GekkoScience is now dabbling with 16nm ASICs for new designs

[sacskate]

Got an email this morning from Punin.

Hi Matt,

OFC you will get chips!

Do you need me to say something on the forums?

So, looks like it's Game ON.

Great news!

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[sidehack]

He also got me tentative pricing for samples and batch chips, which is good so now I can start getting total cost ideas.

vh is hoping to have a functional multi-chip cgminer driver for BM1384 by this time next week. As soon as I have news that he's able to talk to two chips even in testing, I'll be sending off for sample PCBs of the two-chip stick and, if I have it laid out yet, the 15-chip pod.

Money raised by sales of these things will be funnelled into finishing dev on a 2-chip Bitfury stick, which since the controls on that are mostly identical with controls on the 11-chip pod and 33-chip S1 refit (intentionally), once the stick works fully we've done about 90% of the work required to make the rest.

The stick will probably roll out first, as the lowest cost to manufacture, and proceeds from that will be funnelled into pod and refit boards.

As my plan always is, I won't take in preorder money on a questionable product. As far as hardware goes, the 2-chip Compac is technically something I prototyped over a year ago and I had most of the 15-chip concept built (with 8 chips) and functional a year ago. So the hardware isn't a question. But in order to provide the best guarantee I can to my customers, that's why I'm waiting for vh to confirm the code. Once that's known it'll be time to open the gates.

BM1384 Compac manufacture, as some of you buyers in the past found out, wasn't always as time-efficient as I would have liked. You gotta remember, the first Compacs were literally the first things I ran out on my pick-and-place and I was just learning how to do it. Things go a lot smoother now, and I intend to bring in more equipment to help streamline things further - as well as some assistance to speed up a lot of the tedious work.

So, some good news today and I hope to have a lot more good news within the next week.

[HagssFIN]

This is great news 

[philipma1957]

This will make for a Happy Thanksgiving!

[CjMapope]

Ooo great news!

Punin has gained back a point with me ;p i have to admit i had somewhat given up on you getting next gen chips from them, def happy to be wrong on this one!

[ZedZedNova]

Sweet! I was hoping that Punin and Bitfury would come through. Good thing I just ordered a better USB hub for stick miners.

[Unacceptable]

[ZedZedNova]

Sweet! I was hoping that Punin and Bitfury would come through. Good thing I just ordered a better USB hub for stick miners.

Which one did you pick up?

Superbpag 7-port
https://www.amazon.com/Superbpag-Portable-Charger-Transfer-Samsung/dp/B013OK10YM

USPS says it is out for delivery.

Edit: It's arrived. It's solid USB hub with a built-in power supply. No issues with running the Compac at 325MHz. The other hub ran at that speed, but wasn't too happy about it.

[rockmoney]

This is VERY good news. Will be keeping my eyes on this for sure! Please count me in for at least 1 of the new USB sticks when they are ready!

Nice work (AGAIN) Sidehack!

[JaredKaragen]

As of right now, all the mining rewards coming from my personal PC will be solely saved and spent on the pods from you


Can't wait for them to be finished!

[sidehack]

Regarding short-term (BM1384, etc) projects - the 2-chip stick is definitely moving forward but I'm temporarily shelving the pod project. I may have access to some stock of a better chip which would make for a better end product at about the same price, which is never a bad thing. But it'll take longer to dev.
The 2-chip stick PCB is already laid out, and vh is busy making sure he can talk to two chips at once. I will probably be sending off for a short batch of PCBs first of next week.

Regarding Bitfury 16nm projects, I got shipping notification of my 2-chip testing PCB so I'll probably be playing with that early next week also. There's a lot of embedded code to do for it before I'll even be able to talk to the chips.

Tentative pricing for a Bitfury 16nm pod is around $125. My reseller friends are worried that >$100 is too much for a pod miner. With an estimated stock setting of about 650GH at 75W DC, would folks still buy it? That's priced high even by Avalon721 standards, but it also has better efficiency - and with integrated undervolting, it can get better still.

[gt_addict]

I'm happy to pay a little more for a quality product built for community miners and focused on our needs directly rather than ultimate "cost per Ghs" numbers. The fact it will be just as good and give us the ability to tinker and adjust to our hearts content (unlike a certain ASIC manufacturer....cough cough....shitmain) is well worth the additional cost. Plus I've always been a fan of paying a little extra to support a small busines.

[elokk]

I am a buyer at that price.

[NotFuzzyWarm]

I'm definitely game for several of the BF pods.

[CjMapope]

ya 650 gh/s at 75w dc for 125$? tht's definitally reasonable for me as well, i would be in for a few off the bat for sure at that price

[RoadStress]

I would buy!

[segaklon1]

When will they be able to buy?

[sidehack]

Unfortunately probably not until January for BF16 pods. Prototyping takes time and money - the more money, the less time.

[segaklon1]

Unfortunately probably not until January for BF16 pods. Prototyping takes time and money - the more money, the less time.

I was referring to the 2 chip gekko, I'll ask you if you have any of these to buy.

Thank

[sidehack]

The 2-chip BM1384, I'll likely have a limited batch available in December. The 2-chip Bitfury stick won't come until later.