Must Convert FPC to Round wire

[Eplix]

Hi, long time auditor, first time poster.

I have to extend a flexible printed circuit of a Sony Cybershot camera, attached to the lens and the LCD display for about 3-4 feet each way.

Can it be done?

I've posted pic of the FPC attached to the LCD and Backlight.

**broken link removed**

**broken link removed**


As you can see, they are pretty microscopic, so I guess soldering copper wires to each line is out of the question.

Also, can someone give me basic info about FPC's. So I know what I'm dealing With.

Many thanks friends.

 

[Eplix]

Giga pics

I know the pic's are too big, the best way to veiw them would be,
right click> view image.

Again, thanks.

 

[Sceadwian]

Eplix... You really need to resize that image, modem users won't even be able to open this thread because it's almost 5meg. It also tells us absolutely nothing because there's nothing for scale. Measure the pitch of the individual connections and go to a website such as digikey and purchase a connector with the appropriate pitch and number of connections. Most of them are going to be surface mount so you're going to need some relativly good soldering skills for it.

 

[Eplix]

Sorry for the images, I can't seem to modify my post.

How do I measure the pitch of FPC?
And is there a method of soldering them?

Thank you.

 

[jrz126]

Hi, long time auditor, first time poster.

I have to extend a flexible printed circuit of a Sony Cybershot camera, attached to the lens and the LCD display for about 3-4 feet each way.

Can it be done?

I've posted pic of the FPC attached to the LCD and Backlight.

As you can see, they are pretty microscopic, so I guess soldering copper wires to each line is out of the question.

Also, can someone give me basic info about FPC's. So I know what I'm dealing With.

Many thanks friends.

I'm going to say it probably can't be done. First you have the difficulty of physically connecting the wires. Then its possible the camera won't funtion properly due to interference on the extra long cable.

 

[Eplix]

So you are a pessimist.

But lets say that It can be done, would there be a possibility, if I just got a some off the shelf copper wires, and attached them individually to the strips on the FPC, while keeping them out of contact from each other?

 

[Sceadwian]

As long as the length was kept short.

 

[marcolisi]

Why the length is so important in this types of connections ?


Thank you

 

[Torben]

Why the length is so important in this types of connections ?


Thank you

I'm not sure why you couldn't do it fairly easily with a socket header to connect the flat cable to a PCB or veroboard, and a hex buffer to drive the signal over the extended length.


Torben

 

[marcolisi]

I'm not sure why you couldn't do it fairly easily with a socket header to connect the flat cable to a PCB or veroboard, and a hex buffer to drive the signal over the extended length.


Torben

Should I try to solder wires to the FPC ?
Do u have any suggestion to extend the lens outside the camera body ?
Pls I need some help
I am a beginner , could u pls be easy with your words, being more sinple ?

thank you

 

[Torben]

Should I try to solder wires to the FPC ?
Do u have any suggestion to extend the lens outside the camera body ?
Pls I need some help
I am a beginner , could u pls be easy with your words, being more sinple ?

thank you

I'm not an expert in this stuff--but physically building the thing shouldn't be hard. First, you need something to connect the FPC to, so get FPC connectors (you can search for what you need here: FFC, FPC (Flat Flexible) - Connectors - Board Mount | Digi-Key ). Mount that on some stripboard (often called "Veroboard"). Get a hex buffer IC (something like a 4010--Google "4010 hex buffer"--but whatever IC you wind up using will probably need to be workable with the camera's power supply). Read the datasheet on the 4010 and connect the lines from the FPC connectors to the hex buffer. The outputs of the hex buffer drive your extended cable (which you may need to shield). That should get the signal from point A to point B.

Note that I have no idea what the data going over the cable is. If it's very time sensitive, the added length could cause timing problems. I don't know. But I am quite confident that my hardware idea above wouldn't help with that.

And as I noted above, you may need to shield the cable from EMI. That could be tricky.

On further reflection, I have to agree with the others: it may be time to re-evaluate how to approach the problem.


Cheers,

Torben

 

[rfs100]

There are a LOT Of COB cameras out there, at just as high resolution..why the hell are all these guys ripping apart perfectly good cameras?
Its a bit like saying ok, I want a spaceship, so Ive torn my car to shreads, now how do I put it back together as a spaceship.

 

[marcolisi]

Hi, the unswer to torn apart cameras are :

1) it is fun to experiment, if u are a scientist, like I am....even better to experiment with something that you do not know the final result...

2) I am experimenting on an used 20 dollars camera the sony DSC-T10. Than if it works and I master it , I can do it on a 500 dollars camera...

3) there are no cameras as good in video as the TX9, no board camera that has same digital full HD definition...

4) I think forum are a good place to share knowledges and acchieve all together something that no body did before. Putting more minds together makes arrive humanity to never thought goals...it is fun...1 start doing it, the other follow...it is fun to be the first...or not ?

5) if u have an example of board camera that does full HD at 60i and in digital quality, pls let me know. I would love to buy it....

Now, coming back to experiment in elongating the FPC, attached are the specs of the 2 FPC. They are :

CD-656 FLEXIBLE BOARD

and

MC-159 FLEXIBLE BOARD

Maybe there are other ways.
What do u guys think ?

Thank you