LVDS to MIPI CSI-2 Bridge for Sony FCB Cameras on NVIDIA Jetson Orin Nano/NX Super Developer Kit

High-Performance 1080p60 Low-Latency Video for AI & Embedded Vision

Discover the Oppila LVDS to MIPI CSI-2 Bridge that enables Sony FCB-EV9520L/EV9500L cameras to stream 1080p60 low-latency video on NVIDIA Jetson Orin Nano/NX Super Developer Kit. Includes V4L2 driver, hardware setup, GStreamer pipelines, and real-time AI applications.

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Introduction

Integrating industrial LVDS block cameras with modern embedded AI platforms has always required custom hardware and drivers. Oppila’s LVDS to MIPI CSI-2 Bridge Board solves this challenge by enabling Sony FCB-EV9520L / FCB-EV9500L cameras to interface directly with NVIDIA Jetson Orin Nano/NX Super Developer Kit.

This bridge delivers stable 1080p@60fps, sub-millisecond latency, and plug-and-play compatibility, making it ideal for robotics, drones, medical imaging, and real-time AI vision systems.

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LVDS To MIPI CSI-2 Conversion

The Oppila LVDS–MIPI Bridge converts Sony’s RAW10 LVDS video stream into MIPI CSI-2 D-PHY output, fully compatible with Jetson platforms.

Key Technical Features

• Supports High-Speed (HS) and Low-Power (LP) MIPI signaling
• Adds CSI-2 headers, ECC and CRC for error-free transmission
• Provides 4-lane MIPI CSI-2 output
• Fixed output: 1080p @ 60fps
• Ultra-low power, low latency link to Jetson

The bridge also includes I2C-to-UART control, enabling the Jetson Orin Nano/NX Super Developer Kit to send Sony VISCA commands for camera automation (zoom, exposure, gain, trigger operations).

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Sony FCB-EV9520L & FCB-EV9500L Camera Block Integration

Sony’s FCB camera family is widely used in industrial and medical applications due to high reliability and image quality.

Camera Features

• 1/2.8" Exmor R CMOS sensor
• 30× optical zoom
• Native 1080p@60fps LVDS output
• EV9520L → better low-light performance
• EV9500L → higher clarity and detail

Combined with the Oppila LVDS to MIPI CSI-2 Bridge, these cameras behave like native MIPI CSI-2 devices, enabling zero-latency computer vision on Jetson platforms.

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Custom V4L2 Driver for NVIDIA Jetson Orin Nano/NX Super Developer Kit

Oppila provides a custom V4L2 MIPI driver that registers the LVDS to MIPI CSI-2 Bridge as a media sub-device on the Jetson Orin platform.

Driver Capabilities

• Device Tree Overlay for media graph creation
• RAW10 LVDS → UYVY formatted output
• videobuf2-DMABUF for zero-copy streaming
• Automatic MIPI packetization and link detection
• Exposes standard Linux video node: /dev/video0

Camera exposure and gain are controlled before runtime using VISCA presets, ensuring consistent imaging across AI pipelines.

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Hardware Setup & Connectivity

A robust hardware connection ensures stable 1080p60 video transmission.

Required Components

• Jetson Orin Nano/NX Super Developer Kit
• Oppila LVDS → MIPI CSI-2 Bridge Board
• Sony FCB-EV9520L or FCB-EV9500L

Cables:

• Molex 40-pin (54548-2272) → Jetson CAM1 input
• KEL 30-pin (USL00-30L-A) micro-coax → Sony LVDS output

Power:

• Bridge board requires 12V DC @ 0.8A

This chain provides a fixed 1080p60 RAW10 LVDS stream, converted to MIPI CSI-2 in real time.

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Block Diagram:

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Additional Compatibility

The bridge also supports:

Camera like,

1. Tamron LVDS Block Cameras
2. Wonwoo LVDS Block Cameras
3. Videology LVDS Block Cameras
4. Skoopia LVDS Block Cameras

Carrier boards like,

1. Avermedia D133
2. Waveshare Jetson adapters, etc.

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Real-Time 1080p60 Video Streaming with GStreamer

Once the driver is loaded and the link is established, the video stream is accessible at: /dev/video0

Basic GStreamer Pipeline

gst-launch-1.0 v4l2src device=/dev/video0 ! video/x-raw,format=UYVY,width=1920,height=1080,framerate=60/1 ! videoconvert ! autovideosink

Why This Pipeline Works Well

• Uses Jetson’s zero-copy buffers
• Smooth playback at 1080p60
• Minimal CPU load
• No frame drops
• Instant HDMI display

For GPU-Accelerated Rendering

• nvoverlaysink

For Recording / Network Streaming

• nvv4l2h264enc
• rtph264pay
• udpsink

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Real-Time Demo

Watch the bridge in action:

🔗 https://youtu.be/uO5r90QobQg

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Applications

This LVDS–MIPI solution unlocks capabilities for high-end vision systems:

• Robotics & automation
• Medical imaging platforms
• Drones and UAV stabilization
• Industrial inspection systems
• Surveillance and analytics
• AI edge computing using DeepStream or TensorRT

Key Benefits

• Zero dropped frames
• Sub-millisecond pipeline latency
• Stable 1080p60 real-time output
• Low CPU usage

Fully compatible with:

• NVIDIA DeepStream SDK
• OpenCV + TensorRT
• GStreamer Multimedia API

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Conclusion

The Oppila LVDS → MIPI CSI-2 Bridge Board transforms Sony’s industrial LVDS block cameras into plug-and-play MIPI devices for Jetson platforms. It delivers high performance, ultra-low latency, and seamless integration with today’s AI and computer-vision stacks.

From drones and medical systems to robotics and surveillance, this bridge enables next-generation embedded vision applications.

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FAQs