Show HN: Reversing a Cinema Camera's Peripherals Port
11 days ago
- #cinematography
- #embedded-systems
- #reverse-engineering
- Acquired a used Sony PXW-FS7 camera, noted for its heavy build and high-quality images.
- Identified ergonomic issues with the side grip, particularly inaccessible buttons when not shooting from the shoulder.
- Decided to reverse engineer the camera's peripheral communication protocol to add custom buttons.
- Discovered the protocol resembles UART at 9600 baud, using an open-drain bus with a single wire.
- Developed a prototype using an STM32 F-Series board, later transitioning to a WCH32V003 for cost and size efficiency.
- Designed a PCB to fit the camera's top handle, encountering and resolving several hardware issues.
- Created a 3D printed housing for the PCB to improve usability and durability.
- Plans to document additional button IDs and further reverse engineering efforts in the future.