Maxim MAX96712 and MAX96724 GMSL2 camera deserializers
Maxim (now Analog Devices) GMSL2 deserializer chips that aggregate up to four high-speed automotive and industrial camera links onto a single MIPI CSI-2 output. They are used in modern embedded vision systems such as ADAS, robotics, and surround-view cameras, where long cable runs between sensors and the host SoC are needed.
recommendation
Already on the path to removal. The hardware itself is alive and well, with the chips still sold new in 2025 and used in embedded camera systems, but the staging implementation is being superseded: a July 2025 linux-media patch series introduces a proper Maxim GMSL2/3 serializer-deserializer framework with a new max96724 driver that absorbs MAX96712 support, and an accompanying patch explicitly removes this staging copy. Users should migrate to the replacement driver once it lands in mainline.
repository signals
sources
- spinics.net
July 16, 2025 removal patch explicitly says the staging MAX96712 driver should be removed because its functionality moved to the MAX96724 driver using the Maxim GMSL2/3 deserializer framework.
- spinics.net
The companion July 16, 2025 patch series says the new Maxim GMSL2/3 serializer/deserializer drivers replace older upstream GMSL2 drivers and support MAX96712 and MAX96724.
- spinics.net
December 16, 2024 patch fixes a real module-removal crash in max96712, showing recent upstream bug-fix activity rather than abandonment before the 2025 removal series.
- spinics.net
December 20, 2024 v3 patch adjusts MAX96712/MAX96724 handling for a documented register and reports improved streaming performance, showing active maintenance very near the removal discussion.
- cateee.net
LKDDb shows CONFIG_VIDEO_MAX96712 present across kernel releases and that the staging driver already covers both maxim,max96712 and maxim,max96724 compatibles.
- digikey.com
A distributor listing crawled recently shows MAX96712GTB/V+T inventory, indicating the chip was still obtainable new after 2025.
- ez.analog.com
A January 8, 2025 Analog Devices support thread discusses active MAX96712 deployment and migration questions against MAX96724F, indicating current niche use in embedded vision/SerDes systems.
codex reasoning notes (technical)
Local shell inspection (`rg`, `sed`, `git log`) shows a real I2C/V4L2 staging driver introduced in 2021 with substantive fixes/features through 2024-12-19, including MAX96724 support. `web.search_query` found the 2025 linux-media removal series and replacement-framework cover letter on spinics, which is the strongest signal: this is not dead hardware, but the staging implementation is being superseded by a better upstream driver model. `web.open` on LKDDb confirmed the driver covers both MAX96712 and MAX96724 compatibles. Additional `web.search_query` hits from DigiKey and ADI EngineerZone show the silicon remained commercially/deployment-relevant in 2025-2026, but in a specialized automotive/industrial vision niche rather than broad deployment. Recommendation is `remove` because active upstream replacement/removal discussion exists and a natural successor driver path is identified.