GekkoScience is now dabbling with 16nm ASICs for new designs

[hliltd]

 

Hi @sidehack just wondering how your dabble with 16n chips is progressing..

Keep up the cool work.

[HagssFIN]

Hi,
I thought that this might be interesting.
Bitfury has released a BF8162B/BF8162B21 Datasheet and it is including a lot of technical information.

BF8162B/BF8162B21 Datasheet - 1 May 2018 Revision: 0.5
http://bitfury.com/content/downloads/16-nm-asic-datasheet-2018-04-002.pdf

They released this while updating their website, now that they have introduced their new brand look.

Bitfury
http://bitfury.com/

[sidehack]

I'll definitely take a look at that. The last BF16 datasheet I have is dated sometime September 2016, and requests for updated info were pretty much ignored or forgotten.

[goodney]

BF8162B/BF8162B21 Datasheet - 1 May 2018 Revision: 0.5
http://bitfury.com/content/downloads/16-nm-asic-datasheet-2018-04-002.pdf

But will we actually be able to *buy* any? Is there a "don't hold your breath" emoji?

[HagssFIN]

Niko Punin (Head of Product Development) promised the chip supply for GekkoScience projects many many days ago,
hopefully he would still be able to do that and help us little guys.

[sidehack]

I emailed him about a week ago with some questions about updated pricing and timelines, but have not heard back yet.

Which admittedly is no surprise. Historically I only got responses to about every third inquiry.


EDIT - that new datasheet looks to have a bit fancier graphics and some added efficiency curves (but with no axes for core voltage or operating frequency, so about half useless) but all the rest of the content is, far as I can tell, identical to the datasheet from 2016.

[notabeliever]

Sidehack,
I'm sure 16nm will soon be a better buy as 12nm becomes the next standard. Would be interested to know if it would be better to try 12nm.
Also as Bitmain creates other algo type miners would it be possible for you to create the same if you find a market for it. I enjoy my compacs as they help out my bigger miners if they go down and stabilizes the potential earnings.

[sidehack]

Right now 16nm is the best I have access to, but that won't always be the case.

If you know me at all, you know I don't really care about other coins.

[sidehack]

Oh hey guys, here's a bit of an update.

I have today sent off for prototype PCBs for what I hope to be the final version of a new 16nm stickminer. It's going to feature not just improved hashrate and efficiency, but a fully integrated control package that, once we finalize the firmware and driver support, will mean we have provision for temperature monitoring (of both PCB and ASIC die) and software voltage control. So no more tiny screwdrivers. We could have rolled a stick out two months ago if I'd been okay with tiny screwdrivers, but there was room for improvement so I designed the whole control package.
Following on the stick's heels will be a much-improved pod miner, building on knowledge gained from the (ultimately disappointing, from my standpoint) Terminus R808 project and integrating an expanded version of the stickminer's controls. Improved housing, improved cooling, power use monitoring, fan speed control, it's gonna be nice.

However.

In the last two months, bitcoin has taken some pretty massive dumps. That may be nice for long-term investors who are using this opportunity to buy, but it sucks for everyone who actually uses the currency as a currency - that is to say, as a means of exchange for goods and services. You know, guys like me. Not so friendly.

Anyway, the year's downturn in general has killed the resale market for my bread-and-butter 2Pac USB Stick Miner. So operations are consuming most of my cash savings, while my BTC savings are shriveling on the vine, and 2Pacs are stacking up on the shelf.

Which I see as heavily unfortunate, because I need the revenue from the final batch (or heck, even the parts cost of the final batch) to help sponsor the initial batches of the new better gear. I could have stopped production batch before last, but I knew the new stuff's production was still a ways out and I have employees who need paychecks, and "take care of your people" runs deep in my family.

Long story short - I need to get rid of my 2Pacs in order to afford to manufacture the new stuff that's better than 2Pacs. Do any of you guys want to toss in on some cut-rate 2Pacs to help fund batching of exciting new stuff?

[jsays]

Sidehack, first a big 'thank you' for all you do and have done for the community!

You've been great to work with, with the 2pacs I've purchased and run. Sadly, I don't really have the WAF (wife acceptance factor) to run more hubs and 2pacs right now.

I know this isn't what you asked, but I want to help fund if there's a way I can. If you'd consider such, I would happily preorder 5-10 of the new stick miners or even 2-5 of the pods.

Thanks in advance for your consideration!

[goose1072]

Sidehack, how many 2Pacs you need to get rid of? @what price?

I might be able to help out with a few.

Thx

[sidehack]

I really don't like pre-orders. I've relaxed the policy when necessary in the past but only for designs that had already been proven and I just needed to raise funds for an initial batch. This guy hasn't been proven in full yet - we've got 2 chips hashing, but not in a stick shape and not with controls. Definitely won't take money on pods since that scale of device hasn't even started testing yet.

It'll be tight but I should be able to at least get started on batching sticks. But the more 2Pacs I can sell for at least the cost of materials, the less I have to take a huge loss on selling BTC to do it.

No kidding, if someone asked for ONE THOUSAND 2PACS right now I could ship by Friday.

[QuintLeo]

I'm sure 16nm will soon be a better buy as 12nm becomes the next standard. Would be interested to know if it would be better to try 12nm.

"12nm" is not a new process, it's a process improvement of "16nm" that is run on the same fab lines.
The rename is more about marketing than any significant change to the feature size.
It's also NOT going to free up any fab space or capacity on the current "16nm" lines.

Going to get even worse in the next generation - what Intel and Samsung (and IBM) are calling "10nm" and shipping TODAY is almost identical to the announced specs for what TSMC and GF are calling "7nm".

Then the generation after that - IF THERE IS ONE - may not be a silicon generation, given Intel comments about "10nm is the end of the road for pure silicon" and IBM using a mixed silicon/germanium wafer in their work on 7nm.

[AJRGale]

I'm sure 16nm will soon be a better buy as 12nm becomes the next standard. Would be interested to know if it would be better to try 12nm.

"12nm" is not a new process, it's a process improvement of "16nm" that is run on the same fab lines.
The rename is more about marketing than any significant change to the feature size.
It's also NOT going to free up any fab space or capacity on the current "16nm" lines.

Going to get even worse in the next generation - what Intel and Samsung (and IBM) are calling "10nm" and shipping TODAY is almost identical to the announced specs for what TSMC and GF are calling "7nm".

Then the generation after that - IF THERE IS ONE - may not be a silicon generation, given Intel comments about "10nm is the end of the road for pure silicon" and IBM using a mixed silicon/germanium wafer in their work on 7nm.

now I'm trying to remember if that was the pixel size with the lithograph, or the size of the transistor they can make?..
makes no difference really with the transistor, they still produce heat when they switch states..

[minerbobbert]

Sidehack:

So I know you've mentioned before that any one who resells your work and doesn't provide customer service (leading folks to have to turn back to you for repairs) can be banned from being able to buy from you in the future.

With this news of new miners on the horizon, I'm eager looking to get some but will probably have to sell my existing ones to get the liquid coin to purchase.

Long question short: how can I responsibly resell my used miners?

What I'm worried about is reselling them with all the intention to provide support or returns, but the dude ends up reselling them and they change hands a few times.  Then when the crap hits the fan you look up the serial number and decide not to sell to me anymore while I'm blissfully in the dark that the miner I sold 1 year ago is sitting on your repair table after being resold on eBay and Craigslist a half dozen times...

[sidehack]

Honestly for used stuff, it really hasn't come up much. I'm mostly worried about folks who bulk buy with intent to resell and then don't support the customers they hand new stuff to. The whole point of prioritizing resellers instead of doing everything myself is because it offloads all of the customer service I currently don't have time for.

But if it's just one guy who bought a used stick off eBay, I'm probably not gonna sweat it that much.

Also I don't keep track of which serial numbers go to which people.

[minerbobbert]

Ok cool. That's good to know.

I really respect what you do and how you run your business. Looking forward to being a long term customer.

[QuintLeo]

https://www.semiwiki.com/forum/content/6895-standard-node-trend.html

Explains a lot about the current and near-future "announced" nodes from the main names.

[minefarmbuy]

I believe stock speeds you'll want 1-2A per usb port for a 2pac. I had one running stock on my surface port which was fine and kind of fun distraction through the day. If you want the a well built and quality USB hub for mining Eyeboot is doing some good work.

Edit: definitely go with a powered hub some will even use atx psu in case you have spares or older ones lying around.

[minefarmbuy]

There are some cheaper options for hubs just make sure the amps per port are sufficient.

Off topic note:
Why sell the 1080? drop that thing to 60% power with OCs, stack some shitcoin, and drop some bags on a pump. Or trade for BTC. Alts will make you profits or add to bitcoin holds. Profit is made not given (getting off soapbox now).