Thanks. Tomorrow's gonna be a busy day (sandwich day, among other errands) but maybe I'll get a head start on Biggie layout. The whole control section is already done, just gotta do the chip field and associated node signal lines and LDOs.

I've ordered a full batch of 2Pac PCBs and will be rolling in parts before long - I need more anyway so I can finish up the prototypes and get them sent out. Tomorrow I'll be sending 2 prototypes and a good test hub to VH so he can refine the code with sticks on hand and be able to watch what the power does on the fly.

I'll be sending prototypes to CrazyGuy and MacEntyre for reseller proofs, and to Philipma1957 for a test and review.

Updated the order queue, assembled a full budgeted BOM, and PCBs have been ordered.

The overall size of the 2Pac is the same as the Compac. The heatsink is the same size, and the bottom of it is at the same height relative to the USB jack, but the PCB is extended. The ASICs are on the backside, so the heatsink is on the opposite side from the original. This heatsink is a Compac leftover re-drilled; the center screw isn't populated because the existing middle screw hole is there but about 2mm off center, making it really impossible to drill and tap a fresh M3 hole.

I had thought about a 2-chip BM1384 stick when we were doing the original Compac, but I was still thinking single-sided so it would have been shaped a lot differently. I like this one a lot better. It'll be an extra assembly step and a bit harder to do initial testing before final assembly and shipping, but the end result is quite a bit better.

Yeah I'm looking forward to that one as well. Now that 2Pac development is done I'll have most of January to prep for the batch and start testing my BF16 prototypes.

I also need to do a bit of work on the Biggie. I've got most of a layout already but it was done for BM1385, probably take a day or two to change over and send off for PCBs. I hopefully will have a working final design of that by end of January.

By "BW" I assume you mean "Bitfury". Lot of people been making that mistake lately.

Got a couple working 2Pacs. One small problem with the PCB (I forgot to make sure the buck enable line was tied) that's already been fixed in the design software, but everything else is working exactly as expected.

Gonna start stocking up on parts so I can assemble the other 8 prototypes and get 'em out for testing and review. Send off for PCBs first of next week and get this batch rolling.

Check it out - a 2Pac two-pack!







Note this is not the most up-to-date code, that's in active development on a different machine. I believe some improvement has already been made in new-work timings that pretty much maximize the possible hashrate (WU should be more like 153) so that's good.

I found one small issue with the PCB which has already been corrected on the design files, having to do with the new buck layout. Very small issue. Everything else, all the chained power, node-level IO voltages and signal shifters are all working exactly as expected.

At 100MHz (11GH, equivalent to 200MHz single chip) I'm already seeing ~10% power savings over the original Compac. Pretty sweet.

So I should be sending off for PCBs first of next week. I'll need to restock on some parts before building more of these, but they're all parts I need to buy anyway for the full batch.

The shroud is something MacEntyre did himself, probably for safety or compliance with a safety regulation.

In my experience the Dell 750W is good for about 400W output (depending on specific model) on dead-low fan.

Regarding load versus temperature, the temperature is usually pretty much proportional to the load unless your ambient changes quite a bit. I forget if the fan kicks on from plugin on the DPS1200, but I know it keeps running even after the PSU has been turned off (and unplugged, off buffered power).

Groovy. I just brought in more PCBs, so next week I'll be restocked on board and cables for anyone wanting to order direct.

Biodom, if you send the whole miner remind me when it's time that I owe you two cores and I'll get you hooked up.

No, the Boner on those won't serve any real purpose. If it still had USB, maybe.

No, I'll be going back to the standard product names as they've been intended since the beginniing - the stick will be a Compac, new version number; the pod will be Amita, new version number, and the Sx refit boards are TypeZero, initial version.

BM1384 stuff at this point could be considered a "side project" so the funny name ideas are just fine. Better than fine, because they're funny.

Pretty much any PSU worth anything grounds the case. It's a safety feature.

When you say "independent 12v Temp controlled PWM fan", please clarify what is "independent". I don't know if the PSU has protection mechanisms where it won't stay lit up without detecting a spinning fan, but the built-in fan is PWM temp-controlled and runs off 12V so I'd just plug the new external fan into its port and see if that's good enough.

On the subject of trades -

I'm comfortable with a one-to-one 2Pac trade, one S5 board for one 2Pac. Not sure yet where I'll settle for a Biggie pod (yes, the official name of the BM1384 pod is now the Biggie) but, given the estimate of $75 per versus $30 per 2Pac, 3 boards makes sense (and would probably merit free shipping). I'll probably do a trade-plus-cash where 2 boards (since they nest in pairs in their natural habitat) would cover $60 of the $75, so an additional $15 plus shipping.

But in the meantime, I'm open to trading one free 2Pac (with free economy shipping within the US) for an S5 board (that hasn't caught on fire). Anyone open to this deal?

Got my 2Pac PCBs this evening. Got one populated (stuck by hand, nothing fancy), but it's having some power issues I'll have to work out. Hopefully it won't take long to iron out, and I can get a few more put together tomorrow. It'll be a short day with a lot of other stuff going on but I want to get tangible progress on this thing ASAP.

Honestly I should probably have assembled it piecewise, test one module at a time (main power, USB, node-level, LED etc) but I got a little overzealous. And then I went and put both ASICs on wrong... they were oriented correctly for the Compac, so it wasn't completely stupid.

Tomorrow I'll probably start a fresh one piecewise, and hopefully have something up and running and photographed before quitting time.

Bitshopper.de in Germany stocks my DPS1200 board and bundles sturdy cables.

Depending on what you're talking about, sure. There are things you can start buying right now if you wanted to. I doubt I'll be taking any money for BF16 gear within a month, but Biggie pods possibly.

Check the Marketplace. Folks post all kinds of stuff for sale over there.

The first test PCBs were supposed to arrive Thursday before I left for holidays. I'll get them when I return this week, and have a few test units dispatched to resellers and reviewers within a few days. That's the plan anyways.

And of course there'll be pictures posted.