Bitcoin Forum

So I'm out, just taking a stroll down the road, and what did I find in my path?

http://communityhosting.net/ih/images/camerazoom.jpg

Yeah... so I went to BFL and asked them about it.  Seems there were some cylons...err I mean RigBox parts everywhere.  The renders don't exactly convey what a beast the rigbox really is.

Hawt.

So I guess one can assume this is the motherboard for the mini-rig box that the actual dual-FPGA processor boards connect to, and that it then delivers all that hashing power to the host as one single (heh) USB connection.

Yes, but it's my understanding that the individual units can be switched from looking like one monolithic unit to individually addressable units.  Which is great... so theoretically you could point different boards to different pools/users from the same unit if one were so inclined.

Thanks for the super-fast response Inaba. It's nice having you as the unofficial BFL representative  :)

I guess you'll give us the lowdown when you get your mini-rig? Has BFL given you any information as to when it's supposed to be shipping, or has all the talk been about the ASIC?

Someone is getting excited......

* gigavps thinks it might him  ;D ;D ;D ;D

Maybe I should have your moniker of "FPGA Mining Addict" also  :). It's probably a good job I couldn't get financing for a mini-rig, since if I did I would certainly have ordered one. With ASICs on the horizon now I'll be looking at that instead, but my original plan before a few days ago was get a mini-rig(s) once I'd proven that I could make it work with Singles.

Nice!   more pics please! ;D

Cool, some mini-rig porn to look at while waiting impatiently...  8)

If the mini rig is supposed to have 17-18 units inside why does this board have 24 connectors?

The case was designed to hold moar PCBs

Noooo, 29 connectors! That's how many cards are supposed to 'fit' into the rigbox (according to some old info, but they keep changing these things...)

Seems you are still waiting too? Isn't today 'End of May'?

Unlike others on the forums who would cry scam over a couple days, I will do what I have done all along. Wait patiently.

Now just wonder what the power supply is like ...

I was specifically told by a BFL representative via email that it's powered by a standard ATX form factor switching power supply that you would use in a desktop computer.

What's actually stopping them from shipping these already ?

A radical new idea called quality assurance.
Just a wild guess...

"Testing."

Lots and lots of mining, erm, "testing." :P

I was supposing that they are using something like this.
Thanks inaba for update.

Weird, I thought that'd be exactly what it looks like. A low power board that is loaded with serial ports.

Anything for you reeses.

Yes, it will be using a standard ATX power supply.

Hopefully GOLD certified ?

Preferably, PLATINUM certified.

Hopefully industrial/enterprise and not consumer. Industrial/enterprise PSUs were 80plus long before Antec created that silly pissing contest between them and PC Power & Cooling, and you can even get ones that are 95+% efficient if you look hard enough.

In addition, Gold is only ~87% at 100% load efficient. Consumer 120v PSUs can be Platinum rated (~89% at 100%), and 230v and/or Redundant PSUs can be rated Titanium (96% at 50%, 91% at 100%).

There is actually a titanium certification - 96% at 50% load, but only one PSU meets that spec: the Dell D750E-S2 which is only 750 watts. :(
Platinum would be sweet, 94% at 50% load.
EDIT: beaten by the devil :P

Nice to see BFL is not a scam.

Now about that ASIC ... ;D

Do you know of any enterprise class PSUs in the 1500w range?

Or phase plasma rifles in 40w range, for that matter?

http://www.silverstonetek.com/product.php?pid=226
http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=Story&reid=175

SilverStone says they have, but is it true, don't know.

Hey, just what you see, pal!

The only enterprise class stuff that I know of has a 200-240 volt input range, but not 100-120.

Awesome! I didnt know if anyone would get it! Thanks for restoring my faith in 80s humanity.

I got it, made me laugh :)

Yeah...sans member's only jackets and vhs copies of wargames.... but we're still around. ;)

War Games AND Red Dawn were on yesterday, back to back.  I think my ass permanently dented the couch.  Was waiting for Short Circuit to come on after, but it never did.  A tear was shed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ)

My buddy's kid just watched Wargames the other week for the first time. It was fun watching it with them. And good that his son could watch it while his imagination was active. Anyway, I love the reminiscent quality of watching those movies, but it's easy to note how we have advanced in film technology since then. :P  Though, not neccessarily in acting skills.

Off-off-topic, but did you ever watch the Saturday morning show Bigfoot and Wildboy? I use to think it was cool as a kid, but I find it absolutley hilarious now to think of how they depicted bigfoot running fast through the wilderness. They did it by overlaying his running/motion with (I think slightly transparent view of) those wide style speedometers from something like a 70's or early 80's Cadillac... it was clocking upwards of 40mph or something like that.... cracks me up...  :P

Sounds like a quote from T1. 
(And the green 6502 code scrolling in his head.)

.45 longslide...
Uzi 9mm...
BF Single plasma miner in 40 nano watt range.

I'll be back........ in 4 to 6 weeks.