ASICMINER: Erupter Blades. Review, comments, photos, and discussion!

[novusordo]

Has anybody figured out how many watts are the boards drawing, running at regular clock-speed? Also, how are you guys positioning them? Mounted to anything, or simply freestanding?

[alexuk]

Sorry if this has been asked before, so if I have a standard PC PSU (for example from a GPU mining rig). I would be able to power these BE blades, without buying anything extra? is the "adapter" in the videos included in the package?

No problem

This has been asked a few times, so ill clear it up

standard ATX PSU is fine, get something over 400 watts to be safe - youll need to supply 80watts down to the blade (to be safe) - so make sure the PSU can provide 7amps on 12v rails (to be safe) - the 4 pin CPU plug should do the trick (yellow wires) - or preferably the PCI express.

Also, bond the neutrals together and wire into one port on the green adapter, otherwise, in my experience you'll over heat.
 

I would recommend buying about 4-5 8cm fans to keep this bitch cool, at 1.2volts per lane, she gets hot and needs 2 x on the heatsink, 1 x on the chips, and 1x on the power module to make me feel "ok" about it.

[alexuk]

Has anybody figured out how many watts are the boards drawing, running at regular clock-speed? Also, how are you guys positioning them? Mounted to anything, or simply freestanding?

Videos here:

http://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7NpQUlaZGlJs9LlikhIWaw

Im going to rig up a vertical mount soon,

80 watts roughly at the socket....

running at high clock speed (friedcat has mentioned all blades will ship at 1.2 volts) - this makes the boards very warm - youll need alot of fans - see above.

You cant lie the boards down onto anything, otherwise youll fry the chips, youll need to create a vertical or horizontal mold / stand that keeps the board suspended in the air to prevent the ASIC chips from overheating - on a insulator etc

[seljo]

I just see everyone laughing to people who bought blades at such high price. Did it ever occurred to anyone that they now can replicate those blades and make themselves their own ASICMINER you know reverse engineering and stuff? And also they delivered unlike some other manufacturers.

[organofcorti]

I just see everyone laughing to people who bought blades at such high price. Did it ever occurred to anyone that they now can replicate those blades and make themselves their own ASICMINER you know reverse engineering and stuff? And also they delivered unlike some other manufacturers.

I don't think anyone is laughing. I just think people are trying to figure out the reason for paying such a high price, since it's not an expectation of earning what they spent - unless they know something about the exchange rate and the other manufacturers that we don't.

[seljo]

I just see everyone laughing to people who bought blades at such high price. Did it ever occurred to anyone that they now can replicate those blades and make themselves their own ASICMINER you know reverse engineering and stuff? And also they delivered unlike some other manufacturers.

I don't think anyone is laughing. I just think people are trying to figure out the reason for paying such a high price, since it's not an expectation of earning what they spent - unless they know something about the exchange rate and the other manufacturers that we don't.

I mean look at the first 2 pages just nonsense...

[Rampion]

I just see everyone laughing to people who bought blades at such high price. Did it ever occurred to anyone that they now can replicate those blades and make themselves their own ASICMINER you know reverse engineering and stuff? And also they delivered unlike some other manufacturers.

I don't think anyone is laughing. I just think people are trying to figure out the reason for paying such a high price, since it's not an expectation of earning what they spent - unless they know something about the exchange rate and the other manufacturers that we don't.

Well, I don't think exchange rate is something to take into account - as those blades are paid in BTC, if the buyer thinks that exchange rate will grow considerably it would be wiser just to buy BTC and hold them.

The only point to buy the blades is to get at least 100% ROI on the BTC spent... Or maybe to do some reverse engineering work as seljo suggested, but AFAIK no company could easily and conveniently replicate the ASIC chips without the design.

[organofcorti]

I just see everyone laughing to people who bought blades at such high price. Did it ever occurred to anyone that they now can replicate those blades and make themselves their own ASICMINER you know reverse engineering and stuff? And also they delivered unlike some other manufacturers.

I don't think anyone is laughing. I just think people are trying to figure out the reason for paying such a high price, since it's not an expectation of earning what they spent - unless they know something about the exchange rate and the other manufacturers that we don't.

Well, I don't think exchange rate is something to take into account - as those blades are paid in BTC, if the buyer thinks that exchange rate will grow considerably it would be wiser just to buy BTC and hold them.

The only point to buy the blades is to get at least 100% ROI on the BTC spent... Or maybe to do some reverse engineering work as seljo suggested, but AFAIK no company could easily and conveniently replicate the ASIC chips without the design.

Ans if the exchange rate goes down significantly .... ?

[pheaonix]

I just see everyone laughing to people who bought blades at such high price. Did it ever occurred to anyone that they now can replicate those blades and make themselves their own ASICMINER you know reverse engineering and stuff? And also they delivered unlike some other manufacturers.

yes please reverse engineer me some friedcat asic chips

[Rampion]

I just see everyone laughing to people who bought blades at such high price. Did it ever occurred to anyone that they now can replicate those blades and make themselves their own ASICMINER you know reverse engineering and stuff? And also they delivered unlike some other manufacturers.

I don't think anyone is laughing. I just think people are trying to figure out the reason for paying such a high price, since it's not an expectation of earning what they spent - unless they know something about the exchange rate and the other manufacturers that we don't.

Well, I don't think exchange rate is something to take into account - as those blades are paid in BTC, if the buyer thinks that exchange rate will grow considerably it would be wiser just to buy BTC and hold them.

The only point to buy the blades is to get at least 100% ROI on the BTC spent... Or maybe to do some reverse engineering work as seljo suggested, but AFAIK no company could easily and conveniently replicate the ASIC chips without the design.

Ans if the exchange rate goes down significantly .... ?

Well, I don't see how it could be convenient to spend more BTC than a miner can generate in his lifetime because you foresee a decrease on the BTC/USD exchange rate. If you think the exchange rate will drop, it makes sense to short BTC... But I really don't see the point in buying a miner for an amount of BTC you won't be getting back.

[organofcorti]

I just see everyone laughing to people who bought blades at such high price. Did it ever occurred to anyone that they now can replicate those blades and make themselves their own ASICMINER you know reverse engineering and stuff? And also they delivered unlike some other manufacturers.

I don't think anyone is laughing. I just think people are trying to figure out the reason for paying such a high price, since it's not an expectation of earning what they spent - unless they know something about the exchange rate and the other manufacturers that we don't.

Well, I don't think exchange rate is something to take into account - as those blades are paid in BTC, if the buyer thinks that exchange rate will grow considerably it would be wiser just to buy BTC and hold them.

The only point to buy the blades is to get at least 100% ROI on the BTC spent... Or maybe to do some reverse engineering work as seljo suggested, but AFAIK no company could easily and conveniently replicate the ASIC chips without the design.

Ans if the exchange rate goes down significantly .... ?

Well, I don't see how it could be convenient to spend more BTC than a miner can generate in his lifetime because you foresee a decrease on the BTC/USD exchange rate. If you think the exchange rate will drop, it makes sense to short BTC... But I really don't see the point in buying a miner for an amount of BTC you won't be getting back.

the exchange rate drops enough,  then they will have bought a device for less than the manufacturing costs. Of course earning anything significant after that is an issue, but an ASIC would be a better investment than keeping the bitcoins.

I don't think the exchange rate is likely to go down to a few percent of what it is now, I was originally just referring alternatives (to just overpaying for the blades) I thought highly improbable.

I'd really like to know the reason for the current pricing.

[Newar]

Do you still mine on BTC-Guild?

[Rampion]

I just see everyone laughing to people who bought blades at such high price. Did it ever occurred to anyone that they now can replicate those blades and make themselves their own ASICMINER you know reverse engineering and stuff? And also they delivered unlike some other manufacturers.

I don't think anyone is laughing. I just think people are trying to figure out the reason for paying such a high price, since it's not an expectation of earning what they spent - unless they know something about the exchange rate and the other manufacturers that we don't.

Well, I don't think exchange rate is something to take into account - as those blades are paid in BTC, if the buyer thinks that exchange rate will grow considerably it would be wiser just to buy BTC and hold them.

The only point to buy the blades is to get at least 100% ROI on the BTC spent... Or maybe to do some reverse engineering work as seljo suggested, but AFAIK no company could easily and conveniently replicate the ASIC chips without the design.

Ans if the exchange rate goes down significantly .... ?

Well, I don't see how it could be convenient to spend more BTC than a miner can generate in his lifetime because you foresee a decrease on the BTC/USD exchange rate. If you think the exchange rate will drop, it makes sense to short BTC... But I really don't see the point in buying a miner for an amount of BTC you won't be getting back.

the exchange rate drops enough,  then they will have bought a device for less than the manufacturing costs. Of course earning anything significant after that is an issue, but an ASIC would be a better investment than keeping the bitcoins.

I don't think the exchange rate is likely to go down to a few percent of what it is now, I was originally just referring alternatives (to just overpaying for the blades) I thought highly improbable.

I'd really like to know the reason for the current pricing.

Yeah, I see that you could be buying an ASIC for less than its manufacturing costs... But IMO that could make sense ONLY if you were buying the BTC to buy that ASIC when the exchange rate is very low... And in any case I really don't see the point of buying a product meant to generate BTC for more BTC that it will generate in all his lifetime cycle.

[organofcorti]

Yeah, I see that you could be buying an ASIC for less than its manufacturing costs... But IMO that could make sense ONLY if you were buying the BTC to buy that ASIC when the exchange rate is very low... And in any case I really don't see the point of buying a product meant to generate BTC for more BTC that it will generate in all his lifetime cycle.

Sure - it's very improbable that such a decision would be profitable. It's sort of like shorting btc, and there are other ways to do that which are more likely to be successful. In both examples I was pointing to unlikely edge cases.

Still don't know why people are paying so much.

[Bitsaurus]

I just see everyone laughing to people who bought blades at such high price. Did it ever occurred to anyone that they now can replicate those blades and make themselves their own ASICMINER you know reverse engineering and stuff? And also they delivered unlike some other manufacturers.

I don't think anyone is laughing. I just think people are trying to figure out the reason for paying such a high price, since it's not an expectation of earning what they spent - unless they know something about the exchange rate and the other manufacturers that we don't.

Well, I don't think exchange rate is something to take into account - as those blades are paid in BTC, if the buyer thinks that exchange rate will grow considerably it would be wiser just to buy BTC and hold them.

The only point to buy the blades is to get at least 100% ROI on the BTC spent... Or maybe to do some reverse engineering work as seljo suggested, but AFAIK no company could easily and conveniently replicate the ASIC chips without the design.

Ans if the exchange rate goes down significantly .... ?

Well, I don't see how it could be convenient to spend more BTC than a miner can generate in his lifetime because you foresee a decrease on the BTC/USD exchange rate. If you think the exchange rate will drop, it makes sense to short BTC... But I really don't see the point in buying a miner for an amount of BTC you won't be getting back.

the exchange rate drops enough,  then they will have bought a device for less than the manufacturing costs. Of course earning anything significant after that is an issue, but an ASIC would be a better investment than keeping the bitcoins.

I don't think the exchange rate is likely to go down to a few percent of what it is now, I was originally just referring alternatives (to just overpaying for the blades) I thought highly improbable.

I'd really like to know the reason for the current pricing.

Yeah, I see that you could be buying an ASIC for less than its manufacturing costs... But IMO that could make sense ONLY if you were buying the BTC to buy that ASIC when the exchange rate is very low... And in any case I really don't see the point of buying a product meant to generate BTC for more BTC that it will generate in all his lifetime cycle.

I guess the expectation was that Avalon and BFL would both fail to deliver.

[organofcorti]

I guess the expectation was that Avalon and BFL would both fail to deliver.

Even if only ASICminer delivers on time, if you paid 40 btc it will take about 4 months for the device to pay for itself, after which it will earn about 4btc per month. And that's only if no one else delivers.

So it's still a bit of a gamble, even under that assumption.

[bitchess]

76BTC for 10Gh/s.  At $130/BTC that's $9880.

Buying 15 7970s would cost around $6150.  Also buying 15 7970s would draw 3750 watts per hour or $13.5/day (at .15 per kW/h).  Running 3750 watts per hour for a year equates to about $4927.5.

Thus buying the blade for $9880 is equivalent to buying 15 7970s and running for over a year.

Of course you wouldn't be able to use the Blade to create 15 separate gaming PCs.

[organofcorti]

76BTC for 10Gh/s.  At $130/BTC that's $9880.

Or even 40btc for 10Ghps, the most recent auction price.

[bitchess]

76BTC for 10Gh/s.  At $130/BTC that's $9880.

Or even 40btc for 10Ghps, the most recent auction price.

How many 7970s would you trade for a blade?  

ASICMINER is so smart in auctioning off supply like this.  It really allows them to charge the highest price for these.

[Rampion]

Yeah, I see that you could be buying an ASIC for less than its manufacturing costs... But IMO that could make sense ONLY if you were buying the BTC to buy that ASIC when the exchange rate is very low... And in any case I really don't see the point of buying a product meant to generate BTC for more BTC that it will generate in all his lifetime cycle.

Sure - it's very improbable that such a decision would be profitable. It's sort of like shorting btc, and there are other ways to do that which are more likely to be successful. In both examples I was pointing to unlikely edge cases.

Still don't know why people are paying so much.

I guess it just greed taking over - a good example about how anxiety and greed are your worst enemies when taking financial decisions.