[BFL 4GHs chips Group buy] Interest check @ 100 chips x $75, 5 chip min US ONLY!

[Bicknellski]

I would be interested in 5 chips possibly, we need to see the PCB details :-)

As of now there are no PCB details available. Though with delivery in 100-days there is no doubt that DYI projects etc. will be available well before chip delivery. I will also work on securing building service so that chips can be seamlessly turned into miners upon delivery.

-1 No thanks.

[TheSwede75]

I would be interested in 5 chips possibly, we need to see the PCB details :-)

As of now there are no PCB details available. Though with delivery in 100-days there is no doubt that DYI projects etc. will be available well before chip delivery. I will also work on securing building service so that chips can be seamlessly turned into miners upon delivery.

-1 No thanks.

I understand that running a mining coop makes you want to keep hash rate off the market, but "-1 No thanks." is just pointless. If you are not interested, why even post? Just bad manners.

[k9quaint]

If BFL releases their chip schematics and firmware to open source, that would make things interesting.
The mixed lot method is a tad bizarre, I guess they don't want to spend the time & money on binning the chips.
If they lowered the deposit to 5%, and accepted the rest right before shipping that would make it more attractive.
The clock is ticking however, and I don't think they have 100 days.

[DPoS]

How in the world would you trust a sketchy offer from an even more sketchy company?

[TheSwede75]

If BFL releases their chip schematics and firmware to open source, that would make things interesting.
The mixed lot method is a tad bizarre, I guess they don't want to spend the time & money on binning the chips.
If they lowered the deposit to 5%, and accepted the rest right before shipping that would make it more attractive.
The clock is ticking however, and I don't think they have 100 days.

Though I by no means have been impressed by BFL when it comes to shipping etc. I do believe that the 100 days will be kept for a number of reasons:

- It's chip only. No design to mess with, no power draw to worry about.
- The chips are ordered straight from Global Foundries
- Design, functionality and performance has been verified already
- BFL are in fact currently (according to public posts) shipping 100s of Jalapeno a day (Apparently through the weekend they caught up on entire July/Aug 2012 pre orders)

[dwdoc]

I would probably purchase 25 chips.
Would you consider accepting escrow for the 50% not due until delivery?

I considered that but I think that considering my record, feedback and previous group-purchases AND the fact that I would have to turn BTC-into USD to aleviate the risk of a fall in BTC price (that I would have to cover personally if I did not) I think Escrow may just add to the complexity of the buy.

Of course I will post all possible proof of the order, first 50% down etc. I just can't take the risk of a BTC crash happening while over 30 BTC are in escrow. This would possibly jeopardize the entire group buy as it would be possible I would not have funds to cover the remaining 50% should this happen.

I hope this makes sense.

Yes that makes sense.   Escrow would only work if you could escrow the 50% in USD somehow.

[TheSwede75]

How in the world would you trust a sketchy offer from an even more sketchy company?

For 3 reasons:

1. 50% down
2. Ordering is from Global Foundries that also handle delivery
3. Chip functionality is verified. BFL delays have been 90% PCB, power and software issues.

[k9quaint]

If BFL releases their chip schematics and firmware to open source, that would make things interesting.
The mixed lot method is a tad bizarre, I guess they don't want to spend the time & money on binning the chips.
If they lowered the deposit to 5%, and accepted the rest right before shipping that would make it more attractive.
The clock is ticking however, and I don't think they have 100 days.

Though I by no means have been impressed by BFL when it comes to shipping etc. I do believe that the 100 days will be kept for a number of reasons:

- It's chip only. No design to mess with, no power draw to worry about.
- The chips are ordered straight from Global Foundries
- Design, functionality and performance has been verified already
- BFL are in fact currently (according to public posts) shipping 100s of Jalapeno a day (Apparently through the weekend they caught up on entire July/Aug 2012 pre orders)

Even assuming BFL is not late (for once), 100 days from now is Sept 20th. That is smack in the middle of KNCMiner's product delivery window. If KNCMiner actually delivers anywhere near spec, they will have better price/performance than BFL. It is just too long to wait.

[dwdoc]

Bitfury is also projecting in that time frame. However KNC and Bitfury have yet to produce a single chip.

[DPoS]

So is BFL handing out all the details on DIY like Avalon did?

And would you want them since they obviously worked like crap?  (only jallys shipping)
so what are you trying to build here?  Any dev chips being sent out?

if this offer becomes the best option we are all doomed

[TheSwede75]

So is BFL handing out all the details on DIY like Avalon did?

And would you want them since they obviously worked like crap?  (only jallys shipping)
so what are you trying to build here?  Any dev chips being sent out?

if this offer becomes the best option we are all doomed

BFL will be releasing specs for boards etc. and while BFL obviously had problems with building miners (though it seems they will start shipping all models this week or next) there seems to be nothing wrong with the chip design in itself.

I am convinced that the community will have Klondyke like designs ready well in time for chip shipping. And even though there is a lot of suspicion (to put it lightly) in the forum reg. BFL, I feel pretty confident that Global Foundries (a billion dollar business with long track record) can and will indeed ship the chips on time.

[sniffinpoprocks]

Since each chip has a minimum of 12 cores, IF a chip happens to be of lowest quality  (12 cores) and also of the lowest clock speed @ 250 mhz it would run @ 3GHs. Though I find it unlikely, since my guess is that less cores, would allow a chip to dissipate more heat and likely run at close to or at the highest clock speed of 290 mh/s+ giving even class-D chips around 3.4 gh/s.

Best case scenario would be a chip of class A with 16 cores @ 294 mh/s running at 4.7 GH/s.

so...would it be possible to run multiple chips at different clocks on the same board?

[Syke]

2. Ordering is from Global Foundries that also handle delivery

GF now produces fully packaged and tested chips? Or do the chips get ordered from GF, then sent to a bumper, then sent to a packager, etc.?

[TheSwede75]

Well, for those interested. Group buy is open: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=232003.0

[newmars]

would be interested if BFL can release Reference documentation for PCB schematics , etc now

[TheSwede75]

would be interested if BFL can release Reference documentation for PCB schematics , etc now

They have already stated that this will happen very soon, and well in time for developers to create pub etc. before chip delivery.

[PuertoLibre]

How in the world would you trust a sketchy offer from an even more sketchy company?

For 3 reasons:

1. 50% down
2. Ordering is from Global Foundries that also handle delivery
3. Chip functionality is verified. BFL delays have been 90% PCB, power and software issues.

Will the tracking information come straight from the packaging facility or from BFL offices?

If you don't know, could you find out?

I am worried that BFL is going to send us the defunct lot they are using right now instead of the brand new lot that will be baked at the Fab. I don't want yesterdays revision that has caused so many problems (let them deal with those). I want the latest revision fresh from the Fab.

[TheSwede75]

How in the world would you trust a sketchy offer from an even more sketchy company?

For 3 reasons:

1. 50% down
2. Ordering is from Global Foundries that also handle delivery
3. Chip functionality is verified. BFL delays have been 90% PCB, power and software issues.

Will the tracking information come straight from the packaging facility or from BFL offices?

If you don't know, could you find out?

I am worried that BFL is going to send us the defunct lot they are using right now instead of the brand new lot that will be baked at the Fab. I don't want yesterdays revision that has caused so many problems (let them deal with those). I want the latest revision fresh from the Fab.

I do NOT have the answer to that. However, since they ARE making promises on power consumption/hash speed on the chips  I believe it is direct delivery from GF. Also: As far as I know, the chips have never been the issue. It has been the boards not keeping their power/dissipation promise.

[cooler-persistence]

I'm willing to keep an open mind on this...   
Any preliminary plans on how many chips per device?

[TheSwede75]

I'm willing to keep an open mind on this...   
Any preliminary plans on how many chips per device?

I am just guessing but most likely would probably be that any project follows at least for starters the BFL designs for Jalapeno (2 chips) or some version of Klondyke with maybe 4, 5 or 6 chips. Of course that is really just speculation.