Backbone RIBCAGE YI 4K User manual

RIBCAGE: YI 4K
Installation Guide
Back-Bone
V1.1

RIBCAGE: YI 4K INSTALLATION GUIDE
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Contents
Before You Get Started ................................................................................................................................. 2
Tools You Will Need: ................................................................................................................................. 2
CAUTION! .................................................................................................................................................. 3
Helpful Tips: .............................................................................................................................................. 3
Section 1: Teardown ..................................................................................................................................... 4
1-2 Remove Accessories ........................................................................................................................... 4
1-3 Remove the Faceplate ........................................................................................................................ 4
1-4 Remove the Board Assembly .............................................................................................................. 5
1-5 Disconnect the Speaker Mount .......................................................................................................... 7
1-6 Remove the Image Sensor & WIFI Module......................................................................................... 7
1-8 Detach the Main Board....................................................................................................................... 9
1-9 Remove the Lens assembly................................................................................................................. 9
Section 2: Assembly .................................................................................................................................... 10
2-1 Your Ribcage Kit ................................................................................................................................ 10
2-2 Clip the Speaker Harness .................................................................................................................. 10
2-3 Attach the Sensor Mount.................................................................................................................. 11
2-4 Mount the Main Board ..................................................................................................................... 12
2-5 Mount the CMOS Sensor .................................................................................................................. 13
2-6 Connect the Wi-Fi Module................................................................................................................ 16
2-7 Mount the Speaker ........................................................................................................................... 17
2-8 Place the Assembly Back in the Housing .......................................................................................... 18
2-9 Functionality Test.............................................................................................................................. 21
2-10 Add Protective Cap ......................................................................................................................... 21
2-11 M12 Lens mounting ........................................................................................................................ 22
2-12 Add the CS Mounting Ring.............................................................................................................. 23
2-12 Mount the IR-Cut filter ................................................................................................................... 24
2-13 Add the C-Mount Ring .................................................................................................................... 25
2-14 ALL DONE!....................................................................................................................................... 25
2-15 (OPTIONAL) LENS PREP ................................................................................................................... 26
TROUBLESHOOTING.................................................................................................................................... 27

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Before You Get Started
It is important to set up a clean workspace that’s well-lit and free from dust. Any screws removed from
the camera must be saved as they will be re-used. We recommend taking the time to keep the different
screw sets separate and labeled during your project.
Tools You Will Need:
1. A set of precision screw drivers with a Philips #000 and a small slot (flathead) screwdriver
2. A small pair of wire cutters
3. Optional: plastic spudger
4. Optional: Lens cleaning kit
5. Optional but Recommended: LensPen MiniPro, Air Puffer

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CAUTION!
1. Read all our documentation thoroughly before beginning your installation
2. This kit is for the YI 4K Action Camera only. No other models are supported.
3. Make sure to charge your battery before beginning the installation.
4. NEVER force or exert force on any components. IF YOU FEEL THE NEED TO USE FORCE THAN
YOU’RE DOING SOMETHING WRONG.
5. The Ribcage DIY kit consists of highly machined parts and fine threaded through holes. NEVER
FORCE any screws as this can strip the fine threads on the through holes. Instead check your
assembly and registration and try again. All parts are highly accurate and DO NOT require force
to assemble.
6. Ensure your work area is clean, well-lit and free from dust.
7. We recommend inspecting and removing any dust or debris from the parts before you begin.
8. Never overtighten any of the small screws, especially on the faceplate and tripod mount.
Excessive force or overtightening can result in stripped threads on the aluminum parts. Always
loosely fit all screws in place before screwing them in until seated. Additional tightening is not
required.
9. By applying this or any modifications to your YI 4K camera you will void the original
manufacturer’s warranty.
10. Back-Bone takes no responsibility in your ability to use this modification
11. The Ribcage DIY kit is provided “as is” and without warranty
12. Disclaimer: Ribcage Mod Kits are a product of Back-Bone Gear Inc., and are not manufactured,
distributed or endorsed by YI Technology.
Helpful Tips:
•A clean and well-lit work space is a must.
•It may seem like a small thing but don’t work at the edge of your table or desk. Move the parts
farther back so that small parts and screws are less likely to drop onto the floor and get lost.
•When inserting tiny screws, it may help to put
them on the tip of the screw driver first and
hold them in place with your finger. You can
always use your other hand to steady and guide
the screw into place. A magnetic screw driver
also helps.
•Never force any of the components. If you are
using undue force to do any of the steps you are
doing something wrong and risk doing damage.
•When removing the screws, make sure you save
them all for use later as there are no extras for
the ones taken from the camera.

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Section 1: Teardown
1-1 Update and Functionality Check
Before opening the camera, we recommend that you perform a full functionality check to make sure it’s
working properly. Perform any firmware updates using the smartphone app. Make sure you have a fully
charged battery.
1-2 Remove Accessories
Remove any accessories, the battery and the SD card.
1-3 Remove the Faceplate
The front plate is snapped on securely with tabs on all sides. There is also some double-sided tape
located near the LED light on the front. It can take a fair bit of pressure to pop out the first snap tab but
once you do it gets much easier. It’s best to start on the bottom next to the battery compartment. Insert
a tool such as a small flat head screw driver between the body and the faceplate.
Work the tool in slightly and push
the faceplate away from the camera
body. Work it right, toward the lens.
The first tab is located directly below
the lens but use caution as there are
some exposed electronics under it.
Once you’ve popped out that tab
work your way around the camera
counterclockwise to remove the rest.
Once you have popped a couple of

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the tabs out it’s easiest to use your fingers to pop the rest free. Use slow steady pressure to release the
double-sided tape and pull the cover off from right to left. Set it aside.
1-4 Remove the Board Assembly
Carefully remove the protective black tape covering the connectors on the left. Slowly and gently peel it
off being mindful of the delicate ribbons and locking tabs underneath.
Pop up the two ribbon locking tabs with your small flat screw driver being mindful not to damage the
ribbon. Leave the side ribbon in place for now but pop out the ribbon on the top.

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Use your screw driver to peel off the tamper seal located on the lower right. Use a Philips #000 to
remove the four screws located in the corners. Be sure to save them for use later. (SCREW TYPE ‘A’)
Now let’s pull out the assembly. Pop the USB port out on the right side and pivot the assembly out as
pictured.
Take note that the ribbon is still in place on the left side of the assembly. Verify that the locking tab is
still up and gently pull the ribbon free.

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1-5 Disconnect the Speaker Mount
Use Philips #000 to remove the two screws holding the speaker mount over the lens. Put them aside
with the four corner screws you just removed for use later (SCREW TYPE ‘A’).Pull out speaker and move
it forward. Take care not to break the solder points where the speaker attaches to the main board. They
are easily soldered back in place should that happen.
1-6 Remove the Image Sensor & WIFI Module
Remove the two screws holding the small WIFI board on the side. Put the screws aside for use later
(SCREW TYPE ‘B’).Pull the board out slightly but don’t disconnect it yet.

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Remove the 4 screws on the rear of the CMOS sensor and put them aside for use later (SCREW TYPE ‘C’).
Remove the rubber gasket around the glass of the sensor.
Gently pop the connector off the main board with a small flat head screw driver taking care not to
scratch or damage any of the board components. It will unsnap and come free. Take special care not to
bend or twist the ribbon in a rough manner. Next use your small screw driver to gently pop the WIFI
module connector off the board.

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1-8 Detach the Main Board
Remove the main board mounting screws on the lower left and upper right again making sure to save
the screws (SCREW TYPE ‘B’). Lift up and out to separate the board from the aluminum plate.
1-9 Remove the Lens assembly
Remove the three screws holding the lens assembly onto the aluminum plate and put them aside
(SCREW TYPE ‘D’). Pull the lens assembly free. We’ll outline how to prepare the lens for use in your
modified camera later in the document. The disassembly is now complete!

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Section 2: Assembly
2-1 Your Ribcage Kit
Now that your camera is disassembled let’s look inside your modification kit. It includes:
•Premium Machined Aluminum Faceplate
•Sensor Mount
•Plastic cap with logo
•IR-Cut Filter
•Filter Clip
•CS-Mount Ring (stainless steel)
•C-Mount Ring
•Reversible M12 mount
•M12 ‘Key’
•Black 0-80 Screws and L-Key
•LED Light Cover
You should also now have the following screws that you removed during Section 1:
6 x Type ‘A’ (Removed from the 4 corners of the housing and the speaker harness)
4 x Type ‘B’ (Removed from the main board and WIFI Module)
4 x Type ‘C’ (Removed from CMOS Sensor)
3 x Type ‘D’ (Removed from lens assembly)
2-2 Clip the Speaker Harness
Next we’ll take a set of wire cutters and clip part of the plastic harness. Clip the two short sides of the
harness at the base as pictured. Once clipped bend the remaining portion back and forth until it breaks
off, being mindful not to sever the wire connections. Clip off the small plastic tab in the center.

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Once the part has been removed use your wire cutters to remove any remaining plastic bits and get the
area as flat as possible.
2-3 Attach the Sensor Mount
Take the three screws you removed from the original sensor mount (TYPE ‘D’) and insert them into the
new mount as shown. Use your screw driver to push them into place if needed. Align the mount with
the groove on the rear of the faceplate. Give it a wiggle and you should feel it click into place once it’s
aligned with the groove.

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Use your Philips #000 to screw in the top and right screws jut to the point of contact, don’t overtighten.
The left screw will be left loose until the main board is mounted.
2-4 Mount the Main Board
Next take the main board and slide it straight to the left so that the rounded slot in the board fits around
the lens mount. Make sure the three battery connector pins are facing up.
It’s a little tricky to get the alignment perfect so you might have to wiggle it a bit, but it should go in with
no force at all. If needed lift up on the left side of the lens mount a little to give the USB port more
clearance. Make sure the board is properly in place over the registration pin on the upper right.

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Secure the board with one of the mounting screws you removed earlier (TYPE ‘B’). Place it in the bottom
left hand corner, the upper right will be left free for now. Finally, tighten the remaining screw on the
lens mount.
2-5 Mount the CMOS Sensor
Now is a good time to make sure your image sensor is clean and free from fingerprints and dust. Lens
fluid and a microfiber cleaning cloth do a great job. If you need to clean the sensor, spray some fluid on
the cloth (not directly on the components) and wipe the sensor clean. We recommend a puffer to blow
off any remaining particles. The sensor can also easily be cleaned after assembly using a Lenspen
MiniPro (our favorite) or other cleaning tools.
Take the CMOS sensor and create a small ‘S’ bend in the ribbon as pictured. It’s important to get the
bend as close to this image as possible. Be sure not to bend or twist the ribbon sharply. Next connect
the sensor to the socket on the main board as shown. Make sure the connectors are properly aligned
before applying any pressure. They should click together easily.

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Place the CMOS sensor onto the back of the mount so that it lines up with the registration pins as
shown.

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Use the four screws you removed previously (TYPE ‘C’) and tighten the sensor in place in a crisscross
fashion. Tighten only to the point of contact. If you overtighten you might risk damaging the plastic.
Verify that the image sensor ribbon is still connected to the main board. If not click the connector back
in with the tip of your screw driver. Make sure the ribbon is tucked under the board as shown.

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2-6 Connect the Wi-Fi Module
Take the small Wi-Fi board. You will find a small foam rubber pad on the back. Cut approximately half
the height of the foam off with your cutters. Align the connectors as shown and click them together with
the end of your screw driver.
Next align the Wi-Fi board with the mounting points on the metal plate as shown. Take one of the
screws you removed from the Wi-Fi board previously (TYPE ‘B’). Tighten it into the socket shown. As you
tighten push the small board away from the screw slightly to give it a little more space. Don’t
overtighten. The remaining hole on the right will be left empty

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2-7 Mount the Speaker
Take the speaker and one of the screws you previously removed (TYPE ‘A’). Align the speaker with the
plate as shown making sure the plastic registration pin goes into its socket. Move the wire so that it
passes under the speaker and around the back as pictured.
Insert the screw through the faceplate on the left side of the speaker and screw it very loosely into
place. Take the remaining screw and add it into the assembly through the front plate. Before tightening
the two screws verify that the wire is not kinked or pinched. Tighten the two screws until snug.

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2-8 Place the Assembly Back in the Housing
With the two parts positioned as shown, insert the broad ribbon into the socket on the side of the
board. It’s a little tricky to align the ribbon and socket perfectly – once aligned it’s helpful to wiggle the
ribbon a little side to side as you push it in. Make sure it’s all the way in and then flip down the locking
tab to hold it in place. You must use a small tool to do that, such as a tiny flat head screw driver. Take
care not to scratch or damage the ribbon or the main board. If needed you can lift the board away from
the surface of the plate slightly to make more room. Use patience and care with this step.
Insert and tighten the remaining screw to hold the main board onto the plate.

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Turn the front assembly over so that it rests on the front of the housing. Feed the small ribbon through
the opening in the aluminum plate as shown. Pull the end up and over the edge.
Apply gentle even pressure to the assembly until it clicks into place inside the housing and there are no
gaps along the seam. If pressing down on the assembly while the housing is on a flat surface, make sure
the area is clean and there are no screws or small pieces that can damage or crack the screen when
you push down. You may wish to put something soft such as a lens cloth under the camera first.