-

[grnbrg]

Unfortunately until we get any more details it looks a lot like this is a great deal for zach and an ok deal for shareholders. At the moment all we know for sure is our CEO just got a job at a new company.

Please fill in the blanks lab-rat

I just received an email from LR's iPhone...  He's been following the responses since last night's announcement, and will address the questions and make some clarifications when he gets to a real keyboard, and has some time to compose them.


grnbrg.

[runam0k]

So, as you can see, this is simple math, but it speaks volumes.

I trust you have run the numbers for other mining outfits - I'm wondering if any mining op could really have been expected to maintain its network hash rate or otherwise keep up with the exponential increase in difficulty over the last year. How have others done?

[Bargraphics]

So, as you can see, this is simple math, but it speaks volumes.

I trust you have run the numbers for other mining outfits - I'm wondering if any mining op could really have been expected to maintain its network hash rate or otherwise keep up with the exponential increase in difficulty over the last year. How have others done?

That and although everyone hates it, USD to BTC rate does play a large role. The higher the USD to BTC price, that longer old tech can run at a profit and it also brings in bigger players that might create chips or buy up hashrate themselves.

Staying relevant in this industry is not only about the money you have but about the connections as well and Lab Rat is indeed making those connections while growing his farm into one of the largest out there.

While this large leap will help bring additional dividends to shareholders it is exciting to know that this seems to only be the beginning and that with these connections and cheap hosting each future deal will only be that much better.

[Phraust]

So, as you can see, this is simple math, but it speaks volumes.

I trust you have run the numbers for other mining outfits - I'm wondering if any mining op could really have been expected to maintain its network hash rate or otherwise keep up with the exponential increase in difficulty over the last year. How have others done?

I'd be interested in hearing these numbers as well.

[||bit]

So, as you can see, this is simple math, but it speaks volumes.

I trust you have run the numbers for other mining outfits - I'm wondering if any mining op could really have been expected to maintain its network hash rate or otherwise keep up with the exponential increase in difficulty over the last year. How have others done?

I haven't done so. But I doubt any have done better than LRM. Better or worse, it wouldn't matter as an investment. All one can do it seems is hope difficulty slows down dramatically, and/or that LR can get a lot more hardware really really cheap. And I suspect that there is a fair chance that LR will have access to near cost hardware or at least very reduced prices. Otherwise, what's the point for the news.

[smracer]

The more hashrate that Labrat brings online for Coinseed, the more our earnings will be diluted.  Sounds great to me. /s

[||bit]

So, as you can see, this is simple math, but it speaks volumes.

I trust you have run the numbers for other mining outfits - I'm wondering if any mining op could really have been expected to maintain its network hash rate or otherwise keep up with the exponential increase in difficulty over the last year. How have others done?

That and although everyone hates it, USD to BTC rate does play a large role. The higher the USD to BTC price, that longer old tech can run at a profit and it also brings in bigger players that might create chips or buy up hashrate themselves.

Staying relevant in this industry is not only about the money you have but about the connections as well and Lab Rat is indeed making those connections while growing his farm into one of the largest out there.

While this large leap will help bring additional dividends to shareholders it is exciting to know that this seems to only be the beginning and that with these connections and cheap hosting each future deal will only be that much better.

I agree that the new network LR has developed with Kauffman seems promising, but understanding the actual extent of any benefit needs amplification. LR apparently has more to put out regarding some concerns on the board. Until then, I'd rather wait & see before making any other assessments.

The best thing about this is that it tells me, when making the assumptions (1) this hardware is as great as described in comparison to any other hardware, and (2) that LR can get it at very cheap prices with fast turn around, that things can only improve. But let's see what the finer details are before we run with those assumptions. Because neither of these assumptions have been verified. For example, is this hardware better than KNC's 28nm hardware which has apparently shipped? Will LR be able to purchase at or near cost?

Though, I suspect there is a good chance that that possible in price to performance. Even if the hardware is marginally inferior to KNC.... If LR can get hardware at cost, then LR can file for rock star status, imo.  

[grnbrg]

The more hashrate that Labrat brings online for Coinseed, the more our earnings will be diluted.  Sounds great to me. /s

The Coinseed hashrate will happen regardless of Lab_Rat or LRM's involvement.  Working with them reduces our costs.


grnbrg.

[||bit]

The more hashrate that Labrat brings online for Coinseed, the more our earnings will be diluted.  Sounds great to me. /s

I doubt the news is so shallow that it means he will be working for CoinSeed as a side job. If LR helps CoinSeed bring on hardware, I suspect he will be doing so for LRM's benefit - quid pro quo.
Besides, it's possible that CoinSeed's CEO has a vested interest in LRM. Ifso, maybe LR will ask Kauffman if he (or CoinSeed as a company) would disclose any significant interest or not in LRM's success.

I believe LR is smart and clearly enough desires LRM to succeed. So, I suspect he has a reasonable agreement worked out. Again, it's nice news... but still the only question I think is of importance is to what extent it will actually benefit LRM. So far, that seems a bit uncertain - still waiting for any more details from LR. It's not just the cheap electricity, because that electricity rate can be - if I'm not mistaken - attained independent of CoinSeed.

[MWNinja]

Out of curiosity, who designed your PCB? I've never seen an aluminum core used for an edge connector like that without a backside and having gold fingers. I'd like to ask if they used any kind of surface treatment on it to prevent oxidization on the aluminum.

Great news for everyone invested here. I'm generally down on mining bonds and mining companies in general, but L_R has done a great job at maintaining the value in the company.

The aluminum is undoubtedly a ground, so now you have an aluminum to copper connection, which is guaranteed to oxidize. Like the original H-boards they cheaped out on the fingers, didn't bother with gold; the connections aren't exactly stable.  I know they aren't really meant to be inserted/removed, so gold isn't absolutely required, but it would have eliminated a bunch of issues.  It's a shit ton of work deploying a large mining farm; if plagued with reliability issues it can be a real nightmare.

[MrTeal]

Out of curiosity, who designed your PCB? I've never seen an aluminum core used for an edge connector like that without a backside and having gold fingers. I'd like to ask if they used any kind of surface treatment on it to prevent oxidization on the aluminum.

Great news for everyone invested here. I'm generally down on mining bonds and mining companies in general, but L_R has done a great job at maintaining the value in the company.

The aluminum is undoubtedly a ground, so now you have an aluminum to copper connection, which is guaranteed to oxidize. Like the original H-boards they cheaped out on the fingers, didn't bother with gold; the connections aren't exactly stable.  I know they aren't really meant to be inserted/removed, so gold isn't absolutely required, but it would have eliminated a bunch of issues.  It's a shit ton of work deploying a large mining farm; if plagued with reliability issues it can be a real nightmare.

That's why I was asking, no gold fingers over copper traces can cause some reliability issues, but raw Al is almost certain the cause problems especially over time. That's why you don't see it being used like this normally though it might not be as bad for a ground with the extra redundancy of all the extra contacts. There are things you probably do to reduce those effects though, like do a nickel plating over the Aluminum. In the quantities they're looking it probably wouldn't even be that expensive.

Still, it's a really interesting design especially given how the Bitfury chips can be run straight off 12V.

[Flashman]

Okay then, time for some secret sauce,

Dielectric grease, as used on sparkplug wires. wipe thinly onto bitfury edge connector, will seal off from air.... won't work on weakly sprung or worn connectors that can't displace the grease, but should improve reliability of anything else.

[grnbrg]

Okay then, time for some secret sauce,

Dielectric grease, as used on sparkplug wires. wipe thinly onto bitfury edge connector, will seal off from air.... won't work on weakly sprung or worn connectors that can't displace the grease, but should improve reliability of anything else.

I'M SO HARDCORE

I DON'T NEED TO LUBE MY MINER

grnbrg.

[MrTeal]

Okay then, time for some secret sauce,

Dielectric grease, as used on sparkplug wires. wipe thinly onto bitfury edge connector, will seal off from air.... won't work on weakly sprung or worn connectors that can't displace the grease, but should improve reliability of anything else.

Dielectric grease would help some, but it's still a bit of a bandaid. The problem isn't so much that the aluminum oxides over time, it's that it oxides essentially immediately in contact with air so the boards are already compromised. That's why it's such a huge PITA to solder aluminum. Stiff enough springs on the card edge connector should cut through a thin layer though, so it probably won't be a big issue to start as there are many ground connections, as long as the boards aren't moved much.

[MaxwellsDemon]

Will LR be able to purchase at or near cost?

CoinSeed and LR are just buying from Dave in large volumes. I'm sure they got a good price, but as long as they're not buying BitFury itself or starting some kind of chip-making collaboration, there is no reason to assume they will get it at cost.

[Flashman]

as long as the boards aren't moved much.

Yup, I'm thinking thermal cycling and vibration would have you with a continually diminishing contact patch as oxidation works it's way in though.

[||bit]

Will LR be able to purchase at or near cost?

CoinSeed and LR are just buying from Dave in large volumes. I'm sure they got a good price, but as long as they're not buying BitFury itself or starting some kind of chip-making collaboration, there is no reason to assume they will get it at cost.

I'm guessing that's then just BitFury chips bought from Dave. And they have another partner to build the boards at a reduced the cost. Makes me more curious about the prior claim of a project to design & produce a new ASIC chip.

[||bit]

as long as the boards aren't moved much.

Yup, I'm thinking thermal cycling and vibration would have you with a continually diminishing contact patch as oxidation works it's way in though.

Just spot weld it. 

[M31]

PCB noob here... but:

Perhaps the aluminium is not part of a ground connection.  Perhaps they ran all the interconnects in a layer above that such that the Al is bonded to the PCB's insulating surface layer with non electrically conductive adhesive, and the pins on that side of the m-board socket are not connected to anything.

[bigasic]

I think one of the goals of LRM is to try to get 1 percent of all hashing power. If LRM gets to that point, then Ill be happy. With dave at 800 THS now,wow! I think this is great news. Do I have concerns? Absolutely, but when we get 200 THS online soon, now that will be a great start....