catfish, beside the obvious (FPGA), it would be interesting to see what temperatures the two buck controllers and the MOSFET reach after, say, an hour of continuous mining. Especially the AOZ1025 8-amp buck controller in its tiny DFN-16 case, which has one MOSFET built in. I have a 1.15x, but no infrared thermometer.

The least expensive Stratix IV kit seems to be Terasic's DE4, which retails for $2,995
Currently wondermine gets 800 MH/s on it (but obviously, future improvements in hash rate are a distinct possibility).
But right now, that's about $3.75 per MH/s. 

BFL Single: $600 for 800 MH/s, which is about $0.75 per MH/s.

I guess, I'll take the BFL Single (in fact, I just ordered four more of them this morning). 

My favorite one:

A sawmill has an open position for a wood buyer.
Guy with dark glasses and a cane walks in.
"I am appying for this wood buyer job!"

"OK, but aren't you BLIND???"

"Sure am, however I identify wood by my keen sense of smell."

"I need to verify your claim. Ready for a test?"

"Ready is my middle name."

The boss hauls in a piece of lumber, puts it on his desk and asks: "Please identify this piece of wood."

Without missing a beat, the blind guy says: "Douglas fir, 50 years old, from Washington state."

The boss is impressed  - the answer was spot-on.

"How about a second test? Ready?"

"I was born ready!"

The boss hauls in another piece of lumber.

The blind guy sniffs front and back, before stating confidently:
"Oak, 75 years old, Northern New Jersey, a south-facing hillside."

Once again the answer is correct and records show that the hillside in northern NJ was indeed south-facing.

The boss is getting a little bit annoyed by the know-it-all and says "Now for the final test."

He leaves the room, but instead of coming back with another piece of lumber, he is carrying his secretary and gently puts her on his desk.

The  blind guy sniffs front and back.
Then, quite confused, once again.
Finally he says "You got me there. I have no idea what this is, but if I may venture a guess, it's the shithouse door of a fish trawler."

Apples and oranges.

DCOD...caused by the Bitstream not doing something 100% right when programming the DCM (digital clock manager) on the FPGA, turning DCM programming into something  like a lottery.

Cypress controller crash...believed to be caused excessive conducted and/or radiated heat from a PASSIVELY cooled FPGA.

Actually, on second thought, you may be right. During one of the "downclock of death" episodes I encountered, it went as low as 126 MHz before I stopped it. Thus, I now think you're right - it simply stabilized at 174 MHz, worked at 174 MHz for a while, before the microcontroller crashed.

Not free, but complimentary. The business office I rent has utilities included, as it is a so-called "full service" rental. The biggest concern is how to get rid of all the heat. Going forward, I will focus on BFL singles and/or FPGAs, and gradually phase out most of the graphics card-based rigs.

Also, as the recovery after the last crash in October/November has shown, Bitcoins will always come back. Right now, speculators are selling in panic "the sky is falling, the sky is falling". Once it has fallen far enough, historical evidence suggests $2 or so, at first a few, then more and more speculators will re-enter the market "OMG, it's going up, I don't want to miss this elevator".

>passive heat sink on the USB chip

I don't believe in trying to fix SYMPTOMS as opposed to CAUSES.
The USB chip got too warm by conducted [via the PCB] and radiated heat - putting a black heat sink on it
might actually cause it to pick up MORE radiated heat. Thus, I'd say "no" to your heat sink idea.

>speed should be easily monitored with extra logic

Stefan does feed the fan's RPM signal into the USB microcontroller, but AFAIK it's not [yet] being monitored by the microcontroller's firmware. While that would be easy enough to do, it'll then thwart people like me who intentionally want to use [low-profile] 2-wire fans. 2-wire meaning, they don't have an RPM signal output.
(I have this vision of slotting several 1.15x boards into some kind of "card cage", vertically, and the 2 inch or 3 inch tall Xilence fan would not be compatible with that.)

Btw., I don't think it is my low-profile fan that failed - quite likely it was just my makeshift fan power wiring that came undone.

>clocks down to 0

No, Stefan set the minimum at 174 MHz, but at this clock rate a PASSIVE heat sink (which my active heat sink turned into after the fan failure) seems to completely suffice (read the log that I posted).

>damage to the USB controller/board components

I think it was just operating out of spec, and thus failing to execute its program properly.
As I said, there is no evidence of any damage, and it's mining just fine.

That said, prolonged exposure to out-of-spec temperatures may cause electrolyte capacitors, but also other components, to age more rapidly than usual. But this is typically not a "bang, you're dead" event, more like "instead of an anticipated life span of, say, 6 years, we're now moving closer to 3 or 4 years".

So, it seems you're in the first batch.
May I ask when you ordered it?

Module 1.15x fan failure during mining
============================

Let me start out with pointing out that it was not ZTEX's luxury fan (retail cost $29.99 or $19.99 or something like that) that failed,
but my cheap fan from China.
Which has 2mm pitch connectors and which I had attached to the 1/10" pitch connectors by a crudely made adapter cable.
 
It failed on Wednesday.

Here's what happened in  detail, starting with a time when it is still mining along happily:

ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 216.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 204.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 210.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 198.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=198.00MHz,  errorRate=0.00%,  maxErrorRate=0.00%,  hashRate=198.0MH/s,  submitted 0 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.02
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=198.00MHz,  errorRate=0.00%,  maxErrorRate=0.00%,  hashRate=198.0MH/s,  submitted 0 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.02
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=198.00MHz,  errorRate=0.00%,  maxErrorRate=0.00%,  hashRate=198.0MH/s,  submitted 1 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.02
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=198.00MHz,  errorRate=0.23%,  maxErrorRate=0.29%,  hashRate=197.5MH/s,  submitted 1 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.02
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=198.00MHz,  errorRate=0.39%,  maxErrorRate=0.49%,  hashRate=197.2MH/s,  submitted 0 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.02
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 204.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 210.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 216.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 198.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 204.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=204.00MHz,  errorRate=3.67%,  maxErrorRate=3.67%,  hashRate=196.5MH/s,  submitted 0 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.02
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 210.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 198.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 204.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 216.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 198.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 210.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=210.00MHz,  errorRate=7.43%,  maxErrorRate=7.43%,  hashRate=194.4MH/s,  submitted 0 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.03
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 198.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 204.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 210.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 198.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 192.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=192.00MHz,  submitted 0 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.05
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 204.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 210.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 192.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=192.00MHz,  errorRate=0.50%,  maxErrorRate=0.50%,  hashRate=191.0MH/s,  submitted 0 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.05
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=192.00MHz,  errorRate=0.85%,  maxErrorRate=0.92%,  hashRate=190.4MH/s,  submitted 0 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.05
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 204.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 198.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=198.00MHz,  errorRate=3.73%,  maxErrorRate=3.73%,  hashRate=190.6MH/s,  submitted 0 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.05
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 204.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 192.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 210.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 192.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=192.00MHz,  errorRate=1.47%,  maxErrorRate=1.62%,  hashRate=189.2MH/s,  submitted 1 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.06
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 204.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 198.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 204.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 192.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=192.00MHz,  errorRate=2.49%,  maxErrorRate=2.61%,  hashRate=187.2MH/s,  submitted 0 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.07
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 204.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 198.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 192.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 186.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=186.00MHz,  submitted 1 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.08
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=186.00MHz,  errorRate=0.00%,  hashRate=186.0MH/s,  submitted 1 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.08
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=186.00MHz,  errorRate=0.00%,  hashRate=186.0MH/s,  submitted 0 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.08
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=186.00MHz,  errorRate=0.00%,  maxErrorRate=0.00%,  hashRate=186.0MH/s,  submitted 1 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.08
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=186.00MHz,  errorRate=0.00%,  maxErrorRate=0.00%,  hashRate=186.0MH/s,  submitted 3 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.08
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=186.00MHz,  errorRate=0.00%,  maxErrorRate=0.00%,  hashRate=186.0MH/s,  submitted 1 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.08
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 204.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 198.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=198.00MHz,  errorRate=6.29%,  maxErrorRate=6.29%,  hashRate=185.6MH/s,  submitted 0 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.08
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 192.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 186.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=186.00MHz,  errorRate=0.47%,  maxErrorRate=0.57%,  hashRate=185.1MH/s,  submitted 0 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.08
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 198.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 204.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=204.00MHz,  errorRate=9.74%,  maxErrorRate=9.74%,  hashRate=184.1MH/s,  submitted 1 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.09
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 186.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=186.00MHz,  errorRate=1.16%,  maxErrorRate=1.23%,  hashRate=183.8MH/s,  submitted 1 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.09
New block detected by long polling
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 192.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 198.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 186.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=186.00MHz,  errorRate=1.51%,  maxErrorRate=1.63%,  hashRate=183.2MH/s,  submitted 2 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.10
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=186.00MHz,  errorRate=1.63%,  maxErrorRate=1.64%,  hashRate=183.0MH/s,  submitted 1 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.10
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 192.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 198.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 186.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=186.00MHz,  errorRate=2.36%,  maxErrorRate=2.40%,  hashRate=181.6MH/s,  submitted 0 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.11
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 192.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 198.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 186.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=186.00MHz,  errorRate=3.13%,  maxErrorRate=3.13%,  hashRate=180.2MH/s,  submitted 0 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.11
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 180.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=180.00MHz,  submitted 0 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.11
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=180.00MHz,  errorRate=0.00%,  hashRate=180.0MH/s,  submitted 0 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.11
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=180.00MHz,  errorRate=0.00%,  hashRate=180.0MH/s,  submitted 0 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.11
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=180.00MHz,  errorRate=0.47%,  maxErrorRate=0.47%,  hashRate=179.2MH/s,  submitted 0 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.12
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=180.00MHz,  errorRate=0.29%,  maxErrorRate=0.47%,  hashRate=179.5MH/s,  submitted 0 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.11
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=180.00MHz,  errorRate=0.19%,  maxErrorRate=0.47%,  hashRate=179.7MH/s,  submitted 0 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.11
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=180.00MHz,  errorRate=0.13%,  maxErrorRate=0.47%,  hashRate=179.8MH/s,  submitted 0 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.11
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=180.00MHz,  errorRate=0.09%,  maxErrorRate=0.47%,  hashRate=179.8MH/s,  submitted 1 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.11
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=180.00MHz,  errorRate=0.07%,  maxErrorRate=0.47%,  hashRate=179.9MH/s,  submitted 1 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.11
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=180.00MHz,  errorRate=0.05%,  maxErrorRate=0.47%,  hashRate=179.9MH/s,  submitted 0 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.11
New block detected by long polling
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=180.00MHz,  errorRate=0.04%,  maxErrorRate=0.47%,  hashRate=179.9MH/s,  submitted 0 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.11
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=180.00MHz,  errorRate=0.28%,  maxErrorRate=0.47%,  hashRate=179.5MH/s,  submitted 0 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.11
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 192.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 186.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 198.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 180.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=180.00MHz,  errorRate=0.73%,  maxErrorRate=0.73%,  hashRate=178.7MH/s,  submitted 0 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.12
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=180.00MHz,  errorRate=0.98%,  maxErrorRate=1.23%,  hashRate=178.2MH/s,  submitted 0 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.12
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=180.00MHz,  errorRate=1.19%,  maxErrorRate=1.23%,  hashRate=177.9MH/s,  submitted 0 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.12
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 192.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 186.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 180.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=180.00MHz,  errorRate=1.47%,  maxErrorRate=1.54%,  hashRate=177.3MH/s,  submitted 0 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.12
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=180.00MHz,  errorRate=1.81%,  maxErrorRate=1.88%,  hashRate=176.7MH/s,  submitted 1 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.13
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=180.00MHz,  errorRate=1.78%,  maxErrorRate=2.06%,  hashRate=176.8MH/s,  submitted 0 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.12
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=180.00MHz,  errorRate=1.76%,  maxErrorRate=2.06%,  hashRate=176.8MH/s,  submitted 0 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.12
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=180.00MHz,  errorRate=1.96%,  maxErrorRate=2.11%,  hashRate=176.5MH/s,  submitted 1 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.13
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 192.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 186.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 180.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=180.00MHz,  errorRate=2.34%,  maxErrorRate=2.37%,  hashRate=175.8MH/s,  submitted 0 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.13
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=180.00MHz,  errorRate=2.90%,  maxErrorRate=2.93%,  hashRate=174.8MH/s,  submitted 0 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.13
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 192.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 186.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 180.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 174.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=174.00MHz,  submitted 2 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.14
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=174.00MHz,  errorRate=0.00%,  hashRate=174.0MH/s,  submitted 0 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.14
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=174.00MHz,  errorRate=0.00%,  hashRate=174.0MH/s,  submitted 2 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.14
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=174.00MHz,  errorRate=0.00%,  maxErrorRate=0.00%,  hashRate=174.0MH/s,  submitted 1 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.14
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=174.00MHz,  errorRate=0.00%,  maxErrorRate=0.00%,  hashRate=174.0MH/s,  submitted 0 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.14
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=174.00MHz,  errorRate=0.00%,  maxErrorRate=0.00%,  hashRate=174.0MH/s,  submitted 1 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.14
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=174.00MHz,  errorRate=0.00%,  maxErrorRate=0.00%,  hashRate=174.0MH/s,  submitted 0 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.14
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=174.00MHz,  errorRate=0.00%,  maxErrorRate=0.00%,  hashRate=174.0MH/s,  submitted 0 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.14
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=174.00MHz,  errorRate=0.00%,  maxErrorRate=0.00%,  hashRate=174.0MH/s,  submitted 0 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.14
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=174.00MHz,  errorRate=0.00%,  maxErrorRate=0.00%,  hashRate=174.0MH/s,  submitted 0 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.14
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=174.00MHz,  errorRate=0.00%,  maxErrorRate=0.00%,  hashRate=174.0MH/s,  submitted 0 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.14
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=174.00MHz,  errorRate=0.00%,  maxErrorRate=0.00%,  hashRate=174.0MH/s,  submitted 1 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.14
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=174.00MHz,  errorRate=0.00%,  maxErrorRate=0.00%,  hashRate=174.0MH/s,  submitted 0 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.14
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=174.00MHz,  errorRate=0.00%,  maxErrorRate=0.00%,  hashRate=174.0MH/s,  submitted 0 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.14
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=174.00MHz,  errorRate=0.00%,  maxErrorRate=0.00%,  hashRate=174.0MH/s,  submitted 1 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.14
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=174.00MHz,  errorRate=0.00%,  maxErrorRate=0.00%,  hashRate=174.0MH/s,  submitted 0 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.14
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=174.00MHz,  errorRate=0.00%,  maxErrorRate=0.00%,  hashRate=174.0MH/s,  submitted 1 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.14
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=174.00MHz,  errorRate=0.00%,  maxErrorRate=0.00%,  hashRate=174.0MH/s,  submitted 0 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.14
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=174.00MHz,  errorRate=0.00%,  maxErrorRate=0.00%,  hashRate=174.0MH/s,  submitted 1 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.14
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=174.00MHz,  errorRate=0.20%,  maxErrorRate=0.25%,  hashRate=173.7MH/s,  submitted 1 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.14
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 192.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 180.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 174.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=174.00MHz,  errorRate=0.41%,  maxErrorRate=0.43%,  hashRate=173.3MH/s,  submitted 0 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.14
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=174.00MHz,  errorRate=0.54%,  maxErrorRate=0.60%,  hashRate=173.1MH/s,  submitted 1 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.14
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=174.00MHz,  errorRate=0.41%,  maxErrorRate=0.60%,  hashRate=173.3MH/s,  submitted 2 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.14
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=174.00MHz,  errorRate=0.30%,  maxErrorRate=0.60%,  hashRate=173.5MH/s,  submitted 0 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.14
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=174.00MHz,  errorRate=0.23%,  maxErrorRate=0.60%,  hashRate=173.6MH/s,  submitted 0 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.14
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=174.00MHz,  errorRate=0.17%,  maxErrorRate=0.60%,  hashRate=173.7MH/s,  submitted 2 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.14
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=174.00MHz,  errorRate=0.34%,  maxErrorRate=0.60%,  hashRate=173.4MH/s,  submitted 1 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.14
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 186.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 174.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=174.00MHz,  errorRate=0.73%,  maxErrorRate=0.80%,  hashRate=172.7MH/s,  submitted 0 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.15
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 180.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=180.00MHz,  errorRate=4.15%,  maxErrorRate=4.15%,  hashRate=172.5MH/s,  submitted 0 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.15
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Set frequency to 174.00MHz
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=174.00MHz,  errorRate=1.03%,  maxErrorRate=1.26%,  hashRate=172.2MH/s,  submitted 0 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.15
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=174.00MHz,  errorRate=0.77%,  maxErrorRate=1.26%,  hashRate=172.7MH/s,  submitted 0 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.14
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=174.00MHz,  errorRate=0.80%,  maxErrorRate=1.26%,  hashRate=172.6MH/s,  submitted 1 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.14
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=174.00MHz,  errorRate=1.09%,  maxErrorRate=1.26%,  hashRate=172.1MH/s,  submitted 0 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.15
ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: f=174.00MHz,  errorRate=1.05%,  maxErrorRate=1.26%,  hashRate=172.2MH/s,  submitted 0 new nonces,  luckFactor=1.15
Warning (try 1): libusb0-dll:err [control_msg] sending control message failed, win error: The device does not recognize the command.


Warning (try 2): libusb0-dll:err [control_msg] sending control message failed, win error: The device does not recognize the command.


Warning (try 3): libusb0-dll:err [control_msg] sending control message failed, win error: The device does not recognize the command.


Warning (try 4): libusb0-dll:err [control_msg] sending control message failed, win error: The device does not recognize the command.


Warning (try 5): libusb0-dll:err [control_msg] sending control message failed, win error: The device does not recognize the command.


Warning (try 6): libusb0-dll:err [control_msg] sending control message failed, win error: The device does not recognize the command.


Warning (try 7): libusb0-dll:err [control_msg] sending control message failed, win error: The device does not recognize the command.


Warning (try 8 ): libusb0-dll:err [control_msg] sending control message failed, win error: The device does not recognize the command.


Warning (try 9): libusb0-dll:err [control_msg] sending control message failed, win error: The device does not recognize the command.


Warning (try 10): libusb0-dll:err [control_msg] sending control message failed, win error: The device does not recognize the command.


ztex_ufm1_15d3-04A32DC6E1: Error: bus=bus-0  device=\\.\libusb0-0002--0x221a-0x0100: Read hash data: libusb0-dll:err [control_msg] sending control message failed, win
 error: The device does not recognize the command.

: Disabling device


So, it kept throttling down, the error rate went up, it throttled down some more and finally it seems the USB microcontroller got too hot from the radiated/conducted heat and stopped working properly, which in turn prevented the FPGA from getting more work (well, the FPGA's flip-flops would still be toggling, right?)

This morning, I re-attached the Xilince "luxury" cooler and restarted the mining software, whereupon...
(scroll down to read the shocking facts)




























































...IT WORKS AGAIN!  

I've always wondered what happens when you PULL a heat sink off a BGA chip.
Could some of the solder balls come undone?
The solder ball would still be there, but its contact to the PCB (or its contact to the chip itself) would be something like what happens in a "cold solder joint".
That it works when you apply pressure, and ceases to work when the pressure is gone, fits this picture 100%.

The Icarus board with two Spartan6-150 does the very same thing. Splits the search space between two FPGAs. No big surprise here.

As far as I understand, long wires don't come into the picture much when you enter a counter-pattern on the left, let it percolate through 128 stages and then wind up with a yes/no value on the right. Rather, I think the 5ns clock cycle is due to two sequential 32 bit additions, implemented with ripple carries. 
The irony is that FPGAs have hardware multipliers (in the DSP blocks), but few or no hardware adders. (I think there is an adder in each DSP block also, feeding into the multiplier, but there are not enough of them.)

The silence is deafening - noone but Inaba has received a device yet.
Assuming they shipped out the first batch on Monday, surely some people in the mid-west would have received their unit by Wednesday evening, no?

The first one about 4 to 6 weeks ago. 
But seriously, about 5 weeks ago.
I have no idea whether that puts me in the first, second, or third batch...

I rent a business office in the heart of Silicon Valley for a tad over $200 a month and mine at the admittedly pathetic rate of about 3200 MH/s, so it's not really generating a profit yet, but merely pays the rent and the DSL. I have, however, ordered several BFL singles in order to finally achieve a positive cash flow.

There's also a guy going by the name of eldentyrell, who has managed to fit 3 SHA-256es (3 half-miners) into a Spartan6-150, but as of yet, he has not disclosed the clock rate yet, and it is unclear whether he is willing to put the bitstream into the public domain, something that Stefan of ZTEX has done. Something that the designer of the Icarus board has also done.

If you want to be a hero here, follow in eldentyrell's footsteps, squeeze 3 SHA-256 into a Spartan6-150 and put design and bitstream into the public domain.
And/or improve the Icarus implementation.
And/or improve the ZTEX implementation.

>consider pursuing?

Frankly, no.
One could simply copy the ZTEX design, which is available under the GPL license, if memory serves, spend a tad over $200 per board (not for 2 or 10, but, say, for 50 or 100) and achieve a tad more than 200 MH/s.  $1 per MH/s. Thus, I'd advise against pursuing a $2 per MH/s design.

I don't keep my cases open in order not to spoil the "flow-thru"effect from front to rear.
I have these Corsair cases, R500 or whatever they are called, very wide ones.
Four graphics cards in each of them.
In front of the graphics cards, there are two 12cm 110cfm fans on top of each other.
Zip-tied to the graphics cards and power cables.
The bottom fan cools the two bottom cards.
The top fan cools the two top cards.
As the room heats up to the 90s, this configuration barely keeps the cards from throttling down.
Without downclocking the RAM, some cards actually do throttle down.
Since I downclock RAM, I don't have that problem anymore.
Or only very rarely.
I just ordered two 135cfm fans from SuperBiiz, advertised special, to find out whether they cool even better.
As a test subject, I will use the rig that has the least MH/s.

Excellent report, Inaba!

May I ask what the output voltage of the power brick is?
If it's 12 V, I have several 90% efficient 600W and 300W power supplies lying around, which I could put to good use with these babies.
I have 8 on order right now...