Introducing the HatDrive! Piano from Pineboards – this board adds a Texas Instruments DAC with RCA output and coupled headphone amplifier, along with support for NVMe SSD storage, for your Raspberry Pi 5!

This expansion board combines high quality DAC audio output (3.5mm jack + RCA) with support for a 2242 or 2230 NVMe drive (not included) – the perfect combination for a high-quality Raspberry Pi Hi-Fi project.

We also stock a layer case for this HAT!

NVMe drive and Raspberry Pi 5 not included

Will my NVMe SSD work with this board?

Pineboards maintain an NVMe compatibility list showing which drives work with their NVMe boards.

Other NVMe drives may work however the link above shows all fully tested options – including the Pinedrive 2242 NVMe SSD we stock in the store.

PCIe FPC Bundles now available

In case you are thinking about integrating this board into your custom project, don’t overlook the optionalPineboards PCIe FPC Bundle. Utilising the 100mm ribbon cable will provide you with added flexibility during the installation process of our boards.

We now stock an XL version of the bundle too!

Features

Designed for Raspberry Pi 5: Dedicated to the latest single-board computer, the Raspberry Pi 5.
Bringing back the 3.5mm Headphone Jack: The Pi 5 took the jack away and we brought it back. On top of that the HatDrive! Piano also includes an headphone amplifier
RCA Line Out for easy integration with your sound system: Elevate your Hi-Fi setup with ease
High Quality DAC: 112dB Audio Stereo DAC from Texas Instruments with 32-bit, 384kHz PCM Interface
NVMe Drive Installation Capability: Supports installing NVMe (M-key) drives in M.2 format sizes 2230 and 2242.
PCIe Interface Support: Offers support for PCIe x1 interface in both Gen2 and Gen3 standards.
Dual LED Indicators: Features 2 LED lights for power supply voltage (PWR) and M.2 disk activity (ACT).
40-Pin Raspberry Pi HAT Connector Support: Supports the standard 40-pin Raspberry Pi HAT connector.
Dedicated I2C EEPROM Memory: Compatible with HAT ID, allowing for advanced identification and configuration.
Advanced Power Supply Monitoring and Diagnostics: Continuous monitoring and diagnostics of the power supply bus, measuring voltage, current, and power parameters in real-time via an I2C interface.
M.2 Standard-Compliant Power System: Integrated voltage regulator delivering up to 3A for the 3.3V power rail, compliant with M.2 (NGFF) standard.
Easy and Quick M.2 Disk Installation: Quick installation of M.2 disks in 2230 or 2242 format, thanks to a dedicated metal bracket (custom CNC made).
M.2 Card Power Options: Capable of powering the M.2 card directly from the FPC PCIe ribbon (port providing a minimum of 5W continuous power) or through the 40-pin HAT connector.
High-Quality Components: Utilizes top-quality electronic components and a 4-layer PCB.
All Necessary Accessories Included: Comes with a dedicated FPC PCIe ribbon, spacer pins, M2.5 screws, a spacer pin for M.2 card mounting, and a 40-pin male-female HAT connector.

Resources

HatDrive! Piano documentation
How to update the Firmware on your Raspberry Pi 5
How to flash an NVMe boot drive with Raspberry Pi 5
How to update your Raspberry Pi Kernel and install Kernel Headers

In order to enable the audio out please add “dtoverlay=hifiberry-dac” to “/boot/firmware/config.txt”. This step will soon be automated after our own overlay rolls out.