mrb
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August 25, 2011, 06:36:27 AM |
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(1) your power is a lot more expensive (2x or 3x more, eg. $0.20-0.30/kWh) That's the UK, then. Ave price (before recent ~20% rises) was £0.13 / kWh, about $0.21.  Well these are approximate price ranges I quoted. Personally, at $0.20/kWh I would be on the fence... and probably still keep my GPUs. |
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thirdlight
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August 25, 2011, 07:52:18 AM |
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... and probably still keep my GPUs. Doing both... keeping GPU & expanding into FPGA. Lowers ave cost to produce a coin, but increases ave capital cost / MH. I'm expecting difficulty to increase, electric cost to increase, & coin value to ?? If value increases, gpu is viable longer, if value decreases, I can always switch off the heaters! Ignoring capital, I won't mine for less than electric - that's crazy. I'll tolerate no return on capital because I enjoy the project. Just me...  |
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newMeat1 (OP)
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August 25, 2011, 11:15:11 PM
Last edit: August 26, 2011, 12:15:32 AM by newMeat1 |
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A daily update for you guys...
fpgaminer tested out our USB communication interface on one of his dev boards last night. This is a huge step forward! He was able to read the ID codes of all the chips correctly. He said a bit was getting lost somewhere when he tried to communicate, so he will be trying to hunt this bug down in his code. Now that we're 90% sure this communication idea works, we'll be able to finalize some board design details. It looks like we are sticking to the original schedule so far.
Li has been overworked recently with soldering and stuff, but he showed us a preliminary cost breakdown today, for 1-10 units. He's still waiting on soldering and PCB quotes. Expect him to post a price list soon for 1-100 units. If you preordered a board or two, you can figure out the final amount owed by ( final shown price - $50 for your preorder )
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Christian Pezza
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Merit: 10
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August 26, 2011, 01:35:21 AM |
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A daily update for you guys...
fpgaminer tested out our USB communication interface on one of his dev boards last night. This is a huge step forward! He was able to read the ID codes of all the chips correctly. He said a bit was getting lost somewhere when he tried to communicate, so he will be trying to hunt this bug down in his code. Now that we're 90% sure this communication idea works, we'll be able to finalize some board design details. It looks like we are sticking to the original schedule so far.
Li has been overworked recently with soldering and stuff, but he showed us a preliminary cost breakdown today, for 1-10 units. He's still waiting on soldering and PCB quotes. Expect him to post a price list soon for 1-100 units. If you preordered a board or two, you can figure out the final amount owed by ( final shown price - $50 for your preorder )
Thank you for the update  |
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newMeat1 (OP)
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August 26, 2011, 02:21:58 PM |
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fpgaminer testing on the dev board...  |
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sirky
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August 26, 2011, 02:36:44 PM |
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How many amps does it pull through the Molex?
I am looking at external molex adapters, and am wondering how many boards I can run off one.
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newMeat1 (OP)
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August 26, 2011, 02:38:16 PM |
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Let's see... 15W power draw for the 2-FPGA board. We will be using the 5V side of the Molex on this next batch (not the 12V side). So 15W/ 5V = 3 Amps
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sirky
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August 26, 2011, 02:58:52 PM |
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Let's see... 15W power draw for the 2-FPGA board. We will be using the 5V side of the Molex on this next batch (not the 12V side). So 15W/ 5V = 3 Amps
Damn, most of the external molex online seems to use the 12V. Will continue looking! |
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fizzisist
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August 26, 2011, 06:31:36 PM |
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Let's see... 15W power draw for the 2-FPGA board. We will be using the 5V side of the Molex on this next batch (not the 12V side). So 15W/ 5V = 3 Amps
Damn, most of the external molex online seems to use the 12V. Will continue looking! A cheapie power supply like this one should work fine for about 11 dual-FPGA boards, although if you're spending that much money on FPGAs, you'll probably want to buy something a little more efficient and reliable. There's one caveat, though. You'll need to short the /PS_ON pin to GND on the main connector. Cablesaurus has mentioned selling some dummy plugs for that purpose. Also, the boards will still accept 12V as the input if you'd prefer to use that. You'll just need to use an adapter to move the 12V pin over to where 5V usually comes out. You could do that with one of these, but splicing the 12V line over to the 5V line. Maybe we can arrange for Cablesaurus to make and sell custom adapters to do that, as well. Supposedly there's some trouble with the line regulation on the 12V rail when you don't have a significant load on the 5V rail, though, so you'll want to be aware of that. That's one reason that we're using the 5V rail instead. |
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Dexter770221
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Activity: 1029
Merit: 1000
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August 26, 2011, 08:53:39 PM |
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Hi everyone. I've just get out from the newbie section, but I'm monitoring this topic and few others topics related to FPGA for a few weeks. I'm interested in buying one of your dual FPGA boards.... And few questions comes to my mind... Is there will be an option to buy a self assembly kit? (Yes I know what I,m doing) for a few less $$ (BTC?) Why not to use SATA power connector to save some $$. There is a 3.3V rail that can be used to power the VCCIO (FTDI chip also?) and after cheap LDO linear voltage regulator to supply VCCAUX on the FPGA side. One LMZ is out, replaced by less then 1$ LDO. 5V rail? LMZ specification says that it can be operated from 6V... There is almost the same efficency when operating from 12V rail, but less current will be drown from that rail... So there will be option to drive four LX150 from one SATA power connector... And that's it for now... to much beer for tonight  Some more questions (sugestions?) will come later.... PS. Sorry for my English, it's not my native language... |
Under development Modular UPGRADEABLE Miner (MUM). Looking for investors.
Changing one PCB with screwdriver and you have brand new miner in hand... Plug&Play, scalable from one module to thousands.
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li_gangyi
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August 27, 2011, 11:04:52 AM |
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Is there will be an option to buy a self assembly kit? (Yes I know what I,m doing) for a few less $$ (BTC?)
Possimably, we've yet to set the final price yet, once we work all of that out I'll see what kinda discount you get. Why not to use SATA power connector to save some $$. There is a 3.3V rail that can be used to power the VCCIO (FTDI chip also?) and after cheap LDO linear voltage regulator to supply VCCAUX on the FPGA side. One LMZ is out, replaced by less then 1$ LDO.
Some of the PC PSUs I know, don't have the 3.3V stuffed. The upcoming board will work with anything from 5-19V, so it's up to the user if they wanna make some kinda adapter cable or what not to put on their own PSU solution. 5V rail? LMZ specification says that it can be operated from 6V... There is almost the same efficency when operating from 12V rail, but less current will be drown from that rail... So there will be option to drive four LX150 from one SATA power connector...
New boards most probably won't be using the LMZ modules, I'll update as I go along the design decisions. PS. Sorry for my English, it's not my native language...
It isn't too bad actually. |
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AnRkey
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August 27, 2011, 11:35:37 AM |
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newMeat1 (OP)
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August 27, 2011, 04:06:39 PM |
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Quote from Dexter cheap LDO linear voltage regulator to supply VCCAUX on the FPGA side I've used LDO's before. Isn't it a problem that LDO efficiency is based on Vout/Vin? So, if we go from 3.3V to 2.5V, that's only 76% efficient. Since Vaux uses less than a watt, however... maybe this idea is worth looking into. Thanks! I will have to see if any LDO's meet Xilinx's specs for the power supplies. |
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Karmicads
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August 27, 2011, 04:53:57 PM |
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Well, I placed my pre-order on a X6000 unit. I hope that means the second series without the need for the system cable. I'm in Australia so hope the shipping arrangements will be OK. I plan on going to the Bitcoin confrence/expo thing in Melbourne 18 -20 of November, as I'm planing to put together a standalone solar mining rig. This will be a great unit to incorporate. I wonder what the most minimal type of processor/board I can look at running for the software. Maybe a simple embedded system board running a Linux kernel? Oh! Great work guys. I'm very impressed. |
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newMeat1 (OP)
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August 27, 2011, 05:02:12 PM
Last edit: August 27, 2011, 09:31:46 PM by newMeat1 |
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Have you chaps considered this hardware for future boards? Hmmm this is brand new to me. It seems to be an FPGA that reconfigures while it's running, to stay optimized. Very interesting. I'm sure it's way too expensive for us right now I can answer some of Karmicad's questions... I hope that means the second series without the need for the system cable. That's right. I'm sorry this thread is so cluttered now , we should start a new one with the details clearly marked See link in my signature for FPGA details. I'm in Australia so hope the shipping arrangements will be OK International shipping hasn't been a problem so far. I'm sure you'll be OK I'll try to have somebody else get back to you about the minimum computer EDIT- And thanks for your order! |
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mb300sd
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Activity: 1260
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August 27, 2011, 09:36:05 PM |
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Have you chaps considered this hardware for future boards? Hmmm this is brand new to me. It seems to be an FPGA that reconfigures while it's running, to stay optimized. Very interesting. I'm sure it's way too expensive for us right now I can answer some of Karmicad's questions... I hope that means the second series without the need for the system cable. That's right. I'm sorry this thread is so cluttered now , we should start a new one with the details clearly marked See link in my signature for FPGA details. I'm in Australia so hope the shipping arrangements will be OK International shipping hasn't been a problem so far. I'm sure you'll be OK I'll try to have somebody else get back to you about the minimum computer EDIT- And thanks for your order! Has anyone looked at these? I posted over in the other FPGA thread and didn't get any response. Pricing looks to be in the $200 range. http://www.achronix.com/products/speedster.html |
1D7FJWRzeKa4SLmTznd3JpeNU13L1ErEco
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newMeat1 (OP)
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August 27, 2011, 09:41:18 PM |
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It's hard to say about those achronix chips. They don't give any prices or even much data about them. I guess they are probably really high-end chips. Like, "If you need to ask the price, it's too much" kind of thing.
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Dexter770221
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August 27, 2011, 10:04:53 PM |
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Isn't it a problem that LDO efficiency is based on Vout/Vin? So, if we go from 3.3V to 2.5V, that's only 76% efficient.
Xilinx datasheets reports that current drown from VCCAUX is 600 mA max. So, from 3,3V drop to 2,5V means 0.8V. Multiply that with 0.6A and theres less that 0.5 W of loses. Every cheap LDO with output current of 1A can do this without any problem. Yes, it's something around of 75% efficiency, but consider price below 1$ for LDO and 20$ for LMZ. Difference in loses are something around 0.25W. I've read that prices of 1kWh are something around 0.2$/kWh. Thats 380000 hours when using of LMZ starts to pay off !!! |
Under development Modular UPGRADEABLE Miner (MUM). Looking for investors.
Changing one PCB with screwdriver and you have brand new miner in hand... Plug&Play, scalable from one module to thousands.
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newMeat1 (OP)
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August 27, 2011, 10:20:46 PM
Last edit: August 28, 2011, 12:14:05 AM by newMeat1 |
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Well, I guess there are some other considerations--
The board design is 95% done so we're pretty well locked into using a 5-19V supply at this time (no 3.3V). If we used an LDO and somebody powered the board with 12V, it would only be 2.5/12= 20.8% efficient. And all that extra waste heat wouldn't be pleasant.
Besides, our new regulators are cheaper than $20.
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