Computer Equipment Group has launched Firehat, an open-source FireWire HAT that adds a native IEEE 1394/i.LINK/DV port to SBCs with a Raspberry Pi PCIe FFC connector, such as the Pi 5 or Radxa ROCK 2F. Built around a VIA VT6315N controller, it enables capturing MiniDV, Digital8, DVCAM, DVCPRO, and HDV footage directly to local storage without legacy PCs or discontinued FireWire capture cards. It includes a 1.3-inch OLED display, buttons, RGB LEDs, and a buzzer, and works with Linux's FireWire stack alongside open-source tools like dvgrab and the Equip-1 recorder software. Hardware design files are released under CERN OHL-S and software under GPL. The board is crowdfunding on Crowd Supply with a $7,500 goal, $79 pledges, and deliveries expected to start February 3, 2027.
Questions this post answers
What chip does the Firehat FireWire HAT for Raspberry Pi use to capture MiniDV and HDV footage?
It uses a VIA VT6315N FireWire/IEEE 1394 controller to provide a native 6-pin FireWire/i.LINK/DV port. This lets SBCs with a Raspberry Pi PCIe FFC connector, such as the Pi 5 or Radxa ROCK 2F, capture footage from MiniDV, Digital8, DVCAM, DVCPRO, and HDV camcorders directly to local storage without legacy computers or discontinued FireWire capture cards. Makers reviving old camcorder footage can follow open-source hardware projects like this one on daily.dev.
How do you capture DV or HDV video over FireWire on Linux without a legacy computer?
On Linux, FireWire capture works through the standard FireWire stack combined with open-source tools such as dvgrab and dvcont, a command-line utility inside the libavc1394 library. The Equip-1 software stack offers a more complete standalone recorder interface, and device control lets compatible cameras and decks play, stop, rewind, and trigger captures through software. Developers building capture or media pipelines can track open-source tooling like this on daily.dev.