Liquid Synergy Designs Inc. -ASIC mining hardware

[TracerX]

I'm waiting for a little more news on the development front, and I'll put in another order for a few more units.

I've made my initial investment to stay ahead of the curve.  I'm waiting to see how it all "actually works" before investing more.  If the K16 runs well (which I believe it will) and the chips ship close to the stated times, I'll place additional orders.

[bigbeninlondon]

I'm waiting for a little more news on the development front, and I'll put in another order for a few more units.

I've made my initial investment to stay ahead of the curve.  I'm waiting to see how it all "actually works" before investing more.  If the K16 runs well (which I believe it will) and the chips ship close to the stated times, I'll place additional orders.

I think those who take large risks are already all in.  Those that are a little more cautious are ordering from companies like KNCMiner and Terrahash.  Those that are very cautious are waiting for proof of concept before investing.  I can bet that once a working board shows up with video proof, the flood gates will re-open.

[professorY]

I think those who take large risks are already all in.  Those that are a little more cautious are ordering from companies like KNCMiner and Terrahash.  Those that are very cautious are waiting for proof of concept before investing.  I can bet that once a working board shows up with video proof, the flood gates will re-open.

^^this^^.

[salfter]

There's only a fixed number of people who want to mine BTC, so interest has to slow down / stop at some point.

It also might be a matter of wanting to catch up on what you already have in the pipeline before buying more.  I should have a couple of Jalapeños arriving tomorrow. I have some Avalon ASICs on order from a couple of group buys (including #4 in this topic).  Once the Jalapeños have made some money and the chips are built into boards and making some more money, odds are good I'll be in the market for more mining equipment.  Whether it's BFL or Avalon gear I'll be buying remains an open question.  (Avalon will probably end up cheaper, while BFL will most likely be more power-efficient (if not by as much as they had predicted).)

[ik2013]

Steamboat. Will there be some type of control board for a psu to attach to and distribute power or would we have to short the psu to run it manually?

I am currently working on a solution to this issue, though my board will require a Raspberry Pi to get the full functionality from it. PM me for details, I am currently waiting on the first batch of boards to finish testing before I post board files/code in this thread and elsewhere on the forum. I am considering selling kits on Tindie but want to gauge interest before I announce anything. Regardless of whether I do kit sales or not the required files for having your own copies produced will be posted, along with the full BOM and arduino code.

I plan on using these: http://www.karlssonrobotics.com/cart/atx-connector-breakout-board/?gclid=CKqhvv_Y7bcCFWrl7AodP00AHg
It's simple enough and gives you a way to mount it somewhere. You just need to put pins in two of the holes on it and you can probably find a nice switch/button that you can use to turn it on/off. You can find more complete versions of it with the power button on it already for a few bucks more. Just google "ATX Connector Breakout Board" and you will come up with a bunch of options.

I have read some of the comments on the sparkfun page for that item and it seems the circuit traces running from the ATX connector are not very wide. I would advise against trying to power the miners off this connection. Besides, according to the Klondike design you will power the miners from a standard 12V ATX connection, not the chunky 24 pin mobo connection. My solution introduces ACPI-shutdown like features to the RPi, delivering power and a way to gracefully shut off the RPi for maintenance, etc.

[bcabes]

I am currently working on a solution to this issue, though my board will require a Raspberry Pi to get the full functionality from it. PM me for details, I am currently waiting on the first batch of boards to finish testing before I post board files/code in this thread and elsewhere on the forum. I am considering selling kits on Tindie but want to gauge interest before I announce anything. Regardless of whether I do kit sales or not the required files for having your own copies produced will be posted, along with the full BOM and arduino code.

I am interested. PM Sent.

I plan on using these: http://www.karlssonrobotics.com/cart/atx-connector-breakout-board/?gclid=CKqhvv_Y7bcCFWrl7AodP00AHg
It's simple enough and gives you a way to mount it somewhere. You just need to put pins in two of the holes on it and you can probably find a nice switch/button that you can use to turn it on/off. You can find more complete versions of it with the power button on it already for a few bucks more. Just google "ATX Connector Breakout Board" and you will come up with a bunch of options.

I have read some of the comments on the sparkfun page for that item and it seems the circuit traces running from the ATX connector are not very wide. I would advise against trying to power the miners off this connection. Besides, according to the Klondike design you will power the miners from a standard 12V ATX connection, not the chunky 24 pin mobo connection. My solution introduces ACPI-shutdown like features to the RPi, delivering power and a way to gracefully shut off the RPi for maintenance, etc.

Steamboat. Will there be some type of control board for a psu to attach to and distribute power or would we have to short the psu to run it manually?

I am currently working on a solution to this issue, though my board will require a Raspberry Pi to get the full functionality from it. PM me for details, I am currently waiting on the first batch of boards to finish testing before I post board files/code in this thread and elsewhere on the forum. I am considering selling kits on Tindie but want to gauge interest before I announce anything. Regardless of whether I do kit sales or not the required files for having your own copies produced will be posted, along with the full BOM and arduino code.

I plan on using these: http://www.karlssonrobotics.com/cart/atx-connector-breakout-board/?gclid=CKqhvv_Y7bcCFWrl7AodP00AHg
It's simple enough and gives you a way to mount it somewhere. You just need to put pins in two of the holes on it and you can probably find a nice switch/button that you can use to turn it on/off. You can find more complete versions of it with the power button on it already for a few bucks more. Just google "ATX Connector Breakout Board" and you will come up with a bunch of options.

I have read some of the comments on the sparkfun page for that item and it seems the circuit traces running from the ATX connector are not very wide. I would advise against trying to power the miners off this connection. Besides, according to the Klondike design you will power the miners from a standard 12V ATX connection, not the chunky 24 pin mobo connection. My solution introduces ACPI-shutdown like features to the RPi, delivering power and a way to gracefully shut off the RPi for maintenance, etc.

Depending on what your solution can do I was just going to use this to turn off/on the ATX power supply. I am running the Avalon Chips off of PCI P6 and adapter to P6.

[synapseattack]

Depending on if what your solution can do I was just going to use this to turn off/on the ATX power supply. I am running the Avalon Chips off of PCI P6 and adapter to P6.

This is my exact plan. I will use this breakout board only to power the ATX power supply on essentially. However I am intrigued by what ik2013 is working on and when more details are posted I might be considering it if it's an elegant solution.

[markm]

At what point will discovery of bad chips be done?

Will only good chips be going onto K16 boards?

Or will we only find out if chips are bad once we get our K16 boards?

Part of why i am wondering this is if possible I would like to have K16s made from any full sets of 16 good chips I have, and K1s of any odd chips left over after bad chips are weeded out.

-MarkM-

[ik2013]

Depending on if what your solution can do I was just going to use this to turn off/on the ATX power supply. I am running the Avalon Chips off of PCI P6 and adapter to P6.

This is my exact plan. I will use this breakout board only to power the ATX power supply on essentially. However I am intrigued by what ik2013 is working on and when more details are posted I might be considering it if it's an elegant solution.

Well I got an email from OSHpark a few minutes ago regarding the boards shipping today so I should have something to show off this weekend

PM me if you want a sneak peak at the Arduino code. I have added renders from OSHpark to tease you guys

Please note in this version of the board I left off the pull-up resistor for the case power switch. That has already been rectified for the release version, and should be a simple fix for the boards on their way to me.

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B4W8A-jNaqN1RlBnRjlfS3laWjA/edit?usp=sharing
https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B4W8A-jNaqN1eDF1d0dORE5JdG8/edit?usp=sharing

[503guy]

I've been checking this forum post every day just to make sure I'm not missing when to send my BTC for assembly (batch 3) -- will there be an e-mail sent out with any important updates that I need to know?

[ik2013]

I've been checking this forum post every day just to make sure I'm not missing when to send my BTC for assembly (batch 3) -- will there be an e-mail sent out with any important updates that I need to know?

I think we are still a few weeks out bud

[ionstorm]

I'd like to know what plan B is if the Klondike board is a flop, Avalon Clone?

Also what PSU are you guys getting to power multiple Klondike's? 

[ik2013]

I'd like to know what plan B is if the Klondike board is a flop, Avalon Clone?

Also what PSU are you guys getting to power multiple Klondike's? 

Personally I like Corsair Brand PSUs. How many do you want to power?

[steamboat]

Steamboat. Will there be some type of control board for a psu to attach to and distribute power or would we have to short the psu to run it manually?

Currently there is no power distribution or power supply control board, as it is not necessary. If using a separate "slave" PSU to power the units, a jumper can be used to power on the PSU. If it is connected to your PC, nothing additional will be needed. There are off the shelf control boards available, and several members are working on more elegant solutions.

At what point will discovery of bad chips be done?
Will only good chips be going onto K16 boards?
Or will we only find out if chips are bad once we get our K16 boards?
Part of why i am wondering this is if possible I would like to have K16s made from any full sets of 16 good chips I have, and K1s of any odd chips left over after bad chips are weeded out.
-MarkM-

Bad chips will be discovered during the testing phase of the boards. Any boards discovered to have a faulty chip will be repaired with the replacement chips. There are a few options we are exploring regarding board testing, and a procedure to do so will be finalized prior to chip arrival. K1's will not be available for Batch 1, as our focus is on ensuring the K16 are produced, tested, and shipped as quickly as possible. This may change in subsequent batches as the process is streamlined and more resources are made available.

I'd like to know what plan B is if the Klondike board is a flop, Avalon Clone?

While highly unlikely at this point, the Avalon Clone is still available as a backup should the need arise.

I've been checking this forum post every day just to make sure I'm not missing when to send my BTC for assembly (batch 3) -- will there be an e-mail sent out with any important updates that I need to know?

The email has been delayed, but will be going out this week. Our payment gateway for processing purchases has taken longer than expected, and once finalized will be made available to all batches for purchase.
Update:

We are pleased to announce the assembly pricing as originally released has been finalized. We will not be raising our prices. We will not be changing the payment method. There is no bait and switch. The agonizing wait for information was worth it, as all of our updates have been accurate.

Additionally, the testing service will be provided free of charge. Please note testing will require the purchase of a fully assembled unit as we cannot test the boards without installing the heatsink to avoid destroying the chips. More details on the process and procedures will be announced shortly.

Hosting details will be available shortly. The tentative details remain, with fees equaling 8% of miner revenue per time period plus the cost of electricity. Negotiations are underway with the utility company to secure a reduced rate, and are expected to be in the neighborhood of $0.06 KW/h. There will be a small setup fee to help defray the infrastructure costs associated. We had hoped to avoid this, but it simply was not possible without sacrificing security or reliability.

BkkCoins has received our sample chips, and testing is currently underway. Once final testing has finished, the timer starts and things will be moving very quickly. Communication may be sparse during that time period as our focus will be on ensuring the process runs smoothly. Please refer to the original post and updates sections of this thread for answers to frequently asked questions. Additionally, there are many helpful members who are willing to answer your questions in this thread.

All questions whose answers are easily found in this thread will be redirected here.

Immediately upon verification of the payment gateway, assembly will be made available for purchase. All parts for the first 5 batches are being sourced with parts to spare, and it is critical your assembly option is confirmed and payment sent promptly. This procedure is not ideal, and we apologize for the short notice.

[angelus359]

The fully assembled miners, are they still available? If so, how much are they currently? The forum thread is confusing

[cp1]

It's not confusing it's in the first post:

Klondike K16 mining unit: Utilizes 16 ASIC chips to produce 4.5gh/s per unit.
Avalon ASIC chips may be ordered for BTC 0.086. This fee is due immediately upon order placement.
The fully assembled unit, including all necessary hardware, is $133.5, to be paid in BTC.

[lithiumfinn]

The fully assembled miners, are they still available? If so, how much are they currently? The forum thread is confusing

Front Page

Pricing

    Chips:
    Avalon ASIC chips may be ordered for BTC0.086. This fee is due immediately upon order placement.
    Assembly:
    The total price for assembly is $95. This includes $35 for the PCB and board related components, and $60 for assembly, to be paid in BTC.
    Assembly and DIY Kit:
    The DIY kit and fully assembled PCB are $123.5, to be paid in BTC.
    Fully Assembled Unit:
    The fully assembled unit, including all necessary hardware, is $133.5, to be paid in BTC.
    Hosting:
    Hosting fees are tentatively set at 8% of miner revenue production, plus the cost of electricity. A setup fee may be unavoidable, due to the sizable infrastructure costs associated.
    Testing:
    Testing fees to be released.

[angelus359]

If I purchased this, is there any form of guarantee it won't break in a month?

Also, if I ordered now, would I likely get it in august?

[lexis200]

If I purchased this, is there any form of guarantee it won't break in a month?

If you went to the shops and bought a new TV, is there any form of guarantee it won't break in a month? Nope! It could blow up the moment you plug it in, or it could carry on for 50 years  As to if there's any recompense  if it breaks in a month, that's another matter, but my view is there probably isn't. Steamboat will no doubt chip in (geddit?!) but it's probably unlikely. I've bought extra chips just in case, so that's my "insurance".

Also, if I ordered now, would I likely get it in august?

All that sort of information is in the first post, but as much as steamboat has done to push this forward, no one can do anything without the Avalon chips, so the timescales will start from when they are received. August is possible, but then so is December... (but let's hope not)!

[markm]

At what point will discovery of bad chips be done?
Will only good chips be going onto K16 boards?
Or will we only find out if chips are bad once we get our K16 boards?
Part of why i am wondering this is if possible I would like to have K16s made from any full sets of 16 good chips I have, and K1s of any odd chips left over after bad chips are weeded out.
-MarkM-

Bad chips will be discovered during the testing phase of the boards. Any boards discovered to have a faulty chip will be repaired with the replacement chips. There are a few options we are exploring regarding board testing, and a procedure to do so will be finalized prior to chip arrival. K1's will not be available for Batch 1, as our focus is on ensuring the K16 are produced, tested, and shipped as quickly as possible. This may change in subsequent batches as the process is streamlined and more resources are made available.

Ouch I need full assembly then. I think my first two orders maybe didn't even include saying what i wanted done with the things but the last order I sent the form did include saying, and I foolishly put full kit not realising that would mean the chips could be bad.

Is there a procedure for updating that? As now i obviously am going to want full assembly at least, and if that doesn't include chi-checking then i guess I would need to full assembly plus testing.

-MarkM-