Bitcoin Forum

Bitcoin => Mining => Topic started by: MaxLAMF on February 08, 2013, 08:32:15 AM



Title: Miniature Computers?
Post by: MaxLAMF on February 08, 2013, 08:32:15 AM
Hi,
hope I´m right in this forum...and another Hardware question besides the usual stuff... :P

I stumbled across the CuBox Miniature Computer (about 120$, 3W! usage, and ARM forgot which processor). Anybody using it? Or any similar mini computers and knows hashrates?
And to avoid this reply: Yes I know a BFL Jalapeno costs 150 bucks with 4,5 TH/s....but when, if at all?

So, any opinions or experience mining with something like that? I mean considering their power usage and pretty fast processors, they may be of interest. But I guess more for LTC rather than BTC.

Regards!


Title: Re: Miniature Computers?
Post by: mitty on February 08, 2013, 12:37:29 PM
CPU mining on anything that currently exists isn't practical.  I tried CPU mining on a dual core Intel Atom machine just for fun and got about 1 Mh/s. You may as well try mining on your phone, haha.

I've never heard about that machine in particular but maybe it'd make a good low-power ASIC/FPGA host.

Good luck :p


Title: Re: Miniature Computers?
Post by: Parazyd on February 08, 2013, 06:09:51 PM
Quote
Yes I know a BFL Jalapeno costs 150 bucks with 4,5 TH/s....but when, if at all?

You wish...


Title: Re: Miniature Computers?
Post by: Nemesis on February 10, 2013, 12:06:02 AM
is your name maxLame?


Title: Re: Miniature Computers?
Post by: crazyates on February 10, 2013, 01:48:09 AM
I've been using a MK802 II (https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=7216.msg1376515#msg1376515) for the past 2 months to mine with my BFL Single. The CPU themselves aren't anything amazing, but they are great for USB FPGAs (and future ASICs). I've heard of a lot of people using a rPi to do the same thing, but it can sometimes have USB issues.

The Avalon ASIC does a similar thing and comes with an included chipset that runs openWRT (https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=120184.msg1341644#msg1341644) to run the mining software, and is also pretty low power (the chipset, not the ASIC  8) ).

So yes, there are all kinds of low power options for using USB FPGAs and eventually ASICs. Almost any low power arm system that is capable of running Linux can be used to compile CGMiner and all it's dependencies. The biggest issues are price, stability, and availability. I consider the MK802 II to be excellent in all 3, but as I said, a lot of people like the rPi.


Title: Re: Miniature Computers?
Post by: mokahless on February 17, 2013, 09:17:26 PM
You can find a comparison of ARM processors on the wiki. google: bitcoin hardware comparison. It is the first result. It is towards the bottom.