[CLOSED] Avalon ASIC chip distribution

zefir (OP)

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[CLOSED] Avalon ASIC chip distribution

April 16, 2013, 08:18:10 AM
Last edit: September 23, 2013, 09:10:06 PM by zefir

Status updates:
2013-09-23: Remaining Chips distributed
2013-09-14: Remaining Batches shipped, partial Refund Offer
2013-09-05: Refunds processed
2013-09-04: Refund window closed, refunds being processes
2013-09-02: Batches 6, 7, and 8 refunded, further refund processing notes
2013-09-01: Refund Status and Deadline
2013-08-29: Refund Processing
2013-08-28: Endgame
2013-08-23: Batch 2 delivered
2013-08-14: Shipping & Handling fee structure defined
2013-07-23: First batch delivered
2013-07-22: First batch shipped
2013-07-03: Test-run passed, website open for all
2013-07-02: Website for handling shipping addresses open for a test-run
2013-06-29: Final order window closed, no more chips available
2013-06-29: Some spare sample chips available
2013-06-28: More sample chips received and forwarded
2013-06-22: Order window for chips to complete boards opened
2013-06-15: Sample chips for 1st batch received and forwarded
2013-06-09: First delivery of sample chips spotted, let us finalize the distribution
2013-05-26: Initial sample chips distribution plan
2013-05-20: Please help preparing the sample chip distribution as described here
2013-05-10: Avalon released the initial version of reference docs, to be found on GitHub
2013-05-03: rough schedule set up and clarified after sales processing here
2013-05-01: order window closed, please do not send any more coins
2013-04-30: 6th batch sold, 7500 chips left in 7th batch
2013-04-30: batches 6 and 7 ordered and paid
2013-04-29: 5th batch sold, 6th batch piling up
2013-04-28: batch 5 ordered
2013-04-24: all chips ordered are guaranteed to ship
2013-04-24: 4th batch sold, 5th batch piling up with 7740 chips left
2013-04-24: 4th batch ordered, 790 chips left
2013-04-22: 3rd batch sold, 4th batch piling up with 7050 chips left
2013-04-20: 3rd batch ordered
2013-04-19: 2nd batch sold, 3rd batch has ~3300 chips left
2013-04-18: 2nd batch ordered
2013-04-18: 1st batch sold out, 2nd batch has ~2500 chips left

Next Steps
After finalizing the batch orders, all further processing steps are depending solely on Avalon's actions and responses.

The rough schedule I am pulling out of thin air looks as follows

beginning of May: wait and see
second half of May: Avalon releases reference design and documentation
end of May: first chip samples get shipped
beginning of June: developers finalizing their designs and ordering sample chips
mid of June: developers assemble and demo their mining products
second half of June: I collect shipping information for the chips ordered
~~beginning~~ end of July: first batches produced and shipped to me
~~mid~~ end of July: chips get delivered and I start distribution shipments <-- we are here

This is the ideal schedule based on the numbers provided by Avalon. We all know that realistically each step will be delayed by some non-predictable amount of time, so let us sit and wait a while. I will post updates as soon as they are available - no need to explicitly ask for them.

Order Status

Code:

#11069 	May 1, 2013 	Refunded 		฿780.00 for 1 item
#10149 	April 30, 2013 	Refunded 		฿1,564.20 for 2 items 
#10137 	April 28, 2013 	Sample-chip-shipped  	฿782.10 for 1 item 
#10105 	April 24, 2013 	Sample-chip-shipped  	฿782.10 for 1 item 
#10037 	April 20, 2013 	Sample-chip-shipped  	฿782.10 for 1 item
#9921 	April 20, 2013 	Chips-shipped  		฿782.10 for 1 item
#9725 	April 16, 2013 	Completed 		฿782.10 for 1 item

Reminder
Only send payments from an address you control (i.e. you can sign with it). If you send from MtGox or other exchanges, you risk loosing your funds since you can't prove you sent them.

Policy update: Refunds
Your orders are binding after your funds have been used to pay for a batch. Before that (while coins are piling up for the next batch), you can demand for a refund and will get it paid back in full. Note that after you got refunded, I will not accept future orders from you (to prevent free risk-offloading to me).

Folks and miners,

as discussed in the DIY thread, I want to support the open source DIY-ASIC approaches and act as a distributor for the Avalon ASIC chips offered in bulk. I bought a 10k chips batch yesterday and realized how this was the worst timing possible for opening sales: I bought the coins down on their way between $100 and $90, just to see how my $70k investment melted away in half over night Sad

The relevant information about the chips is available from Avalon here

Quote

Product Description

   the only payment accepted is Bitcoin.
   the chips being sold are packaged and tested.
   the lead time on the chips is 9 to 10 weeks.
   made to order from TSMC foundry and then packaged and shipped.
   the minimum order quantity is 10,000 chips and the maximum order quantity is 200,000.
   the chips are identical to those in Avalon, clocking 282Mh/s per chip.
   the password is “I understand and agree”.
   communication protocol, reference board design provided in early May.
   everything will be open source from FPGA to PCB design.
   we do not offer technical support of any kind, this is final.
   if you do not know what to do with the packaged chips, please do not purchase.

Pricing
I am asking for a 9.9% surplus for my nerves (risk compensation). the 10k chips totaled to 782.1BTC, which results to a resale price of 0.086BTC / chip.

On top of this BTC denominated net price, I will add a fiat based component to cover expenses, including

tax and custom handling fees (~10%)
effective shipping cost from Switzerland
flat handling fee of $20 per order

Since these items will be paid in fiat, they will be charged after I receive the chips and before they are sent to you.

Ordering
A lead time of 10+ weeks in the current sentiment takes ages. We can right now observe the dramatic exchange rate fluctuations, and we might also see some of the competing ASIC manufacturers succeed and flood the market with cheaper solutions. Before you order, please do your risk analysis.

If you still want to buy and are fine with the above pricing model, then you will have to participate in the risk and pay your order upfront. If you understood the risk-factors you should clearly understand why I can't afford to charge you in 10 weeks.

This is no fund raising for a group-buy, since the order is already placed with my own funding (order number #9725).

There is one common payment address: 162HWpt9njiDsk5nwGixw7fDPuNy55Kh9X

To buy

select your number of chips N in multiples of 10, max. 2500
send the total amount (C = N * 0.086) to the given address
post or PM me your order in the following format: <forum nick>; <N>; <C>; <sending address>
ensure the sending address is under your control, so you can sign with it in case of disputes
(edit 2013-04-18): if your wallet application does not let you select the sending address and sends from multiple, please post only one of them (and keep the address for a while)

The buying window opens now and closes by end of this month, or precisely 2013-05-01T00:00Z (May 1st 2013, 00:00 UTC).

If there is enough demand to order an additional 10k chip batch, I'll do so (given they are in stock). Those not getting into the queue will get their coins returned (to the sending address).

Shipment
The chips will be forwarded to you as soon as I receive them and you paid the fiat component mentioned above. Delivery within Europe will usually take less than a week; overseas will take what it takes. You will be given the option to select shipment method on time and resolve custom specific issues.

Trust
Yeah right: shut up and give me your money!

If unsure whether to trust me, write down 10 Bitcoin members you respect most and check if they can vouch for me.

Communication
I live in Switzerland (TZ: UTC+02) and have a exhausting day-job, which limits me to communicate in my evening hours. So if I did not respond to your email or your post within some hours, it is just because I'm at work. Please be patient.

Cheers,
Zefir

Edit (2013-04-16): additional clarifications

Who should buy and who should not
Please note that this chip distribution is meant for DIY folks only. That is, if you want to build your own mining boards, either from scratch or based on the reference design Avalon announced to release in May. If you want to buy ready-to-mine boards as developed in the original DIY thread, please do not order chips from me, but instead contact the developer of your choice (burnin, allten, or whoever decides to work on a ASIC product). There is no need to reserve the chips by buying from me, since I will ensure that those developers will have enough chips they need for their products.
(edited 2013-04-17)
You can order chips either if you plan to develop your own mining board, or want to buy a ready-to-mine assembled from other developers / manufacturers. In the latter case, with your order you secure the chips from the current batch and decide where to send them for assembly when they arrive.

Escrow
I did not offer escrow for a simple reason: as soon as the payments fill up to 782.1 BTC, I'll order another batch. No idea how long the chips will be in stock, but I would like to act fast. BTW, John and Graet escrowed my ASICMINER board seat auction, they can vouch for me.

Reservation, Payments
Some users ask for reservations, since they can't get hold of BTC fast. No need to hurry, you have two weeks time and I'll ensure there will be enough chips for anyone (other than they are out of stock). Also, only BTC payments. The blockhain is the indisputable proof of your payment, let's use it as is and prevent manual accounting.

PGP D60E462C

BenTuras

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