Vadzo Imaging Validates Dual Endpoint USB streaming and Onboard Storage on MerlinPlus-521CRS 5MP AR0521 USB 2.0 Camera

Vadzo Imaging has Highlights the MerlinPlus-521CRS, a 5MP AR0521 USB 2.0 Camera designed for OEMs and embedded vision integrators requiring simultaneous live video streaming and local recording from a single compact camera platform. Built around the onsemi AR0521 image sensor, the camera combines USB 2.0 UVC connectivity, Dual Endpoint Streaming, Onboard Storage, GPIO connectivity and M12/S-Mount optics for integration across security, surveillance, smart infrastructure and embedded imaging applications

IRVINE, CA / ACCESS Newswire / August 18, 2026 / Vadzo Imaging, a global provider of embedded vision solutions, has validated dual endpoint USB streaming and on-board recording on the MerlinPlus-521CRS, an AR0521 5MP USB 2.0 Camera built around the Onsemi AR0521 CMOS sensor. The MerlinPlus-521CRS is designed for OEMs and system integrators who need Dual Endpoint Streaming and Onboard Storage in a single, compact USB 2.0 storage camera module, without adding a second capture device or an external recording appliance to the system.

Technical Problem Definition

Engineers building a dashcam USB camera module, a black box storage camera, an event recorder camera module, a body camera storage module, or a fleet recording camera platform all encounter the same architectural conflict. A live video feed for monitoring or analytics competes with local recording for the same USB endpoint and the same processing budget. A standard single-stream USB camera can serve a live view or write frames to local storage, but coordinating both from one endpoint typically requires host-side software to split, buffer, and re-encode the stream, adding CPU load and failure points unacceptable in a standalone recording camera meant to keep working when the host connection drops. This dual demand runs across markets that appear unrelated on the surface. Security camera and surveillance camera installations need continuous local recording as a fallback to network video management. Medical device camera and patient care camera systems must log into a clinical encounter locally while streaming to a monitoring station. Telematics platforms need a fleet recording camera to keep a local loop recording camera function running independent of a cellular uplink. Local storage USB camera designs that solve this at the application layer rather than in firmware inherit whatever instability the host operating system introduces, the exact failure mode a hardware-level dual-stream USB camera is meant to remove.

Engineering Explanation

The MerlinPlus-521CRS is built on the Onsemi AR0521 CMOS Sensor, a 1/2.5-inch optical format sensor with 2.2 µm x 2.2 µm pixels producing a maximum resolution of (2592) by (1944) pixels, 5MP. This sensor and ISP combination positions the MerlinPlus-521CRS as an Onsemi 5MP USB 2.0 Camera platform suited to applications that need low-noise 5MP AR0521 Camera output without a global shutter premium. The AR0521 Sensor uses a rolling shutter readout, exposing and reading each row sequentially rather than resetting the full array at once, which keeps cost and power draw low for static or moderate motion scenes such as a fixed medical device camera or a stationary security camera, while requiring attention to rolling shutter artifacts in high motion capture. Paired with a high-performance ISP, the Onsemi AR0521 Camera platform in the MerlinPlus-521CRS is tuned for low-noise output at both 1080p and 720p resolutions, giving integrators a lower-bandwidth 720p mode for constrained USB 2.0 links alongside full 1080p capture when link bandwidth allows. USB Video Class compliance means the AR0521 USB Camera enumerates as a standard UVC device on Windows and Linux without a proprietary driver, while the onboard architecture adds two capabilities a plain UVC sensor module lacks, Dual Endpoint Streaming and Onboard Storage, both implemented in camera firmware rather than host software.

Product Overview

The Vadzo MerlinPlus-521CRS packages the AR0521 5MP USB Camera on a compact two board stack measuring 38mm by 38mm and weighing 11 grams without lens, connecting to a host through a USB 2.0 Micro-B interface and drawing power directly from the USB bus with no separate power input required. As an AR0521 5MP Color USB Camera, the platform pairs full 5MP color capture with the same Dual Endpoint Streaming and Onboard Storage capabilities rather than trading resolution or color fidelity for local recording support. Optics run through an S-Mount M12 lens interface with a 74-degree diagonal field of view lens fitted as standard, giving integrators a familiar lens mounting standard for field-of-view changes without a custom optical redesign. A GPIO connector is available for external trigger and signal integration, extending the camera into event-driven capture workflows. The camera is rated for a -30°C to 70°C operating temperature range and carries UVC compliance along with RoHS 3 and REACH conformity. The platform supports Windows, Linux, and Android integration requiring an additional SDK layer beyond the native UVC driver stack used on Windows and Linux.

Key Capabilities

Dual Endpoint Streaming for Simultaneous Live Output and Local Capture: Most single stream UVC modules force a choice between a live feed to the host application and a locally written recording file, requiring the host to duplicate, encode, or relay the stream if both outputs are needed at once. The MerlinPlus-521CRS addresses this directly as a Dual Endpoint Streaming Camera, exposing two independent video endpoints from the same AR0521 sensor and ISP pipeline so a live monitoring or analytics application and a local recording path can both pull frames allowing simultaneous live streaming and local recording from a single camera platform. For a 5MP Dual Stream USB Camera architecture like this, a security camera installation can send a live feed to a video management workstation while the same camera independently retains footage locally, and a patient care camera deployment can stream a clinical monitoring view while keeping an independent local record of the same encounter. This Dual Video Stream Camera behavior means both outputs originate from the same UVC Dual Stream Camera firmware rather than a host side split, so The camera separates live streaming and local recording at the camera level, reducing the need for host-side stream duplication and recording logic, giving system integrators a 5MP Dual Stream Camera foundation for applications that need both outputs running continuously.

Onboard Storage for Standalone Local Data Retention: The MerlinPlus-521CRS pairs Dual Endpoint Streaming with Onboard Storage, giving the camera an Onboard Storage Camera capability for local data retention that does not depend on a host application staying connected or a network link staying up. Unlike a generic onboard SD card camera architecture where storage medium and card capacity sit outside the sensor and firmware pipeline, the MerlinPlus-521CRS ties Onboard Storage directly to the same Dual Endpoint Streaming pipeline that handles the live feed. This makes the MerlinPlus-521CRS a practical AR0521 Storage Camera for standalone recording camera use cases, including onboard recording camera deployments where the recording function has to keep running through a dropped USB connection, a rebooting host, or an interrupted network path, the same operating condition a fleet recording camera or dashcam USB camera module encounters on a moving vehicle, and the same condition a body camera storage module or event recorder camera module encounters in the field. As a 5MP Onboard Storage Camera, the MerlinPlus-521CRS keeps a local recording camera path active independent of the live streaming endpoint, giving integrators a local recording USB camera and loop recording camera foundation without adding a second capture device or a black box storage camera enclosure.

S-Mount Optics and GPIO for Field Configurable Integration: The MerlinPlus-521CRS ships with S-Mount M12 optics and a 74-degree diagonal field of view lens as the default configuration, a mounting standard integrator can swap within the same M12 family to adjust field of view for a given install distance without redesigning the camera board. The onboard GPIO connector extends the AR0521 Color USB Camera platform into trigger driven and event synchronized capture scenarios, letting an external sensor or controller initiate a capture or recording event rather than relying solely on continuous free run streaming. Combined with the -30°C to 70°C operating range, this configuration supports a Plug and Play Storage Camera deployment across indoor and less climate-controlled installs where a board level module must run without an enclosure level thermal buffer.

Product Specifications

“OEM teams keep asking for a USB 2.0 storage camera that does not force a tradeoff between a live feed and a local recording path. The MerlinPlus-521CRS gives them Dual Endpoint Streaming and Onboard Storage on the same AR0521 sensor platform, so a security install, a patient monitoring station, or a fleet recording deployment gets both outputs from one board instead of stitching together a camera, a capture card, and a separate recorder. Said Alwin Vincent, Product Manager, Vadzo Imaging.

Target Applications

Security and Surveillance: Security and surveillance camera installations often rely on continuous local recording as a fallback when a network of video management connection is interrupted. As a dual-stream USB camera suited to security and surveillance deployment, the MerlinPlus-521CRS keeps a local recording path running through its Onboard Storage capability while Dual Endpoint Streaming keeps a live feed available to the monitoring workstation, without requiring a separate DVR or capture appliance at each install point.

Medical Imaging and Patient Care: A medical device and patient care camera used for clinical monitoring or procedure documentation typically needs a local, independently retained record of the encounter in addition to whatever live view a monitoring station receives. The MerlinPlus-521CRS Onboard Storage keeps that local record intact even if the live streaming session is interrupted, while its compact two-board form factor and USB 2.0 interface suit integration into space-constrained medical device camera and patient care camera housings.

Smart City and Smart Parking: Smart parking camera Deployments across a municipal footprint benefit from a local recording USB camera capability that keeps footage available on site even where connectivity to a central monitoring system is intermittent. The MerlinPlus-521CRS onboard recording camera function supports this directly, and its -30°C to 70°C operating range and compact form factor The compact camera platform can be integrated into appropriately protected outdoor and semi-outdoor systems

Telematics and Fleet Management: Fleet recording camera and dashcam USB camera module deployments need a local, standalone recording camera capability that keeps operating through cellular dropouts, ignition cycling, and vehicle vibration, independent of whatever live feed a fleet monitoring platform receives. The MerlinPlus-521CRS Dual Endpoint Streaming and Onboard Storage give telematics integrators both an event recorder camera module-style local retention path and a live streaming endpoint from the same AR0521 5MP camera board, without stacking a separate black box storage camera or body camera storage module onto the vehicle platform.

SDK / Software Support

The MerlinPlus-521CRS is UVC compliant, so Windows and Linux hosts enumerate the AR0521 USB 2.0 Camera as a standard video capture device without a proprietary driver, letting integrators bring the camera into an existing UVC based capture pipeline with standard OS level tools. Android integration requires an additional SDK layer, since native UVC support varies by device and OS version, and Vadzo provides that additional SDK path for Android-based OEM storage camera module deployments. GPIO access for triggered capture is exposed at the hardware level for developers building around the Dual Endpoint Streaming and Onboard Storage capabilities.

About Vadzo Imaging

Vadzo Imaging develops embedded and machine vision camera products for OEMs and system integrators building production-ready vision systems. The company offers imaging platforms across USB, MIPI CSI-2, Gigabit Ethernet, and Wi-Fi interfaces supporting applications in security surveillance, smart city infrastructure, retail automation, medical device integration, robotics, and industrial automation. Vadzo provides end-to-end imaging support including sensor integration, ISP tuning, firmware development, and SDK frameworks that accelerate development and simplify deployment for OEM customers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is a dual-endpoint streaming USB camera and why does it matter for OEM designs?

A: A dual-endpoint streaming USB camera exposes two independent video paths from a single sensor and image pipeline, one intended for a live feed to a monitoring or analytics application and one intended for local recording, so both can run at the same time without the host application splitting or re-encoding a single stream. This matters for OEM designs because a conventional single stream UVC camera forces the host software to duplicate the incoming video if both a live view and a local recording are required, adding CPU load and a potential point of failure if the host process handling that split crashes or disconnects. As an AR0521 5MP USB Camera, the Vadzo Imaging MerlinPlus-521CRS implements Dual Endpoint Streaming at the camera firmware level on its Onsemi AR0521 sensor platform, so a security, medical device, or fleet recording deployment gets a live feed and an independent local recording path from one USB 2.0 camera board rather than from host-side software.

Q: How does onboard storage differ from an external DVR or capture card for local video recording?

A: Onboard storage places the recording function directly on the camera board, writing captured frames to local storage without routing them through a separate DVR, capture card, or recording appliance connected to the host system. This removes dependency. The local recording path keeps running even if the host application closes, the network connection drops, or the capture card driver fails, because the recording logic lives on the camera rather than downstream of it. An external DVR or capture card, by comparison, only records what the host successfully forwards to it, so any interruption between the camera and that external device breaks the recording. Vadzo Imaging MerlinPlus-521CRS uses Onboard Storage on its 5MP AR0521 sensor platform, keeping local data retention active independent of the live streaming session, which is a meaningful difference for standalone recording camera deployments in vehicles, remote installs, or any environment where the host connection cannot be guaranteed continuously available.

Q: What operating temperature range should a board-level USB camera support for outdoor or vehicle deployment?

A: A board level USB camera for outdoor, vehicle, or semi outdoor deployment needs an operating range wide enough to cover cold start conditions and sustained heat buildup inside an enclosure or vehicle cabin, spanning well below freezing on the low end and well above room temperature on the high end. Falling short on either end risks image degradation, sensor noise increases, or operational failure during seasonal extremes or engine compartment-adjacent mounting. The Vadzo MerlinPlus-521CRS is rated for a -30°C to 70°C operating temperature range on its Onsemi AR0521 5MP sensor platform, giving integrators margin for cold outdoor mornings and warm enclosed mounting positions alike without requiring supplemental heating or cooling at the board level, a practical consideration for smart parking, fleet, and outdoor security camera installs built around this camera.

Q: What is the difference between a rolling shutter and a global shutter for a 5MP CMOS camera sensor?

A: A rolling shutter sensor exposes and reads each row of the pixel array sequentially rather than simultaneously, keeping sensor cost, power draw, and pixel size lower than an equivalent global shutter design but introducing skew artifacts when the subject or camera moves quickly during exposure. A global shutter sensor exposes every pixel at the same instant, avoiding that skew entirely, at the cost of additional per-pixel circuitry that typically increases sensor size, cost, and power consumption for the same resolution. For static or moderate motion scenes such as a fixed security install, a patient monitoring station, or a parked vehicle recording, a rolling shutter sensor is usually the more costly and power-efficient choice. The Onsemi AR0521 sensor used in the Vadzo MerlinPlus-521CRS is a rolling shutter 5MP sensor, positioned for these lower motion use cases where its cost and power advantage outweighs the tradeoff, rather than for high-speed machine vision inspection where global shutter is typically required.

Q: Do onboard storage USB camera products require a minimum order quantity for OEM evaluation?

A: Minimum order requirements for onboard storage of USB camera products vary by supplier, and many camera vendors set minimum order quantities that make small batch evaluation difficult for engineering teams before committing to production volume. Vadzo Imaging operates without a minimum order quantity requirement, so engineering teams can obtain a single evaluation unit of the MerlinPlus-521CRS to validate Dual Endpoint Streaming, Onboard Storage, and USB 2.0 UVC integration on their own host platform before scaling to a production order. This lets OEM teams building dashcam, security, medical device, or fleet recording platforms confirm sensor performance, storage behavior, and driver compatibility on real hardware, and Vadzo supports both single unit evaluation and volume production through the same channel.

Availability

The MerlinPlus-521CRS 5MP AR0521 USB 2.0 Camera is available now for evaluation To request an evaluation unit or discuss OEM integration requirements for Dual Endpoint Streaming, Onboard Storage, or GPIO triggered capture configurations. Full specifications, SDK documentation, and the product page are available at vadzo’s camera portfolio spans MIPI CSI-2, USB, GigE, Wi-Fi, and SerDes interfaces, supporting a wide range of embedded deployment architectures. Vadzo provides end-to-end imaging support including sensor integration, ISP tuning, firmware development, and SDK frameworks. Learn more at www.vadzoimaging.com.

About Vadzo Imaging

Vadzo Imaging develops embedded and machine vision camera products for OEMs and system integrators building production-ready vision systems. The company offers imaging platforms across USB, MIPI CSI-2, Gigabit Ethernet, and Wi-Fi interfaces supporting applications in security surveillance, smart city infrastructure, retail automation, medical device integration, robotics, and industrial automation. Vadzo provides end-to-end imaging support including sensor integration, ISP tuning, firmware development, and SDK frameworks that accelerate development and simplify deployment for OEM customers.

Media Contact
Alwin Vincent
Vadzo Imaging
Email: alwin@vadzoimaging.com
LinkedIn: Vadzo Imaging
YouTube: Vadzo Imaging
X: Vadzo Imaging

SOURCE: Vadzo Imaging

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

Media gallery