Abstract: Described is an apparatus comprising a first circuitry and a second circuitry. The first circuitry may be operable to provide output to a unidirectional data path for carrying a packetized data stream. The second circuitry may be operable to provide output to, and obtain input from, a bidirectional control path for carrying a packetized control stream. The packetized data stream may comprise pixel data traffic and frame-synchronous metadata traffic, and the packetized control stream may comprise frame-asynchronous metadata traffic and control traffic.