Integrating KT&C ATC-HZ5540T-LP on Raspberry Pi 5 using Oppila LVDS to MIPI CSI-2 Bridge
High-Performance 1080p60 Global Shutter Low-Latency Video on Raspberry Pi 5
Integrate the KT&C ATC-HZ5540T-LP 40× optical zoom Global Shutter block camera with Raspberry Pi 5 using Oppila's LVDS to MIPI CSI-2 Bridge. Enable 1080p60 ultra-low-latency video streaming, real-time camera control, and embedded vision — in a compact and cost-effective setup.
Introduction
The Raspberry Pi 5 is a powerful and affordable embedded platform widely used in embedded vision, IoT, and edge computing. However, connecting industrial LVDS block cameras to the Raspberry Pi requires a bridge to convert the LVDS video output to the MIPI CSI-2 interface supported by the Pi.
Oppila's LVDS to MIPI CSI-2 Bridge solves this by converting the KT&C camera's LVDS output into a MIPI CSI-2 stream that the Raspberry Pi 5 can capture natively.
What this means:
- Industrial 40× zoom camera on Raspberry Pi 5
- Low-latency 1080p60 video capture
- Global Shutter for motion-critical applications
- Cost-effective embedded vision solution
This makes the platform ideal for:
- ALPR / ANPR systems
- Smart surveillance
- Industrial inspection
- Machine vision
- Robotics
- IoT edge vision
YouTube Video
LVDS to MIPI CSI-2 Conversion
The Oppila LVDS to MIPI CSI-2 Bridge converts the KT&C camera's LVDS video stream into MIPI CSI-2 D-PHY output, fully compatible with Raspberry Pi 5.
Key Technical Features
- Supports High-Speed (HS) and Low-Power (LP) MIPI signaling
- Adds CSI-2 headers, ECC and CRC for error-free transmission
- 4-lane MIPI CSI-2 output
- Fixed output: 1080p @ 60fps
- Ultra-low power, low latency link to Raspberry Pi 5
KT&C ATC-HZ5540T-LP Camera Block Integration
The KT&C ATC-HZ5540T-LP is a high-performance Global Shutter block camera designed for industrial, surveillance, and machine vision applications.
Camera Features
- 1/2.9" Progressive Scan Global Shutter CMOS sensor
- 40× optical zoom
- Native 1080p@60fps LVDS output
- Global Shutter — eliminates motion blur and rolling shutter artifacts
- Excellent low-light performance (0.01 Lux)
Combined with the Oppila LVDS to MIPI CSI-2 Bridge, the KT&C ATC-HZ5540T-LP behaves like a native MIPI CSI-2 camera on Raspberry Pi 5, enabling low-latency embedded vision applications.
Custom Driver for Raspberry Pi 5
Oppila provides a custom camera driver compatible with the Raspberry Pi 5's libcamera stack and PiSP (Raspberry Pi Image Signal Processor).
Driver Capabilities
- Device Tree Overlay for camera registration
- LVDS → UYVY formatted output
- Compatible with libcamera / rpicam tools
- Automatic MIPI link detection
- Exposes camera via standard Raspberry Pi camera interface
Camera exposure and gain are configured via VISCA or Pelco presets before runtime for consistent imaging results.
Camera Control Overview
The bridge includes I2C-to-UART control, enabling Raspberry Pi 5 to send control commands to the KT&C camera.
Control Flow
- Raspberry Pi 5
- I2C Interface
- Onboard I2C-to-UART Controller (Bridge Board)
- UART RS232-TTL (PELCO-D/P, VISCA)
- KT&C ATC-HZ5540T-LP Camera Block
Multi-Protocol Support
The KT&C ATC-HZ5540T-LP supports multiple control protocols via UART RS232-TTL:
- VISCA — Sony standard protocol
- Pelco-D — widely used in surveillance systems
- Pelco-P — extended Pelco protocol
This architecture ensures:
- Parallel video + control operation
- No added latency
- Stable real-time performance
- Flexible integration with existing control systems
Supported Camera Controls
Optical & Image Controls
- Optical zoom (tele / wide / absolute positioning)
- Digital zoom enable / disable
- Focus control (auto / manual / one-push)
- Iris control
- Gain adjustment
- Shutter speed control
Exposure & Image Quality
- Auto / manual exposure
- Wide Dynamic Range (WDR)
- Noise reduction (3D-DNR)
- White balance modes
- Low-light enhancement
- Defog
Operational Controls
- Camera power on/off
- Preset recall
- Day & Night mode (IR cut filter)
- Startup profiles
Hardware Setup & Connectivity
Required Components
- Raspberry Pi 5
- Oppila LVDS to MIPI CSI-2 Bridge Board
- KT&C ATC-HZ5540T-LP
Cables
- 22-pin FPC cable → Raspberry Pi 5 CSI camera input
- KEL 30-pin (USL00-30L-A) micro-coax → KT&C LVDS output
Power
- Bridge board requires 12V DC @ 0.8A
Additional Compatibility
The bridge also supports:
Cameras
- Sony FCB LVDS Block Cameras
- Tamron LVDS Block Cameras
- Wonwoo LVDS Block Cameras
- Videology LVDS Block Cameras
- Skoopia LVDS Block Cameras
Real-Time 1080p60 Video Streaming
Once the driver is loaded and the link is established, the camera is accessible through the Raspberry Pi camera interface.
Using rpicam tools
rpicam-hello -t 0
For video recording
rpicam-vid -o output.h264 -t 10000
Using GStreamer
gst-launch-1.0 libcamerasrc ! video/x-raw,width=1920,height=1080,framerate=60/1 ! videoconvert ! autovideosink
Why It Works Efficiently
- Direct MIPI CSI-2 capture via Pi's camera port
- Smooth playback at 1080p60
- Low CPU load
- No frame drops
Why Choose This Setup?
- Global Shutter eliminates motion blur — ideal for fast-moving targets
- 40× optical zoom for long-range identification
- Affordable Raspberry Pi 5 as host platform
- Multi-protocol camera control (VISCA, Pelco-D, Pelco-P)
- Plug-and-play LVDS to MIPI conversion
- Compact and portable setup
Conclusion
The Oppila LVDS to MIPI CSI-2 Bridge enables the KT&C ATC-HZ5540T-LP Global Shutter camera to work seamlessly with the Raspberry Pi 5. This combination delivers industrial-grade 40× zoom imaging with Global Shutter clarity on an affordable embedded platform. Whether you're building ALPR systems, surveillance solutions, inspection tools, or IoT vision devices, this setup provides a powerful, cost-effective, and production-ready solution at 1080p60.
Product Details
Full specifications, kits, and datasheets: LVDS to MIPI CSI-2 Bridge
FAQs
No, the KT&C ATC-HZ5540T-LP outputs LVDS, while Raspberry Pi 5 requires MIPI CSI-2. Oppila's LVDS to MIPI CSI-2 Bridge converts LVDS → MIPI CSI-2 seamlessly.
The bridge supports 1080p @ 60fps, converted to a format compatible with Raspberry Pi 5's MIPI CSI-2 camera interface.
Global Shutter captures the entire frame simultaneously, eliminating motion blur and rolling shutter artifacts. This is critical for ALPR, machine vision, and any application involving fast-moving objects.
Latency is sub-millisecond and does not affect real-time applications.
Yes. The bridge supports I2C-to-UART control for sending VISCA, Pelco-D, and Pelco-P commands to control zoom, focus, exposure, gain, presets, and triggers.
The camera supports VISCA, Pelco-D, and Pelco-P control protocols via RS232 TTL UART at baud rates from 2400 to 115200 bps.
Yes. It supports all LVDS-compatible camera modules including Sony, Tamron, Wonwoo, Videology, and Skoopia block cameras.
Yes. A custom camera driver and Device Tree Overlay are provided for Raspberry Pi 5's libcamera stack.
Yes. You can use rpicam-hello, rpicam-vid, rpicam-still, GStreamer, and OpenCV.
The bridge requires 12V DC @ 0.8A.
A 22-pin FPC cable connects the bridge to the Raspberry Pi 5's CSI camera input.
No. The system maintains full 60fps with zero frame drops under normal operation.
