Bitcoin Forum

So, what do you do, after (hopefully) receiving your Avalon unit, it (suddenly) stops working (properly)?

It seems like it has an ATX power supply, fans, an USB hub, 3 ASIC modules, and a ARM based controller.
If power supply, a fan or the USB hub break, no problem, go buy another, replace and you're back in business.

If an ASIC module fails, given the fact that the unit is modular and expandable, it has a good change to work with only 2 modules. Maybe Foundation (or Jeff) can help with a 15 minutes test, disconnecting one of the (hot glued) USB cables between USB hub and one of the modules? 44GH/s is better than nothing, until a replacement part arrives.

But what if controller fails? Disaster! Maybe there's a possibility to put the firmware (or part of it) on a wireless router (w/USB) with the same chipset? Any idea anybody? 

Contact Avalon and order a replacement? 

there does not seem to be any warranty explicitly stated on the avalon website.

Yes but on one hand, every day of non-functioning costs you money.
On the other hand, as REGULAR said, it's unclear with Avalon guys.

So, I'm more interested of what can be done by yourself, at least until (hypothetically) you get your replacement parts.
 

The term Buyer Beware has never been more applicable than when dealing with avalon.

I have to admit BFL is clearer for their products.  I don't feel that horrible missing out on Avalon batch 2 now.

https://forums.butterflylabs.com/showwiki.php?title=FAQ:What+is+the+warranty+period+on+your+devices&do=comments

Cant post video? :(

Reminds me of: http://youtu.be/mEB7WbTTlu4

It's just a WR703N with some custom firmware and an external antenna connector soldered in.

If someone would be so kind as to rip the firmware (https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=137534.msg1492300#msg1492300) from their Avalon and post it, I think I can use the openwrt toolchain to build from it a firmware bundle that can be flashed onto a factory WR703N.

I'd be more worried about the DC-DC converters failing.  No offense to ngzhang.

Thanks, valuable information!
I think DC-DC converters are on each module, so a failure will kill only one module, not the whole unit. Even this is depending on how a module reacts to a partial failure, be it a DC-DC or an ASIC chip (probably are multiple DC-DC per/on each module).

Now I notice there's probably another module each ASIC module connects with a ribbon cable to.

I would first invest in

https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQWna8hPMS5_dKow-mgqjTO5Fs7lIBqZnUSY_3NLHv7-kErmKE1NQ

and

https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTn7ytSLyCw1DXUSe0rn1rtDToWWTgi36jsSF-62sh-e3v_n8kBGw

before investing in any beta stage HW

You forgot the hot-air soldering station  ;D

Oh yeah! Silly me, how could I forget that.

There you go

This http://www.yaotek.com/store/Assets/ProductImages/wr3000mkt.jpg

and

this

http://www.myflukestore.com/crm_uploads/fluke-85v-875-87-5-multimeter-500x370.jpg

If you want to do it properly better add a microscope and a chip/board drying cabinet to all of that.

No wonder I had this feeling that I forgot something important

http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0045/8932/files/smt-microscope-480.jpg?1273253242

Easy. Buy replacement parts or buy another Avalon.

It's not like Avalon offers a warranty on their "no refund" devices ;)

Got the DSO, DMM, soldering iron, and cheap microscope.

No hot air gun yet.

Sarcasm on )_(

You probably first need to get an Avalon before you can break em... :o  ;D  ;)

Sarcasm off (_)

Yeah Frequency, I tried to order but failed, so, for me, this thread is a sad one :(
I'm pretty disappointed at how Avalon dealt with their website mess, but that's another story :(

+1

Tried, failed..  trying to decide if I'm disapointed..  Do I really want to do business with a company that soooo drops the ball on communication? 

Silence is NOT golden in this case.

Sigg

You can choose to do business with them or not but the demand is so high they could care less they will still sell out of avalons even with a buggy system and no customer service.

What he said ++

Unfortunately, the above is so true at the moment.   Rest assured, however, that someone will eventually come out with a competing product.  And, that someone will have decent customer service to boot.  When that happens, Avalon's "care less" attitude is going to come back to bite them... hard.

Apparently, this is how business is done in China..  News flash: the ASIC customer base is global..  Western expectations of customer service DO apply here.

Sigg