Questions Regarding the Camera M0161 Design

[pxiao]

Hardware:
Camera M0161 and cable MCBL-00084
What I am trying to do:
Camera M0161 PCB Design
What actually happens:
The datasheet is incomplete, and we have some questions that need clarification and confirmation:
１：I couldn't find a detailed datasheet for the camera cable MCBL-00084, so I'm not sure about the pin-to-pin mapping between the two ends of the cable. Also, does this cable have a 100 Ω differential impedance and 50 Ω single-ended impedance?

２：I am using Hirose DF56C-26S-0.3V(51) 26-pin micro-coax receptacle to connect with camera and cable. however I'm not sure about the signal pin order.Is that correct? Signals are listed in J2 on M0155 https://docs.modalai.com/M0155/

3:what is the purpose of pin 25 on the M0161, labeled "3.8V Primary 'Phone' Power (mimics nominal 1S)"?
Can I use 3.3v to this pin, or can I leave it unconnected?

[Vinny]

1. MCBL-00084 mapping and impedance

The cable is a straight 1:1 pin-to-pin, 26 conductors, fully populated. We put the pinout variation in the adapter boards rather than the cable, so the cable never remaps anything.

On impedance, the two figures in your question are not both true of the same thing. Micro-coax is not strictly impedance controlled by definition. Each conductor is an individually shielded 50 Ω coax, and a MIPI pair is carried as two independent conductors rather than a true coupled 100 Ω differential pair. Design your board to 100 Ω differential and treat the coax run as a tolerance contribution.

180 mm is our production maximum and we do not qualify or sell beyond it.

2. DF56C-26S-0.3V(51) signal order

Yes, that is the correct mating receptacle. Signal order is per adapter and camera group, not per cable. The M0155 J2 table is the right reference for a single-sensor connection.

3. Pin 25, VPH_PWR

VPH_PWR is not intended for customer use.

[pxiao]

@Vinny
Thank you for your prompt response.

Regarding question 2: If I use this signal order and follow the M0155 J2 pinout table, will that ensure proper support for the Camera M0161 and cable MCBL-00084?

Regarding question 3: Can I leave this signal unconnected (NC)?

[Vinny]

Hi @pxiao
2. The M0155 J2 table is the correct pinout for connecting M0161 to a VOXL 2 camera group over MCBL-00084. Matching it is necessary but it is not the whole design, and we cannot confirm a board we have not reviewed.

3. The answer depends on your architecture, and that has not been clear from your posts. If you are connecting M0161 to a VOXL 2, there is nothing for you to do. If you are designing your own host board to drive M0161 directly, the answer is different and we cannot offer guidance for a VOXL workaround.

[pxiao]

@Vinny
Thanks，Regarding point 3, we are using our own custom-designed host board to connect to the M0161 camera. Could you clarify the purpose of the 3.8 V “Phone” power input and whether it must be connected or can be left unconnected?

If possible, could you also provide the M0161 schematic?

[Vinny]

Sorry @pxiao This is not something we can support.

[pxiao]

@Vinny
Understood, but this affects our schematic design. We simply need to understand the purpose of pin 25, “3.8V Primary ‘Phone’ Power (mimics nominal 1S),” and how it should be connected. This information is not provided in the M0161 datasheet.