Kraftor SAM User Manual

Requirements

• A browser with Web Serial and Web MIDI support, usually Chrome or Edge.
• The Kraftor SAM firmware running on the board. Firmware 1.3 is recommended for selectable MIDI channels.
• USB connected to the computer.

Serial Speech

1. Open GUI/index.html.
2. Click Select port.
3. Choose the Kraftor USB serial device.
4. With firmware 1.2 or newer, confirm that the GUI shows Polaxis Kraftor SAM and the same chip ID shown on the board display at startup.
5. Click Identify Serial to make the connected board speak "serial connection".
6. Type text in the text box and click Speak.

Firmware 1.2 reports MODEL=SAM and its unique SAMD21 chip ID during the serial handshake. Firmware 1.1 remains compatible, but the GUI displays only Kraftor because that firmware does not report a model or chip ID.

The GUI sends the text line over USB Serial at 115200. The firmware speaks the line when it receives Enter.

MIDI Voice Control

1. Click Connect MIDI.
2. Allow browser MIDI access if prompted.
3. Select the desired MIDI output.
4. Select the MIDI channel that matches the firmware 1.3 DIP switches.
5. Click Identify MIDI.
6. Confirm that the expected Kraftor speaks "meedee connection".
7. Move the knobs.

The selected channel applies to CC 1–3, pitch bend, presets, and Identify MIDI. The selection is remembered by the browser.

Identify MIDI requires both serial and MIDI connections. The GUI writes "meedee connection" into temporary RAM slot 0 through serial, then sends MIDI note 28 on the selected channel to the selected MIDI output. RAM is cleared at boot, so the identification sentence is temporary and remains only for the current session.

If multiple boards use the same MIDI name, the selector adds a compact Web MIDI ID to each duplicate name. Chrome does not expose a guaranteed relationship between a Web Serial port and a Web MIDI endpoint. Use Identify Serial and Identify MIDI to match the two connections.

Firmware 1.3 DIP Switches

Move a switch toward its ON marking to turn it on. DIP1 is the highest-value switch and DIP4 is the lowest-value switch. Choose the channel selected in the GUI, then reset or power-cycle Kraftor so the firmware reads the new setting. All switches OFF select Omni mode, which receives every MIDI channel.

Firmware Compatibility

RAM And FRAM Sentences

When the serial port connects, the GUI asks the firmware for its sentence-bank layout. The reply tells the GUI how many RAM slots exist, whether FRAM is present, the first MIDI note for each bank, and the maximum sentence length.

• RAM is always available. RAM sentences are temporary and are lost when the board is reset or powered off.
• FRAM appears only when the board detects the external FRAM memory. FRAM sentences are stored persistently and remain after power-off.

If FRAM is not detected, the FRAM tab stays disabled. If FRAM is detected, the GUI enables the FRAM tab and loads the stored sentences from the board.

Use Reload from board to read the current bank, Save all changed to write edited slots, and Play on a slot to speak it immediately. Fill RAM slots and Fill FRAM slots copy one non-empty pasted line into each slot.

RAM slots are MIDI-triggered from the RAM note range shown in the tab header. FRAM MIDI notes start after the RAM note range, so the two banks do not overlap. If there are more FRAM slots than available MIDI notes, the remaining FRAM slots can still be edited and played from the GUI.

Presets

The preset dropdown applies common SAM voice settings and sends MIDI when MIDI is connected.

• SAM
• Elf
• Little Robot
• Stuffy Guy
• Little Old Lady
• Extra-Terrestrial

Random creates a new voice. Reset to default returns to the SAM default.

Skins

The skin menu changes the look of the GUI. The selected skin is remembered by the browser.

• Amiga
• HAL 9000
• WOPR
• Moon 1999
• Alien