KryoFlux - High Definition Flux Sampler for USB

[fiath]

KryoFlux is an advanced software-programmable FDC (Floppy Disk Controller) system that runs on small and cheap ARM7-based devices and connects to a host PC over the ubiquitous USB connector. It reads (and in the future, will write) flux transitions from magnetic media (most commonly, floppy disks) at a very fine resolution. KryoFlux can read data with no regard for what disk format or copy protection a disk may contain, and it can also read disks originally written with different (and even varying) bit cell widths and drive speeds, with a normal fixed-speed drive.

KryoFlux supports dumping any floppy disk to “stream files”, which contain the raw flux transition information. It supports output of a range of common “sector dumps” (e.g. ADF) to allow you to use your dumped images right away in your favourite emulator.

KryoFlux is available for free for private non-commercial use. You will of course need to build or buy a board based on our open hardware design.

Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjfT-F0GUl4
Info: http://softpres.org/glossary:kryoflux
Beta 2 Release News Item: http://kryoflux.org/news:2010-02-18

[fiath]

Haha... Fancy meeting you here Mr. Vince.

[fiath]

I have been instructed to inform you that this project endangers one of the Amiga community's few remaining hardware manufacturers. Please for the sake of the community as a whole discontinue this project.

I would be quite surprised if that is the case, but even if it was, we have spent hundreds and hundreds of hours, and quite a lot of money on this project.... With all due respect, I don't really think we should have to discontinue it to protect a monopoly.

KryoFlux was created by us at the Software Preservation Society and was motivated by our own needs. For example, as it is, we have to lug around an Amiga + TV when we are on the road doing preservation. It would be just as bad having to lug around a PC and screen. With KryoFlux, we now use an EeePC!

Besides, KryoFlux has already been released. There is nothing that can be done about that now.

Anyway, rather than talk about other systems here. Let me say that we are currently readying the beta 3 release. Watch this space!

Trev: KryoFlux does indeed work on Windows 64 right now.

[fiath]

Well, that is okay then, because KryoFlux supports basically all formats already

Copy protection is no problem either, KryoFlux reads disks at the flux transition level - copy protection is read just like any other data.

[fiath]

Yes, we do hope (as our software technology is free, and the hardware is cheap and open so can be made by anyone) that we will basically nail this problem for good. Cheap, easy and reliable - we solve the technical issues, and get the community to help us with the problem of locating and imaging all those games where it was not possible or easy to do before.

8" preservation would be amazing. However, one of the biggest problems with that is getting hold of the drives. They seem very rare these days... With a drive, as long as we can interface it (which I don't think should be too hard), it should be easy to integrate imaging into our software.

As to "being disposed with", we have in fact already had some "problems" elsewhere. Talking entirely for myself, I think this is pretty pathetic and unprofessional. Still, this train has left the building, and so there is nothing anyone can do about it now.

[fiath]

So can this be used to write out an amiga floppy, mount it and write out files to it? I know, very advanced tasks

Do you mean actually use it as a normal floppy drive from an Amiga or emulator?

Interesting question. It was intended as a preservation tool, and we don't really have that kind of usage in mind, so I doubt we would work on it ourselves. However, the source to the host software will be available, and once we have added writing support, I can't really see any reason why it can't be done. Maybe somebody will hack around with it and get it to do that... we certainly encourage that sort of thing (as long as the result is not for commercial use or product, or other non-private use - that would require a license).

[fiath]

Just any HD 5 1/4" PC floppy drive?  I saw something on one of your updated at mentioned heads stopping and not getting to -8, but only -4 or something like that..

Is that probably not a big deal and I should just grab any 5 1/4" HD drive?
I'm not really worried about flippies at this point (where I think the above issue was) and mostly thinking of C64 and Apple II floppies (and eventually Coleco Adam, as I do have one of those drives, which doesn't get much use..).

As long as you don't need to do flippy disks, you can use any standard PC HD 5 1/4" drive, yes. However, if you are interested in C64 and Apple II disks, I guess you might want something that can do flippy disks? Yes, that may require a drive mod for many drives to step to -8. We are still researching what drives are best for doing it...

[fiath]

Nice. Yes, we are hoping to get the hardware produced asap. You can of course get a development board like the ones we are using, and get going right now, but they are more expensive as they have stuff we don't use - hence why we got our own design done.

[fiath]

MINI FAQ:

Q. Why is it free?
A. Because we are a non-profit preservation organisation, and our ultimate goal is not financial, but to save all these wonderful games before they are lost.

Q. Do I need a special drive?
A. No. Just a standard PC drive and floppy cable is required to dump any media for that drive.

Q. Does it work with 5 1/4" drives?
A. Yes. Check 1min 10secs into the YouTube trailer.

Q. Will it work on a laptop?
A. Yes. It uses standard USB. We have it running on an EeePC.

Q. Why can't I just use the floppy drive in my PC?
A. The floppy controller in the PC can only read the very strict format PC disks, and not very much of anything from other platforms. Not only that, but any copy protection on disks is hard to extract properly without a "low level" read - which you can't do through a PC's FDC. For various reasons, we would strongly argue that images of disks read through a PC floppy controller are unsuitable for preservation.

Q. Is it Windows only?
A. The software is currently in beta, and only runs on Windows (32 or 64-bit, Windows XP or greater). The source to the host software will be available after we go final, and we are then hoping to get it ported to as many platforms as possible. The code was written with portability in mind.

Q. Is it command-line only usage?
A. For the beta, yes. However, we are working on a graphical user interface which will likely be available when we go final.

[fiath]

Does it work in a DeLorean?

Unfortunately the DeLorean has a legacy communications bus that is not supported. However, there is a hack. Set your circuits to 1st January 2010, and give your flux capacitor a small whack. Hopefully, if things go to plan, your DeLorean should now have USB fitted within the glove compartment.

[fiath]

Linux support is wanted by me too. I personally don't have a Windows machine at home.

No, writing is not implemented. Planned, but we decided to concentrate on the preservation aspects first.