Hi everyone, I’m having trouble getting my Arducam setup to work and hoping someone can help.
I bought the Arducam CSI-USB UVC Camera Adapter Board for IMX477 along with an Arducam IMX477 Mini HQ Camera. The plan was to use it as a plug-and-play USB camera on Windows 10/11, but the device is never recognized — no detection in Device Manager, no camera preview, nothing.
The first thing I noticed is that the 15-pin FPC connector on the adapter board feels really loose. The cable just kind of slides in and out without any grip. I’m not even sure if this combination is technically correct — is the adapter board designed to work with the Mini HQ camera, or only the standard-sized one?
Welcome to the forum! Thanks for the detailed post and the photos.
Before we dive into deeper troubleshooting, could you take a couple more close-up shots of how the FPC ribbon cable is seated in the connector on the UVC adapter board? Specifically, I’d like to see the orientation — which side the silver contacts are facing, and whether the cable is routed over or under the black plastic latch. That’ll help narrow things down quickly.
Thanks for the video — that’s really helpful to see. The connector being that loose is definitely not normal, and I think the cable orientation might be the issue here.
For this type of FPC connector, the correct insertion is:
The silver contacts on the ribbon cable should face away from the black plastic connector body.
The cable should be routed underneath the black connector latch, not over it.
I’ve attached a diagram showing the proper orientation — have a look and compare it with your setup.
![FPC orientation diagram]
Give that a try and let me know if the connection feels more secure and whether the camera gets detected afterwards.
Okay, I followed your instructions — silver contacts facing away from the black connector and the cable routed underneath. The connection does feel a bit more secure than before, but unfortunately I’m still not getting any camera preview or device detection in Windows.
Here are updated photos of the connection after re-seating the cable as you described:
It still seems to slide out more easily than I’d expect. Am I still doing something wrong here?
Thanks for the updated photos — those are much clearer. Unfortunately, after reviewing them closely, I can see what’s going on.
The 15-pin FPC connector on your UVC adapter board has sustained physical damage. If you look at the close-up shots, the black plastic latch/clamp shows signs of deformation — it’s not sitting flush and appears to have been stressed. This is why the cable won’t lock in place properly no matter how you orient it, and it explains the loose connection and why the device never gets recognized by the OS.
Unfortunately, this kind of connector damage means the board isn’t going to establish a reliable electrical connection to the camera module. There’s not really a practical repair for a damaged FPC connector on these boards — the connector itself would need to be reworked, and that’s not something easily done at home without specialized SMD soldering equipment.
At this stage, your best path forward is going to be replacing the adapter board.
That’s disappointing but I appreciate the honest assessment. I’ll pick up a new UVC adapter board and be more careful with the connector this time.
Before I order, I just want to double-check one thing — can you confirm that the Arducam CSI-USB UVC Camera Adapter Board for IMX477 is definitely compatible with the Arducam IMX477 MINI HQ Camera? I know the product page mentions the standard IMX477, and I want to make absolutely sure the Mini variant works too before I spend more money.
Totally fair question — and yes, I can confirm the Arducam CSI-USB UVC Camera Adapter Board for IMX477 is fully compatible with the Arducam IMX477 MINI HQ Camera for Raspberry Pi. The Mini variant uses the same sensor, the same MIPI interface, and the same 15-pin FPC pinout as the standard IMX477. The adapter board doesn’t differentiate between them.
When you get the new board, just take it slow with the FPC insertion — those connectors are fragile and the correct orientation (contacts away, cable underneath) is key to getting a solid lock without stressing the latch. Once it’s seated properly you should feel a definite click and the cable won’t pull out easily.
Good luck, and post back if you run into any issues with the new board!
