another update:
Black Arrow July 6th 2014 Update
Shipping has started!
Minion
We have tested the Minion powered at 0.6V and the efficiency is 0.5W/ghash at the wall while hashing at 50Ghash. This translates into $1.1/Ghash at this outstanding efficiency.
Prospero X-1
1.Shipping: This week we have manufactured and have been shipping Prospero X-1 miners (Control Board – Original Design). We will clear all X1 orders by the end of July. Customers will be receiving their shipping information as soon as their order will be processed. Our shipment from Black Arrow has confirmed to have left on Saturday.
2.LCD has been tested successfully with the touch panel using our hardware. Following this we are putting it to mass production on Monday and it will be attached to miners as soon as it arrives.
3.WiFi – For the reasons explained in our previous update, WiFi antennas will be delivered together with the units containing LCD.
4.Units will be dispatched without LCD and WiFi until the LCDs will be delivered to us.
5.User Manual can be downloaded from
http://www.blackarrowsoftware.com/store/prospero-support.html.
6.Photos from our assembly line are available at
http://ecointalk.net/gallery/album/42-06-july-update/Prospero X-2
1.Following market trends, we decided to manufacture a new product which can achieve a lower price per GHash. LCD, WiFi and build in PSU will be not included in the X-2. The idea behind X-2 is to use 1 hashing module from Prospero X3 and power it up with an ATX PSU. Several modules can be powered by one single ATX supply.
2.The hashing power will be around 240 GHash/s.
3.We are now in testing phase of the prototype and we will have a case designed and ready under a week time.
4.We will put this product to sale from stock only.
Prospero X-3
1.We have completed the assembly of first prototype using the new Backplane of Prospero X-3. Testing results have been successful. Following this we progressed to next stage and we have placed the order for mass production.
You can find a short video with our testing at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfwnKZTeAG82.We have already manufactured 10% of the X-3 backplanes which are now in SMT line for assembly. We expect to deliver them by 12th of July
3.Deliveries of all X-3 current orders will be completed by the end of the month.
4.LCD will be attached to the miners as soon as they are delivered. All units will be dispatched without LCD. until LCD parts will be delivered to us
5.To prevent interference in the datacenter this product does not have WiFi module/capabilities.
Rent-A-Minion
The service will start according to the place in the queue as soon as the hardware is ready.
Compensation
Currently we are unable to raise the compensation more than announced previously. The final decision will be made after we complete all deliveries in order to calculate the yield and our final costs.
However, we have done all preliminary calculations possible right now and due to our design focused on quality including:
-8 layer PCBs
-heatpipe heatsinks
-aluminium case
-included power supply
-long life 4 wire 5000 RPM fans
-genuine parts (capacitors, resistors, mosfets, inductors etc)
-capacitors that cannot not explode
Our current design will not be able to directly compete on price with competitors’ design most of which are using one or more of the following:
-4 layers PCBs
-extruded aluminum heatsinks
-steel cases or case-less units
-no power supplies
-1500 rpm 2 wire fan (no speed control, no rpm reading)
As currently there are lower cost designs for our ASICs, at this point we would like to offer our loyal customers the possibility to exchange their order to Minion ASICs. We are now offering to exchange your order to ASIC at a discounted price of lower than $0.5/Ghash as follows:
-Each X3 preorder can be exchanged for 100 ASICS
-Each X1 preorder can be exchanged for 6 ASICs
-Each $55 paid for Rent-A-Minion service can be exchanged for 1 ASIC
Note that customers who choose to exchange their orders for ASICs forfeit the compensation announced previously.
Dispatch for the Minions is available immediately
Any customer that wishes to swap their order for ASICs, we have other assembly options available.
Every share of R17 can be converted to 2 Bare Minion Chips. Technobit has a 4 chip board design that has been tested. If anyone wishes to take the chips for their shares (we will be able to start shipping chips on Wednesday) people who request bare chips that are within the US will have free 2nd day air shipping to them.
We will also be shipping chips to technobit as a bulk order for discounted assembly services if you would like to do this we can add your chips to these shipments.
PSU's for the first shipment of X3's has been sent to minersource, some R17 machines are part of the first order / shipment that will be received.