After phasing out the earlier MAX9296-GMSL-Camera-Board, Waveshare has now released the MAX9296-GMSL-DESER-MODULE 2-channel GMSL camera adapter board designed for high-speed, low-latency video transmission on the Raspberry Pi 5 and NVIDIA Jetson Orin Nano/NX developer kits.
The adapter is built around the MAX9296A deserializer, and supports two MATE-AX FAKRA Z coaxial inputs for long-distance video transmission and two 22-pin CSI outputs for connection to the host. It supports both GMSL1 and GMSL2 cameras (such as the Sony ISX031) via software configuration and is compatible with serializers like the MAX9295, MAX96717, and MAX96705. These features make it suitable for applications such as robotics, autonomous driving, surround-view systems, and more.
Waveshare MAX9296-GMSL-DESER-MODULE specifications:
- Compatible boards – Raspberry Pi 5, Jetson Orin Nano, Jetson Orin NX developer kits
- Deserializer IC – Maxim (ADI) MAX9296A
- GMSL Inputs – Supports two GMSL2 cameras(ISX031) via MATE-AX FAKRA Z connectors (backward compatible with GMSL1)
- Output Interfaces – 2x 22-pin MIPI CSI connectors
- Serializer – Compatible with MAX9295, MAX96717, MAX96705, and others
- Power – 5V DC
- Dimensions – 79 x 92.5 mm
GMSL allows for video, audio, and control data to be transmitted over a single coaxial or twisted-pair cable (usually up to 15 meters) with very low latency. This is a significant upgrade over standard MIPI CSI-2 ribbon cables, which are typically 30cm long and are prone to interference in noisy industrial environments.
At the time of writing, the Waveshare Wiki for the MAX9296-GMSL-Camera-Board is still under development, and documentation is limited. However, based on the previously discontinued version its clear that the adapter is not designed to work out of the box and needs dedicated drivers, which have to come from Waveshare. Once the Wiki is live, it should have all the necessary documentation and files, such as driver packages, configuration, device tree guides, and examples.
Previously, we have written about Videtronic’s V-Link, which extends the range of Raspberry Pi MIPI DSI cameras using GMSL2 (Gigabit Multimedia Serial Link v2). We have also seen NileCAM21_CUXVR multi-camera solutions for the NVIDIA Jetson Xavier AGX developer kit, which lets users connect up to six cameras.
The MAX9296-GMSL-DESER-MODULE is available on AliExpress for $114.47, on Amazon for $109.99, and on the Waveshare store for $89.99 plus shipping.
Debashis Das is a technical content writer and embedded engineer with over five years of experience in the industry. With expertise in Embedded C, PCB Design, and SEO optimization, he effectively blends difficult technical topics with clear communication
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