Various connector types exist for the MIPI CSI-2 interface. Vision Components accordingly offers a range of MIPI cables and customer-specific configuration options. Thanks to a SerDes adapter board developed by VC, coax cables up to 10 meters and longer can now be used with the MIPI interface.
VC’s specially developed FPC cable (Flexible Printed Circuit) is available in three standard versions with 15, 22 or 24 pins, in lengths of 60 mm, 100 mm or 200 mm. Thus, it connects to all common single-board computers and CPU boards. Notably, it supports the full performance of the MIPI interface. Most processors feature a processing speed of 1.5 Gbps per lane and four lanes – transfer rates of 6 Gbps are possible, which corresponds to 750 MB/s at an 8-bit pixel resolution. The FPC cables have a trigger input and a flash output. They enable video streams as well as single image acquisition and do not affect the host system. Settings such as shutter speed, gain, image size and position, and binning can be individually adjusted for each image. Using the cables with an external trigger, very fast processes can be detected and synchronized. VC also offers to design customer-specific cables for special requirements, for example, featuring an external trigger output or allowing connection of an I/O board. In addition, Vision Components has developed repeater boards that enable up to five times longer transmission paths.
