BFL: Chips have shipped, on their way to US

[Beans]

It seems strange to me that they don't have a working product. Making a large order and just hoping that everything works out seems risky. I don't see how they can be so sure everything will work correctly.

[1715119621]

1715119621

[smoothie]

It seems strange to me that they don't have a working product. Making a large order and just hoping that everything works out seems risky. I don't see how they can be so sure everything will work correctly.

This is a new age....throw tons of money at a business that has no working product for months....just have "FAITH"

[Beans]

It seems strange to me that they don't have a working product. Making a large order and just hoping that everything works out seems risky. I don't see how they can be so sure everything will work correctly.

This is a new age....throw tons of money at a business that has no working product for months....just have "FAITH"

I'm only worried about mass producing something before testing it.

[repentance]

An update on what's going on at the bumping facility is way overdue.

[Xian01]

An update on what's going on at the bumping facility is way overdue.

I know right ?! I'm sure they have been slaving away for us all weekend...

[luffy]

It seems strange to me that they don't have a working product. Making a large order and just hoping that everything works out seems risky. I don't see how they can be so sure everything will work correctly.

This is a new age....throw tons of money at a business that has no working product for months....just have "FAITH"

I'm only worried about mass producing something before testing it.

i will gladly be a beta tester :p
there is no time for testing unfortunately. the first rigs will produce all the money

[Beans]

It seems strange to me that they don't have a working product. Making a large order and just hoping that everything works out seems risky. I don't see how they can be so sure everything will work correctly.

This is a new age....throw tons of money at a business that has no working product for months....just have "FAITH"

I'm only worried about mass producing something before testing it.

i will gladly be a beta tester :p
there is no time for testing unfortunately. the first rigs will produce all the money

A little more waiting is a small price to pay if the alternative is were all screwed. I don't see how they could be certain it worked without testing one. I'm not talking about user testing..

[repentance]

A little more waiting is a small price to pay if the alternative is were all screwed. I don't see how they could be certain it worked without testing one. I'm not talking about user testing..

They are being tested, albeit only for a day plus a short burn-in before shipping.

- 2 days in bumping facility
- Transport to substrate and packaging
- 1 - 2 days for substrate and packaging
- Transport to assembly house
- < 24 hours at assembly house
- ~1 day for chip verification/testing
- Transport to Kansas City
- Bulk assembly / send out demo units
- Ship bulk units

Remember that the next 6,000 chips don't have all the layers completed yet.  Those chips are their back up plan if this first batch fail (and yes, there would be a further delay).

[smoothie]

It seems strange to me that they don't have a working product. Making a large order and just hoping that everything works out seems risky. I don't see how they can be so sure everything will work correctly.

This is a new age....throw tons of money at a business that has no working product for months....just have "FAITH"

I'm only worried about mass producing something before testing it.

I agree here. Testing should be done on small quantities (i.e. a prototype ...DUH). BFL must have some magic potion that allows them to divert the normal development process in any new technology.

Unicorns, leprechauns, pots of golds, lucky charms, rainbows!

[crazyates]

It seems strange to me that they don't have a working product. Making a large order and just hoping that everything works out seems risky. I don't see how they can be so sure everything will work correctly.

This is a new age....throw tons of money at a business that has no working product for months....just have "FAITH"

I'm only worried about mass producing something before testing it.

I agree here. Testing should be done on small quantities (i.e. a prototype ...DUH). BFL must have some magic potion that allows them to divert the normal development process in any new technology.

Unicorns, leprechauns, pots of golds, lucky charms, rainbows!

You remember that little fiasco where they were using a QFN chip, but then when they tested it, the plastic couldn't conduct the heat out of the chip and into the heatsink? Well, lets just think about that for a second. They had chips, and they were even testing the chips on one of their boards. If they really had a faulty design, and the chips really couldn't hash, then they would have known about it in October.

[tvbcof]

You remember that little fiasco where they were using a QFN chip, but then when they tested it, the plastic couldn't conduct the heat out of the chip and into the heatsink? Well, lets just think about that for a second. They had chips, and they were even testing the chips on one of their boards. If they really had a faulty design, and the chips really couldn't hash, then they would have known about it in October.

I always figured that it was most likely that the whole story was made up out of whole cloth.  Just a set of words chosen because it was most effective at placating the community and keeping the pre-order funds rolling in.  In case you've not noticed anyone can say anything on the Internet, and without some solid evidence and proof, the words are pretty much useless.

[loshia]

It seems strange to me that they don't have a working product. Making a large order and just hoping that everything works out seems risky. I don't see how they can be so sure everything will work correctly.

This is a new age....throw tons of money at a business that has no working product for months....just have "FAITH"

I'm only worried about mass producing something before testing it.

I agree here. Testing should be done on small quantities (i.e. a prototype ...DUH). BFL must have some magic potion that allows them to divert the normal development process in any new technology.

Unicorns, leprechauns, pots of golds, lucky charms, rainbows!

You remember that little fiasco where they were using a QFN chip, but then when they tested it, the plastic couldn't conduct the heat out of the chip and into the heatsink? Well, lets just think about that for a second. They had chips, and they were even testing the chips on one of their boards. If they really had a faulty design, and the chips really couldn't hash, then they would have known about it in October.

They would have known that is more easy to change pcb and heat sink instead right?
Sounds logical not to throw away the WORKING CHIPS with the money paid to produce them? And miss the chance to show a working video of "overheating chips" just for a seconds to suck Avalon and BTCFPGA potential customers  - roughly about 2+ million USD. I doubt that they are so damn stupid to miss that chance what about you?
But yeah it sounds more logical compared to TOM famous excuse of powers of two for those that remember that ridiculous post. The most funny thing is that particular post brought to Tom/BTCFPGA more orders
I can say that BFL learned a lesson and are doing good compared to to tom. But we as a community are not learning unfortunately

[smoothie]

There is no hard evidence they ever had any chips back in October now is there? Video? Witnesses?

People are still forgetting that all that has really been said by josh...are JUST WORDS.

Oh right we cant forget the box of fans he brought to CES.

Other than that, that is all the "evidence" there really exists.

Why is BFL so quiet? Aren't they supposed to be shipping already? Or at least assembling units? Why no pix? Why no updates?

Oh wait...let me guess Leprechauns stole the magic chips and shoved them up a unicorns ass? 

[Beans]

It seems strange to me that they don't have a working product. Making a large order and just hoping that everything works out seems risky. I don't see how they can be so sure everything will work correctly.

This is a new age....throw tons of money at a business that has no working product for months....just have "FAITH"

I'm only worried about mass producing something before testing it.

I agree here. Testing should be done on small quantities (i.e. a prototype ...DUH). BFL must have some magic potion that allows them to divert the normal development process in any new technology.

Unicorns, leprechauns, pots of golds, lucky charms, rainbows!

You remember that little fiasco where they were using a QFN chip, but then when they tested it, the plastic couldn't conduct the heat out of the chip and into the heatsink? Well, lets just think about that for a second. They had chips, and they were even testing the chips on one of their boards. If they really had a faulty design, and the chips really couldn't hash, then they would have known about it in October.

I'm not sure how they tested the heat, but if they had a hashing ASIC they wouldn't be hiding it. They could have also figured out the spec for the unit by now if they had one. It's more likely they just skipped testing and went straight to production hoping everything works out.

[PuertoLibre]

There is no hard evidence they ever had any chips back in October now is there? Video? Witnesses?

People are still forgetting that all that has really been said by josh...are JUST WORDS.

Oh right we cant forget the box of fans he brought to CES.

Other than that, that is all the "evidence" there really exists.

Why is BFL so quiet? Aren't they supposed to be shipping already? Or at least assembling units? Why no pix? Why no updates?

Oh wait...let me guess Leprechauns stole the magic chips and shoved them up a unicorns ass? 

Perhaps the chips never made it in time for "Kano's Press and Pony Show"?

[smoothie]

There is no hard evidence they ever had any chips back in October now is there? Video? Witnesses?

People are still forgetting that all that has really been said by josh...are JUST WORDS.

Oh right we cant forget the box of fans he brought to CES.

Other than that, that is all the "evidence" there really exists.

Why is BFL so quiet? Aren't they supposed to be shipping already? Or at least assembling units? Why no pix? Why no updates?

Oh wait...let me guess Leprechauns stole the magic chips and shoved them up a unicorns ass? 

Perhaps the chips never made it in time for "Kano's Press and Pony Show"?

Ever heard of a bribe?

I wouldnt be surprised if Kano was bribed to speak good about BFL blah blah blah.

[repentance]

Josh has become very skilled at delaying updates which are due at the end of the week until after the weekend and those which are due at the beginning of the week until the end of the week.

He was "hoping to find out" on Saturday whether the bumping facility was actually processing BFL's order or just preparing the equipment in order to process it. 

Even if he announced today that the chips have left the bumping facility for the packaging facility, it's pretty obvious that BFL is not going to ship this week.  The question is how long Josh believes he can put off announcing another delay before BFL customers lose their shit.

Is there even going to be anything to show kano apart from boxes and fans before his return flight?

The way things are shaping up, there's likely to be at least one more difficulty jump before BFL customers start receiving their orders.

[meowmeowbrowncow]

It seems strange to me that they don't have a working product. Making a large order and just hoping that everything works out seems risky. I don't see how they can be so sure everything will work correctly.

This is a new age....throw tons of money at a business that has no working product for months....just have "FAITH"

I'm only worried about mass producing something before testing it.

I agree here. Testing should be done on small quantities (i.e. a prototype ...DUH). BFL must have some magic potion that allows them to divert the normal development process in any new technology.

Unicorns, leprechauns, pots of golds, lucky charms, rainbows!

You remember that little fiasco where they were using a QFN chip, but then when they tested it, the plastic couldn't conduct the heat out of the chip and into the heatsink? Well, lets just think about that for a second. They had chips, and they were even testing the chips on one of their boards. If they really had a faulty design, and the chips really couldn't hash, then they would have known about it in October.

I'm not sure how they tested the heat, but if they had a hashing ASIC they wouldn't be hiding it. They could have also figured out the spec for the unit by now if they had one. It's more likely they just skipped testing and went straight to production hoping everything works out.

The fact that BFL was able to switch package types mid-stream might indicate that they never had a full production of wafers.


Some of the heat testing places use ceramic elements to mimic the thermal load and get a general sense of how the board and it's ancillary components will perform.
(and IIRC this thermal testing only took place last November)


My suspicion is both are true.  I chuckle when Josh says, "We've done the impossible!," by changing the packaging type.  When this most likely means that BFL was never anywhere close to published timelines ever.

[PuertoLibre]

The question is how long Josh believes he can put off announcing another delay before BFL customers lose their shit.

Is there even going to be anything to show kano apart from boxes and fans before his return flight?

The way things are shaping up, there's likely to be at least one more difficulty jump before BFL customers start receiving their orders.

Ahh, I think he will say either:

The "week" of the 27th.

or

The Fifth week of February....oh shit...February only had 28 days...FUCK!

Ah, but if he says the week of the 27th....he could make people wait all the way until the 2nd.

[repentance]

Some of the heat testing places use ceramic elements to mimic the thermal load and get a general sense of how the board and it's ancillary components will perform.
(and IIRC this thermal testing only took place last November)

Didn't Josh say they ran simulations?