[ANN] FutureBit Project Apollo: Bringing ASIC Mining Back to the Home Miner!

[devincrypt]

I'm more of a plug-n-play type. Bought the Moonlander 2 via Amazon with discount - very easy to setup and go! Hope the Apollo can come with PS and simply be a start-n-go unit - PLEASE!

Thanks in advance - newbie.

[jstefanop]

I would happily wait one more week to get a nice metal case for this cute toy!

Yea I don't think another week will hurt things, and you guys will be way more happier with a nicer looking product.

[jstefanop]

I'm more of a plug-n-play type. Bought the Moonlander 2 via Amazon with discount - very easy to setup and go! Hope the Apollo can come with PS and simply be a start-n-go unit - PLEASE!

Thanks in advance - newbie.

I wish, but regulatory issues and cost of including a built in PSU was a nightmare. I found a really good supplier of a compact 94% efficient 225 watt PSU that could fit inside the space above the PCB , but it would have costs over 80 USD for just the part alone, so I don't think the cost would have been worth it when you can get an ATX or server PSU thats >200 watts for way less.

The goal for this platform is to be plug in play so ill eventually find a solution to the power problem, but that will probably be for "Version 2" or something.

[devincrypt]

Kewl - That's pretty close to PNP - with a recommendation for the PS and a check list to get it fly'n. Now the pain of the wait!

Thanks for the FAST reply!

[jarvisparvis]

Case is no issue with me. I like modding and building stuff. I even designed a custom aluminium case with fans for my 20 moonlanders.

I see the those allen bolts and just see an opportunity to diy. Thinking about alu stand for it...simple 

[crypto_curious]

For me, I would just settle with 4 holes so I can install hexagonal standoffs. It would be pretty good if miner can be stacked with another one on top of it. This could be holes in PCB, or case feature (is it metal or anything else), to enable that. Will it be possible?
So it looks like Cairnsmore1 FPGA or Ztex 1.15y boards, if someone remembers them:

https://imgur.com/a/FvHvvpA

This was my farm back in the day. Stackable design is important.

[crypto_curious]

I'm more of a plug-n-play type. Bought the Moonlander 2 via Amazon with discount - very easy to setup and go! Hope the Apollo can come with PS and simply be a start-n-go unit - PLEASE!

Thanks in advance - newbie.

I wish, but regulatory issues and cost of including a built in PSU was a nightmare. I found a really good supplier of a compact 94% efficient 225 watt PSU that could fit inside the space above the PCB , but it would have costs over 80 USD for just the part alone, so I don't think the cost would have been worth it when you can get an ATX or server PSU thats >200 watts for way less.

The goal for this platform is to be plug in play so ill eventually find a solution to the power problem, but that will probably be for "Version 2" or something.

I am against putting PSU into this unit. It's a versatile, small brick size miner. I can power 5 of them using normal PC PSU I have here laying around. If it's stakable, this would be one neat tower, one PSU and that's all. Could fit this everywhere.
But if It comes with built-in PSU, it will be much heavier per unit, and all PSU I already have are going to be wasted. And I would need 5 mains AC cords which is crazy, considering that each miner only pulls max 1A from mains (230V).

[HagssFIN]

@crypto_curious

Yeah that kind of a design is quite cool,
I used to have Baikal Mini Miners which were also made like that.



(offtopic)
@jstefanop
I sent you an email regarding my order.
I've moved in to another city in Finland.

[wttbs]

I would happily wait one more week to get a nice metal case for this cute toy!

Yea I don't think another week will hurt things, and you guys will be way more happier with a nicer looking product.

+1

no problem waiting another week for a nice case

[devincrypt]

OK - I've been enlightened and agree with crypto_curious. Sans the case and built-in PS. I can imagine several of these on a shelf in my cold garage connected with a common PS (or > 1 depending on the unit #s). The primary "problem" is how soon I can get 'em! 

[philipma1957]

I looked at picture you have a pcie jack so


forget below


I found an old pcie to dc jack adapter that I used with my  gridseeds.

I should be good to go.


https://www.moddiy.com/products/PCI%252dE-6-Pin-to-3-Gridseed-Power-Plug-%282.1mm-DC-Barrel-Plug%29.html

[jstefanop]

I'm more of a plug-n-play type. Bought the Moonlander 2 via Amazon with discount - very easy to setup and go! Hope the Apollo can come with PS and simply be a start-n-go unit - PLEASE!

Thanks in advance - newbie.

I wish, but regulatory issues and cost of including a built in PSU was a nightmare. I found a really good supplier of a compact 94% efficient 225 watt PSU that could fit inside the space above the PCB , but it would have costs over 80 USD for just the part alone, so I don't think the cost would have been worth it when you can get an ATX or server PSU thats >200 watts for way less.

The goal for this platform is to be plug in play so ill eventually find a solution to the power problem, but that will probably be for "Version 2" or something.

I am against putting PSU into this unit. It's a versatile, small brick size miner. I can power 5 of them using normal PC PSU I have here laying around. If it's stakable, this would be one neat tower, one PSU and that's all. Could fit this everywhere.
But if It comes with built-in PSU, it will be much heavier per unit, and all PSU I already have are going to be wasted. And I would need 5 mains AC cords which is crazy, considering that each miner only pulls max 1A from mains (230V).

Yea its a tough one, but you have to remember most people I'm selling this too wont be crypto enthusiasts like you guys, especially if i want new people getting into crypto through an easy to use "desktop" miner like this. Lots of people are already asking me what kind of power port it is, and will have a hard time setting this up with an ATX PSU let alone explaining to them what a server PSU with a breakout board is lol.

I think I can easily build a "modular" type of solution where anyone that wants to opt out of a internal PSU can do so and have a PCIe port there for them.

BTW they can not be stacked on top of one another, since the fan expels hot air and anything above the fan needs to be clear.

[dwood443]

I would happily wait one more week to get a nice metal case for this cute toy!

Yea I don't think another week will hurt things, and you guys will be way more happier with a nicer looking product.

Same with me. I'm patiently waiting, excited to run it but will gladly wait until it meets your quality expectations.

[dwood443]

Just to be clear. The initial release will not have a power supply built in correct? I'm ok with that because I have a spare PSU to use. But I could see future models where a built in PSU would be convenient for the non-techie miner types.

[jstefanop]

Just to be clear. The initial release will not have a power supply built in correct? I'm ok with that because I have a spare PSU to use. But I could see future models where a built in PSU would be convenient for the non-techie miner types.

Yes final product does NOT have a PSU and you either need an ATX PSU or a 12V Server PSU with a PCIE breakout board and two PCIE cables.

I upgraded the board with TWO PCIE 6 PIN power ports for safety, one port is fine if your just going to run this in the most efficient eco mode (~100 watts) but you should use two if your going to draw more current.

[QuintLeo]

Should be able to stack them if you put them on their sides though?

Heatsink looks amazingly like the Alpha series ones I used to have on my Athlon 1800+ CPUs - but a little shorter.

The connector used for PCI-E 6-pin applications is capable of handling 8 amps per pin, or 96 watts per pin - PCI-E specs are EXTREMELY conservative for those connectors even though they only "normally" use 2 of the pins for +12VDC and one for sense.
If you are using all 3 pins for +12VDC (most power supplies are designed to do this) a single connector *should* be fine for up to 288 watts - 192 if you're only using 2 +12VDC pins for power.

[jarvisparvis]

Nice that the fan will pull. That means external fans could be used to push to the heatsink if more cooling is needed in the summer or for those who might wanna push the envelope.

[philipma1957]

waiting not so patiently.

Well at least you are brooklyn based

I am in NJ shipping will be quicker.

[jstefanop]

Should be able to stack them if you put them on their sides though?

Heatsink looks amazingly like the Alpha series ones I used to have on my Athlon 1800+ CPUs - but a little shorter.

The connector used for PCI-E 6-pin applications is capable of handling 8 amps per pin, or 96 watts per pin - PCI-E specs are EXTREMELY conservative for those connectors even though they only "normally" use 2 of the pins for +12VDC and one for sense.
If you are using all 3 pins for +12VDC (most power supplies are designed to do this) a single connector *should* be fine for up to 288 watts - 192 if you're only using 2 +12VDC pins for power.

No because there are intakes on all sides, this is how I was able to achieve such high thermal performance with this and keep fan RPMs low for eco mode. Cool air is being sucked in from all 4 sides and thermal efficiency with this cold forged pin heatsink is extremely high. You could possibly get away with stacking them on the side if your blasting the fans but I haven't tested this configuration, all I know is that thermal performance drops exponentially even if one of the sides are blocked.

As for power, It depends on the wire gauge used, and since the official specs for 6 Pin PCIE is 75 watts there will be someone using a shitty low gauge  ATX PSU so if they don't plug in both and are running it hard they could blow a pcie wire easily. Had to keep it safe and stay within specs, but yea I only use one with 14 gauge wire on my server PSUs.

[jstefanop]

waiting not so patiently.

Well at least you are brooklyn based

I am in NJ shipping will be quicker.

Almost there...I know it sucks being delayed a bit, but at least I have a functioning product that I will deliver, and all pre-orders are essentially getting a 30 dollar case for free now. At least this is better than all these other vaporware products that have failed to deliver anything that I see on here lately

I upgraded all shipments including domestic to fedex instead of USPS...everyone will have their miner within 2-3 days in the states when I start shipping.