Bitcoin Forum

Hello, I've just decided to purchase a Dual FPGA X6500 and i'm considering a few options for the rig that I'll be runing with it. A full fledged pc, even with an os on a stick seems like overkill especially since I've heard about the raspberry Pi, but I've no idea if the on board OS of the raspberry(ARM Debian) will support a miner. I'm pretty new at the whole linux thing, like the idea but don't quite know my way around. If anyone can shed a bit of light it would be awesome.
thanks

Here is some info.

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=55532.0

It works but the raspberry pi is a little "miss princess" when it comes to USB Connections.... (usb Hubs and so forth).

I couldn't get it working with my Ztex boards. Not for a long therm mining operation.

thanks guys, i'll get reading and investigating

It should work fine.

Cgminer/BFGMiner/MPBM all work fine on my RaspberryPi with my Cairnsmore1 boards, so your x6500 boards should work fine after you get everything set up ( there's some guides on the forums depending on what mining software you want to use :) )

Take  care that you have a good power supply for the PI and a good (maybe powered) USB HUB. What helps is to tape the power contacts of the USB Port that connects the hub to the pi (It hates feedback power .... from a not so good usb cables or HUBs).   

I was considering one of these: http://www.hardkernel.com/renewal_2011/products/prdt_info.php

More expensive, but there are more USB root hubs. Better for the multi device miner.


Also, bear in mind that the Raspberry Pi doesn't have an Ubuntu build right now, I believe there is a Fedora offering though. Nothing against Fedora, I quite like it, but do remember that you'll need to install more libraries and suchlike to get up and running using Bitcoin-d with Fedora (with the inevitable teeth gnashing and howling at the moon when you struggle to get it to work, I've been there!)

Why not just use debian? :S

I've talk to a few people who have used Debain and had USB problems using FPGAs, has since swapped to Ubuntu and saw the issues disappear.

Indeed.

I've no doubt it's possible to use Fedora or Debian for mining, but the USB drivers for Fedora looked like a whole heap of ball-ache when I investigated using it for my x6500 (and I actually wanted to use it in preference to Ubuntu, it seems a bit more grown-up somehow). Not to mention the package installation system is different (.rpm), so I couldn't easily install various other apps either.

I would have thought that Debian should be easier to set up mining with than Fedora, purely because Ubuntu is based on it (it also uses .deb and .apt packaging systems, and I shouldn't wonder that the USB drivers are either the same or can be easily installed)

I can hear eyes rolling in Linux afficionados heads; it's true, I've only really being using it regularly for less than 18 months. And damn, I'm surprised that you Linux-centric-masochists don't inisist on recompiling the entire OS (and apps) every time before you start working each day... everything needs doing yourself it seems! I am getting to like it though, considering ditching Mammonsoft altogether

How did you manage to put a tape on a single pin? Did you take the plug apart?
Did you tape only Pin1 or also Pin4?