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Topic starter
2026-04-28 7:50 am
Hi everyone,
I’m building a vision prototype using Raspberry Pi with a camera module. Video stream works fine, but when Wi-Fi traffic increases, I start seeing dropped frames and occasional camera errors.
Power supply is shared for everything.
Questions:
- Could this be power related rather than software load?
- Should I separate camera and RF supply filtering?
- On the PCB side, if using a carrier board, should high-speed camera lanes avoid switching regulator zones?
2026-04-28 10:56 pm
1. Could this be power related rather than software load?
Yes .... definitely possible .... When Wi-Fi traffic increases:
RF section draws burst current spikes
Shared supply can dip or get noisy
Camera interface is sensitive to supply noise/timing issues
That can cause dropped frames or camera errors even if CPU load is fine.
2. Separate camera and RF supply filtering?
Yes .... recommended.
Separate regulator rails if possible
Or use local filtering for each domain
Ferrite bead & local capacitors for camera/RF rails
Good bulk capacitance at main input
This reduces noise coupling between Wi-Fi and camera subsystems.
3. PCB carrier board layout advice?
Yes (and its a hetric) .... For camera lanes:
Keep high-speed lanes away from switching regulator zones/inductors
Route with solid reference ground .... read this guide: https://www.pcbway.com/blog/PCB_Design_Layout/Power_and_Ground_Plane_Design_Considerations_in_PCB_Layout_862aaa8c.html
Keep traces short, matched, and clean
Avoid crossing split returns or noisy power paths
Switching regulators can inject EMI and disturb high-speed camera signals.