Bitcoin Forum

Looking to build my first rig. Total cost is not critical, Mhash/hardware cost is. I only pay 1/3rd of electricity and it's a bit cheaper than average, so Mhash/J isn't nearly as critical. I'd like to start with a single rig. I'm looking at sticking a ton of 5770s on a single board. This is probably stupid, which you can all inform me of. I configured the following at Newegg:

http://i52.tinypic.com/35bxw69.jpg

Will 5 5770s that close fit into the board and not overheat in an open air situation? This would be in a basement, where it gets probably no hotter than 72 F.

Is the power supply ok?

Are there any configuration issues I'm missing? Is there a more cost effective card/config available somewhere that's actually in stock?

I would stick to the usual PSU brands. Corsair, Enermax, Lepa (Enermax), Silverstone, SeaSonic, OCZ, Antec, Cooler Master.

That processor doesn't have a heatsink, do you already have one?

5770 = crap card for mining. also, don't get a motherboard with a shitload of pci-e x16 slots.

I wouldn't get a recertified hard drive. If it dies it's such a pain in the ass. A HD that's already died once is one too many for me.

You're going to need pci extender/risers I don't think you can fit 5 of them in a row. If you check youtube for 4x5770 you'll see a rig where he says they are jammed in that exact motherboard pretty hard. A 5th wouldn't fit without more hardware.

I believe there are issues with 5 gpus in windows, you'd have to go linux.

You could go 3x 6870 and pretty much get the same performance and would probably be a ton easier (don't need risers, can use windows, maybe easier to cool).

If you plan to keep pumping money in, I'd get a 1000W PSU and go with 3 6950 (unlocked) or 6970s. You could start with just two for now then add a 3rd.

Upgrade the PSU is like $50. Change the $549 5770s to a pair of 6950s that can still be unlocked (yes they are still out there, google around). That gets you 800 mhs and you can toss in another 6950/6970 giving you 1200 with lots of space between each card in that mobo. (I have that exact setup, same mobo, 1000w, 3 unlocked 6950s, running 1200 mhs).

It's 108 watts for 200 mhs. It's actually a pretty nice little card when you have 4 of them (and only $109).

There are some good ASRock 3x pci x16 slot motherboards that are around $144.

But always get a board with enough pci x16 slots, the extender/riser stuff adds cost and your computer is much less usable. You end up with a ghetto setup that can't be moved, cant be damaged more easily when you just could have had a nicer motherboard and avoided all that. You're not saving money buying $50 in adapters to run off 1x slots. That motherboard is extremely solid.

Ah, didn't notice that, good call. I'm used to Intel including one. Guess I'll go $8 more for the heatsink and fan version.