Bitcoin Forum

Greetings, miners!

Well, at last I have free time to create a more detailed post with review of Hotmine X6 upgrade kit (http://en.hotmine.io/x5-x6-upgrade-kit-new) for Antminer S5 (and looks (https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=1679638.msg16899497#msg16899497) like for S3 too).

A brief description of what does this kit (and the miner based on it) looks like has been posted here (https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=1679638.msg17247860#msg17247860), so let's go into details.

The X6 miner is hashing at 6.1 Th being powered with 12V ATX PSU Hipro HPH850W. This PSU was included in that test setup for the conference. The web-UI is looking similar to Antminer's UI. The same root/root for username and password, the same pools configuration tab, the same miner status tab... Even the firmware upgrade process is the same. There's almost nothing new I can say about it.

My miltimeter showed 11.8 V at PCIE power connectors while the miner was hashing. In the UI you can see almost the same value. So here and below we can see that the miner is measuring the input voltage in a more or less precise way.

http://i63.tinypic.com/2e0pft1.jpg

The miner is "rock solid" at this voltage:

http://i64.tinypic.com/m8iu5w.jpg

We can see that the hashrate at the pool is the same as in UI:

http://i66.tinypic.com/6y0b4y.jpg

Me and devs have discussed the suitable temperature mode for the Bitfury BF16BTC8162 chips. Briefly, the owner of the miner based on these chips should strive to maintain the temperatures around 60 degrees. At higher values there starts a degradation of usable performance, although the chip itself will hash even at 100-120 C. Take a look at the temperatures in web-UI. Note that there has been used not the most conducting thermal grease (https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9A%D0%9F%D0%A2-8). It's cheap, but not so good (as usually). My IR thermometer showed that the chips placed far from the fan are hotter than those placed closer to the fan for a 2-3 C.

http://i66.tinypic.com/t5rk89.jpg

So if you plan to achieve higher hashrate better equip this miner with second fan. The connectors for fans are present at each hashing board.
Note that the temperature you see in "Miner status" tab is received with a thermistor placed in the middle of the PCB.

http://i64.tinypic.com/2vn100p.jpg

The power consumption "at the power socket" in this mode is about 716 Wt (keep in mind what kind of PSU was used). So the power efficiency at the power socket level is about 0.117 Wt/Gh. In web UI you can find the "Efficiency [J/Gh]" value. This value is calculated from voltage and current measured on hashing boards considering the consumption of the fan (which may vary depending on it's speed) and the consumption of the BBB controller. So it's like the efficiency at the PSU's output.

The noise level is about 59 dB. The noise (subjectively) probably will not annoy you if you keep the miner in the next room, but you definetely won't to sleep with this miner on your bedside table.  :)

Since the developers was talking from the beginning that the hashrate of this miner is mostly depends on voltage rather than on frequency I was not trying to achieve higher hashrate rising the frequency (at this stage). In addition, the ATX PSU was just 850 Wt. So I have powered the miner from the server PSU PS-2142-1D1 (1470 Wt) prepared for mining by my own hands. This PSU was tuned to 12.7 V in advance.

http://i66.tinypic.com/2v327nd.jpg

Note that this case that you see on the photos will not be included when you decide to buy these upgrade kits. It's just a case in which the 51ASIC (http://51asic.ru/) company demonstrated this test unit at the Blockchain & Bitcoin Conference in Moscow.  :)

So the miner was hashing at ~7.52 Th:

http://i65.tinypic.com/2dj2pgl.jpg

Take a look at the input voltage value in the UI. And that is what has been measured by the multimeter:

http://i64.tinypic.com/2ekltw0.jpg

The power consumption was around 965 Wt:

http://i67.tinypic.com/o5wa3l.jpg

So the efficiency at the power socket is around 0.128 Wt/Gh.

But devs told about 13 V and even 13.6 V, which is also OK for these miners, so I set 13 V at my PSU. Here is the screenshot at 13 V:

http://i67.tinypic.com/33ngunr.jpg

The power consuption at this voltage is about 1053 Wt, so the efficiency is 0.134 Wt/Gh. The batteries in my camera has discharged at this moment so I have no photo of my power meter.  :-[

Later I updated the firmware:

http://i65.tinypic.com/30sgjyg.jpg

And at the pool's side it looks like this:

https://forum.bits.media/uploads/downloaded/585a3e77717ff_ba6f173c11c0033e377b492b17efe7e5.png

Well, the miner is solid even in this mode (at 13 V). But the temperatures are getting higher, so it's better to replace the thermal grease and to add second fan. Especially if you plan to run it at more that 13 V input voltage. Cold air from outside is OK too.  :) At 13.6 V miner should be hashing at 8.9 - 9 Th/s.

"Overclocking" the miner at 13 V with higher frequency values gives nothing that we could expect or desire:

http://img.ctrlv.in/img/16/12/23/585cc29ba5c38.png

Devs said that at 13.6 V the frequency can be higher than default, but we should ensure that heat dissipation is good enough. May be I'll try ti rise the voltage later.


You may have noticed that one of the "o"s in ASIC status field is in capital. It's not a mistake of bug. It's a designation for chip selected by the system for so-called "renonce". This chip is not hashing, it assigned to recover some kind of "wrong solutions" generated by other chips. You can choose whether to use one chip for "renonce" or to use one chip per hashing board in the "Advanced" settings.

I was trying to mine with this miner on p2pool using different nodes with lowest possible in my case latency. DOA hashrate is about 10%...  :(

http://i64.tinypic.com/1zfj5z7.jpg

Wow,Bitfury chips??

How'd they get so lucky to get chips?? And enough for a batch of miners??

Thanx to Nikon L21 camera.  :D

The question: where can we order them?

The 1000w PSU that I sell goes to 13V easilly, so that woud be great for the X6 (or 2x X5 upgrade kits)

Holy shit they came through !!

Following this thread to keep up to date on sale date :)

were to purchase, i have 4 s5 to upgrade :D

Wow. You said it should work with an S3. I have a C1 that I would like to upgrade.

looking good. hoping to get a demo before new years. as promised

I thought that I have posted all necessary links here.  ;)

Here is the manufacturer: http://en.hotmine.io/x5-x6-upgrade-kit-new (http://en.hotmine.io/x5-x6-upgrade-kit-new)

Feel free to ask all your questions there (http://en.hotmine.io/contact-us). Also there's their representative (https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?action=profile;u=918213) here at the forum.

At the moment, I could not get more than 8.3 Th with this unit since my PSUs are not able to provide more than 13.4 V. But here are the proofs from the developers that it can do 8.8 Th.

http://i64.tinypic.com/2h3ap1s.jpg

http://i65.tinypic.com/2ngvmkw.jpg

The PSU that they were using was Meanwell RSP-1500-12.

http://i68.tinypic.com/doq3oo.jpg

It looks that there is another unit at the lower shelf.  :)

tired of pics and teasing give us fucking hardware already

Sent emails through the website portals + PM'd the forum rep... no response for over a month

Maybe it's because I'm American and speak English...

we don't like ourselves that much either you know...

Well I'm a Finnish fellow right here next to Russia and I too haven't got any answer for over a month.

Most likely because BTC is going up and they are mining themselves instead of selling the miners.

Good to know it's not just a Cold War thing...

That was worth a chuckle.

Too bad, I'd dig the 500watt form factor.

I think sidehack has wanted to do this for like, 2 years. These things never seem to come to pass.

Closer now than I ever have been, what with both sample chips and dev funding. I'll be in BF16 prototyping as soon as I get 2Pac proof sticks out in a couple days.

But yeah, it's actually been over 2 years. Novak and I first contemplated the idea when ASICMiner posted BE300 test results in December of 2014.

Glad to hear you're still working on it, then :)
Still been sitting on those S5 boards (one is yours) but i guess at this point they're fully obsolete. (Good space heater thought)

I'll keep the husks at the very least.

Actually, I'm raising money for BF16 projects by whipping out some multi-chip BM1384 stuff since, at low clocks, they're still decently efficient (under 0.3J/GH, so S7-level) and easy to work with. Pods are back in the works anyway, and I'll be sending off for prototype PCBs this week. This isn't the appropriate place to discuss it, but there's updates in my 16nm dev thread and stuff in Group Buys, including a Canada GB, so if you still want to trade those S5 boards for something you should look it up.

So, I still have no answer to my e-mail that I sent to Hotmine. Has anybody other than the OP been able to get their hands on Hotminw products?

No answer for me either.
Problem as always, lots of good ideas, but no chips. I do not think they will ever get ASIC`s

I've been in touch with them about distribution in the US. I'll let you all know when I get the demo miner.

They have been very accommodating and informed me that the water heaters are on the back burner while they work on the miners.

Also I'm told this miner performs best at 13 volts. How are we gonna do that without expensive EE lab testing psu's?

Some server PSUs are voltage adjustable.

The DPS1200 can be pushed to 12.8V; might sag under load but it's a start.

This is another reason why unregulated string miners are a bad idea.

Yea 12.8 is actually pretty good I didn't know but figured 12.5 was gonna be the maximum. Even if it gave 800-900 watts on 220 I'd be happy with it (SO CHEAP, SO SMALL, SO TOUGH)

Thanks for clarification sidehack, no buck converter is why they want more volts on the rails.

Higher voltage shouldn't cause any problems other than PSU sourcing right? 12 v is just a standard like it's not nessecary for any reason ? I'm asking not telling or claiming to know.

How high does the finsky board go?

I sent an e-mail to Hotmine and asked if I could buy one Hotmine X5 upgrade kit and do a quick review here at the forum.
I still have good old Antminer S1 and I'm going to get Beaglebone Black if the deal goes through.

Hi Guys!
Are you busy?
Because i haven't received any answer on my mail?

Cheers!

They don't need to sell anything to you. )

Just asking....
You don't have to be rude

Sorry if any... That's just a sad fact...

Hi guys.
I have got answer from miner hotmine.io. They offered me upgrade kit x6 fot 950$, and i have foun one company in Kiev that is making miners with bitfury for 1350 $  a pice. Thay have 7.2 hash rate.

I've been trading email with hotmine as well.  Pretty pleasant.  The price changed on the x5 to 650 so I decided to get the x6 at 950.  More bang for buck.  But I still am curious about UAH.  They request payment only in UAH. 

Is UAH a coin or a banking system for other coins?  I have tried to google it but I keep getting information on ICO's and credit cards.  Nothing operating yet it seems.

UAH is indeed a coin  :D

It is the local currency in Ukraine.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukrainian_hryvnia


It is weird that they don't want btc payments anymore.

Thanks,

     I googled "UAH crypto"

I've been trying to get an order for these boards for a while now.  It's a smart idea.  The prices on the x5 have gone up from 450 to 570 to finally 650.  Even if I could I don't think 650 is a good price for ROI.  The x5 seemed to be ideal for low noise apartment mining.

The x6 seems to be the smart purchase now.  If I could -you know - actually purchase them.  Maybe production is timed and I'm asking in a lull of availability.

they replied that min. order of 10 units is needed to be shipped internationally, for one piece you must organise transport from Kiev - Ukraine (pick it up by yourself)

I've sent another email if it is possible to send one X6 via DHL

Darn...  I missed that. 

Well - if anyone has a set or two - Im in the market.  PM me.

I'm affraid that I've missed it too - after my question if they could send me one X6 via dhl - again no response from them..

Ahaa.
I've tried to get hold of a X5 to try it out and then upgrade my other units too i have lying around.
Think thats why i did get a response...

Well you know, someone could organize a group buy.

We'd need someone reputable like Philipma to escrow and host the group buy first. I've been waiting for Bitfury hardware to pop up recently so I might be in for one if the group buy actually comes into existence.

Yes, count me in for a kit too.

I'd love to get a pair of x5's or even x6's.  Count me in for two for the probable possible group guy.  

If Phillipma does the escrow, I'd throw in a hynix 4 gig 480 - cause he's that good with advice.  

Sidehack - I'd like to hear more about your 4th upgrade kits.  I have 3 s3's gathering dust and quite an itch. 

Count me in for one X5 please

Well,

     I guess one of us should ask.  I''l PM with my hynix offer.   I promise I will not lead with some sort of Western Comedy theme; "we've decided that you hereby be the mayor and sheriff of this two horse town" 

     I will just ask.

That's fine  :)

PM sent.

Hopefully there will be enough interest to get a genuine group buy going. 

I really don't understand why more companies are not doing this kind of thing.  Thousands of miners are already in the DIY frame of mind and everyone already has the parts!

Nice  :) hope they get back to you.
Then we just have to make a shopping list  ;D

Hey All, New here but I'm interested in a X6 kit as well. (possibly 2)

I've contacted them but haven't heard back yet.

Let me know if a group buy is getting setup.

Thanks.

I have got the email from them, thay have said that currently they are sold out. Next shippment is going to be in january. They want 100% prepay. Im in Kiev and thinking about getting 2 sets of x6 upgrade. If any one is interested too we can make a group or smth like that. So msg me if you are interested. +380939583175 Thats my viber or telegramm.

I've gotten a similar response from them as well. I PMed you about a group buy.

Hey guys. So i have talked to this guys and they have said that they are sold out untill january, and if you want to get some devices out of the next shippment you have to make prepay for january. So that all the story, i can help with getting the device in Kiev and shipp it to where you need, if anyone is interested.

I'm interested too. In group (or any) buy. But somekind guarantee would be appeciated (escrow?). I'm from Europe (Slovenia) - do you have any experience with shipping outside from your state (customs etc...)?

+1

I didn't realize this thread turned into a group sales one; I started another here:

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=2425582.msg24818692#msg24818692

Figured the marketplace was the right place to put it; anyone already organizing it feel free to take over that thread as well. I'm in for either two X5s or an X5 and an X6 if someone else is putting together an order. :)

There is a group buy sub-board in the hardware part of the forum right here. https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?board=137.0

Huh. I thought I'd searched pretty thoroughly for where to put the thread! Any mods reading this, please feel free to move it to the group buy forum.

Hotmine X6 Minor is not working.. they have lots of dummy machines.. dont buy i had experience with them.  please read my story below

my name is bharath im from India, i have problem with Hotmine.io which is a mining machines selling  company belongs to your country UKRAINE
i dont know where to address this issue i left with zero options so i am writing this to you sir, please consider me. i am jobless , i thought mining will earn some money , i found Hotmine.io on web , i borrowed money to buy minor X6.
i discussed with Vadim Ganzha sales manager in hotmine.io we chatted in telegram and sent BTC 0.1137 (which is around 1050usd-1100usd) after 30 days i got the minor which is not working , immediately i communicated with Hotmine.io in telegram regarding the issue and requested to send back my BTC take their miner , but all of sudden they started speaking polices, Terms and conditions , which they never mentioned at the time of buying, and they said there is no sending money back only replacing miner, I am not ready to take their deal ,because  it will take another month for new minor and I am not sure whether  it will work or not. i had long conversation with hotmine.io I followed  their instructions even though the miner didn’t work
Hotmine Team accepted to pay money in the form of BTC and they sent a confirmation mail also but after two days they again they said  they will not send BTC, the cycle continued and they keep changing words and making me fool. Now i need my money back, i have all the Telegram chat and emails how they are manipulating every time. Hotmine.io is taking everything is for granted they are not accountable , if you read all our conversation (i will post below)you will get better idea of how much Hotmine.io is careless and reckless … Hotmine.io never mentioned about their terms n conditions and policies if so i would not even buy from them. I am writing this to you for not only my money , many people want to buy miners from hotmine.io , i hope they will not face same issue like me.. please do take some action .. iam in helpless situation seeking your help…
I am extremely sorry for if i wasted your valuable time and i know this is very small issue for your level but i didn’t find any way to resolve my issue. Please consider and do justice for me..

Dear Bharat!

We are all very sorry about such a trouble you have met. Though I'm from Russia, not from Ukraine.

Please look at this case from the point of view of the company. In case you are a malicious person you will recieve your BTCs back and leave the miner (probably it's in fully working condition - Hotmine can't know it for sure) to yourself. Of course they will not agree to refund in this case. So I think you have no another choice but to fulfill their demands.

Or may be you can try to find someone in India who is experienced in miners repair. Also, almost any good engineer involved in the repair of consumer electronics should be able to help you.