BFL ASIC mining board project

[MrTeal]

The first group buy I placed was on June 26th, so I'm not expecting chips prior to Oct 4th. The first chips are scheduled to be ready mid September though, so if that date is met we could be seeing custom BFL miners ready by the end of September.

Other little bits of news, the production board waiting to be sent off pending production test includes 53.2mm hole spacing, so you can mount (as long as the contact pad is large enough) aftermarket coolers that fit many ATI GPUs. Pics to come soon.

[1714223953]

1714223953

[mmmerlin]

The first group buy I placed was on June 26th, so I'm not expecting chips prior to Oct 4th. The first chips are scheduled to be ready mid September though, so if that date is met we could be seeing custom BFL miners ready by the end of September.

Other little bits of news, the production board waiting to be sent off pending production test includes 53.2mm hole spacing, so you can mount (as long as the contact pad is large enough) aftermarket coolers that fit many ATI GPUs. Pics to come soon.

Very nice! And Josh has just announced that their latest batch of chips has arrived, which is "tons", which if it includes the chips for bulk-buys could mean that they're ready even soon than that!

[joeventura]

The first group buy I placed was on June 26th, so I'm not expecting chips prior to Oct 4th. The first chips are scheduled to be ready mid September though, so if that date is met we could be seeing custom BFL miners ready by the end of September.

Other little bits of news, the production board waiting to be sent off pending production test includes 53.2mm hole spacing, so you can mount (as long as the contact pad is large enough) aftermarket coolers that fit many ATI GPUs. Pics to come soon.

Very nice! And Josh has just announced that their latest batch of chips has arrived, which is "tons", which if it includes the chips for bulk-buys could mean that they're ready even soon than that!

I believe Joshua is having a chip shortage on the production line so don't count your chickens.....

Although there is $$$ in play (the balance of the 50% payment) so he will probably ship them to raw chip orders as that will generate income as making customers who have already paid wait a few more months won't cost him a dime.

[mmmerlin]

The first group buy I placed was on June 26th, so I'm not expecting chips prior to Oct 4th. The first chips are scheduled to be ready mid September though, so if that date is met we could be seeing custom BFL miners ready by the end of September.

Other little bits of news, the production board waiting to be sent off pending production test includes 53.2mm hole spacing, so you can mount (as long as the contact pad is large enough) aftermarket coolers that fit many ATI GPUs. Pics to come soon.

Very nice! And Josh has just announced that their latest batch of chips has arrived, which is "tons", which if it includes the chips for bulk-buys could mean that they're ready even soon than that!

I believe Joshua is having a chip shortage on the production line so don't count your chickens.....

Although there is $$$ in play (the balance of the 50% payment) so he will probably ship them to raw chip orders as that will generate income as making customers who have already paid wait a few more months won't cost him a dime.

Well it's win/lose, win/lose for me as I have eggs in both baskets, so either way is both good and bad for me. But I agree that something that benefits them whilst throwing their very first customers yet further under the bus doesn't sound to be hugely out of character...

[PuertoLibre]

[Speculation]
A play on numbers:

BFL has 75 wafers with a maximum yield of 1,100 chips per wafer at nearly perfect yield.

3000 Single SC units will consume: 16 x 3000 = 48,000 chips

3000 Little Single units will consume: 8 x 3000 = 24,000 chips

2000 Jally's units will consume: 2 x 2000 = 4,000 chips

Total tally so far: 76,000 chips required.

Minirigs are not counted. (Minirigs should require 8 x 16 per box = 128 chips...384 per order)

===================

Question, where does BFL get the rest of their chips if wafer yields are 90% or less? Where do the mini rigs get their chips from?

[mmmerlin]

[Speculation]
A play on numbers:

BFL has 75 wafers with a maximum yield of 1,100 chips per wafer at nearly perfect yield.

3000 Single SC units will consume: 16 x 3000 = 48,000 chips

3000 Little Single units will consume: 8 x 3000 = 24,000 chips

2000 Jally's units will consume: 2 x 2000 = 4,000 chips

Total tally so far: 76,000 chips required.

Minirigs are not counted. (Minirigs should require 8 x 16 per box = 128 chips...384 per order)

===================

Question, where does BFL get the rest of their chips if wafer yields are 90% or less? Where do the mini rigs get their chips from?

You, of all people, I am surprised at for asking. From the magic chip fairy, of course! The honest answer though is that they just place another order with the fab, and make their paying customers wait another 100+ days for the equipment they ordered over a year ago. I don't see what the problem is?

[joeventura]

[Speculation]
A play on numbers:

BFL has 75 wafers with a maximum yield of 1,100 chips per wafer at nearly perfect yield.

3000 Single SC units will consume: 16 x 3000 = 48,000 chips

3000 Little Single units will consume: 8 x 3000 = 24,000 chips

2000 Jally's units will consume: 2 x 2000 = 4,000 chips

Total tally so far: 76,000 chips required.

Minirigs are not counted. (Minirigs should require 8 x 16 per box = 128 chips...384 per order)

===================

Question, where does BFL get the rest of their chips if wafer yields are 90% or less? Where do the mini rigs get their chips from?

The answer to that question will just anger you further.

[boost75]

Looking to get rid of my 48 chip order with Mr. Teal. Paid my deposit already. Just looking to get back what I paid for the chips and chip credits. $1664 for the 48 chips. Bitcoin accepted here. 

[MrTeal]

Sorry for the late update, we've hit a bit of a snag that set us back quite a bit. The PCB supplier sent boards that had a few internal shorts, which resulted in a couple boards that don't work. New PCBs are in house now, so they should be getting populated today to test.

[mmmerlin]

Sorry for the late update, we've hit a bit of a snag that set us back quite a bit. The PCB supplier sent boards that had a few internal shorts, which resulted in a couple boards that don't work. New PCBs are in house now, so they should be getting populated today to test.

Was it faulty manufacture or a mistake in the design (if their mistake then tut-tut, if your mistake, then "oh well, these things happen )

Do they not offer electrical testing on boards? Having said that, I never tick the option anyway as they charge for it and almost never make mistakes, so I can understand why you wouldn't go for it...

Hope all goes well with the respin anyway, good luck!

[MrTeal]

Sorry for the late update, we've hit a bit of a snag that set us back quite a bit. The PCB supplier sent boards that had a few internal shorts, which resulted in a couple boards that don't work. New PCBs are in house now, so they should be getting populated today to test.

Was it faulty manufacture or a mistake in the design (if their mistake then tut-tut, if your mistake, then "oh well, these things happen )

Do they not offer electrical testing on boards? Having said that, I never tick the option anyway as they charge for it and almost never make mistakes, so I can understand why you wouldn't go for it...

Hope all goes well with the respin anyway, good luck!

No, it was their problem with the board. That being said though, it's my bad for not getting the e-test done. For pretty much every board I make I get the e-test done since the client pays for it anyway and I've never had a board fail it, so I didn't bother spending the extra this time. Lesson learned.

[nwfella]

Thanks for the update MrTeal! How does that old saying regarding hind-sight go? Oh yeah

*Once you guys have finished hammering out all of your remaining issues...do you think you guys will be able to produce anywhere near 400 finished units per day (couldn't resist)

**BTW, have you guys decided what your going to be naming your 'baby'?

[joeventura]

The "fastest" Butterfly is the Hawkmoth that travels at 30mph

That is my suggestion.

[mmmerlin]

Sorry for the late update, we've hit a bit of a snag that set us back quite a bit. The PCB supplier sent boards that had a few internal shorts, which resulted in a couple boards that don't work. New PCBs are in house now, so they should be getting populated today to test.

Was it faulty manufacture or a mistake in the design (if their mistake then tut-tut, if your mistake, then "oh well, these things happen )

Do they not offer electrical testing on boards? Having said that, I never tick the option anyway as they charge for it and almost never make mistakes, so I can understand why you wouldn't go for it...

Hope all goes well with the respin anyway, good luck!

No, it was their problem with the board. That being said though, it's my bad for not getting the e-test done. For pretty much every board I make I get the e-test done since the client pays for it anyway and I've never had a board fail it, so I didn't bother spending the extra this time. Lesson learned.

Yeah, that was my attitude, I'd never had one fail so I stopped spending the money on the testing. On the other hand, maybe they failed quite often and they just don't tell you and they respin the board quietly and just give it to you like it worked all along... That would explain it why we've both made the same mistake!

Did you get my email by the way?

[mmmerlin]

The "fastest" Butterfly is the Hawkmoth that travels at 30mph

That is my suggestion.

+1

[BrimStone]

My suggestion would be the "Dr. Mrs. The Monarch" or the "Swallowtail".   

[mmmerlin]

Mothra

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mothra

Amazing!

[Two4D]

MrTeal I sent you a PM, got it?

[mmmerlin]

Any updates?

There have been, but on the BFL forum. It's worth keeping an eye on the parallel thread over there too:

https://forums.butterflylabs.com/hardware-discussion/3901-bfl-asic-mining-board-project.html

Hope that helps.

[MrTeal]

Sorry for the lack of updates, I've been way up North with work and don't have internet when I'm stuck underground for 12+hrs a day.
An 8 chip board is with ChipGeek now and he's working on it, though there appears to be a few problems with communications to the chips. It worked prior to shipping, so hopefully it's nothing serious. I'm waiting on getting home on (hopefully) Wednesday when I can build another one and post up some videos assuming all goes well.