Introduction: VHDL FPGA mining in Kintex XC7K325TL-2 devices Post #1

[Xilinx_guy]

It looks like I'll have to slog through a series of introductory posts, just to be able to send private messages. 

I'm interested in developing bitcoin miners using new cutting edge FPGA's from Xilinx.  I am targeting the new Artix and Kintex family, which look like they can hit extremely high MHashes/Watt.   
My first trials have been using the VHDL code posted by Olaf.Mandel here:  http://forum.bitcoin.org/index.php?topic=22426.msg300906#msg300906

I'm targeting 3 parallel cores running at 200 MHz each for a hash rate of 600 MH/sec.   The power is phenomenal in the .9V low power part, only 5.2 watts, giving a figure of merit well over 100 MHashes/watt.

These parts are available now in engineering samples, and in full production next year.  I'm thinking that a PCIe card built with 4 of these will run about 25 watts, and produce anywhere from 2.5 to 3 GHashes/sec.   Nice!

I see that mpfrank has rolled his own pipelined VHDL... http://forum.bitcoin.org/index.php?topic=22415.0   I'd like to try it, but I can't send him a message!   Can someone let him know I'd like to try his code on a Kintex?

Xilinx_Guy

P.S.  I work for Xilinx, so I can't ethically build or sell my own FPGA miner.   But I want to help!   Xilinx users can message me for help or advice! 
         For those who want to keep their VHDL/verilog private, I can execute a Xilinx NDA if you are nervous.

[SgtSpike]

What's the cost on said FPGA's?

[Telsin]

And are there info on those parts on the web somewhere?

[ellipsis]

P.S.  I work for Xilinx, so I can't ethically build or sell my own FPGA miner.   But I want to help!   Xilinx users can message me for help or advice! 
         For those who want to keep their VHDL/verilog private, I can execute a Xilinx NDA if you are nervous.

Cool! So, ostensibly, you could lend me an XC7V2000T engineering sample, rrrright? You're a swell guy.

[Xilinx_guy]

Well, the price on the cheapest version of the Kintex 325 is north of $500 in small quantities... but in high volume, much much lower.  I daren't say how low.   And for those wanting an engineering sample of the XC7V2000T, my answer is "Sure!".    As long as you work for Cisco!    Tier 1 customers will get whatever they want!  

Seriously, the XC7V2000T is not a cost effective part for bitcoin mining.   It's really targeted for ASIC emulation.

Data sheets & user guides for the Kintex are all on the xilinx.com website.  There is a PCIe demo board for the Kintex 325 (KC705), but it won't be publicly available for a few more months.

regards to all,

XG

[SgtSpike]

Honestly, 2.5-3GH/s for $2400 (maybe $1600 bulk pricing?) is a very good price to pay compared to previous FPGA solutions presented on this board.  I'd even say that that is competitive with some of the video cards people are buying (6990's come to mind, which would cost more than $2400 for 2.5-3GH/s, including the costs of the power supplies needed to run four of them).

So, if your estimates on price and MH/s are correct, I bet you can expect to get a whole load of miners buying these cards up.

[ellipsis]

Seriously, the XC7V2000T is not a cost effective part for bitcoin mining.   It's really targeted for ASIC emulation.

You don't say... It would certainly not be for production use. You guys should really put out a trimmed down chip with just a crapload of LUTs/logic cells, maybe an ADC or two, and a couple PCIe lanes... like the K325 with more logic. I'm sure Xilinx knows its own market better, but the premium chips are are a bit too premium. Just sayin'...

[grid]

I'm targeting 3 parallel cores running at 200 MHz each for a hash rate of 600 MH/sec.   The power is phenomenal in the .9V low power part, only 5.2 watts, giving a figure of merit well over 100 MHashes/watt.

Interesting! Perhaps Artix boards will have a better $/MHash ratio? Any good synthesis runs you could share with us?

I see that mpfrank has rolled his own pipelined VHDL...

I reposted your request in mpfrank's thread

[UKMINER-FPGA]

It looks like I'll have to slog through a series of introductory posts, just to be able to send private messages. 

I'm interested in developing bitcoin miners using new cutting edge FPGA's from Xilinx.  I am targeting the new Artix and Kintex family, which look like they can hit extremely high MHashes/Watt.   
My first trials have been using the VHDL code posted by Olaf.Mandel here:  http://forum.bitcoin.org/index.php?topic=22426.msg300906#msg300906

I'm targeting 3 parallel cores running at 200 MHz each for a hash rate of 600 MH/sec.   The power is phenomenal in the .9V low power part, only 5.2 watts, giving a figure of merit well over 100 MHashes/watt.

These parts are available now in engineering samples, and in full production next year.  I'm thinking that a PCIe card built with 4 of these will run about 25 watts, and produce anywhere from 2.5 to 3 GHashes/sec.   Nice!

I see that mpfrank has rolled his own pipelined VHDL... http://forum.bitcoin.org/index.php?topic=22415.0   I'd like to try it, but I can't send him a message!   Can someone let him know I'd like to try his code on a Kintex?

Xilinx_Guy

P.S.  I work for Xilinx, so I can't ethically build or sell my own FPGA miner.   But I want to help!   Xilinx users can message me for help or advice! 
         For those who want to keep their VHDL/verilog private, I can execute a Xilinx NDA if you are nervous.

Hey Man,

Are you still around? Would love to chat regarding this topic