diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 941cc70..59e564c 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -159,8 +159,9 @@ picks up rkvdec2 patches.
 7. **Document** — freeze the final recipe in this README
 
 **Status 2026-04-24**: ohm reachable; steps 1 + 2 + 3 done for H.264 on
-ohm. SW baseline numbers below; step 5 (ffmpeg-v4l2-request build +
-install via marfrit-packages) is next.
+ohm; step 5 scaffold landed (`marfrit-packages/arch/ffmpeg-v4l2-request-git/`
+on `main`, commit `9994c4e`, not yet pushed — first fermi CI build + ohm
+install still to run). Immediate next: push, build, install, validate.
 
 ### SW baseline numbers (2026-04-24, ohm, `bbb_1080p30_h264.mp4`)
 
@@ -300,12 +301,20 @@ New fleet hosts should get Fourier userspace via `pacman -S` / `apt install`,
 not per-device AUR rebuilds. Mirror plan in `marfrit-packages` (layout:
 `arch/<pkg>/PKGBUILD`, `debian/<pkg>/build-deb.sh + debian/`):
 
-| Package                      | Source                                  | CI runner | Target  |
-|------------------------------|-----------------------------------------|-----------|---------|
-| `ffmpeg-v4l2-request-git`    | fork of AUR (Jernej's patchset on ffmpeg tip) | **fermi** (Arch ARM aarch64) | Path A: ohm, fresnel, ampere |
-| `ffmpeg-v4l2-request`        | same patches against Debian ffmpeg src  | **feynman** (Debian aarch64) | Path A Debian hosts |
-| `gst-plugins-bad-fourier`    | only if stock distro package is <1.28   | fermi / feynman | 1.28 HEVC UAPI uplift |
-| `libva-v4l2-request`         | upstream tag                            | fermi / feynman | VA-API bridge |
+| Package                      | Source                                  | CI runner | Target  | Status |
+|------------------------------|-----------------------------------------|-----------|---------|--------|
+| `ffmpeg-v4l2-request-git`    | Kwiboo `v4l2-request-n8.1` (rebase of Jernej's series onto ffmpeg 8.1), pinned to `_commit` | **fermi** (Arch ARM aarch64) | Path A: ohm, fresnel, ampere | scaffolded 2026-04-24 |
+| `ffmpeg-v4l2-request`        | same patches against Debian ffmpeg src  | **feynman** (Debian aarch64) | Path A Debian hosts | pending |
+| `gst-plugins-bad-fourier`    | only if stock distro package is <1.28   | fermi / feynman | 1.28 HEVC UAPI uplift | not needed yet (stock ALARM ships 1.28.2) |
+| `libva-v4l2-request`         | upstream tag                            | fermi / feynman | VA-API bridge | pending |
+
+Why not the AUR `ffmpeg-v4l2-request-git`: it tracks a 6.1.1 branch with
+`epoch=2`, which makes it older than stock Arch `2:8.1-3` — install would
+**downgrade** system ffmpeg. It also pulls X11/AMF/CUDA/FireWire/AviSynth/
+OpenMPT/Bluray/etc, none relevant on a Wayland ARM video-decode fleet, and
+has no commit pin. The marfrit fork tracks Kwiboo's `v4l2-request-n8.1`
+(ffmpeg 8.1 base, sideways swap with stock), pins a commit for
+reproducibility, and strips the unused deps.
 
 The Arch package is the priority (ohm + fresnel are Arch-based). Debian
 package comes second (relevant if a fleet host ever runs Debian — kepler or