Avalon ASIC users thread

[-ck]

Slightly updated firmware:

http://ck.kolivas.org/apps/cgminer/avalon/20130702-1/openwrt-ar71xx-generic-tl-wr703n-v1-squashfs-factory.bin

This rolls back to the previous hardware error target of <2% when using avalon-auto which is worth about 1.5GH more on average.

EDIT: Adds a check for maximum fanspeed before throttling speed at higher temps as well.

[1713938947]

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[Syke]

Slightly updated firmware:

http://ck.kolivas.org/apps/cgminer/avalon/20130702/openwrt-ar71xx-generic-tl-wr703n-v1-squashfs-factory.bin

This rolls back to the previous hardware error target of <2% when using avalon-auto which is worth about 1.5GH more on average.

Is this hardware error target per module? If one module has 3% error, and the other 2 modules have 0% error, that would be fine.

[-ck]

Slightly updated firmware:

http://ck.kolivas.org/apps/cgminer/avalon/20130702/openwrt-ar71xx-generic-tl-wr703n-v1-squashfs-factory.bin

This rolls back to the previous hardware error target of <2% when using avalon-auto which is worth about 1.5GH more on average.

Is this hardware error target per module? If one module has 3% error, and the other 2 modules have 0% error, that would be fine.

Total

[ProfMac]

I finally got altium viewer installed and looked at the board designs. The fuse definitely needs to be removed.

I thought maybe you could just remove the J1 jumper, but it looks like the usb-hub chip will still be overvolted unless the fuse is removed.

I installed Altium viewer, and I attempt to open Avalon_BP.PcbDoc or Avalon_BP.schDoc and I can't see that anything happens.  The example files all work.  I re-downloaded the files.  All is now good.

I am not "logged in."

[Tesla71]

How long do I have to wait till "avalon-auto" finds the optimal frequency? Or after what time I can say thats the optimal freq now to lock?

Also what do I have to put in the single frequency field when using --avalon-auto? Is that the start frequency?

[-ck]

How long do I have to wait till "avalon-auto" finds the optimal frequency? Or after what time I can say thats the optimal freq now to set locked?

It will usually continue to fluctuate indefinitely but you'll find it hovering +/-2 MHz, and that value's about the optimal. It will of course go lower if it starts getting too hot. Most seem to fall into two camps, close to 350 or close to 365. I run mine slightly lower than 350 since it seems to end up rebooting the router eventually at the highest setting (not cgminer but the whole hardware which is a little disconcerting). This is why I was experimenting with a less aggressive firmware yesterday, but in this world maximum hashrate seems to be the only thing that matters for most people...

[invader]

So, finally i build a functional firmware with my changes to cgminer in previous posts and a little backport from latest firmware. Currently using it, fan speed regulation works as expected. I guess, no one needs it now, but feel free to ask if you intending to replace fans to TFC1212DE or simular with inverted PWM behavior.

[cypherdoc]

How long do I have to wait till "avalon-auto" finds the optimal frequency? Or after what time I can say thats the optimal freq now to set locked?

It will usually continue to fluctuate indefinitely but you'll find it hovering +/-2 MHz, and that value's about the optimal. It will of course go lower if it starts getting too hot. Most seem to fall into two camps, close to 350 or close to 365. I run mine slightly lower than 350 since it seems to end up rebooting the router eventually at the highest setting (not cgminer but the whole hardware which is a little disconcerting). This is why I was experimenting with a less aggressive firmware yesterday, but in this world maximum hashrate seems to be the only thing that matters for most people...

does --avalon auto require that default be left at 282?

reason being, hashrate the other day wasn't going up as fast as i expected so i gave it a boost by changing default to 325 which obviously immediately jacked up the MH/s.  everything seems ok since but should i not have done that and is it affecting the auto function?

[-ck]

How long do I have to wait till "avalon-auto" finds the optimal frequency? Or after what time I can say thats the optimal freq now to set locked?

It will usually continue to fluctuate indefinitely but you'll find it hovering +/-2 MHz, and that value's about the optimal. It will of course go lower if it starts getting too hot. Most seem to fall into two camps, close to 350 or close to 365. I run mine slightly lower than 350 since it seems to end up rebooting the router eventually at the highest setting (not cgminer but the whole hardware which is a little disconcerting). This is why I was experimenting with a less aggressive firmware yesterday, but in this world maximum hashrate seems to be the only thing that matters for most people...

does --avalon auto require that default be left at 282?

reason being, hashrate the other day wasn't going up as fast as i expected so i gave it a boost by changing default to 325 which obviously immediately jacked up the MH/s.  everything seems ok since but should i not have done that and is it affecting the auto function?

Nope. Whatever you want as starting speed.

[iammagicmike]

I have a backup pool added, but there are three options (I'm working from memory so I could be slightly off):

• Balance
• Failover
• Load Balance

I have slush set as the first pool and eligius as the 2nd pool and I selected FAILOVER (that was the default setting).   What do these options mean? 
[/quote]

[therustytrombone]

I have a backup pool added, but there are three options (I'm working from memory so I could be slightly off):

• Balance
• Failover
• Load Balance

I have slush set as the first pool and eligius as the 2nd pool and I selected FAILOVER (that was the default setting).   What do these options mean?  

I usually hate to give this type of answer, but give the cgminer README a quick glance, it's very detailed and well written.  For this you'd want to check out the MULTIPOOL section.

[cypherdoc]

I have a backup pool added, but there are three options (I'm working from memory so I could be slightly off):

• Balance
• Failover
• Load Balance

I have slush set as the first pool and eligius as the 2nd pool and I selected FAILOVER (that was the default setting).   What do these options mean?  

I usually hate to give this type of answer, but give the cgminer README a quick glance, it's very detailed and well written.  For this you'd want to check out the MULTIPOOL section.

failover moves from your first to your second if first fails, on down the line.

balance means hashrate is split evenly btwn listed pools.

load balance i don't have time to lookup.

might have missed a few nuances.

[iammagicmike]

I have a backup pool added, but there are three options (I'm working from memory so I could be slightly off):

• Balance
• Failover
• Load Balance

I have slush set as the first pool and eligius as the 2nd pool and I selected FAILOVER (that was the default setting).   What do these options mean?  

I usually hate to give this type of answer, but give the cgminer README a quick glance, it's very detailed and well written.  For this you'd want to check out the MULTIPOOL section.

failover moves from your first to your second if first fails, on down the line.

balance means hashrate is split evenly btwn listed pools.

load balance i don't have time to lookup.

might have missed a few nuances.

Wonderful, thank you very much.  I assumed that failover was as you described it, but I certainly wanted to be sure.  I appreciate your reply.

[iammagicmike]

I have a backup pool added, but there are three options (I'm working from memory so I could be slightly off):

• Balance
• Failover
• Load Balance

I have slush set as the first pool and eligius as the 2nd pool and I selected FAILOVER (that was the default setting).   What do these options mean?  

I usually hate to give this type of answer, but give the cgminer README a quick glance, it's very detailed and well written.  For this you'd want to check out the MULTIPOOL section.

I didn't even think about looking for the readme file.  I was like a kid on christmas opening up the avalon and turning it on.  Once it started to hash I tiptoed away and refused to make any changes just in case i messed something up.  Whoever mined on my avalon before they shipped it to me had set up 3 pools with Failover so I assumed that failover was the way to go. 

[invader]

i think it would be also useful to make AVALON_TEMP_HYSTERESIS constant as an option, will try to do that and test with AVALON_TEMP_HYSTERESIS = 1.

ADD:

tested today with AVALON_TEMP_HYSTERESIS = 1 , changed to AVALON_TEMP_HYSTERESIS = 2 , as this makes oscillations sometimes
(this is the first one i noticed today, but enough for me to increase this value)

Last 4 values in this log is a fan speed and temps:

23:29:42 13/07/03 84841.34-10342,52884-1,128-833-236.78,1201.22-4320-4320-50-34
23:28:40 13/07/03 84913.10-10331,51476-1,128-817-242.26,1202.38-3480-3480-51-34
23:27:39 13/07/03 84908.92-10321,50196-0,0-796-248.04,1202.12-2520-2520-50-34
23:26:37 13/07/03 84987.30-10311,48916-0,0-781-254.22,1203.31-3840-3840-48-34
23:25:35 13/07/03 85061.84-10302,47764-0,0-761-260.65,1204.49-4320-4320-49-34
23:24:34 13/07/03 85035.48-10287,45844-0,0-745-267.27,1204.14-4320-4320-50-34
23:23:32 13/07/03 85114.25-10281,45076-0,0-728-274.49,1205.45-3960-3840-51-34
23:22:30 13/07/03 85076.32-10272,43924-0,0-709-282.04,1204.98-2880-2880-50-34
23:21:28 13/07/03 85013.27-10264,42900-0,0-689-290.05,1203.90-2880-2880-49-34
23:20:26 13/07/03 84788.14-10256,41876-0,0-671-297.88,1201.15-4320-4320-49-34
23:19:25 13/07/03 84873.52-10250,41108-0,0-651-307.11,1202.30-4320-4320-49-34
23:18:23 13/07/03 84900.12-10238,39572-0,0-629-316.54,1202.40-4320-4320-50-34
23:17:21 13/07/03 84894.90-10220,37268-0,0-611-326.52,1202.55-2640-2520-51-34
23:16:20 13/07/03 84951.18-10211,36116-0,0-604-337.36,1203.90-2520-2520-49-34
23:15:18 13/07/03 85106.36-10205,35348-0,0-577-349.09,1205.82-4320-4320-49-34
23:14:17 13/07/03 85000.73-10201,34836-0,0-546-361.74,1203.97-4320-4320-49-34
23:13:15 13/07/03 84770.04-10194,33940-0,0-523-374.17,1200.67-4320-4320-50-34
23:12:13 13/07/03 85017.08-10184,32660-0,0-498-389.03,1203.68-3120-3120-51-34
23:11:11 13/07/03 84885.24-10174,31380-0,0-476-404.64,1201.90-2880-2880-50-34
23:10:10 13/07/03 85011.28-10170,30868-0,0-447-422.10,1203.37-2880-2880-49-34
23:09:08 13/07/03 84820.37-10160,29588-0,0-437-440.64,1201.02-4320-4320-49-34
23:08:07 13/07/03 84621.45-10147,27924-0,0-422-460.74,1198.27-4320-4320-49-34
23:07:05 13/07/03 84716.78-10136,26516-0,0-406-482.92,1200.35-4320-4320-50-34
23:06:03 13/07/03 84488.28-10126,25236-0,0-388-505.22,1196.65-2760-2760-51-34
23:05:02 13/07/03 84651.61-10092,23908-0,0-375-531.20,1199.31-2520-2520-49-34
23:03:58 13/07/03 84822.31-10018,22724-0,0-356-560.63,1201.52-4320-4320-49-34
23:02:54 13/07/03 84937.80-9278,21595-0,0-333-551.36,1203.33-4320-4320-49-34
23:01:52 13/07/03 84707.64-8081,20398-0,0-305-509.57,1199.62-4320-4320-50-34
23:00:51 13/07/03 84749.83-6863,19180-0,0-296-462.91,1200.60-3120-3120-51-34
22:59:49 13/07/03 84632.62-5588,17905-0,0-274-405.77,1199.08-2880-2880-50-34
22:58:47 13/07/03 84738.28-4383,16700-0,0-244-344.09,1199.64-2760-2760-49-34
22:57:46 13/07/03 84673.78-3142,15459-0,0-232-268.62,1199.29-4320-4320-49-34
22:56:44 13/07/03 84401.29-1960,14277-0,0-214-182.59,1195.65-4320-4320-49-34
22:55:43 13/07/03 84659.01-976,13166-0,0-193-100.77,1200.33-4320-4320-50-34
22:54:41 13/07/03 84383.60-966,11886-0,0-172-111.66,1195.82-3120-3120-50-34
22:53:40 13/07/03 84681.53-954,10350-0,0-152-125.41,1199.29-3120-3120-50-34
22:52:38 13/07/03 84923.30-947,9454-0,0-128-144.26,1203.43-3120-3120-49-34
22:51:36 13/07/03 84562.11-935,7918-0,0-111-169.02,1198.13-4320-4320-49-34
22:50:35 13/07/03 85143.60-925,6638-0,0-96-205.65,1208.34-4320-4320-49-35
22:49:33 13/07/03 85213.97-919,5870-0,0-72-266.05,1209.53-4320-4320-50-35
22:48:31 13/07/03 83129.18-898,3182-0,0-51-358.24,1177.66-4320-4320-51-35
22:47:29 13/07/03 82148.83-828,1656-0,0-39-562.26,1175.45-3360-3240-51-35
22:46:27 13/07/03 79721.63-256,512-0,0-8-584.24,1145.65-1440-1320-50-35
22:45:26 13/07/03 83235.45-181,4772-0,0-83-38.59,1179.63-4320-4320-49-35
22:44:24 13/07/03 83227.87-169,3236-0,0-57-46.23,1176.63-4320-4320-50-35
22:43:22 13/07/03 84015.08-164,2596-0,0-49-62.82,1193.21-4320-4320-51-35
22:42:20 13/07/03 83694.98-155,1444-0,0-35-98.17,1188.21-3480-3480-52-35

[therustytrombone]

I have a backup pool added, but there are three options (I'm working from memory so I could be slightly off):

• Balance
• Failover
• Load Balance

I have slush set as the first pool and eligius as the 2nd pool and I selected FAILOVER (that was the default setting).   What do these options mean?  

I usually hate to give this type of answer, but give the cgminer README a quick glance, it's very detailed and well written.  For this you'd want to check out the MULTIPOOL section.

I didn't even think about looking for the readme file.  I was like a kid on christmas opening up the avalon and turning it on.  Once it started to hash I tiptoed away and refused to make any changes just in case i messed something up.  Whoever mined on my avalon before they shipped it to me had set up 3 pools with Failover so I assumed that failover was the way to go. 

Completely understandable, man!  I've just been using cgminer for a bit now and love how it works and how detailed the README is.  The devs are also available.

But I do understand about being super excited, if I don't get arrested for having a boner when the DHL person delivers my 4-module batch 3 avalon, I'm going to plug it in within seconds, not even inhaling any air until it's running (ok that might be a bad idea!).

[cypherdoc]

i've moved both my avalons to cons fw and the best surprise is that i've not had one shutdown or reboot.

to be fair 5/19 didn't either in the 3d that i've had them but i love the customization of cgminer.   its what i'm used to in the old gpu days. 

[Bowjob]

Would it be advisable to bring the PSU outside the box instead? It would seem to lower the temps.

[ProfMac]

Would it be advisable to bring the PSU outside the box instead? It would seem to lower the temps.

Avalon previously recommended against this.  The PSU needs to be cooled as well.

[monkee]

So, finally i build a functional firmware with my changes to cgminer in previous posts and a little backport from latest firmware. Currently using it, fan speed regulation works as expected. I guess, no one needs it now, but feel free to ask if you intending to replace fans to TFC1212DE or simular with inverted PWM behavior.

i don't need it but thank you

i'm sure people will eventually need it when a fan or two goes out and good to know there is already a fix when they post here freaking out 
what a weird issue