DIY PCB with AVALON: "The Quarter Stick" - Needs Help!

[BenTuras]

...The chips appear sold out.

Wrong:

Avalon ASIC Chips 10,000
฿780.00

READ FIRST!

In stock

Add to cart
SKU: AVALON-CHIPS.

I saw this at 08:38 AM CET

[allten]

OP Update: April 15th 2013

A huge thank you to Avalon for making their chips available. This is a great step in the
right direction for Bitcoin! Hopefully ASICMiner, BFL, and future ASIC manufactures will
follow their lead someday.

Looks like we will still be waiting a little bit longer for some more detailed spec's, but
thanks to Burnin's help, he has shown me that the design is adequate so I'm going
forward with a BOM (Bill of Materials) and a preliminary schematic for everyone's
review.

Here's the BOM:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/45698vk7bpvbdkp/BOM.xls

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[BenTuras]

I'm good for a 500 Parts!

I will join and will buy 100-500, depending on total price. I'll just give them away to family, friends and colleagues to introduce Bitcoins to them and have them harvest their own

For this to work for me, it would be best if we could create a little stand-alone unit, transparent cover, external power supply, with wifi capability. Just a little box, configure it via USB or over the wifi network and get them going. Oh, and it needs some tiny flashing LED's to show activity

I know I am asking a lot and will try to put effort in it to help the development of this little unit, let's call it Bitcoiny

Update: I just bought 500 chips from Zefir, so I am in for 500!

2nd Update: After discussing with Zefir, we decided to cancel the chip order to prevent complicating things. He will supply chips to the DIY projects. No need to order them from him. I was just too fast, worried that the chips would sell out fast.

3rd Update: Zefir changed his chips ordering, so I am in for 500 chips again. And I just realize that each PCB will contain 10 chips, so I am in for 50 PCB's and not 500 as stated earlier.

4th update: OK, I am now confused. How many PCB's for 500 chips ? I looked at the BOM again and it looks unlikely that 1 PCB contains enough 'stuff' for 10 chips ?! HELP!

[becasual]

Looking over the BOM wow optimal pricing around 500 to 1000? But the real question will be how much will you sell this DIY product if you are making this many? So are we helping this guy get funded? Like are you considering in taking pre orders? Not to put pressure on you, I would like to help you with your project! Also what are the figure on how much this unit will theoretically crank out, 200 to 400mhash? Or is it just like the avalon where you are trying to achieve the 283mhz/mhash 1 for 1?

[arklan]

it depends on the final pricing, but i'd be happy to get some. more hash the better, after all. my finances don't allow for a lot of spending money right now though. (new job pending!)

[pixel75]

I'm interesting too. let me know which is the the target price for 500.

thanks,
dp

[zefir]

ASIC chip distribution handled in a separate thread.

[dan99]

OP Update: April 15th 2013

A huge thank you to Avalon for making their chips available. This is a great step in the
right direction for Bitcoin! Hopefully ASICMiner, BFL, and future ASIC manufactures will
follow their lead someday.

Looks like we will still be waiting a little bit longer for some more detailed spec's, but
thanks to Burnin's help, he has shown me that the design is adequate so I'm going
forward with a BOM (Bill of Materials) and a preliminary schematic for everyone's
review.

Here's the BOM:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/45698vk7bpvbdkp/BOM.xls

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

How much would this additional parts costs: Note: Heatsink, Optional Fan, Avalon Chip Module, and USB Cable not included      
Labor and Testing. Right now the Avalon chip is $4.8 per chip if order minimum qty? I don't know how much is other member
who re-sell them out?

[E3V3A]

@Allten:

Could you start a "development" thread, to keep actual/technical discussions from these general ones? It would be practical (for future ref's) to label them along the lines as:
"[DEVELOPMENT] AVALON DIY ASIC"
"[DISCUSSION] AVALON DIY ASIC"

[dan99]

Ok, he is selling for $5.3 plus 10% tax and custom fees and $20 per order handling fee. $5.86 per chip.

[alexuk]

Anyone bought the chips? stocks are available?

Avalon ASIC Chips 10,000

฿780.00

Probably you need about $50K ?

READ FIRST!

In stock

I proposed a consortium auction.  No one has bid at this time.  The chips appear sold out.

Chips are still available

[ProfMac]

Anyone bought the chips? stocks are available?

Avalon ASIC Chips 10,000

฿780.00

Probably you need about $50K ?

READ FIRST!

In stock

I proposed a consortium auction.  No one has bid at this time.  The chips appear sold out.

Chips are still available

My auction is at https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=177587.0

[allten]

ASIC chip distribution handled in a separate thread.

Thanks Zefir!

Very glad you have our back on this. That was a big decision and I hope it pays off.

[Zalfrin]

Hi Burnin

How will you do the large scale PCB manufacturing and assembly?

Can you share any pics / data / documentation / designs at this point?

Will the sale of each unit be at cost, or at cost + a small margin, can you elaborate?

What are the current up-to-date timescales and goals?

is there a cool IRC channel where we can hangout on freenode? i would like to assist in anyway i can to make this product come to life:)

Thanks for answering the questions!

# I have multiple contractors I've worked with for years for the assembly.
# Sale of the units will be at cost + small margin, mining is a business these days!
# Plan is that Zefir orders the Chips ASAP, Shipping could begin within a week of me receiving the chips. My projection therefor says 1. Week of July.
# We don't have an IRC channel yet

Here's are some simple mechanical renderings:
<snip>

Host interface stacking will be done by CAN-Bus so this will scale up to the equivalent of a 4 Module Avalon (320 Chips).

Allten, someone42, Zefir and i are working on a universal USB-Host Controller for Projects with Avalon
Chips.
Any capable embedded HW/SW-Developer is welcome to join us.
We're working on this behind closed doors until release though.

I am curious what led you guys to choose CAN as an interconnect? I worked with it once on a project and it was a pain to do any sort of debug with. At the time you basically needed a protocol analyzer sniffing the bus to do anything (read: $$$). Looks like there are cheaper protocol analyzers out now, but I'm still curious when there are things like Ethernet with free sniffing tools (wireshark).

[alexuk]

OP Update: April 15th 2013

A huge thank you to Avalon for making their chips available. This is a great step in the
right direction for Bitcoin! Hopefully ASICMiner, BFL, and future ASIC manufactures will
follow their lead someday.

Looks like we will still be waiting a little bit longer for some more detailed spec's, but
thanks to Burnin's help, he has shown me that the design is adequate so I'm going
forward with a BOM (Bill of Materials) and a preliminary schematic for everyone's
review.

Here's the BOM:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/45698vk7bpvbdkp/BOM.xls

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

thanks this is great!

You mentioned a basic schematic - but i dont see it in the spreadsheet you provided - is it available?

[pheaonix]

is it me or is the bill of materials very very simple compared to avalon's and bfl's boards?

not that i am complaining. simplicity is elegance when it comes to pcb design.

[alexuk]

Hi Burnin

How will you do the large scale PCB manufacturing and assembly?

Can you share any pics / data / documentation / designs at this point?

Will the sale of each unit be at cost, or at cost + a small margin, can you elaborate?

What are the current up-to-date timescales and goals?

is there a cool IRC channel where we can hangout on freenode? i would like to assist in anyway i can to make this product come to life:)

Thanks for answering the questions!

# I have multiple contractors I've worked with for years for the assembly.
# Sale of the units will be at cost + small margin, mining is a business these days!
# Plan is that Zefir orders the Chips ASAP, Shipping could begin within a week of me receiving the chips. My projection therefor says 1. Week of July.
# We don't have an IRC channel yet

Here's are some simple mechanical renderings:




Host interface stacking will be done by CAN-Bus so this will scale up to the equivalent of a 4 Module Avalon (320 Chips).

Allten, someone42, Zefir and i are working on a universal USB-Host Controller for Projects with Avalon
Chips.
Any capable embedded HW/SW-Developer is welcome to join us.
We're working on this behind closed doors until release though.

Thanks burnin!

Im about to purchase chips from Zefir, once they are in HIS hands - will / can he send them to you directly so it gets passed to the PCB assembly / manufacturer? - and the final product arrives on my frontdoor 2-3 weeks later?

[alexuk]

looking at this:

https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Avalon#Chip_Specification

burnin - do you any further information on the schematics of this chip - or will we have to wait for the avalons to arrive before knowing how to wire them up? would this delay

how many chips per PCB module? how many avalons can be put onto one PIC32MX210F016B-I/SP ?

Will there be a control / power unit PCB module - similar design to the Avalon?

most importantly, what should we call this project?

Thanks!

(also lets get a freenode channel up and running once we have a name!?)

Very very keen to make this succeed - and help in anyway i can - ive got a Linux background (10+ years), but nothing on hardware design unfortunately - however im very keen on learning and asking questions


EDIT: just seen this from the avalon store order page -
"communication protocol, reference board design provided in early May."
"everything will be open source from FPGA to PCB design."

very interesting!!!

[burnin]

Im about to purchase chips from Zefir, once they are in HIS hands - will / can he send them to you directly so it gets passed to the PCB assembly / manufacturer? - and the final product arrives on my frontdoor 2-3 weeks later?

Yes, that is possible and is planned.
Preordering chips from him is not required.
But it will give you the security that you will get at least that amount of hashing power.
As long as he has Chips in stock it will be possible to order complete Products directly from me.
I will likely be opening my ordering process in two weeks.

[BenTuras]

Yes, that is possible and is planned.
Preordering chips from him is not required.
But it will give you the security that you will get at least that amount of hashing power.
As long as he has Chips in stock it will be possible to order complete Products directly from me.
I will likely be opening my ordering process in two weeks.

Great, I would like to use a similar route. I already purchased 500 chips and will order the complete products from you when ordering is open. We will arrange to have the chips send to you in due time.

Update: I discussed with Zefir and we agreed that cancelling the chip order and only order DIY boards with chips would be easier. I got my BTC refunded from him.

Update2: After the new message from Zefir, I have ordered again and paid again.