink1 ! videoconvert ! autovideosink"

Parameters:

• pipeline_create consumer_pipeline – Creates a new pipeline named consumer_pipeline.
• interpipesrc listen-to=sink1 – Reads data from sink1.
• videoconvert – Ensures format compatibility.
• autovideosink – Displays the received video.

Use case: This pipeline consumes data from sink1.

Playing the Producer Pipeline

gst-client pipeline_play producer_pipeline

Use case: Starts the producer pipeline.

Playing the Consumer Pipeline

gst-client pipeline_play consumer_pipeline

Use case: Starts the consumer pipeline.

Stopping the Producer Pipeline

gst-client pipeline_stop producer_pipeline

Use case: Stops the producer without deleting it.

Stopping the Consumer Pipeline

gst-client pipeline_stop consumer_pipeline

Use case: Stops the consumer without deleting it.

Deleting the Producer Pipeline

gst-client pipeline_delete producer_pipeline

Use case: Removes the producer pipeline.

Deleting the Consumer Pipeline

gst-client pipeline_delete consumer_pipeline

Use case: Removes the consumer pipeline.

Switching Between Interpipes

Interpipes allow you to dynamically switch sources.

Changing the Consumer Pipeline's Source

gst-client pipeline_create new_source "videotestsrc pattern=ball ! interpipesink name=sink2"
gst-client pipeline_set consumer_pipeline "interpipesrc listen-to=sink2 ! videoconvert ! autovideosink"

Use case: The consumer pipeline now receives data from sink2 instead of sink1.

Stopping GStreamer Daemon

To stop the GStreamer Daemon:

gstd -k

Use case: Terminates the running gstd.

Checking if gstd is Running

To verify if GStreamer Daemon is running:

ps aux | grep gstd

Use case: Displays gstd processes if running.

Summary

GStreamer Interpipes enable seamless pipeline communication via dynamic linking.

GStreamer Interpipes Key Features

Feature	Description
Pipeline Communication	Share data across multiple pipelines.
Dynamic Source Switching	Change data sources on the fly.
Low Latency	Efficient buffer sharing for real-time applications.
Optimized for Embedded Systems	Reduces memory overhead.

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