Install gstreamer support for opencv python package

Question

I have built my own opencv python package from source.

import cv2
print(cv2.__version__)

prints: 3.4.5

Now the issue I am facing is regarding the use of gstreamer from the VideoCapture class of opencv. I am trying to get this mimimum working example running on python3

cap = cv2.VideoCapture("videotestsrc ! appsink")

if not cap.isOpened():
    print("Cannot capture test src. Exiting.")
    quit()

while True:
    ret, frame = cap.read()
    if ret == False:
        break
    cv2.imshow("CVtest",frame)
    if cv2.waitKey(1) & 0xFF == ord('q'):
        break

Capture fails, producing my print above (see if statement). I checked:

import cv2
print(cv2.getBuildInformation())

prints:

Video I/O:
DC1394:                      NO
FFMPEG:                      NO
  avcodec:                   NO
  avformat:                  NO
  avutil:                    NO
  swscale:                   NO
  avresample:                NO
GStreamer:                   NO
libv4l/libv4l2:              NO
v4l/v4l2:                    linux/videodev2.h

Seeing that, it made absolute sense that my gstreamer pipeline didn't work. I ensured WITH_GSTREAMER was set to ON during ccmake of OpenCV (which it already was). Still the issue maintained. I even tried setting WITH_GSTREAMER_0_10 to ON as well. Still no luck having gstreamer enabled from the cv2 python module.

Before anyone suggests using pip3 to install cv2. I tried that, too. The issue with getting the package from pip is, it doesn't let you configure gstreamer support at all.

Can anyone provide help here?

Use the solution in this link: medium.com/@erencanbulut/…

Roboteer
– Roboteer

2025-09-22 21:44:56 +00:00
Commented Sep 22 at 21:44 — Roboteer
– Roboteer, Commented Sep 22 at 21:44

Butterfly · Accepted Answer · 2019-02-22 14:42:00Z

4

For those who are struggling with the same problem on Windows... I had to set following CMake Options:

only set "WITH_GSTREAMER" option to True, "WITH_GSTREAMER_0_10" MUST BE FALSE
add new entry "GSTREAMER_DIR"=(path to gstreamer) for me it was "C:/gstreamer/1.0/x86_64" I found this solution here

My OpenCV version: 3.4.3

answered Feb 22, 2019 at 14:42

Butterfly

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marc_s · Accepted Answer · 2025-07-03 19:17:40Z

I was able to solve the issue, with a bit of help from the opencv support forum. Looking at the cmake output hints at the problem:

-- Checking for module 'gstreamer-base-0.10'
--   No package 'gstreamer-base-0.10' found
-- Checking for module 'gstreamer-video-0.10'
--   No package 'gstreamer-video-0.10' found
-- Checking for module 'gstreamer-app-0.10'
--   No package 'gstreamer-app-0.10' found
-- Checking for module 'gstreamer-riff-0.10'
--   No package 'gstreamer-riff-0.10' found
-- Checking for module 'gstreamer-pbutils-0.10'
--   No package 'gstreamer-pbutils-0.10' found

During ccmake, I had set both WITH_GSTREAMER as well as WITH_GSTREAMER_0_10 to ON. Seems that cmake prefers the gstreamer0.10 flag over the one for gstreamer1.0. Since I only have gstreamer1.0 installed, opencv entirely failed setting up the gstreamer dependencies.

I made sure to wipe all previously deployed binaries:

cd <opencv-src>/build 
sudo make uninstall

Then I simply reinstalled, with the adjusted settings (given my knowledge above):

ccmake ..
make -j8
sudo make install

when I

import cv2
print(cv2.getBuildInformation())

my console now outputs

Video I/O:
DC1394:                      NO
FFMPEG:                      NO
  avcodec:                   NO
  avformat:                  NO
  avutil:                    NO
  swscale:                   NO
  avresample:                NO
GStreamer:                   
  base:                      YES (ver 1.8.3)
  video:                     YES (ver 1.8.3)
  app:                       YES (ver 1.8.3)
  riff:                      YES (ver 1.8.3)
  pbutils:                   YES (ver 1.8.3)
libv4l/libv4l2:              NO
v4l/v4l2:                    linux/videodev2.h

Bottom line is, do not set WITH_GSTREAMER_0_10 to ON during cmake, if you actually want gstreamer1.0. In that case you must only set WITH_GSTREAMER ON

roschach · Accepted Answer · 2019-05-08 11:11:56Z

2

Installing the packages libgstreamer1.0-dev and libgstreamer-plugins-base1.0-dev helped me to solve this issue.

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

edited May 8, 2019 at 11:11

roschach

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answered May 8, 2019 at 10:49

InG

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1 Comment

fisakhan Over a year ago

How to install DC1394 in opencv-python version 4.1.2? Without CAP_DC1394 I cannot set buffersize for my IP camera.

SerifDogru · Accepted Answer · 2024-10-22 10:37:16Z

0

It took my 8 day but i found my solution there ; https://github.com/opencv/opencv-python/issues/530 For my opinion its work better in new python3.8 virtual environment

OPENCV_VER="master"
TMPDIR=$(mktemp -d)
cd "${TMPDIR}"
git clone --branch ${OPENCV_VER} --depth 1 --recurse-submodules --shallow-submodules https://github.com/opencv/opencv-python.git opencv-python-${OPENCV_VER}
cd opencv-python-${OPENCV_VER}
export ENABLE_CONTRIB=0
export ENABLE_HEADLESS=1
export CMAKE_ARGS="-DWITH_GSTREAMER=ON"
python3 -m pip wheel . --verbose
# Install OpenCV
python3 -m pip install opencv_python*.whl

If you need GTK also you can add your code ;

export CMAKE_ARGS="-DWITH_GTK=ON"

u should use these code blocks before pip wheel . --verbose

edited Oct 22, 2024 at 10:37

answered Sep 25, 2024 at 17:22

SerifDogru

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