[CLOSED] Block Erupter USB @ 0.20 BTC + parcel -> Shipping to anywhere!

[augustocroppo]

Last change: 28th May 2013

https://sites.google.com/site/groupbuyuktrader/home

Introduction

The Block Erupter USB series is the second major product of Bitfountain. Its experimental batch (Emerald) has passed all tests. Each one mines at more than 300MH/s, powered only by the USB port.

It serves as a replacement of GPUs for mining hobbyists. Your GPUs could be freed from calculating hashes and resume rendering for you. It is also a perfect gift for getting people knowing about Bitcoin and Bitcoin mining.

The Emerald Batch

This is our experimental batch, and consists only a few number of devices.

This is a picture showing the relative size to the laptop. One with heatsink and one without.


We also tested it on the USB-hub. Seven in a row run over a whole night and are all very stable.


This is the picture showing its size against a coin.


Specification
Color: Green
Hashrate: >300MH/s
Mining Protocol: Icarus

This batch will be given away to miners, fans and hardware/software developers made the assignments to us long before. It has some issues working with cgminer (Already Fixed), but the modular python miner works fine. We will fix this in the first mass production batch (Sapphire). It also exceeds a bit of the USB spec of max current (560mA vs <500mA), but in our experiment most devices (PC, laptop) could power it up.

The Sapphire Batch

This is the first batch under production in quantity. Its lead-time is conservatively 15-20 days.

Changes and Improvements
Color of PCB changed to blue
Adding a LED which blinks when a share is found
Fixing the cgminer compatibility problem
Reducing the heat generated and the current to <500mA

This batch will be for group-buy and retailers. The quantity of each order should be more than 300 devices. The price is fixed at 1.99 BTC. We will start the group-buy threads as fixed-price auctions in the auction subforum. When your order is fulfilled you could pay and ask for refund anytime before the tracking number is generated (trackable on internet). After shipping we do not refund, but still guarantee a six-month warranty of free replacement like our blades. However the replacement should also come in batch (10 at one time).

Interested purchasers could contact me even before the group-buy threads are created.

The first mass production batch (sapphire) has finished its PCB production and assembly today.

It has significant improvements in:

Heat reduction: 560mA (emerald) -> 500-510mA (sapphire).

Stability: We stressed it with 9 Block Erupter USBs in a row without heatsinks heating up each other in a very dense USB hub with 25C without active airflow. No unexpected (non-probabilistic) HW errors ever happen.

Speed: This comes after better stability. Now the hashrate converges to its theoretical value of 336MH/s.

Appearance:
  Manual assembly (emerald) -> SMT machine assembly (sapphire)
  Standard heat-sink (emerald) -> heat-sink front-case 2-in-1 logo-ed (sapphire).
  LED added.

Four types of front-case:


All of them are eager to be powered up and hashing!


We had shipped the first 200 USBs today immediately after they are out of the factory. Soon more than 10,000 shiny little stones will be distributed international and quietly erupt blocks.

This is the information thread of sales for our Block Erupter USB sticks.

The specs of our products could be found here:

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=212085.0

Sales
The USB devices are priced at 1.99BTC each. The minimum purchasing amount is 50 sticks. We reduced the bottom-line quantity because we would like to see them in people's hands as soon as possible, since the expected difficulty rise continues to happen.

One extra stick for every 50 sticks will be provided with the package for redundancy. We will do a 6-month warranty for broken USB devices that exceeds the number. For example, if the buyer bought 50, we will ship 51. If three of them breaks she/he will need to send all three back and we will replace with two new ones. And we would like to emphasize that this policy is merely to reduce the time wasted on international delivery, and by no means an incentive to downgrade our internal quality requirements.

Another 1.7% extra sticks (rounded-up) will be provided to purchasers placing orders larger than 300 at once. They serve as discounts instead of redundancy.

Here is the service (shipping) priority order:

1) Existing groupbuy organizers and resellers on bitcointalk.org or contacted us before the thread is created.
2) Purchasers with quantity of 300 or more.
3) Rest purchasers.

Also, if you have really large (>1000) order requests, or want to be a mid-term or long-term distributor of our devices, please get contacted to us to make detailed deals.

To place an order, please send mail about your name, postal address, zip code and telephone number to asicminer.usb@gmail.com. We will provide you with your payment address.

[torusJKL]

There is already an European group buy thread here: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=195037.0
Currently there are not that many interested people so it might be good to join forces.

[augustocroppo]

There is already an European group buy thread here: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=195037.0
Currently there are not that many interested people so it might be good to join forces.

I am offering the re-shipment because an address in UK would reduce the final cost to UK residents receive the product. I will also work in accordance the UK laws, including produce legal instruments to secure the customers rights. So it would be difficult "to join forces" with someone in Germany just to re-ship few USB devices. Different jurisdiction, different currency and different customs.

[Myrddindc]

Uk based. Interested in 3-5 devices.

Thanks

Myrddin

[SlyFoxy12]

What kind or price are we talking per unit? Sorry if this seems a dumb thing to ask.

[tidus_13]

What kind or price are we talking per unit? Sorry if this seems a dumb thing to ask.

1.99BTC per unit + 0.01 FEE + SHIP fee

[tidus_13]

i will buy if price with fees would be lower than german group buy.

so it is UK to Portugal

[SlyFoxy12]

What kind or price are we talking per unit? Sorry if this seems a dumb thing to ask.

1.99BTC per unit + 0.01 FEE + SHIP fee

These only do 300MH/s right?

[gingernuts]

On the subject of customs, am I right in thinking there will be ~20% VAT on top of those prices?

Also what sort of a time frame are we looking at for actually having the devices in our hands? I'd probably be up for 3-5 if they're not going to take 2 months to arrive...

[dotdvd]

5 Pieces
The Netherlands
Waiting for further notification..

[yxt]

Hi

I'm the guy from the german group buy.
We have together over 300
check it here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/pub?key=0AkRHbOmCoH9PdEdWSkJ3MDFFelFkRVdjb280TUtqRWc&output=html

If you express an interest in both threads, it probably ends in a clusterfuck

How exactly will be your price?
1.99 +20% VAT + 0.01 fee + shipping?

I will also work in accordance the UK laws, including produce legal instruments to secure the customers rights.

Means this with invoice from your company?
And for this, including handling and packaging of min 300 units you take only 0.5%
In the avalon chip groupbuys, the fee is between 5 and 9.9%

[augustocroppo]

Uk based. Interested in 3-5 devices.

Thanks

Myrddin

5 Pieces
The Netherlands
Waiting for further notification..

Fill this form.

What kind or price are we talking per unit? Sorry if this seems a dumb thing to ask.

Feel free to ask any question.

The actual final price per unit is 2.09 BTC. This price can change because I did not included all cost which will incur.

See the OP for more details.

What kind or price are we talking per unit? Sorry if this seems a dumb thing to ask.

1.99BTC per unit + 0.01 FEE + SHIP fee

i will buy if price with fees would be lower than german group buy.

so it is UK to Portugal

I did not defined the final price yet. Tomorrow I will call a helpline to determine the custom charges.

What kind or price are we talking per unit? Sorry if this seems a dumb thing to ask.

1.99BTC per unit + 0.01 FEE + SHIP fee

These only do 300MH/s right?

I think a little bit more than 300Mh/s.

[augustocroppo]

On the subject of customs, am I right in thinking there will be ~20% VAT on top of those prices?

Also what sort of a time frame are we looking at for actually having the devices in our hands? I'd probably be up for 3-5 if they're not going to take 2 months to arrive...

Not just VAT, but custom duty as well!

Regarding the delivery time, I still did not spot any estimation from friedcat. I will inquire him to define a delivery date.

I will also develop a plan to deliver as fast as possible and free of any potential hassle.

How exactly will be your price?
1.99 +20% VAT + 0.01 fee + shipping?

I will also work in accordance the UK laws, including produce legal instruments to secure the customers rights.

Means this with invoice from your company?
And for this, including handling and packaging of min 300 units you take only 0.5%
In the avalon chip groupbuys, the fee is between 5 and 9.9%

Well, I did not decided about the invoice, but I could emit an invoice as sole trader. However, I will only do if I got a product to deliver.

Right, I increased my fee to 0.1 BTC per unit. That is enough to me cover all costs which could incur to pack and send the products to the final user, including costs which could arise from warranty replacements.

[eestimees]

See more details in the Trading Book

are you sure your vat % calculation is correct?

20% of 597 btc = 119.4 btc ? but on you table it is 0.8something

anyway if you provide invoices, I am definately interested to give you EU vat number

[augustocroppo]

See more details in the Trading Book

are you sure your vat % calculation is correct?

20% of 597 btc = 119.4 btc ? but on you table it is 0.8something

anyway if you provide invoices, I am definately interested to give you EU vat number

Yes, so far that is the VAT (20%) calculated over the declared value by the sender.

All right, I will keep up the idea of the invoice. As the situation progress, I will prepare to emit invoices.

OBS to all readers: NEW TRADER'S BOOK. The spreadsheet calculates the last average BTC price accordance with Mt.Gox money ticker for GBP and EUR. To keep your personal details confidential, I used the first letter of name and surname to identify the pre-order. Please, verify if your request match the details in the trading book.

[Aajo]

form sent

[SlyFoxy12]

Is there much in the way of an estimated time scale for you receiving the parts and how long it'll take to ship all them out?

If the auction is successful, the order is fulfilled and the payment is made. A refund can be only requested before a tracking number is generated.

I assume that means you'll allow us to pull out and receive a full refund up until when the delivery is to be made?

[eestimees]

look's like not much interest from forum members ?

[Foofighter]

As the price seems to be wrong and there is also already a thread for Europe..

[Aajo]

As the price seems to be wrong and there is also already a thread for Europe..

If you think it is the right plan to reject whatever friedcat uses as customs value and to convince the custom office to use the 24h avg mt.gox price for the VAT calculation then your place is in the other group buy. Wish you good luck in getting your device(s) out of customs at all.