Stream 1080p Video from Raspberry Pi 4 to AWS S3 with GStreamer and RTMP

Introduction

Streaming 1080p video from a Raspberry Pi 4 to AWS S3 can be accomplished effectively using GStreamer and the RTMP protocol. This tutorial will guide you through the process step-by-step, ensuring you have everything you need to set up and run a smooth video streaming solution.

Prerequisites

• Raspberry Pi 4 with Raspbian OS installed
• Basic knowledge of the Linux command line
• An active AWS account
• Access to AWS S3 and IAM services
• GStreamer installed on your Raspberry Pi
• Internet connection for the Raspberry Pi

Parts/Tools

• Raspberry Pi 4
• Camera module or USB webcam
• Micro SD card (16GB or larger)
• Power supply for Raspberry Pi
• HDMI cable for display (optional)
• Keyboard and mouse (optional)

Steps

1. Set up your Raspberry Pi
   • Connect the Raspberry Pi to a display, keyboard, and mouse.
   • Boot up and complete the initial setup of Raspbian OS.
   • Open a terminal and update the package list:

     sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

2. Install GStreamer
   • Install GStreamer and necessary plugins using the following command:

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

3. Create an AWS S3 bucket
   • Log in to your AWS account.
   • Navigate to the S3 service and click on “Create bucket.”
   • Choose a unique name and select a region.
   • Set permissions as required and create the bucket.
4. Set up AWS IAM for access
   • Navigate to the IAM service in AWS.
   • Create a new user with programmatic access.
   • Attach the policy “AmazonS3FullAccess” to the user.
   • Note down the Access Key ID and Secret Access Key.
5. Stream video using GStreamer
   • Connect your camera to the Raspberry Pi.
   • Run the following command to stream video:

     gst-launch-1.0 v4l2src ! video/x-raw,framerate=30/1 ! videoconvert ! x264enc ! flvenc ! rtmpsink location='rtmp://'

     Replace with your RTMP endpoint.

6. Upload streamed video to S3
   • Modify the GStreamer command to include file upload:

     gst-launch-1.0 v4l2src ! video/x-raw,framerate=30/1 ! videoconvert ! x264enc ! flvenc ! filesink location='streamed_video.flv'

     This command saves the streamed video locally.

   • Use the AWS CLI to upload the video:

     aws s3 cp streamed_video.flv s3:///

     Replace with your actual bucket name.

Troubleshooting

• Video not streaming: Ensure the camera is properly connected and detected by the Raspberry Pi. You can check the camera with:

  vcgencmd get_camera

• Permissions error on S3: Verify that the IAM user has the correct permissions to upload files to S3.
• GStreamer command fails: Ensure all necessary GStreamer plugins are installed. Check for errors in the terminal for guidance.

Conclusion

By following this tutorial, you should now be able to stream 1080p video from your Raspberry Pi 4 to AWS S3 using GStreamer and the RTMP protocol. This setup allows for real-time video processing and storage, making it ideal for various applications. Experiment with different settings and enhancements to optimize your streaming experience!