GstNetBalancer

GstNetBalancer – Optimize UDP Streaming Bandwidth for Wireless and Real-Time Systems

GstNetBalancer is a powerful GStreamer plugin developed by RidgeRun that helps optimize the bandwidth usage of UDP and MPEG-TS streams by dynamically controlling packet transfer rates. It’s ideal for embedded devices operating over wireless, satellite, or radio links, where bandwidth is limited and reliability is critical.

With bandwidth reductions of up to 40x, GstNetBalancer reduces latency and packet loss by balancing network traffic at the source, all while maintaining protocol compliance and leaving the receiver pipeline unchanged.

Key Features:

• UDP Packet Rate Control
  Reduce bursty network behavior by smoothing the transfer of RTP/UDP packets.

• Bandwidth Optimization
  Lower bandwidth usage significantly without altering the encoding or content—ideal for constrained environments.

• No Protocol Modifications
  Packets remain fully standard and compliant—no receiver-side changes needed.

• Lightweight Integration
  Acts as a drop-in GStreamer element at the end of the streaming pipeline—independent from prior processing.

• Compatible with Standard Streaming Setups
  Works with MPEG-TS, RTP, and UDP GStreamer sinks.

Use Cases:

• Wireless cameras and embedded streaming over 4G/5G or Wi-Fi

• UAVs, drones, and robotics with real-time telemetry

• Satellite or long-range radio video transmission

• Remote surveillance and edge AI platforms

Example Use Case:

A remote AI camera system on a drone streams video via a 4G connection. To ensure smooth, low-latency video under variable signal conditions, the pipeline includes GstNetBalancer before the RTP sink. The result? Reduced drops, reduced jitter, and bandwidth-efficient streaming during network fluctuations or signal degradation.

What’s Included:

• GstNetBalancer GStreamer plugin - License.

• Documentation and sample pipelines
  

• Optional 11-hour Embedded Software Support package for integration or customization

Supported Platforms:

• NVIDIA Jetson (Nano, TX2, Xavier, Orin)

• x86-64 Linux

• Texas Instruments.

• NXP i.MX6 / i.MX8

• Qualcomm RB5, RB6, C8550

• Any embedded Linux device using GStreamer for streaming

Why RidgeRun?

With over 19 years of experience in Embedded Software Consulting, RidgeRun specializes in real-time multimedia systems. GstNetBalancer helps engineering teams improve streaming quality and reduce networking overhead, especially for bandwidth-constrained and mission-critical applications.

Read our developer wiki
See usage instructions and integration guide
Read our blog article on GstNetBalancer