Community Mining - Bitfury Asic Miner 120GH/s --> All Shares taken [closed]

[Foofighter]

Any ETA on when the next rig is available?

ATM not, sorry.

Everybody is waiting for Bitfury to finalize his testing and his prototype board, I think also metabank.

From then on they will decide if the push out more units and Batches or not i think.(heard rumors)

regards

[Foofighter]

Hi guys,

some news from Bitcentury and metabank here!

regards
Foofighter

Hi guys,
It's been a few days since we've provided some updates. This is mostly because we've been busy dealing with some administrative work in the background. FYI, we have not yet received our alpha chips. It looks like the first ones went to individuals primarily involved in producing PCBs for Metabank and similar parties that were investors in Bitfury's chip manufacturing, so this is not a bad thing. There is apparently a larger set of chips already in Europe that will be shipped out to all the remaining selected testers such as our organization; however whilst we have no exact ETA we were told 2 weeks, about 1 week ago. So let's see what happens there. In the mean time, one of the Bitfury chips was sent to zeptobars.ru, which is a site that apparently analyzes chips under high zoom optical microscopes.

Here's the relevant eyecandy:

QFN packaging - execellent for thermal performance and low inductance connection to leads:


Chip without the packaging - tiny! This plus low voltage operations, should make for some awesome USB hashers one day.


If we correctly understood some of the Russian postings, bitfury's chip will have over 700 cores (crazy). This is a good thing in the sense that for example, with BFL chips there's 16 cores (avalon I think has 1? Correct me if I'm wrong). If during the manufacturing process dust or other particles get in the die's surface, it could cause a core malfunction. This is why on some BFL chips, some people are saying that one BFL device performs slightly slower than another, because 1 or 2 cores may have been damaged. When you have 700+ cores, the hashing rate differential will be less noticeable. To be clear, this picture does not show identifiable cores.


Nano art on the chip. Apparently Bitfury had some spare time on his hands ;-) Surprised it wasn't a bitcoin symbol or the logo from his FPGA website: http://bitfury.org.


Etching materialization


Repetitive pattern of hash calculation blocks:


55nm is at least 5 times smaller than what we can see in optical microscope, so not all details are visible

Hi guys,
We recently spoke with  Metabank and here's some information we'd like to pass on:

Q1: When will the machines be ready for delivery?
A1: In Autumn, around October.

Q2: We heard of at least 1 individual on Bitcoin forum that was selling Metabank devices after you announced Batch 1 was closed, can you explain this? Do you have any more units you can sell us?
A2:The batch is closed, we have not sold more equipment since we announce the closure.

Q3: Will your product be a bare circuitboard or will it ship in a case like avalon and BFL have.
A3: Most likely it will be in a case

Q4: Do you know if it will be dual voltage power supply? (110/220V). How many watts will the unit draw at the wall?
A4: Sorry, I don't know answers to either of those questions. We are not at that stage yet.

Q5: Can you explain if the interface from the computer will be USB or Ethernet?
A5: It most likely won't be connected to the computer, just the power plug. It's independent from the computer .

Q6: Yes, but how'd the computer intercommunicate with it? What's the interface?
A6: There'll be software for that

Q7: So it'll require special software to run from the computer? Which mining software? cgminer? something else?
A7: Yes. I can't answer questions like this yet. If I make a mistake, I'll leave you misinformed.

Q8: What is your estimate for when there might be a Batch 2? When is Bitfury getting Batch 2 chips from factory?
A8: I can't tell the exact dates at this point. Around the release of the Batch 1, we'll have understanding when the Batch 2 will be pre-ordered.

As we get more details over time, we'll do our best to pass them along. Right now, i'd say they're in very early stages of designing the PCBs, so obviously not all the details are worked out yet. PCB design can take a couple of weeks to a couple of months, depending on complexity, access to all the necessary equipment, engineering skill level, design flaws/re-starts, etc. Likewise for the chip assembly process on the PCBs, although that part can be done in about 5-10 days, depending on volume and availability of all the tiny components (aside from the ASICs).
Cheers,
Luis


PS. I'm a little behind on waitlist requests, but will try to get to those in the next couple of days. Thanks for your patience.

[Foofighter]

BITFURY chip hashing against 4 block erupter usbs!

[Foofighter]

Update from bitcentur, metabank seems to have finished their own pcb design:

Hello everyone,

We called Metabank again today, and had a long list of questions but didn't have much luck with the person answering the phone as they couldn't answer the vast majority of them, but we did manage to get *some* useful information.

Q1: At which stage of development is the Metabank mining equipment? Has the PCB design been completed? Are you testing final PCB yet? What can you share?

A1: I believe the PCB design is finished and sent off to various (PCB) factories, but not sure if agreement with one of them is finalized.

NOTE: If we look at Bitfury's recent post https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=254996.msg2717867#msg2717867, we see a brand new design for a Bitfury PCB. I have confirmation from a 3rd source that this is indeed MetaBank's PCB. I was told it is 8 layers. Below is a picture of it.  Given Metabank sold 120GH units, we can assume they will hopefully be targeting 2.5GH/chip as there are 48 chips on the board (2.5x48=120). We believe 2.5GH should be do-able so long as proper cooling is provided. Also, another guy in a forum post elsewhere here managed to achieve 3.4GH/s, but only with a huge heat sink connected to the chip.

Given each chip is 7mm x 7mm, if you slap a ruler to your computer monitor (as I did ), then you can see this image appears to be to scale. With this, we can easily measure the board dimensions being aprox: (23cm tall x 32.5 cm wide) or ( 9.1" x 12.8" )




So, assuming the design is finished, and assuming there are no design flaws, and assuming the PCB manufacturing process as well as the assembly process proceeds without flaws, and they have already picked out their external box CNC milling etc, etc. Also typically, you first print & assemble a prototype board, then test it extensively, if all goes well, you give the order to mass produce. So it does seem indeed that an end of August delivery date *may* be possible under best case scenario; however, when there are complex boards involved, it is not uncommon to experience delays for one reason or another, so I don't want to get everyone's hopes up, but it does appear at least to be within the realm of possibility. When we asked them directly, this is what we got:


Q2: Can you give us any more precise date on when the boards will be ready for customers?

A2: It is still too early to say the exact date, as there are many steps left, so we can still only say Aug-Oct; however, maybe if you call towards end of this month we might have a better idea.


That's about all we got out of them, all our other questions they couldn't answer, but suggested we write them via email. We are going to do that in Russian (real Russian, not google's comedic transliterate). As soon as we get a reply, I will post answers - that said, we have written them a few times before, and maybe 1/3 times we get a response.  Questions are mostly of technical nature, so you guys can prepare and know what to expect. Here's some of the questions we had prepared:

1.Will there be a power supply capable of 110/220v?
2. Will there be an external case?
3. What is the targeted Watt power draw of the entire unit?
4. Can you guys start providing status updates on your website so everyone doesnt have to call you?
5. Will there be a box provided for the product that can be shipped internationally?
6. Will your device be CE, UL and RoHS certified?
7. Which software will come with your board? (i.e. cgminer?), if not, will it have an English interface?
8. Which communication method(s) will the board have:  Wifi, USB or Ethernet ?

Lastly, if you guys have any other specific questions you want to ask, maybe list them here, and we can try to ask them for the next time we call them / email them.

Cheers!
Luis

[adamthefishman]

Thanks for the updates.

Good to hear there is a lot of work being done.

[Foofighter]

Update from bitcentury:

Hi guys,
We've had some further communications with Metabank, and below is what we can share. Note: any references to "we", means 'Metabank'

(paraphrased...)

- Metabank has received the chips as expected
- Metabank is ready to begin production process starting with prototypes. (This would in theory confirm they have finished their board design)
    - A close to final prototype is being tested this week
    - Assuming all goes well, very small batches of first gen boards will be produced soon there after (expect this to take 1-2 weeks).
    - We will do extensive testing on these and only after produce large quantities
    - While we are on schedule right now, our manufacturers are warning of possible delays
     (They have hinted at this before in their last forum post under the username "metabank.ru" re: shoutout needing help with access to electronic components: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?action=profile;u=14120;sa=showPosts)
    - With this, we are currently targeting September for delivery date to customers.

Cheers,
Luis

looks like as the soonest delivery would be in september but they have also part sourcing problems like stated..

[Foofighter]

Metabank Update:

Hoвocти:
a) 5 плaт гoтoвo (пpoтpaвкa), pacпaяны кoмплeктyющиe, идeт oптимизaция coфтa, пoкa 2,9 гx c чипa.
б) пocлe пpoвepки плaт зa ceгoдня-выxoдныe линия дoпeчaтывaeт ocтaвшиecя тыcячи плaт, pacпaивaeтcя тo чтo пaяeтcя нe вpyчнyю (этo cл. нeдeля).
в) кopпyca нe кacтoмныe, из тoгo чтo ecть в нaличии y интeгpaтopoв.
г) дoлгo изoщpятьcя, чтoбы из 2,9 cдeлaть 3 нe нaмepeны - бyдeт oбъяcнeнo кaкиe пapaмeтpы кpyтить в coфтe для дocтижeния кaкoгo эффeктa (вoт этим cчac и зaняты, плюc пpoвepкa пpoбныx 5 плaт). Bce пoнимaют чтo лyчшe paньшe oтдaть 2,9, чeм нa 2 нeдeли пoзжe 3.

Translation
5 boards are hashing, software is being optimized, it's 2.9GH per chip now.
After testing of the boards, the rest thousands of boards will be printed until the next week. Components will be soldered the next week.
Cases are not custom and are selected from available ones.
They're not going to optimize them further from 2.9 to 3 GH/chip. Software tuning instructions will be provided. Everyone understands that 2.9GH now is better than 3GH in 2 weeks.

[Foofighter]

First proto pics here`?

https://metabank.ru/asic

[Foofighter]

looks like, its possible that shipping will start beginning to mid september.

 https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=183368.msg2964113#msg2964113
 1. Cases will be made of plexiglass
 2. MetaBank will receive 1400 boards in 8 days.
 3  ATX PSU will be in the devices.
 4  Photos will be tomorrow.
 5  Devices will be testing  before shipment

[b!z]

How long do you expect it to be before cost of a share is recovered through mining?

[Foofighter]

pics are available

[iCEBREAKER]

She's a beauty!  So clean and futuristic.   Wish I had more shares.   

*drool*

[Foofighter]

I think its possible that we get our devices by mid/end of this month

[Foofighter]

Hey guys,

latest news are:
Bitcentury will get the devices until 20 of September but the have to assamble themselves(no soldering just sticking together.)
If we are lucky they could ship units in last week of September.

cheers
Foofighter

[Foofighter]

News:

Bitcentury has got our devices and they will start shipping tomorrow or beginning of next week

[Aggrophobia]

I'm selling my 3 Shares for 2,5BTC (incl. Fee)----- SOLD

[Ashitank]

I'm selling my 3 Shares for 2,5BTC (incl. Fee)

I am Interested in buying your 3 shares for 2.5 btc , How can we proceed.

[Foofighter]

too late, sold

[Ashitank]

Foofighter , German counter part of this thread says this Group buy is no go & we are to get complete refund , can we have a status check update please , I hope we all the investors were not fooled to provide for funding purchase of 4 bitfury rigs & then be dumped , as this is what it seems to me. 

[Foofighter]

just red this, in Bitcentury thread:

Hi guys,

The last couple of days have been exhausting. I will post details as soon as I have time in the next couple of days, but long story short we have some bad news in the sense that we are not going to be able to ship any of our customer's units. The good news is that you will get a full refund from us.  This morning we got a call from DHL regarding the first 4 units we shipped a few days ago which got stopped by export customs due to lack of an "FSB" (Federal Security Bureau... aka. the new KGB) notification ID# (I will explain what this means when I get a chance).  Today we picked up the units from DHL, and headed straight to Metabank along with all the other units that we spent days testing and packaging carefully. Metabank has already issued us a full refund late this evening, and we'll do likewise with all our customer in order of who paid first as soon as we're able, but likely after I head back to Canada which will be this week . Refunds will be performed in bitcoins and for the amount you paid us. We still need to sort out some internal details but generally speaking, that's the plan.

Our sincere apologies this did not work out as intended.
I will write more details soon, but I just wanted everyone to be notified immediately of the situation.
Kind Regards,
Luis