https://flash-matrix.com/ question.

[Arch Stanton]

@csava

Forgive me for asking, consider me a noob in this area, but what is the difference between this tool (https://flash-matrix.com/) and just some database with pinouts and soldering the monolith like this?

Please explain what problem it solves other than the pinout. I think the better people understand your tool, the better the chance you sell some

[csava]

I'm solely implementing a database-based pinout arrangement on this tool. What I aim to sell is not the hardware itself but rather an extensive monolith pinout library. However, if I don't sell it by manufacturing a specialized hardware, I can only sell it to one person. Images are easily replicable with zero cost, so those who purchase the monolith pinout library will quickly sell it to more people at lower prices. As a result, everyone who possesses the monolith pinout library will offer monolith data recovery services at very low prices, making it difficult for those who are genuinely dedicated to development and research (including myself and other engineers) to recoup their investments

[Arch Stanton]

Aha! So you're sort of making pinouts work only with your hardware, right? It then indeed solves an interesting problem with selling pinouts: the problem that there's no restrictions for buyer to simply resell the pinout(s).

[csava]

This is why hardly anyone shares their monolith pinout online; it would allow competitors to snatch your customers with lower costs. There was someone who attempted to make money by recording and selling instructional videos for hard drive data recovery. He did so and anticipated the possibility of cloning and reselling, so he encrypted the videos (only authorized computers could access them). However, after some time, nearly everyone, around 20 people, had these instructional videos. Some managed to bypass the authorization through hardware-based video signal cloning. As a result, everyone started offering services at low prices. I don't think this price reduction approach is sustainable; it hurts both the research and development personnel and those providing on-site instructional services. People are now relying on purchasing cheap clones to gain access to the technology

[Arch Stanton]

Yes, I see the problem. And I see the solution you developed. And I see the sense in that.

Follow up question then: Suppose I buy the hardware and do not extend the subscription after one year. Will the device still work with database up to that point of does it become more or less useless at that point?

[csava]

People always resort to these dirty tactics to steal others' hard work, and it's very common in my region. When everyone is using pirated versions, I won't be able to recover my investment if I use genuine ones. I dislike this environment, but I'm trying my best to break free from it. If I tell you one thing, it will surely surprise you. On the Chinese internet, it's effortless to search for illegal cloned versions of the software, 'JPEG-Repair Toolkit,' that you developed. I don't intend to provide download links here, but if you want to know more, you can PM me

[csava]

Yes, I see the problem. And I see the solution you developed. And I see the sense in that.

Follow up question then: Suppose I buy the hardware and do not extend the subscription after one year. Will the device still work with database up to that point of does it become more or less useless at that point?

No, if your subscription expires, the software will not open. The information you need to know is detailed in the website's FAQ section

[arvika]

IMHO monolith pinouts is the simplest part of flash recovery now. If user bypass this, it will stop on next problems: config, reading, read-retry, XOR, assembly and other issue, which is a challange even for teams from tech supports.

As I look on video, user do not receive the pinout, but just information which pads/traces need to connect to monolith, and hardware/software will arrange the signal to correct order, right?

[DRUG]

IMHO monolith pinouts is the simplest part of flash recovery now. If user bypass this, it will stop on next problems: config, reading, read-retry, XOR, assembly and other issue, which is a challange even for teams from tech supports.

As I look on video, user do not receive the pinout, but just information which pads/traces need to connect to monolith, and hardware/software will arrange the signal to correct order, right?

I sense other companies will buy one unit, do MITM and offer the pinouts for a monthly subscription

[csava]

IMHO monolith pinouts is the simplest part of flash recovery now. If user bypass this, it will stop on next problems: config, reading, read-retry, XOR, assembly and other issue, which is a challange even for teams from tech supports.

As I look on video, user do not receive the pinout, but just information which pads/traces need to connect to monolith, and hardware/software will arrange the signal to correct order, right?

You make a valid point, but my idea is that if we can simplify some of the work, especially in the initial stages: discovering pinouts, configuring, reading, and implementing read-retry with the fastest possible solutions, then all participants can focus on XOR and assembly. This would be beneficial for data recovery success rate, efficiency, and reducing frustration. If users can obtain the correct dump in half the usual time, the remaining tasks can be handed over to technical support, such as individual experts like Arvika, or teams like VNR support

[csava]

IMHO monolith pinouts is the simplest part of flash recovery now. If user bypass this, it will stop on next problems: config, reading, read-retry, XOR, assembly and other issue, which is a challange even for teams from tech supports.

As I look on video, user do not receive the pinout, but just information which pads/traces need to connect to monolith, and hardware/software will arrange the signal to correct order, right?

I sense other companies will buy one unit, do MITM and offer the pinouts for a monthly subscription

It is challenging for me to prevent such behavior at the hardware level, but obtaining it this way is not much simpler than developing it on my own. If any commercial company were to engage in such behavior, I might consider using reverse engineering of their commercial tools as a countermeasure (extracting RR code, XOR) and providing it for free to their competitors. For me, this wouldn't be a difficult task. While such actions may not be easily deemed illegal from a legal standpoint, they certainly go against ethical principles

[DRUG]

@csava

Regarding this project what concerns me more is the gradual release of the pinouts. You stated on FAQ that a existing pinout that is not yet added will be added on next release. Would you be willing to add to the software a option to import a file with a single pinout provided by you?

Example:
We get a case with a pinout that is on your 2000 pinout database, we contact you and instead of updating the software database you just provide a file with that specific pinout that then is read by your software?

Honestly this seems a big selling point.

[csava]

@csava

Regarding this project what concerns me more is the gradual release of the pinouts. You stated on FAQ that a existing pinout that is not yet added will be added on next release. Would you be willing to add to the software a option to import a file with a single pinout provided by you?

Example:
We get a case with a pinout that is on your 2000 pinout database, we contact you and instead of updating the software database you just provide a file with that specific pinout that then is read by your software?

Honestly this seems a big selling point.

Great suggestion, but due to the complex encryption of the database, any addition or modification requires another internal program to obfuscate it before it can be used by the user's client. This sacrifices flexibility, but I will find other ways to compensate for it, perhaps by providing a genuine pinout on a one-on-one basis. Alternatively, I may consider launching a cloud-based database when there are a large number of users.