Bitcoin Forum

Bitcoin => Hardware => Topic started by: goxed on June 17, 2013, 10:31:12 PM



Title: BFL 5GH/s Jalapeno received today, Chip Die jagged edge question
Post by: goxed on June 17, 2013, 10:31:12 PM
Why is one edge jagged? Will it affect longevity of the Jalapeño?

Why does one chip look different and smaller than the other?



http://alumni.cs.ucr.edu/~amitra/bfl_jalapeno/DSC02970.JPG

http://alumni.cs.ucr.edu/~amitra/bfl_jalapeno/DSC02970_crop.JPG




Title: Re: BFL Jalapeno Chip Die jagged edge question
Post by: ct1aic on June 17, 2013, 10:44:27 PM
Perhaps because it is of an older version, probably a prototype chip...


Title: Re: BFL Jalapeno Chip Die jagged edge question
Post by: marto74 on June 17, 2013, 10:47:01 PM
I think it's a dummy


Title: Re: BFL Jalapeno Chip Die jagged edge question
Post by: goxed on June 17, 2013, 10:48:21 PM
I think it's a dummy

You are wrong! It's the real thing.


Title: Re: BFL Jalapeno Chip Die jagged edge question
Post by: goxed on June 17, 2013, 10:48:38 PM
Perhaps because it is of an older version, probably a prototype chip...

Just received it today.


Title: Re: BFL Jalapeno received today, Chip Die jagged edge question
Post by: Dyaheon on June 17, 2013, 10:49:53 PM
They switched packaging facilities afaik. Maybe one is from the new one?


Title: Re: BFL Jalapeno received today, Chip Die jagged edge question
Post by: Japs2013 on June 17, 2013, 10:51:22 PM
Is it a 5Gh/s version? Maybe the 7Gh/s version has 2 larger chips?


Title: Re: BFL Jalapeno Chip Die jagged edge question
Post by: ct1aic on June 17, 2013, 10:52:51 PM
Perhaps because it is of an older version, probably a prototype chip...

Just received it today.

Did you upgraded to 7 GH/s? What value did you got with a mining software?


Title: Re: BFL Jalapeno received today, Chip Die jagged edge question
Post by: goxed on June 17, 2013, 10:54:08 PM
Is it a 5Gh/s version? Maybe the 7Gh/s version has 2 larger chips?

It's a 5Gh/s version


Title: Re: BFL Jalapeno Chip Die jagged edge question
Post by: goxed on June 17, 2013, 10:54:39 PM
Perhaps because it is of an older version, probably a prototype chip...

Just received it today.

Did you upgraded to 7 GH/s? What value did you got with a mining software?

It's 5GH/s, mining s/w reports 5.1 - 5.2 GH/s


Title: Re: BFL Jalapeno received today, Chip Die jagged edge question
Post by: tidus_13 on June 17, 2013, 10:58:15 PM
Cause that chip is used one, like BFL FPGAS used ones second hands....

maybe one chip is 3.5G and the another one is like 1.5 to 2 G/hash that's why they asking for 7Ghashes devices, cause 1.5 to 2 G/hash are limited stock. ;D



Title: Re: BFL Jalapeno received today, Chip Die jagged edge question
Post by: Cablez on June 17, 2013, 11:10:05 PM
You are looking at the problems bfl encountered with bumping/packaging houses. One good chip from most recent suppliers and one older chip which is bolloxed up but works.


Title: Re: BFL Jalapeno received today, Chip Die jagged edge question
Post by: kev7112001 on June 17, 2013, 11:12:17 PM
yeah not a very good job of under fill for that other chip


Title: Re: BFL Jalapeno received today, Chip Die jagged edge question
Post by: goxed on June 17, 2013, 11:13:07 PM
You are looking at the problems bfl encountered with bumping/packaging houses. One good chip from most recent suppliers and one older chip which is bolloxed up but works.

Quite likely, the jagged edge chip looks more like a home project. I have never seen such workmanship even in engineering samples.


Title: Re: BFL Jalapeno received today, Chip Die jagged edge question
Post by: Loredo on June 17, 2013, 11:42:48 PM
Why is one edge jagged? Will it affect longevity of the Jalapeño?[/img]
AFAIK, it won't effect longevity per se.  There might be some weird temperature gradients around the edges, but keep it cool, and that thing should have a long life and die in bed.


Title: Re: BFL Jalapeno received today, Chip Die jagged edge question
Post by: jelin1984 on June 17, 2013, 11:49:54 PM
When You had order it?


Title: Re: BFL Jalapeno received today, Chip Die jagged edge question
Post by: goxed on June 17, 2013, 11:50:39 PM
When You had order it?
Bought it in auctions.


Title: Re: BFL Jalapeno received today, Chip Die jagged edge question
Post by: jelin1984 on June 17, 2013, 11:53:05 PM
How much?


Title: Re: BFL Jalapeno received today, Chip Die jagged edge question
Post by: TheSwede75 on June 17, 2013, 11:56:12 PM
When You had order it?
Bought it in auctions.

Prob early crappy chip with several dead engines. That said, it should prob be fine if you keep it cool and don't fuck around with it.


Title: Re: BFL Jalapeno Chip Die jagged edge question
Post by: Delitus on June 18, 2013, 12:00:26 AM
I think it's a dummy

It sure does look like a dummy chip to me. It is required to balance the heatsink for parallel contact with the hashing chip.


Title: Re: BFL Jalapeno received today, Chip Die jagged edge question
Post by: jelin1984 on June 18, 2013, 12:10:48 AM
One more closed photos of the faulty chip to see it better


Title: Re: BFL Jalapeno received today, Chip Die jagged edge question
Post by: smoothie on June 18, 2013, 12:16:02 AM
Perhaps maybe they cut the wafers with a butter knife? Hence the jagged edges?  :D


Title: Re: BFL Jalapeno Chip Die jagged edge question
Post by: Malawi on June 18, 2013, 12:17:57 AM
I think it's a dummy

It sure does look like a dummy chip to me. It is required to balance the heatsink for parallel contact with the hashing chip.

Have anyone tested that hypothesis by running it for a while, turn off and check for temperature-variations between the chips?


Title: Re: BFL Jalapeno received today, Chip Die jagged edge question
Post by: goxed on June 18, 2013, 12:28:02 AM
One more closed photos of the faulty chip to see it better

Will take more close-ups tomorrow


Title: Re: BFL Jalapeno received today, Chip Die jagged edge question
Post by: PuertoLibre on June 18, 2013, 12:33:19 AM
They switched packaging facilities afaik. Maybe one is from the new one?
Cheaper but less precise I take it??


Title: Re: BFL Jalapeno received today, Chip Die jagged edge question
Post by: goxed on June 18, 2013, 12:37:17 AM
When You had order it?
Bought it in auctions.

Prob early crappy chip with several dead engines. That said, it should prob be fine if you keep it cool and don't fuck around with it.

It's running pretty cool between 19C to 25C. But I am concerned about the exposed edges on the die.


Title: Re: BFL Jalapeno received today, Chip Die jagged edge question
Post by: Photon939 on June 18, 2013, 01:00:53 AM
Check the back of the jalapeño when it's running, if you have two leds then both chips are running


Title: Re: BFL Jalapeno received today, Chip Die jagged edge question
Post by: goxed on June 18, 2013, 01:05:08 AM
Check the back of the jalapeño when it's running, if you have two leds then both chips are running

there are 8 red LEDs and the center 2 are blinking.


Title: Re: BFL Jalapeno received today, Chip Die jagged edge question
Post by: Loredo on June 18, 2013, 01:07:40 AM
Prob early crappy chip with several dead engines. That said, it should prob be fine if you keep it cool and don't fuck around with it.

What's really sad about this has nothing to do with the functionality of the chip.  Here's BFL, who knows they aren't making notebooks to sell at Walmart where no one will ever see the motherboard; they're selling to geeks who are going to tear the case off to look at it as soon as they get it unpacked, and post photos of anything irregular on the forum that their customer base reads.  

The same BFL that right now is trying to sell the very chips that look so shoddy in these photos!  What were they thinking?  Answer:  No, they weren't.


Title: Re: BFL Jalapeno received today, Chip Die jagged edge question
Post by: Quix on June 18, 2013, 04:16:36 AM
Packaging irregularities likely won't affect the chip in any meaningful way. They're surprisingly common, but you can't normally tell too much from the outside if a chip how well it operates.


Title: Re: BFL Jalapeno received today, Chip Die jagged edge question
Post by: philips on June 18, 2013, 04:37:09 AM
This doesn't look good for BFL, it actually looks like crap.
OTOH you better ask them, email or something.


Title: Re: BFL Jalapeno received today, Chip Die jagged edge question
Post by: goxed on June 18, 2013, 06:04:37 AM
Some more pics
http://alumni.cs.ucr.edu/~amitra/bfl_jalapeno/DSC02949.JPG

http://alumni.cs.ucr.edu/~amitra/bfl_jalapeno/DSC02967.JPG


Title: Re: BFL Jalapeno received today, Chip Die jagged edge question
Post by: goxed on June 18, 2013, 06:07:12 AM
One more closed photos of the faulty chip to see it better

 / \
  |
  |


Title: Re: BFL Jalapeno received today, Chip Die jagged edge question
Post by: ct1aic on June 18, 2013, 09:22:24 AM
Great photos, mate. I hope to receive mine during this Decade... Ordered it last April 30, 2013...  :'(


Title: Re: BFL Jalapeno received today, Chip Die jagged edge question
Post by: Malawi on June 18, 2013, 12:10:12 PM
Great photos, mate. I hope to receive mine during this Decade... Ordered it last April 30, 2013...  :'(

Pretty sure you will, still 6,5 years left of the Decade.


Title: Re: BFL Jalapeno received today, Chip Die jagged edge question
Post by: ct1aic on June 18, 2013, 03:06:51 PM
Great photos, mate. I hope to receive mine during this Decade... Ordered it last April 30, 2013...  :'(

Pretty sure you will, still 6,5 years left of the Decade.

 ;D


Title: Re: BFL Jalapeno received today, Chip Die jagged edge question
Post by: k9quaint on June 18, 2013, 03:08:21 PM

At least you have something.


Title: Re: BFL Jalapeno received today, Chip Die jagged edge question
Post by: rammy2k2 on June 18, 2013, 07:12:03 PM
if its working as it should, why bother ?


Title: Re: BFL Jalapeno received today, Chip Die jagged edge question
Post by: wolongong on June 18, 2013, 07:46:58 PM
"I just did a complete teardown of my Jalapeño and now I'm worried about its longevity because the finishing of the shell of one of the microchips is not perfect"


Title: Re: BFL Jalapeno received today, Chip Die jagged edge question
Post by: klondike_bar on June 18, 2013, 08:04:21 PM
"I just did a complete teardown of my Jalapeño and now I'm worried about its longevity because the finishing of the shell of one of the microchips is not perfect"

quoting your un-quote, because it makes total sense that he would do a tear-down both for himself and for the internet (I appreciated it!), and to see a chip looking like that is a little dumb-founding. you never know if the shell of that chip is now so thin that the internals are affected or exposed, and that sort of issue may not play out until hours or days (or never) later when the thermal expansion (or contraction when powering down) kick in.



Title: Re: BFL Jalapeno received today, Chip Die jagged edge question
Post by: Node on June 19, 2013, 02:16:04 AM
I've found jalapenos running generally really cool (38-42 deg C) if this is at all comparable to GPU temps heat shouldn't be an issue for longevity.

That said the higher the environment temp, the more hardware errors you get, the lower they seem to clock themselves.


Title: Re: BFL Jalapeno received today, Chip Die jagged edge question
Post by: ct1aic on June 19, 2013, 07:16:53 AM
I've found jalapenos running generally really cool (38-42 deg C) if this is at all comparable to GPU temps heat shouldn't be an issue for longevity.

That said the higher the environment temp, the more hardware errors you get, the lower they seem to clock themselves.

It would be interesting to see if the 7 GH/s upgraded Jalapeño's still run @ those cool temperatures.


Title: Re: BFL Jalapeno received today, Chip Die jagged edge question
Post by: philips on June 19, 2013, 07:41:10 AM
I've found jalapenos running generally really cool (38-42 deg C) if this is at all comparable to GPU temps heat shouldn't be an issue for longevity.

That said the higher the environment temp, the more hardware errors you get, the lower they seem to clock themselves.

It would be interesting to see if the 7 GH/s upgraded Jalapeño's still run @ those cool temperatures.

http://imageshack.us/a/img818/12/bflo.jpg


Title: Re: BFL Jalapeno received today, Chip Die jagged edge question
Post by: ct1aic on June 19, 2013, 08:33:00 AM
I've found jalapenos running generally really cool (38-42 deg C) if this is at all comparable to GPU temps heat shouldn't be an issue for longevity.

That said the higher the environment temp, the more hardware errors you get, the lower they seem to clock themselves.

It would be interesting to see if the 7 GH/s upgraded Jalapeño's still run @ those cool temperatures.

http://imageshack.us/a/img818/12/bflo.jpg

Ok, a little higher @ 46º... not bad! But 2% of HW errors...


Title: Re: BFL Jalapeno received today, Chip Die jagged edge question
Post by: philips on June 19, 2013, 08:41:56 AM

Ok, a little higher @ 46º... not bad! But 2% of HW errors...

The HW errors percentage is higher initially, after few hours it drops below 1%.


Title: Re: BFL 5GH/s Jalapeno received today, Chip Die jagged edge question
Post by: Cluster2k on June 19, 2013, 12:36:41 PM
The good news is the unit works.  The bad news is you've invalidated the warranty by opening the unit  :D