how to add OSD Overlay to Wireless Video Transmission System

Adding OSD Overlay to a Wireless Video Transmission System

In many professional wireless video applications — such as UAV systems, robotics, surveillance, and industrial inspection — video alone is often not enough. Operators frequently need real-time information displayed directly on the video feed, including telemetry data, system status, GPS coordinates, or custom operational messages.

To meet these requirements, our wireless video transmission system supports OSD (On-Screen Display) overlay, enabling users to add custom text directly onto the live video stream.

This article explains how the OSD overlay function works and how it can be integrated into your system.

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What Is OSD Overlay?

OSD (On-Screen Display) overlay is a feature that allows text information to be displayed on top of a live video image. This means you can embed operational data directly into the visual output without requiring additional graphics hardware or external processing devices.

Common use cases include:

• Altitude and speed display
• Battery level indication
• Device ID or channel information
• Mission status updates
• Warning or alert messages

The overlay position is fully configurable, allowing data to be displayed at the top of the video or anywhere else on the screen.

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Key Capabilities

Our system provides the following OSD overlay capabilities:

• Supports up to 8 independent overlay regions
• Fully customizable text content
• Adjustable X and Y positioning
• Dynamic real-time updates
• Independent control for each overlay area

This flexible structure allows users to display multiple data fields simultaneously while maintaining clean layout control.

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OSD Control Protocol

The OSD overlay function is controlled via a simple command protocol.

Command Format

ATOSD$(idx),$(x),$(y),$(str)_

Example

ATOSD0,40,20,height: 100m_

Parameter Description

• idx: Overlay index (0–7)
  The system supports up to 8 OSD regions.
• x: X coordinate (0–1919)
• y: Y coordinate (0–1079)
• str: Text string to display
  • Sending a space " " clears the display
  • The string cannot contain the “_” character

1.3.33 OSD overlay protocol

Format	ATOSD$(idx),$(x),$(and),$(str)_ For example: ATOSD0,40,20,height: 100m_
parameter	idx index: 0~7 (supports OSD overlay of 8 areas) x coordinate: 0~1919 y coordinate:0~1079 str: string to be displayed at the corresponding coordinates (The space symbol is used to clear the display)
use	Used to overlay user OSD information on the video screen
return value	none
Remark	1. The user specifies the x and y coordinates of the OSD display according to the maximum 1920×1080 pixels, and the system will correct the coordinates according to the actual display situation. 2、The str parameter cannot contain the ‘_’ character

Coordinates are defined based on a maximum resolution of 1920 × 1080 pixels. The system automatically adjusts positioning based on the actual output resolution.

This command-based structure enables precise and independent control of each display region, making it suitable for real-time telemetry integration.

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Dynamic Data Integration

The OSD overlay can be updated continuously via external control systems. This allows integration with:

• Flight controllers
• Embedded processors
• Industrial control systems
• Telemetry modules

By sending updated ATOSD commands, users can modify displayed values in real time without interrupting the video transmission.

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Implementation Considerations

When planning to add OSD overlay to your project, consider the following:

• How many data fields need to be displayed?
• Will the content update dynamically?
• What is the target output resolution?
• What system will generate and send the OSD control commands?

Our engineering team can assist in defining the optimal overlay layout and communication integration based on your application requirements.

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Conclusion

Adding OSD overlay functionality transforms a wireless video transmission system into a powerful data visualization platform. By embedding real-time information directly into the video stream, users gain improved operational awareness without increasing system complexity.

If your project requires custom on-screen data display, our OSD solution provides flexible positioning, independent control, and dynamic updating capabilities to meet professional integration needs.