Raspberry Pi Multi Camera

Adapter Module User Guide

Rev 2.0, Aug 2015
 Raspberry Pi Multi Camera Adapter Module User Guide

Table of Contents
1  Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 2 
2  Application............................................................................................................................... 2 
3  Features .................................................................................................................................... 2 
4  Pin Configuration.................................................................................................................... 3 
5  Operation ................................................................................................................................. 3 

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 Raspberry Pi Multi Camera Adapter Module User Guide

1 Introduction
Raspberry Pi multi camera adapter module is designed for connecting more than one camera
to a single CSI camera port on Raspberry Pi board. One adapter board can connect 4 cameras and
user can stack up maxim 4 adapter boards that means up to 16 cameras on a single Raspberry Pi
board. Please note that Raspberry Pi multi camera adapter board is nascent product that may have
some stability issues and limitations because of the cable’s signal integrity and RPi's closed source
video core libraries, so use it on your own risk.

2 Application
 IoT cameras
 Robot cameras
 Wildlife cameras
 3D scanner

3 Features
 Accommodate 4 Raspberry Pi cameras on an multi camera adapter board
 Stackable and maxim cascade 4 adapter boards
 3 GPIOs required for multiplexing on one adapter board, 5 GPIOs for two adapter board, 9
GPIOs for four adapter board
 All camera ports are FFC (flexible flat cable) connectors
 DIP switches for easy stack up configuration
 Support Raspberry Pi A/B/B+ and Pi 2.

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 Raspberry Pi Multi Camera Adapter Module User Guide

4 Pin Configuration
DIP switches are used here for easy stack up configuration. When only one multi camera
adapter board is used, the switches 1and 5 should be switched to ON position. If two multi camera
adapter boards are used, the downside board should be switched 1 and 5 to ON and upside board
should be switched 2 and 6 to ON position, and if 3 or 4 multi camera adapter boards are used
together each board layer should be configured as the Table 1 shown. The PinX indicates the pin
number on the Raspberry Pi’s main GPIO connector.
Table 1 Pin Configuration
Stacking Layer Selection Enable 1 Enable 2 DIP Switch Configuration

1 Pin 7 Pin 11 Pin 12

2 Pin 7 Pin 15 Pin 16

3 Pin 7 Pin 21 Pin 22

4 Pin 7 Pin 23 Pin 24

5 Operation
For proper operation, only one camera should be enabled at a time. In case of only one multi
camera adapter board is used, driving Pin 12 HIGH and driving Pin 11, Pin 7 to LOW to enable
camera A on the adapter board. Enable camera B, C and D, please refer the Table 2 for camera
selection configuration. To disable all cameras on one adapter board, Enable 1 and Enable 2
signals should be toggled HIGH. Care should be taken that it is not allowed to drive the Enable 1
and Enable 2 LOW at the same time. When connecting more than two multi camera adapter
boards, only one of the cameras can be enabled by enabling the desired camera on one adapter
board, and disable all the cameras on the rest of adapter boards.
Table 2 Camera Selection Configuration
Camera Selection Configuration Selection Enable 1 Enable 2
A 0 0 1
B 1 0 1
C 0 1 0
D 1 1 0
No Camera X 1 1
Error X 0 0
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 Raspberry Pi Multi Camera Adapter Module User Guide

(X: don’t care)

6 Software Demonstration
Before using it, required dependency python‐rpi.gpio have to be installed with
sudo apt‐get install python‐rpi.gpio command from the Terminal. Then run the following code
from Appendix A for the quick demo.
As normal camera operation, user can still use raspistill or raspivid command to take photos
or videos. By control the GPIOs according to the Table 1 and Table 2 configuration, user can take
photos or videos by switching between different cameras. Have funs!

7 Appendix A Demo Code

import RPi.GPIO as gp
import os

gp.setwarnings(False)
gp.setmode(gp.BOARD)

//Setup the stack layer 1 board

gp.setup(7, gp.OUT)
gp.setup(11, gp.OUT)
gp.setup(12, gp.OUT)

// Setup the stack layer 2 board if any

gp.setup(15, gp.OUT)
gp.setup(16, gp.OUT)
// Setup the stack layer 3 board if any
gp.setup(21, gp.OUT)
gp.setup(22, gp.OUT)
// Setup the stack layer 4 board if any
gp.setup(23, gp.OUT)
gp.setup(24, gp.OUT)

//Disable stack layer 1 board output

gp.output(11, True)
gp.output(12, True)
//Disable stack layer 2 board output
gp.output(15, True)
gp.output(16, True)
//Disable stack layer 3 board output
gp.output(21, True)
gp.output(22, True)
//Disable stack layer 4 board output
gp.output(23, True)

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 Raspberry Pi Multi Camera Adapter Module User Guide

gp.output(24, True)

def main():
gp.output(7, False)
gp.output(11, False)
gp.output(12, True)
capture(1)

gp.output(7, True)
gp.output(11, False)
gp.output(12, True)
capture(2)

gp.output(7, False)
gp.output(11, True)
gp.output(12, False)
capture(3)

gp.output(7, True)
gp.output(11, True)
gp.output(12, False)
capture(4)

def capture(cam):
cmd = "raspistill -o capture_%d.jpg" % cam
os.system(cmd)

if __name__ == "__main__":
main()

gp.output(7, False)
gp.output(11, False)
gp.output(12, True)

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