diff --git a/examples/ArduinoLogo/ArduinoLogo.ino b/examples/ArduinoLogo/ArduinoLogo.ino
index 346b12e..529146e 100644
--- a/examples/ArduinoLogo/ArduinoLogo.ino
+++ b/examples/ArduinoLogo/ArduinoLogo.ino
@@ -17,7 +17,10 @@
 INCBIN(test, "/home/user/Downloads/test.bin");
 */
 
+// Default: video over the USB-C port
 Arduino_Video Display;
+// To drive the Giga Display Shield on a Portenta H7 + Portenta Mid Carrier, use:
+// Arduino_Video Display(800, 480, GigaDisplayShield);
 
 Image img_arduinologo(ENCODING_RGB16, (uint8_t *) texture_raw, 300, 300);
 
diff --git a/src/Arduino_Video.cpp b/src/Arduino_Video.cpp
index e1b3e46..5f5eb0a 100644
--- a/src/Arduino_Video.cpp
+++ b/src/Arduino_Video.cpp
@@ -11,13 +11,14 @@
 
 #include "Arduino_Video.h"
 
+#include "video_backend.h"
 #include "dsi.h"
 #include "logging.h"
 extern "C" {
 #include "video_modes.h"
 }
 
-#if defined(__ZEPHYR__) && defined(ARDUINO_GIGA)
+#if defined(ARDUINO_VIDEO_DIRECT_FB)
 #include <zephyr/kernel.h>
 #include <zephyr/device.h>
 #include <zephyr/drivers/display.h>
@@ -43,7 +44,7 @@ void lvgl_displayFlushing(lv_display_t *display, const lv_area_t *area, unsigned
 #endif
 #endif /* __has_include ("lvgl.h") */
 
-#if defined(ARDUINO_GIGA) && defined(__ZEPHYR__)
+#if defined(ARDUINO_VIDEO_DIRECT_FB)
 /* Note: These variables are defined in the global scope because the LVGL
  *       'lvgl_displayFlushing' callback is a static function */
 const struct device *display_dev;
@@ -96,7 +97,7 @@ int Arduino_Video::begin() {
   textFont(Font_5x7);
 #endif
 
-#if defined(ARDUINO_GIGA) && defined(__ZEPHYR__)  // Backend for Arduino Giga R1
+#if defined(ARDUINO_VIDEO_DIRECT_FB)  // Framebuffer-managed panel (ST7701)
   display_dev = DEVICE_DT_GET(DT_CHOSEN(zephyr_display));
 
   if (!device_is_ready(display_dev)) {
@@ -107,6 +108,8 @@ int Arduino_Video::begin() {
   }
 
 #if DT_NODE_EXISTS(DT_NODELABEL(st7701))
+  /* The ST7701 panel is deferred-init: bring it up now that the DSI host and
+     LTDC are ready (its boot-time init runs too early and fails). */
   const struct device *panel_dev = DEVICE_DT_GET(DT_NODELABEL(st7701));
   if (!device_is_ready(panel_dev)) {
     if (zephyr::arduino::init_dev_apply_pinctrl(panel_dev) < 0) {
@@ -207,7 +210,7 @@ void Arduino_Video::end() {
 void Arduino_Video::beginDraw() {
   ArduinoGraphics::beginDraw();
 
-#if defined(ARDUINO_GIGA) && defined(__ZEPHYR__)
+#if defined(ARDUINO_VIDEO_DIRECT_FB)
   uint16_t *fb = (uint16_t *)display_get_framebuffer(display_dev);
   memset(fb, 0, display_caps.x_resolution * display_caps.y_resolution * sizeof(uint16_t));
 #else
@@ -218,7 +221,7 @@ void Arduino_Video::beginDraw() {
 void Arduino_Video::endDraw() {
   ArduinoGraphics::endDraw();
 
-#if defined(ARDUINO_GIGA) && defined(__ZEPHYR__)
+#if defined(ARDUINO_VIDEO_DIRECT_FB)
   // no need to explicitly flush, as we are writing directly to the framebuffer
 #else
   dsi_drawCurrentFrameBuffer();
@@ -229,7 +232,7 @@ void Arduino_Video::clear() {
   [[maybe_unused]] uint32_t bg = ArduinoGraphics::background();
   [[maybe_unused]] uint32_t x_size, y_size;
 
-#if defined(ARDUINO_GIGA) && defined(__ZEPHYR__)
+#if defined(ARDUINO_VIDEO_DIRECT_FB)
   uint16_t *fb = (uint16_t *)display_get_framebuffer(display_dev);
   memset(fb, 0, display_caps.x_resolution * display_caps.y_resolution * 2);
 #else
@@ -262,7 +265,7 @@ void Arduino_Video::set(int x, int y, uint8_t r, uint8_t g, uint8_t b) {
       return;
   }
 
-#if defined(ARDUINO_GIGA) && defined(__ZEPHYR__)
+#if defined(ARDUINO_VIDEO_DIRECT_FB)
   if (x_rot >= display_caps.x_resolution || y_rot >= display_caps.y_resolution)
     return;
 #else
@@ -270,7 +273,7 @@ void Arduino_Video::set(int x, int y, uint8_t r, uint8_t g, uint8_t b) {
     return;
 #endif
 
-#if defined(ARDUINO_GIGA) && defined(__ZEPHYR__)
+#if defined(ARDUINO_VIDEO_DIRECT_FB)
   // The pixel is written directly into the framebuffer in RGB565 format.
   // Rotation is automatically handled if the display is rotated.
   uint16_t color = ((r & 0xF8) << 8) | ((g & 0xFC) << 3) | (b >> 3);
@@ -318,7 +321,7 @@ void lvgl_displayFlushing(lv_display_t *disp, const lv_area_t *area, unsigned ch
     h = temp;
   }
 
-#if defined(ARDUINO_GIGA) && defined(__ZEPHYR__)
+#if defined(ARDUINO_VIDEO_DIRECT_FB)
   uint16_t *dst = buffer;
   uint16_t *src = (uint16_t *)px_map;
 
@@ -336,7 +339,7 @@ void lvgl_displayFlushing(lv_display_t *disp, const lv_area_t *area, unsigned ch
 #endif  //end lvgl
 
 int Arduino_Video::drawBuffer([[maybe_unused]]uint16_t x, [[maybe_unused]]uint16_t y, [[maybe_unused]]const void *buf) {
-#if defined(ARDUINO_GIGA) && defined(__ZEPHYR__)
+#if defined(ARDUINO_VIDEO_DIRECT_FB)
   if (!device_is_ready(display_dev)) {
     return -ENODEV;
   }
@@ -347,7 +350,7 @@ int Arduino_Video::drawBuffer([[maybe_unused]]uint16_t x, [[maybe_unused]]uint16
 }
 
 void *Arduino_Video::getFramebuffer() {
-#if defined(ARDUINO_GIGA) && defined(__ZEPHYR__)
+#if defined(ARDUINO_VIDEO_DIRECT_FB)
   /* * In Zephyr, 'buffer' is the pointer allocated or retrieved from the display device during begin() */
   void *fb = display_get_framebuffer(display_dev);
   return fb;
@@ -356,7 +359,7 @@ void *Arduino_Video::getFramebuffer() {
 #endif
 }
 
-#if defined(ARDUINO_GIGA) && defined(__ZEPHYR__)
+#if defined(ARDUINO_VIDEO_DIRECT_FB)
 void Arduino_Video::setFrameDesc(uint16_t w, uint16_t h, uint16_t pitch, uint32_t buf_size) {
   desc.buf_size = buf_size;
   desc.width = w;     /** Number of pixels between consecutive rows in the data buffer */
diff --git a/src/DisplayShield.cpp b/src/DisplayShield.cpp
index 498bc58..ba825ee 100644
--- a/src/DisplayShield.cpp
+++ b/src/DisplayShield.cpp
@@ -13,11 +13,13 @@
 
 #include "Arduino.h"
 #include "anx7625.h"
+#include "video_backend.h"
 extern "C" {
 #include "video_modes.h"
 }
 
-#if defined(ARDUINO_GIGA) && defined(__ZEPHYR__)
+#if defined(ARDUINO_VIDEO_DIRECT_FB)
+// Panel driven by the Zephyr ST7701 driver; the library uses the framebuffer.
 int GigaDisplayShieldClass::init([[maybe_unused]]int edidmode) {
   return 0;
 }
@@ -31,9 +33,31 @@ int GigaDisplayShieldClass::getStatus() {
 }
 
 GigaDisplayShieldClass GigaDisplayShield;
-#endif /* ARDUINO_GIGA && __ZEPHYR__ */
+#elif defined(ARDUINO_PORTENTA_H7_M7) && defined(__ZEPHYR__)
+// The Giga Display Shield needs the core built with the Portenta H7 Giga
+// Display configuration (ST7701 panel enabled in devicetree).
+int GigaDisplayShieldClass::init([[maybe_unused]]int edidmode) {
+  return -1;
+}
+
+int GigaDisplayShieldClass::getEdidMode([[maybe_unused]]int h, [[maybe_unused]] int v) {
+  return EDID_MODE_480x800_60Hz;
+}
+
+int GigaDisplayShieldClass::getStatus() {
+  return 0;
+}
+
+GigaDisplayShieldClass GigaDisplayShield;
+#endif
 
 int USBCVideoClass::init(int edidmode) {
+#if defined(ARDUINO_VIDEO_DIRECT_FB)
+  /* USB-C/ANX7625 pipeline is not built in a framebuffer-managed (ST7701)
+     configuration; the panel is driven directly by its Zephyr driver. */
+  (void)edidmode;
+  return -1;
+#else
   struct edid recognized_edid;
   int err_code = 0;
 
@@ -61,6 +85,7 @@ int USBCVideoClass::init(int edidmode) {
   }
 
   return 0;
+#endif
 }
 
 int USBCVideoClass::getEdidMode(int h, int v) {
@@ -70,9 +95,13 @@ int USBCVideoClass::getEdidMode(int h, int v) {
 }
 
 int USBCVideoClass::getStatus() {
+#if defined(ARDUINO_VIDEO_DIRECT_FB)
+  return 0;
+#else
   int detected = anx7625_get_hpd_event(0);
 
   return detected;
+#endif
 }
 
 USBCVideoClass USBCVideo;
diff --git a/src/anx7625.cpp b/src/anx7625.cpp
index 0ed8800..a62bc61 100644
--- a/src/anx7625.cpp
+++ b/src/anx7625.cpp
@@ -23,8 +23,9 @@
 #include <Arduino.h>
 
 #include "logging.h"
+#include "video_backend.h"
 
-#if defined(ARDUINO_PORTENTA_H7_M7)
+#if defined(ARDUINO_PORTENTA_H7_M7) && !defined(ARDUINO_VIDEO_DIRECT_FB)
 
 #include "dsi.h"
 #include "anx7625.h"
diff --git a/src/dsi.cpp b/src/dsi.cpp
index 979e40f..2b57b74 100644
--- a/src/dsi.cpp
+++ b/src/dsi.cpp
@@ -9,7 +9,9 @@
 
 */
 
-#if defined(__ZEPHYR__) && !defined(ARDUINO_GIGA)
+#include "video_backend.h"
+
+#if defined(__ZEPHYR__) && !defined(ARDUINO_VIDEO_DIRECT_FB)
 
 #include <Arduino.h>
 #include <zephyr/kernel.h>
diff --git a/src/platform.cpp b/src/platform.cpp
index e92c04f..5f49d83 100644
--- a/src/platform.cpp
+++ b/src/platform.cpp
@@ -19,12 +19,13 @@
 
 #include "platform.h"
 #include "logging.h"
+#include "video_backend.h"
 
 #if __has_include("lvgl.h")
 #include "lvgl.h"
 #endif
 
-#if defined(ARDUINO_PORTENTA_H7_M7)
+#if defined(ARDUINO_PORTENTA_H7_M7) && !defined(ARDUINO_VIDEO_DIRECT_FB)
 
 /* GPIO specifications from devicetree */
 #define ANX7625_NODE DT_NODELABEL(anx7625)
diff --git a/src/video_backend.h b/src/video_backend.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b93320f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/video_backend.h
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+/*
+    This file is part of the Arduino_Video library.
+
+    Copyright (C) Arduino s.r.l. and/or its affiliated companies
+
+    This Source Code Form is subject to the terms of the Mozilla Public
+    License, v. 2.0. If a copy of the MPL was not distributed with this
+    file, You can obtain one at http://mozilla.org/MPL/2.0/.
+
+*/
+
+#ifndef _ARDUINO_VIDEO_BACKEND_H
+#define _ARDUINO_VIDEO_BACKEND_H
+
+/*
+ * ARDUINO_VIDEO_DIRECT_FB selects the display backend at build time:
+ *
+ *  - defined   -> the panel is fully managed by a Zephyr display driver
+ *                 (ST7701 on the Giga Display Shield, either on the Giga R1 or
+ *                 on a Portenta H7 + midcarrier built with the Giga Display
+ *                 core configuration). The library draws straight into the
+ *                 LTDC framebuffer; the Zephyr driver performs the DSI panel
+ *                 bring-up at boot.
+ *  - undefined -> the library drives the MIPI-DSI bridge itself (anx7625 over
+ *                 USB-C on the Portenta H7).
+ */
+#if defined(__ZEPHYR__)
+#include <zephyr/devicetree.h>
+#if DT_HAS_COMPAT_STATUS_OKAY(sitronix_st7701)
+#define ARDUINO_VIDEO_DIRECT_FB 1
+#endif
+#endif
+
+#endif /* _ARDUINO_VIDEO_BACKEND_H */