OSD (On-screen Display) module on MAX7456

BOB-09168 - OSD development board on the MAX7456 chip

The OSD module is a device that allows you to create a text overlay for a video image. Similar solutions can be observed eg in modern televisions, where channel numbers and volume levels are displayed directly on a moving image. MAX7456 is particularly popular with FPV (First-person view) model enthusiasts, where the remote image is used to control the model, broadcast from a camera located in the cockpit. The use of the system allows you to "blend" into the image obtained a lot of information, such as signal strength, battery charge level, so-called. artificial horizon, geographical coordinates, relative altitude, engine temperature, etc. In a similar way you can display information collected by a remote controlled or autonomous robot, thanks to which the operator will be able to control its operation in a convenient and intuitive way.

Sample image with OSD overlay, received remotely from a flying model

The offered module contains everything you need to install it directly between the camera and the image receiver. Two RCA connectors (popular "cinch") allow for convenient connection and disconnection of the system, and the derived control signals allow control of the information displayed by the SPI interface, eg by means of the Arduino platform. MAX7456 supports both PAL and NTSC image.

An example of how to connect the MAX7456 Module with Arduino UNO and a camera

Features:

• Power supply: 5 V,
• Max. Current consumption: 100 mA,
• Communication via the SPI interface,
• Dimensions with RCA connectors: 62 x 23 x 15 mm,
• Dimensions after desoldering connectors: 46 x 23 x 5 mm,
• Weight: 8.6 g.

To download:

• Documentation of the MAX7456 system
• Diagram of the module
• Development software from Maxim
• MAX7456 libraries for Arduino
• Example code for ATmega168 (possibly ATmega328 after minor modifications) for WinAVR