[RELEASE] Avalon Reference

[dan99]

Anyone have an idea how much sample chips will be send for a batch of 10.000 chips?

Speculating here... but my guess is a minimum of 32 and a maximum of 100, per 10K order.

should be enough to make a couple of board to test and tweak.. any way hope they will send out the chip in a couple of weeks

[1713997769]

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[szym00]

...there are some FPGA circuits, they should be programmed I think so.

[Felipeo]

Much appreciated Yifu.  

We would also appreciate it if, due to the enormously time-sensitive nature of receiving Batch #2 or Batch #3 units, you gave us some kind of option to expedite shipping.  It's been >90 days since my order and I feel my brain literally melting each day that goes by.

+1

[mrb]

Weird, on the hash unit, the SS34 diode is missing from the schematic (PDF).

[el_rlee]

Maybe the uploaded data is not the latest revision? Also one screw-hole is missing on the hash unit.
Anyhow, nobody should use it without really understanding it - and this is not so difficult in this case. The know-how hardly lies in the PCB's in this case.

[ShadesOfMarble]

The only thing missing is the FPGA bitstream, right? (At least I couldn't find it.)

[flyonwall]

If Yifu Guo also provides the bitstream for the Spartan-6 chip, then we're done. 

[ShadesOfMarble]

Well, it should be possible to read the bitstream from the flash chip on the control unit.
Someone with an Avalon just needs to do it ;-) (Maybe start a bounty?)

[je1p7u7]

Well, it should be possible to read the bitstream from the flash chip on the control unit.
Someone with an Avalon just needs to do it ;-) (Maybe start a bounty?)

You'd think that if they want people to to make pcb/miners they'd release the bitstream and hdl source, right? Maybe it's just a matter of time. We are not overly anxious, right? Right? RIGHT?!?

[funkmunk30]

So, after looking over the design and PCB and BOM of the ASIC, it seems that all that's needed to build a clone of Avalon s units is the FPGA firmware?  everything else seems to be online that's needed to the plans off to a PCB factory and get populated boards back.   I doubt at an individual level the costs of building a clone would be worth it, but if someone was building a large miner why wouldn't this be a better route to go then redesigning a whole new system

[KS]

So, after looking over the design and PCB and BOM of the ASIC, it seems that all that's needed to build a clone of Avalon s units is the FPGA firmware?  everything else seems to be online that's needed to the plans off to a PCB factory and get populated boards back.   I doubt at an individual level the costs of building a clone would be worth it, but if someone was building a large miner why wouldn't this be a better route to go then redesigning a whole new system

BKKcoins is working or will start working on an FPGA-less firmware for an FPGA-less design of his own. Seems the better route than simply cloning.

[BkkCoins]

@BitSynCom,

When you get a chance can you provide some supply current estimates for the 3.3V and the AVCC 1.2V reference supplies per chip? I gather that AVCC drives the clock gen circuit and you have a separate supply to keep noise minimal on that line?

Thx!

[mrb]

Weird, on the hash unit, the SS34 diode is missing from the schematic (PDF).

It turns out that what Yifu released is a new revision of the hash unit PCB that does not need this diode. Most likely this is the revision that batch 2 and 3 will be built on.

[Intra]

Some resistors and inductors in Control Unit circuit are undefined. What does it mean "MB" an "NC"? And which value have:
FB1
FB2
FB3
FB4

R11
R13
R23
R24
R35
R4
R5
R8
R33
R34

[sharky101]

Much appreciated Yifu.  

We would also appreciate it if, due to the enormously time-sensitive nature of receiving Batch #2 or Batch #3 units, you gave us some kind of option to expedite shipping.  It's been >90 days since my order and I feel my brain literally melting each day that goes by.

+1

[Intra]

And what exactly 2SMX and 4SMX crystals need for Control Unit board? I found nothing about it model or even frequency..

[goodney]

Some resistors and inductors in Control Unit circuit are undefined. What does it mean "MB" an "NC"? And which value have:
FB1
FB2
FB3
FB4

R11
R13
R23
R24
R35
R4
R5
R8
R33
R34

/Edit because I should research before I post...

As mentioned below by fasmax, the FB parts are probably ferrite beads for EMI suppression. In doing some research there are also small surface mount inductors used for the same purpose. These are probably what the MB parts are. If you look closely at the pictures of the control unit you can see R8 and R11 which are "MB" parts on the schematic look like what chip inductors should look like.

If someone could post a better picture of the power section on the hashing module we could probably answer this question for sure.

As for values, lets get the BOM released!

-a[g

[strombom]

/topic as promised.

https://github.com/BitSyncom/avalon-ref

will be updated continuously within a next few days.

Would you mind uploading gerber and pick&place files?

Best regards

[fasmax]

Some resistors and inductors in Control Unit circuit are undefined. What does it mean "MB" an "NC"? And which value have:
FB1
FB2
FB3
FB4

R11
R13
R23
R24
R35
R4
R5
R8
R33
R34

FB = Ferrite Bead.  Its an inductor that passes DC current and blocks AC (noise) it is low resistance at DC.
MB  I don't know what this stands for but it also looks like an inductor similar to FB but could have a more inductance and resistance.
The purpose is to provide a clean DC supply free of AC noise.
NC - Could that mean not connected ? Maybe someone could look and see if the NC parts are installed.

[daemondazz]

How is the BOM and comms protocol coming along for release?