Cable Extension Kit for Raspberry Pi Camera Improves User Experience for PiKon Telescope Application
Thomas Fleissner, Director of Sales
Abstract: While the Raspberry Pi computer provides eye-opening experiences when used with the Raspberry Pi camera, the short FFC (Flat Flexible Cable) provided with the camera, to connect the camera to the computer, greatly limits how far the camera can be placed from the computer. Often this distance limitation is very inconvenient and undesirable. THine’s simple plug and play Cable Extension Kit for Raspberry Pi cameras allows the computer to be far away from the camera! This paper describes an actual application where the THine Kit is used to relocate the computer at a distance far from the camera resulting in a much-improved user experience.
PiKon Telescope
The PiKon telescope is a 3D printed astro-cam which uses a Raspberry Pi camera.
Figure 1: PiKon Telescope with Raspberry Pi Camera mounted to it
In the PiKon design, the Raspberry Pi camera is placed in a tube provided on the telescope as shown in Figure 1. The Raspberry Pi camera outputs MIPI high speed signals that are intended to run on a short FFC (Flat Flexible Cable) to the Raspberry Pi computer. Therefore, without THine’s Cable Extension Kit, the Raspberry Pi computer board must connect to the camera via the short FFC and be located next to the PiKon telescope as shown in Figure 2. In the complete setup, the Raspberry Pi computer connects to peripherals such as a display, keyboard, and mouse via various cables such as HDMI and USB cables. The computer also needs a cable such as a micro-USB cable for power. It is very awkward and delicate to maneuver this telescope to position it to sight in on the stars, planets, and moon with the computer and all its cable connections right next to it. In addition, the whole experience can be way more unpleasant if you are trying to use the telescope outside during a snowy winter in Chicago.
Figure 2: PiKon setup without Extension Kit
PiKon Telescope with THine’s Cable Extension Kit for Raspberry Pi Camera (Part Number THSER101)
Figure 3: Extension Kit contents
Figure 3 shows the contents of the THSER101, THine’s Cable Extension Kit for Raspberry Pi cameras. In this PiKon application, the Kit’s Tx board is attached to the Raspberry Pi camera located on the end of the PiKon Telescope as seen in Figure 4. A lengthy LAN cable is attached from the output of the Tx board to the input of the Kit’s Rx board. The Rx board is easily mounted on the Raspberry Pi computer as shown in Figure 5 using the hardware in the Kit. The Kit is plug and play so it is very easy to set up and use. A Quick Start Guide provides easy step by step instructions to use the Kit. For this PiKon application, a 3-meter LAN cable was used. The Kit includes a 2-meter LAN cable, but the Kit can work with LAN cables of up to 20 meters as defined in the Kit’s datasheet.
Figure 4: The Kit Tx Board connected via a FFC to the camera on the Telescope
Figure 5: The Kit Rx Board mounted on the Raspberry Pi Computer Board
Figures 6 and 7 show the clear advantage and convenience to use the Cable extension Kit in the PiKon telescope application. Without the Kit, the user would need to be outside in the snow to maneuver the telescope with the computer and all the computer connection cables next to the telescope. With the Kit, the user can route a long LAN cable from outside in the snow where the telescope is located to inside a nice warm house and enjoy the view of the moon as seen in Figure 8.
Figure 6: Telescope connected via a long LAN cable to the computer
Figure 7: Telescope outside in the snow with the computer inside
Figure 8: The moon as viewed through the telescope