Folks,

please stop asking things that are already covered in the OP, really it is really everything written there. Especially, please don't ask for any exceptions: I will not reserve chips, accept fiat, confirm more than I did in the OP, etc.  Thanks for your understanding.

Blockchaininfo is currently down and I can not verify the last payments, but from the posts the first batch is sold out. Payments done after the cut-off line will directly go into a second batch, that will be ordered as soon as the collected amount suffices the batch price.

I do not know if Avalon let their chips produce with each batch ordered, or first wait some time to get them piled up and produce more wafers at once. In the former case, the second batch might be available some days later than the first. If this is a concern for you, please do not order. If you already paid and fell into the second batch, please ask for a full refund before I buy.


Have a nice day.

Confirmed orders:

There are 380 chips remaining in this batch. When those are filled up and still more demand, I'll order the next batch as soon as the 782.1 coins are collected. Payments after the cut-off line will be moved to next batch (which will follow 3 days after the initial one). If funds don't reach threshold for an additional batch, orders cut-off will be returned after the order window closes.

Several users approached me with a specific concern: they do not yet know whether to go for DIY or buy boards, and if so, from whom to buy. Also some know from whom to buy, but the designers have not yet started taking orders and the first batch of chips might already be gone when they do.

I considered forth and back, and while this will load me more than it already does today, I am going to support those who buy assembled boards and manage their chip orders.

So, starting from now, if you decided to order ready-to-use boards from some developer (or still do not know with whom to go), you can buy your chips now to ensure you get them from the first batch. Upon delivery, you negotiate with the developer of your choice and let me know where to forward the chips to for assembly.


I updated the OP accordingly.

Confirmed orders:

Note: 43 sent back to 15AkZM1u2jXhetHEKLnQ5ScM6bvjGePYHd, since buyer will order assembled boards.

Folks,

please do me a favor and read the OP carefully before you place an order or PM me with questions that are already answered in the OP. Also, please keep in mind that this thread is only for the order of the chips. If you have questions about technical aspects or are seeking contact to people who can build the boards for you, please follow the original DIY thread.

Also please note that Avalon has posted the relevant facts already here, no need to speculate:

Confirmed orders:


Note: 43 sent back to 15AkZM1u2jXhetHEKLnQ5ScM6bvjGePYHd, since buyer will order assembled boards.


Thanks for your kind words and your support. That's all for today from me, see you tomorrow.

Aaargh! Don't do that!

You should send from an address you control, i.e. you have the private key of. Otherwise, if another one claimed he was sending this 0.86BTC, how do you prove it was you?

Now, I take this as confirmed. Please provide a return address, just in case.

Everyone else, please send from your own wallet and from your own address.


Thanks

Confirmed orders:

Please follow the additional clarifications I added above.

You think I should have asked for more than 9.9% as risk-compensation? I wish I did, but I offered to support the upcoming open source projects with what I have and that is it. Also please note that on top of this surplus buyers will be charged the effective fiat expenses for taxes, shipping and handling.


Volatility is for traders. I just wanted to use Bitcoin for what it is meant and this time it failed royally - if I had waited 2 hours with my order, I would have paid $30k less  But ok, it is not the worst method to go long.


Usually you are charged your local VAT, which assuming you're from within the EU is somewhere around 20%. Not sure if it pays off to drive to Switzerland for a local pick-up, but yes, it would be doable.

---

Please note: following additional clarifications appended to OP

Who should buy and who should not
Please note that this chip distribution is meant for DIY folks only. That is, if you want to build your own mining boards, either from scratch or based on the reference design Avalon announced to release in May. If you want to buy ready-to-mine boards as developed in the original DIY thread, please do not order chips from me, but instead contact the developer of your choice (burnin, allten, or whoever decides to work on a ASIC product). There is no need to reserve the chips by buying from me, since I will ensure that those developers will have enough chips they need for their products.

Escrow
I did not offer escrow for a simple reason: as soon as the payments fill up to 782.1 BTC, I'll order another batch. No idea how long the chips will be in stock, but I would like to act fast. BTW, John and Graet escrowed my ASICMINER board seat auction, they can vouch for me.

Reservation, Payments
Some users ask for reservations, since they can't get hold of BTC fast. No need to hurry, you have two weeks time and I'll ensure there will be enough chips for anyone (other than they are out of stock). Also, only BTC payments. The blockhain is the indisputable proof of your payment, let's use it as is and prevent manual accounting.

ASIC chip distribution handled in a separate thread.

Status updates:
2013-09-23: Remaining Chips distributed
2013-09-14: Remaining Batches shipped, partial Refund Offer
2013-09-05: Refunds processed
2013-09-04: Refund window closed, refunds being processes
2013-09-02: Batches 6, 7, and 8 refunded, further refund processing notes
2013-09-01: Refund Status and Deadline
2013-08-29: Refund Processing
2013-08-28: Endgame
2013-08-23: Batch 2 delivered
2013-08-14: Shipping & Handling fee structure defined
2013-07-23: First batch delivered
2013-07-22: First batch shipped
2013-07-03: Test-run passed, website open for all
2013-07-02: Website for handling shipping addresses open for a test-run
2013-06-29: Final order window closed, no more chips available
2013-06-29: Some spare sample chips available
2013-06-28: More sample chips received and forwarded
2013-06-22: Order window for chips to complete boards opened
2013-06-15: Sample chips for 1st batch received and forwarded
2013-06-09: First delivery of sample chips spotted, let us finalize the distribution
2013-05-26: Initial sample chips distribution plan
2013-05-20: Please help preparing the sample chip distribution as described here
2013-05-10: Avalon released the initial version of reference docs, to be found on GitHub
2013-05-03: rough schedule set up and clarified after sales processing here
2013-05-01: order window closed, please do not send any more coins
2013-04-30: 6th batch sold, 7500 chips left in 7th batch
2013-04-30: batches 6 and 7 ordered and paid
2013-04-29: 5th batch sold, 6th batch piling up
2013-04-28: batch 5 ordered
2013-04-24: all chips ordered are guaranteed to ship
2013-04-24: 4th batch sold, 5th batch piling up with 7740 chips left
2013-04-24: 4th batch ordered, 790 chips left
2013-04-22: 3rd batch sold, 4th batch piling up with 7050 chips left
2013-04-20: 3rd batch ordered
2013-04-19: 2nd batch sold, 3rd batch has ~3300 chips left
2013-04-18: 2nd batch ordered
2013-04-18: 1st batch sold out, 2nd batch has ~2500 chips left


Next Steps
After finalizing the batch orders, all further processing steps are depending solely on Avalon's actions and responses.

The rough schedule I am pulling out of thin air looks as follows

• beginning of May: wait and see
• second half of May: Avalon releases reference design and documentation
• end of May: first chip samples get shipped
• beginning of June: developers finalizing their designs and ordering sample chips
• mid of June: developers assemble and demo their mining products
• second half of June: I collect shipping information for the chips ordered
• beginning end of July: first batches produced and shipped to me
• mid end of July: chips get delivered and I start distribution shipments <-- we are here

This is the ideal schedule based on the numbers provided by Avalon. We all know that realistically each step will be delayed by some non-predictable amount of time, so let us sit and wait a while. I will post updates as soon as they are available - no need to explicitly ask for them.

---

---

Order Status

Reminder
Only send payments from an address you control (i.e. you can sign with it). If you send from MtGox or other exchanges, you risk loosing your funds since you can't prove you sent them.

Policy update: Refunds
Your orders are binding after your funds have been used to pay for a batch. Before that (while coins are piling up for the next batch), you can demand for a refund and will get it paid back in full. Note that after you got refunded, I will not accept future orders from you (to prevent free risk-offloading to me).

---

Folks and miners,

as discussed in the DIY thread, I want to support the open source DIY-ASIC approaches and act as a distributor for the Avalon ASIC chips offered in bulk. I bought a 10k chips batch yesterday and realized how this was the worst timing possible for opening sales: I bought the coins down on their way between $100 and $90, just to see how my $70k investment melted away in half over night

The relevant information about the chips is available from Avalon here


Pricing
I am asking for a 9.9% surplus for my nerves (risk compensation). the 10k chips totaled to 782.1BTC, which results to a resale price of 0.086BTC / chip.

On top of this BTC denominated net price, I will add a fiat based component to cover expenses, including

• tax and custom handling fees (~10%)
• effective shipping cost from Switzerland
• flat handling fee of $20 per order

Since these items will be paid in fiat, they will be charged after I receive the chips and before they are sent to you.

Ordering
A lead time of 10+ weeks in the current sentiment takes ages. We can right now observe the dramatic exchange rate fluctuations, and we might also see some of the competing ASIC manufacturers succeed and flood the market with cheaper solutions. Before you order, please do your risk analysis.

If you still want to buy and are fine with the above pricing model, then you will have to participate in the risk and pay your order upfront. If you understood the risk-factors you should clearly understand why I can't afford to charge you in 10 weeks.

This is no fund raising for a group-buy, since the order is already placed with my own funding (order number #9725).

There is one common payment address: 162HWpt9njiDsk5nwGixw7fDPuNy55Kh9X

To buy

• select your number of chips N in multiples of 10, max. 2500
• send the total amount (C = N * 0.086) to the given address
• post or PM me your order in the following format: <forum nick>; <N>; <C>; <sending address>
  ensure the sending address is under your control, so you can sign with it in case of disputes
  (edit 2013-04-18): if your wallet application does not let you select the sending address and sends from multiple, please post only one of them (and keep the address for a while)

The buying window opens now and closes by end of this month, or precisely 2013-05-01T00:00Z (May 1st 2013, 00:00 UTC).

If there is enough demand to order an additional 10k chip batch, I'll do so (given they are in stock). Those not getting into the queue will get their coins returned (to the sending address).

Shipment
The chips will be forwarded to you as soon as I receive them and you paid the fiat component mentioned above. Delivery within Europe will usually take less than a week; overseas will take what it takes. You will be given the option to select shipment method on time and resolve custom specific issues.

Trust
Yeah right: shut up and give me your money!

If unsure whether to trust me, write down 10 Bitcoin members you respect most and check if they can vouch for me.

Communication
I live in Switzerland (TZ: UTC+02) and have a exhausting day-job, which limits me to communicate in my evening hours. So if I did not respond to your email or your post within some hours, it is just because I'm at work. Please be patient.


Cheers,
Zefir

---

Edit (2013-04-16): additional clarifications

Who should buy and who should not
Please note that this chip distribution is meant for DIY folks only. That is, if you want to build your own mining boards, either from scratch or based on the reference design Avalon announced to release in May. If you want to buy ready-to-mine boards as developed in the original DIY thread, please do not order chips from me, but instead contact the developer of your choice (burnin, allten, or whoever decides to work on a ASIC product). There is no need to reserve the chips by buying from me, since I will ensure that those developers will have enough chips they need for their products.
(edited 2013-04-17)
You can order chips either if you plan to develop your own mining board, or want to buy a ready-to-mine assembled from other developers / manufacturers. In the latter case, with your order you secure the chips from the current batch and decide where to send them for assembly when they arrive.

Escrow
I did not offer escrow for a simple reason: as soon as the payments fill up to 782.1 BTC, I'll order another batch. No idea how long the chips will be in stock, but I would like to act fast. BTW, John and Graet escrowed my ASICMINER board seat auction, they can vouch for me.

Reservation, Payments
Some users ask for reservations, since they can't get hold of BTC fast. No need to hurry, you have two weeks time and I'll ensure there will be enough chips for anyone (other than they are out of stock). Also, only BTC payments. The blockhain is the indisputable proof of your payment, let's use it as is and prevent manual accounting.

I can confirm that sound is missing on latest chrome/Ubuntu, while it works on firefox.

Feature proposal: my computer is not a high-end one and is fully maxed out when I watch the bubbles passing by. Displaying the page on a WUXGA monitor loads both my cores fully and starts stuttering after a while, so I end up opening it in a small browser window or even minimized to enjoy the sound of silence. Would it be doable to configure the display refresh rate, or at least reduce it to 1 fps?


Finally: anyone found more than one easter-egg?

I'm just putting coin into this venture, so it's the designers to plan and execute the open source aspects of it.

We all internally agreed that the open way is where we want to go, but as burnin wrote above: he is working full-time on it and needs to find a way to open it but ensure that months of hard design work is not just taken over by free-riders.  We are discussing internally options to ensure compensation. In worst case, open sourcing will have to wait until the first x*1000 boards are sold - and now guess how long this would take

Well, allten is the OP and got the DIY idea rolling (after he already did the awesome BitSafe project).

I jumped in since I originally planned to develop my own boards as soon as ASIC chips are available. For that, I prepared sufficient funds for large volume orders. When I saw burnin's design drafts, I realized that it more or less is where I intend to go and there is no need for an own redundant development. Therefore I decided to instead collaborate by funding the bulk orders and act as distributor for this and similar developments.

So basically there is no firm project with dedicated roles set, but a cooperation between individuals with identical goals. Besides the (almost not relevant ) chips we have the competences and funding ready, and with friedcat's announcement of tiny-USB-ASIC-miner chances increased that we will make it.

There is no point in posting price figures since we have no clue if and when chips will be available.

As for the open source issue, I was not clear in explaining what my concern is. I'll try again.

Open source HW means everything is openly available for anyone to build the device from scratch. Arduino is a typical example, as are 3d-printers as a current hot topic. DIY with Arduino typically means you order a kit and solder it yourself to play with. The full blown open source approach is different: you take the design files (schematics), do your layout, create PCB, solder yourself or pay for assembly. The numbers I gave for EMS ramp up is what our company pays when we build new prototypes (also includes testing). It is Swiss based and therefore maybe too high, but bottom line is there are costs involved that are advantageous for the large scale producer.

With that in mind, there is one factor that makes Bitcoin mining devices unique: it imposes interdependencies between producers. Say you buy an Arduino kit, while your neighbor takes the open source design documents and ramps up mass-production to build 1000 Arduinos. You don't care, or maybe you are even happy if he can offer better retail prices. Now move over to the mining board. You buy one, while your neighbor ramps up mass-production. You won't be happy, since he reduces your mining income.

And that is exactly what will happen, driven by pure market logic - ending in mining centralization.

But this is all speculation until we have chips available, so better postpone it to the point we know it is doable.

First off: business and open source do not contradict. If you ever have the chance to visit an open source centric conference (try LinuxCon when you're nearby), go there and listen to the big guys (IBM, Google, RedHat, etc.) how they are making tons of money by giving things away for free. It is the services that you are charging for, not the technology.

Therefore: no, plans did not change. What we have in mind as business is services and support to be built on top of the open source design. Effectively, the DIY guy will be able to get all SW and HW design documents to build his own boards - but with no service, no support, no warranty. Whereas the typical customer will have to pay a premium and get ready to mine boards, including warranty, service ans support.


What we need to think of is how to prevent the inherent tendency for centralization in Bitcoin mining. Assume we open source all design documents; to build your miner you need to manufacture your PCB, source the material, and finally find an EMS partner to assemble it (which alone introduces ramp-up costs of several k€). You won't do this for 2 boards, not for 10, and also not for 100. It starts to get interesting with 1000 boards, which ultimately leads to centralization of mining power.

That is basically the challenge we are facing: how can we provide an open source approach but limit centralization tendency.

Feel free to post your ideas.

Observing the freaking-out of miners driven by under-supply of ASIC mining rig (peaking in lucky lottery winners selling their $1.5k device for $20k), and based on the fact that ASICMINER developed their chips with NRE of less than $200k, one might conclude that developing ones own Bitcoin ASIC is the most obvious next step.

At least I concluded recently, but after discussing with some experienced insiders, it only supposedly sounds easy. The two core issues are

Time to Market
There is an absolute minimum development time of ~6 months to be considered. That is, no matter which expertise you hire and how hard you try to negotiate with fabs - starting our mining ASIC today we would have chips in our hands for Christmas. Quite some time for numerous 'what ifs' and surprises in the Bitcoin world.

Expertise and Luck
Having only two successful ASIC manufacturers out of four taking the challenge indicates that designing a mining chip is far from being trivial. There are rants over BFL all over the forum for being incompetent idiots failing to provide what they promised long ago. Being more objective, there is no doubt they had the highest skilled experts available money can buy (and they had tons of money) - and yet they failed to meet expectations. That's because luck is an immanent component with the development of such uncommon ASICs. Those engineers in this forum believing to work error free, go cast the first stone.


tl;dr: starting a new mining ASIC from scratch is already too late and overall maybe not the best idea.

Avalon initially planned to develop only the chips and let others do the productizing. Taking the opportunity to monetize the current shortage of mining rig supply to dictate prices and recover NRE fast is a legitimate approach. But as soon as a second manufacturer enters the competition, they will gradually be forced to concentrate on their core business - and that's where we should build on top of. There are only two manufacturers of CPUs for desktop PCs worldwide, that's enough for everybody to have a computer at home, as it is enough to keep up a healthy competition with continuous technologal advances.


I expect this scenario to be reached in Bitcoin world not later than by the end of this year. Avalon might still have one or two successful batches to sell, but then things will go to normal again. That is, to what we had at the beginning with CPUs/GPUs: whoever likes to support the Bitcoin network buys and attaches rig right away. No pre-order limbo and no pre-sale lotteries.

At least thats the plan

Folks and miners,

we are still in the planning phase, so please be patient.

Obviously this whole idea depends on whether existing mining ASIC manufacturers are willing and able to sell their chips. So far, Avalon is the only party that announced support for it, but for weeks I am still waiting to hear back BitSyncom's response to my inquiry.

Aside from this hard dependency, here are the basic points so far:

Funding
We have enough coins to fund volume chip orders, as soon as they are available. No need for kickstarter or other types of public offerings planned. On demand, we will act as distributor for those ASICs, i.e. everyone will be able to order in smaller quantities.

Open Source
Yes, there will be at least one fully open source (HW and SW) project provided for the DIY folks of us. Since assembly requires equipment most DIY won't have at home, this might end up being an academic issue. The best take could be to offer fully assembled boards and leave integration to the miners (stacking, thermal design, housing, etc.). This is yet TBD, and since some are working full-time on this and are aiming at serious business, we still need to explore potential monetizing options.


Feel free to continue posting comments and suggestions, but as said above, as long as there is no confirmed commitment to offer ASIC chips to the public, don't be too enthusiastic in that.


Cheers,
zefir

I ROFLMAO'd over this and on a second thought realized how ChainForker is the most fitting name for a fat mining company   Registered the .com, .info and .net domains just in case I make it that big one day.

iCEBREAKER, congrats for this creative neologism. Since it is yours, I am going to transfer those domains to you if you ask for it within a month for the price I paid (like $30).