Liquid Synergy Designs Inc. -ASIC mining hardware

[Bakal]

Email & payment sent.

Chip amount: 18
Payment amount: 1.548
Sending Address: 16g3bSvaE23DFAkBCsG8FmoZxnE55BJAtJ
TX ID: c9dcb20e63536df6a6acee2a131052117208052f1baec8ceb84e98842e8e633e

Thank you very much.

[lexis200]

Batch #4 purchased, processing orders now, questions to follow.

Order #10425 for those keeping track.

can you give a link to the order please.

[TomKeddie]

The design work has been completed, and will be silkscreened on the boards along with BkkCoins logo, as there is no case per se. Each unit will be free standing. Think skyscraper structure with the boards as the floors and standoffs as the steel pillars.

This is important.  As soon as we stick it in a case, it becomes something that will need regulatory approval, by the time it is approved, it will be useless :-(  There is a thread elsewhere about the lack of approval stickers on the BFL products...

[ewitte]

We deal in BTC so we don't need approval to do anything lol

[Galli]

Hi Steamboat,

Some questions on the hosting (couldn't find an answer on this thread)

What does the 8% hosting fee cover exactly?  I understand power costs are to be distributed to the miners (somehow proportionately?), will the 8% cover security, electricity infrastructure upgrades, portal setup (assuming we can log into something to monitor our account?) A/C cooling/upgrades, insurance, central servers, data connection, replacement parts (PSUs, fans, cases etc), maintenance?  There seems to be a lot of extra bits of overhead, will the 8% compensate you for your time and cover these misc costs?

Also, do you have the manpower ready to scale up/setup the hosting center? Might be good for us who are interesting in the hosting option to pay a one-time setup fee so there isn't a chance of the project being stalled or delayed because lack of hands

I apologize in advance if these questions have been asked and answered already.

Thank you for asking this question.

The 8% hosting fee is scheduled to cover security, infrastructure upgrades, portal setup (tentative. the format for hosting has not yet been finalized.), central servers, (this point is also under consideration), data fees, replacements, and maintenance.

Additionally it covers firmware updates and on/offsite support.

The hosting option still remains to be finalized, and there are several options being researched. There are many items which must come first in the project timeline before those questions can be addressed, and a setup fee may be unavoidable. The logistics of developing a cluster are vast, and the timeline for bringing the assembled miners online very small.

PSUs, cases, cooling, Switched PDUs, hosts, racks, and line runs are just a few of the hardware items which must be purchased for hosting. At a minimum, each batch of chips requires 250 amp service, which is an incredibly dense power requirement.

Skilled labor is available and has been reserved, and is not free.

I cannot answer those questions at this time, as I do not have any definitive answers.


As a personal note:
I as a member of bitcointalk.org and the Bitcoin community was a miner first. I understand staying up until 4 in the morning tweaking a miner to get the most efficient setup possible. I have spent many red-eyed nights pouring over spreadsheets and studying product offerings to make sure I chose the most effective solution. I know the feeling when you take the first big step and make the investment, hoping there wasn't a missed variable. I have experienced the elation when all those concerns melt away as the miners are brought online and the hashrate begins to climb. My mission is to help the community get the most cost effective, stable, reliable mining solution possible, as quickly as possible. I have approached each part of this project as if I were building my own mining rigs, because I am. I have been reluctant to release information not because I want to make it more difficult to calculate ROI or budget your coins, but because I do not ever want to be forced to tell you the price is higher than you had planned, or the timeline has increased, or the power usage was incorrect. Each phase of this project has been checked and rechecked, verified and tested, with backup plans implemented, to do everything in my power to make sure I never have to do that. I am not out to make a quick buck. I am not here to be yet another chip gateway. My goal is to add as much value and service to your purchase as I can, doing something I love, and hopefully produce something you can be proud to own. This approach takes time, and there are no shortcuts. This poses a problem as time is of the essence I know, but it takes twice as long to do it wrong. I ask that you bear with me and the information delays, and I thank everyone for their assistance in this thread.

Thank you for the quick and detailed reply.  May I ask why insurance isn't being considered?  The impact of even a small break-in, or more likely a fire, would be severely devastating to the project's reputation and may cripple confidence that results in mass exodus of those who have their chips hosted.  Additionally, it would almost eliminate the chance of an angry hostee of suing for damages if there was a theft that resulted in the loss of their property hardware.

I think I speak for everyone here when I say I appreciate the dedication and clarity, it is refreshing!

[Stringchains]

Im sure he is considering that in addition to everything else that one could possibly think of asking or even know to ask yet. Steamboat is here to do all of it right to the fullest most efficient manner; that is to say one piece to the whole structure will not be left unnoticed to any problems or uncertainties.

[rocks]

Hi Steamboat,

Thanks for a great project

Now that batches 1 - 4 have been ordered, do you have a confirmed ship date or arrival date from Avalon for each batch?

Earlier in this thread I think 9-10 weeks was given as the order lead time estimate from Avalon on chip purchases, but did Avalon provide any specific information after placing the batch orders? Just curious.

Thanks!

[salfter]

Just put an order in for more chips...between this and raginazn's first batch, that brings me up to 20 total.  Will be interesting to see which arrives first: these chips or my Jalapeños (or whatever BFL is calling them these days).

[Cray-1]

Email & payment sent.

Chip amount: 24
Payment amount: 2.064

[steamboat]

The design work has been completed, and will be silkscreened on the boards along with BkkCoins logo, as there is no case per se. Each unit will be free standing. Think skyscraper structure with the boards as the floors and standoffs as the steel pillars.

This is important.  As soon as we stick it in a case, it becomes something that will need regulatory approval, by the time it is approved, it will be useless :-(  There is a thread elsewhere about the lack of approval stickers on the BFL products...

There is slightly more to it, and specific wording is required, but the lack of a case helps the case for not needing UL or CE certifications.

Email and payment sent.

32 chips.
2.752 BTC
TX ID: 6933e825c2e3eb04beb7ef00b206e948b15fef03c39dc415f48b493f288775e4

I understand that assembly, testing, shipping is additional, or should I go for hosting option am aware of hosting fees + electricity. Please contact me should there me any errors in payment or signing.

Thank you very much! 

Please clarify. Assembly is unavoidable if you would like a functioning miner. If hosted, there are no shipping fees.

We deal in BTC so we don't need approval to do anything lol

While ideal, this is not the case. Failure to comply with local and federal regulations often results in serious consequences. We are working across multiple countries with several licensed companies which need to ensure they are protected against any illegal or fraudulent activity. While it would be easier to disregard these concerns, the risks far outweigh the costs.

Hi Steamboat,
Thanks for a great project
Now that batches 1 - 4 have been ordered, do you have a confirmed ship date or arrival date from Avalon for each batch?
Earlier in this thread I think 9-10 weeks was given as the order lead time estimate from Avalon on chip purchases, but did Avalon provide any specific information after placing the batch orders? Just curious.
Thanks!

Avalon has yet to release confirmation dates for any batches, including ours. They have stated 9-10 weeks from purchase, and that is all.

Batch order dates are as follows:
Batch 1: Order #10177, Purchase date May 1,2013
Batch 2: Order #10265, Purchase date May 11,2013
Batch 3: Order #10325, Purchase date May 22,2013
Batch 4: Order #10425, Purchase date May 28,2013

Sample chips are scheduled to be shipped shortly.

All purchases received, recorded, and replied.

The OP is due for an overhaul, and will be completed ASAP. Meetings with the assembly house, designing and sourcing the accessories, administrative tasks, and project planning are in progress and limiting the time available to do so.

[AvenG]

Email + payment sent.

Chip amount: 48
Payment amount: 4,128
Sending Address: 1KmUUTK82zhp2QYULV6CXGbZofepBEpziV
TX ID: 42b18fea7f72a152635220850d4c6f8282387c5b4ee0f432af3a8463ef08e149

[steamboat]

Thank you for the quick and detailed reply.  May I ask why insurance isn't being considered?  The impact of even a small break-in, or more likely a fire, would be severely devastating to the project's reputation and may cripple confidence that results in mass exodus of those who have their chips hosted.  Additionally, it would almost eliminate the chance of an angry hostee of suing for damages if there was a theft that resulted in the loss of their property hardware.

I think I speak for everyone here when I say I appreciate the dedication and clarity, it is refreshing!

Short version as the lengthy one was accidentally left out of the above post and deleted:

Insurance is being considered, but it not currently scheduled to be implemented. What value would you be willing to declare for the unit?

Security and fire concerns are being addressed. There will be constant security, with additional security measures in place to ensure the cluster is protected at all times. The careful design of the unit, the support system, and electrical system work in tandem to reduce the risk of fire.

I have 10 years previous work experience in the construction industry, from laborer to manager, and understand the code and compliance requirements to ensure the safe operation of hundreds of amps of machinery.

[Lollaskates]

If I purchased 251, would I be able to tack on those last 5 chips? provided they are still available in the next day or two?

Also, are there larger form factors than the 16 chip PCBs? Ive read that the bbk boards can be jointly fashioned in 4x grids for 64 chips / board

[steamboat]

If I purchased 251, would I be able to tack on those last 5 chips? provided they are still available in the next day or two?

Also, are there larger form factors than the 16 chip PCBs? Ive read that the bbk boards can be jointly fashioned in 4x grids for 64 chips / board

Yes. It is possible to purchase additional chips up to 100% of the original order without losing your line position, provided the chips are available. The K64 is a panelized version of 4 K16s. Please confirm in the Klondike thread, but I believe 8-12 is the current optimal configuration for daisy chaining the boards together.

[Lollaskates]

If I purchased 251, would I be able to tack on those last 5 chips? provided they are still available in the next day or two?

Also, are there larger form factors than the 16 chip PCBs? Ive read that the bbk boards can be jointly fashioned in 4x grids for 64 chips / board

Yes. It is possible to purchase additional chips up to 100% of the original order without losing your line position, provided the chips are available. The K64 is a panelized version of 4 K16s. Please confirm in the Klondike thread, but I believe 8-12 is the current optimal configuration for daisy chaining the boards together.

In purchasing the 256, do you believe your miner builder can put out 8 board configs (in my case, i'd buy two)? Or is the build you will be offering only for K16s?

[steamboat]

If I purchased 251, would I be able to tack on those last 5 chips? provided they are still available in the next day or two?

Also, are there larger form factors than the 16 chip PCBs? Ive read that the bbk boards can be jointly fashioned in 4x grids for 64 chips / board

Yes. It is possible to purchase additional chips up to 100% of the original order without losing your line position, provided the chips are available. The K64 is a panelized version of 4 K16s. Please confirm in the Klondike thread, but I believe 8-12 is the current optimal configuration for daisy chaining the boards together.

In purchasing the 256, do you believe your miner builder can put out 8 board configs (in my case, i'd buy two)? Or is the build you will be offering only for K16s?

They have the capacity to do so, though I do not believe that would be a wise decision. The 8 board design will likely be more expensive as it is a custom short run. Focusing on the K16 allows us to build flexibly and reduce the total cost per board.

[Lollaskates]

If I purchased 251, would I be able to tack on those last 5 chips? provided they are still available in the next day or two?

Also, are there larger form factors than the 16 chip PCBs? Ive read that the bbk boards can be jointly fashioned in 4x grids for 64 chips / board

Yes. It is possible to purchase additional chips up to 100% of the original order without losing your line position, provided the chips are available. The K64 is a panelized version of 4 K16s. Please confirm in the Klondike thread, but I believe 8-12 is the current optimal configuration for daisy chaining the boards together.

In purchasing the 256, do you believe your miner builder can put out 8 board configs (in my case, i'd buy two)? Or is the build you will be offering only for K16s?

They have the capacity to do so, though I do not believe that would be a wise decision. The 8 board design will likely be more expensive as it is a custom short run. Focusing on the K16 allows us to build flexibly and reduce the total cost per board.

I guess im just concerned how I would configure and power all those 16 boards. that's a lot of usb devices

[steamboat]

If I purchased 251, would I be able to tack on those last 5 chips? provided they are still available in the next day or two?

Also, are there larger form factors than the 16 chip PCBs? Ive read that the bbk boards can be jointly fashioned in 4x grids for 64 chips / board

Yes. It is possible to purchase additional chips up to 100% of the original order without losing your line position, provided the chips are available. The K64 is a panelized version of 4 K16s. Please confirm in the Klondike thread, but I believe 8-12 is the current optimal configuration for daisy chaining the boards together.

In purchasing the 256, do you believe your miner builder can put out 8 board configs (in my case, i'd buy two)? Or is the build you will be offering only for K16s?

They have the capacity to do so, though I do not believe that would be a wise decision. The 8 board design will likely be more expensive as it is a custom short run. Focusing on the K16 allows us to build flexibly and reduce the total cost per board.

I guess im just concerned how I would configure and power all those 16 boards. that's a lot of usb devices

Ah. My apologies for not being clear. The daisy chained devices would need 1 USB cable per chain, while each device would require it's own power. This is no different than the K64, which also requires 1 USB and 4 power connectors.

Any standard ATX supply will work. Preferably one that is 80+bronze or better, with a single 12v rail. additional PCIe connectors may be purchased and daisy chained off each PCIe lead to power a group of devices.

[Lollaskates]

Email & payment sent.

Chip amount: 251
Payment amount: 21.586
Sending Address: 1NXpMUHA7UR7ExAbQ4MpYXEQgXjLNQVZXE
TX: 52e32f568bcb489f21957acd20fc77b4a730a4ec8773f094313e76ceb485a3c2

(will be buying the remaining 5 chips later today when funds clear)

Transaction information below:
Date: 5/29/2013 17:10
To: Steamboat (ASIC Batch #4 Address) 14soUsHdamDEX9uS2Hbsne6sWASe9vzfBh
Debit: -21.586 BTC
Transaction fee: -0.0005 BTC
Net amount: -21.5865 BTC
Transaction ID: 52e32f568bcb489f21957acd20fc77b4a730a4ec8773f094313e76ceb485a3c2

[Lollaskates]

Email & payment sent.

Chip amount: 251
Payment amount: 21.586
Sending Address: 1NXpMUHA7UR7ExAbQ4MpYXEQgXjLNQVZXE
TX: 52e32f568bcb489f21957acd20fc77b4a730a4ec8773f094313e76ceb485a3c2

(will be buying the remaining 5 chips later today when funds clear)

Transaction information below:
Date: 5/29/2013 17:10
To: Steamboat (ASIC Batch #4 Address) 14soUsHdamDEX9uS2Hbsne6sWASe9vzfBh
Debit: -21.586 BTC
Transaction fee: -0.0005 BTC
Net amount: -21.5865 BTC
Transaction ID: 52e32f568bcb489f21957acd20fc77b4a730a4ec8773f094313e76ceb485a3c2

Payment for last 5 chips to bring the total to 256. Thanks!

Date: 5/29/2013 19:19
To: Steamboat (ASIC Batch #4 Address) 14soUsHdamDEX9uS2Hbsne6sWASe9vzfBh
Debit: -0.43 BTC
Transaction fee: -0.0005 BTC
Net amount: -0.4305 BTC
Transaction ID: c68e0eb3eace8a3e868cc3ce12a2076c0371e38fc67c73f6e2b9207f67922f3d