Raspberry Pi Camera Module Cables - Round? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: jgalak
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2018, 02:06:00 pm
content: Kind of simple question, but my Google-fu is failing me.I have a Raspberry Pi Camera Module that connects to the Pi itself via a ribbon cable. Is anyone aware of a round cable that fits, instead? I need to run it through a partition and round would be easier to make work.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 15, 2018, 02:24:12 pm
content: It cannot be round simply because connectors on camera and raspberry pi can accept flat cable only. You'd need to use 2 flat cables and 2 adapters on both ends in order to place a round cable in between.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 15, 2018, 02:26:49 pm
content: Or shit like this. Still won't work if you need to pass it through some hole.

author: jgalak
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 15, 2018, 02:34:25 pm
content: I understand that the adapters need to be flat. I was thinking of something like the cables from the IDE days, when instead of the wide ribbons, they went to much thinner round cables, but still with the wide connectors on the end.I don't need to pass the connector itself through a small opening, I can work around that, but it'd just be nice to have the cable be round - easier cable management, potentially more flexible in both directions, etc.So far, the best I've found is this:https://shop.pimoroni.com/products/pi-camera-hdmi-cable-extensionBut that's not ideal - it requires redesigning the camera mount I already have, and there are now twice as many places for a cable to come loose.

author: wraper
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 15, 2018, 03:19:12 pm
content: It's not a ribbon cable, it's FFC (flat flex cable). There are no wires. It's basically a flexible PCB.

author: amyk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2018, 01:55:48 am
content: You can create your own round cable from suitable lengths of wire and a bit of manual effort. I'm not sure how much bandwidth it needs to have, but looking at the FFC I assume twisted pairs for the signal and power should be OK.

author: Ranayna
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2018, 01:44:18 pm
content: Those old rounded IDE cables did exactly what the cable in the picture that wrapper posted does. They cut the ribbon into segments and sleeved the result.I only used those many years ago, and only once or twice, so I do not remember if that kind of construction had any influence on the performance.

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2018, 02:47:52 pm
content: Doubt you're going to find a cable that's smaller than what you could coil an FFC to. Maybe the cables they use for LCDs in laptops, but you still have teh issue of passing a connector through the holeIf you remove teh stiffner you could maybe curl it into a spiral to get through a significantly smaller hole than the width of the cable.One nice thing about FFC cables is they don't need a hole any bigger than the cable to pass a connector through, you just need a long, thin hole.

author: LukeW
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 18, 2018, 10:16:11 am
content: CSI-2 is a high speed differential interface with controlled-impedance pairs.50single-ended, 100differential, length matched.You’ve typically got two data lanes, a clock lane, so that’s six wires for the high speed pairs. Maybe some extra coplanar grounds. Plus 3.3V and ground, and two wires for I2C control, but those four are not so high speed.Personally I think the FFC sucks, and something like a USB3 or SATA connector might work nicely.

author: amyk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 18, 2018, 04:56:21 pm
content: Quote from: LukeW on August 18, 2018, 10:16:11 amThat sounds like Ethernet (UTP) cable would work.