Antminer S2 Speculation thread

[alexrossi]

Will these coupons be able to be used for any new products that come out such as the S2?

When S2 comes, we will be issuing coupons again  

With this quote BITMAIN has silently announced the new antminer s2, what do you expect from the bitmain second generation?

[kendog77]

If the S2 is under 1W/GH, is available for immediate delivery (no pre-orders), and is priced as competitively as the S1 I'll be a happy repeat customer.

[alexrossi]

If the S2 is under 1W/GH, is available for immediate delivery (no pre-orders), and is priced as competitively as the S1 I'll be a happy repeat customer.

Yeah, me too
Personally i don't expect 1w/gh in a very near future from bitmain

[Delarock]

I'll speculate.

They've made a new control board and it's going to be 3-5 "slices" in a new unit. I think this is likely.

It's also possible that they've made boards that utilize more than 32 chips; maybe the same 2x "slice" units, but with 40 chips instead of 32. I don't know how likely this is, but it would only make sense if there would be a net decrease in watts consumed.

The basis of my speculation is that they do not have a new chip. It is my understanding that the chips they use in their existing hardware is of their own design. I don't see any indication that they are in the wave of A1 clones that are making their way to users.

Secondary to this is that there is a loss of wattage to components other than chips, and that they have found a way to make the current design more efficient. I've seen a lot of concern that some hardware out there draws more power than the average consumer has per circuit in their residence. Their existing hardware is not as efficient, and is roughly 1.9w/GH. Other manufactures have released hardware that is near 1w/GH, but this is with next generation ASIC technology.

Have they found a way to make their current hardware more efficient, or do they have new technology?

We should start a poll.

[pvnamk19]

Gmaxwell may know S2 specifications now but he will not disclose for us. Anyway, I'am eager for S2 from Bitmain and bored with pre-orders from other ASIC companies.

[klondike_bar]

I am hoping it is a newer chip design. alternatively, maybe more chips on an undervolted PCB to get a slightly higher efficiency?

[ineedit]

I am hoping it is a newer chip design. alternatively, maybe more chips on an undervolted PCB to get a slightly higher efficiency?

There are too many other vendors starting to crowd into the 900W/1TH range, if it is not a new chip offering better hash to watts then they will not be selling many.

[Biffa]

1.2W/GH
500GH/S
2.4BTC

[Easy2Mine]

Is 55nm inferior to 28nm process node in the mining competition?

As a miner myself, I won't take the 28nm vs 55nm too seriously. I would only care the price, power efficiency, space density of hashing rate( to save rooms and spaces). Different designers generate different results from the same process node, as Bitfury v.s. Av**n, which is well known about. Bitfury's 55nm chip is even better effective in power consumption than some 28nm chip.

Chip level hashing power density has yet improved nothing in over all hashing power space density to save space. Our 55nm miner will save more space for miners, compared with some 28nm mining rig (We actually have bought one from the second hand market).

We are not saying our 55nm node will win forever, but we are not staying at 55nm forever at the same time.

Anyone who has closely look at their Antminers and did a raw calculation on the production costs plus shipping costs and salaries will come to a conclusion that it will be very tight to sell it under 0.2 BTC at curent BTC price.
They are not using Foxconn to assembling their stuff.
This is not mass production, the miners world is still small compared with normal electronics.
I think they already have their next gen ready or before their Antminers S1 reach the point of 0.5 BTC plus free shipping.

Anyone who has more knowledge and are willing to tear down the S1 for exact production costs is welcome to share his/her opinion.
I only did a quick raw calculation

[alexrossi]

1.2W/GH
500GH/S
2.4BTC

would be great, but at least for me we need to wait another month

[alexrossi]

Anyone who has closely look at their Antminers and did a raw calculation on the production costs plus shipping costs and salaries will come to a conclusion that it will be very tight to sell it under 0.2 BTC at curent BTC price.

holy f**k sounds crazily low at me, 120/150 USD are enough to produce an ant?

[Delarock]

Let's take an educated guess based on the 500 GH, 1.2 W/GH figure, and assume that they don't have new chips. Please keep in mind that I'm not even close to an engineer.

Seems like it would be doable in roughly double the footprint of S1's, if they stuff a ton of chips in and under clock them. I can't think of any other way that they'd be able to fit more chips in the same space without limiting the wattage. The math is confusing me, but I really feel like they're going to use existing S1 boards and just putting more of them into a unit. I could easily see a 5-6 board machine with the chips tuned for efficiency. Detune an S1 to 180 and fit 3 of them together with 1 control board.

Would make sense, right?

[Xian01]

Stands to reason it could be a 360GHs unit ?

Either way, will probably be buying several. I <3 Bitmain !

[Gator-hex]

I want the Antminer S2 to be a re-branded one of these Bitmine A1 based Dragon Miners!
http://www.lketc.com/goods/show-197.aspx
1TH / 880W = 19999 Yuan = $3255 USD!
I see a lot of people selling clones but they ask too much. Bitmain do us a good deal.

[kendog77]

I want the Antminer S2 to be a re-branded one of these Bitmine A1 based Dragon Miners!
http://www.lketc.com/goods/show-197.aspx
1TH / 880W = 19999 Yuan = $3255 USD!

Damn, I wish I could buy a 1TH Dragon for $3255 plus shipping right now! I would buy several at that price.

[Easy2Mine]

Anyone who has closely look at their Antminers and did a raw calculation on the production costs plus shipping costs and salaries will come to a conclusion that it will be very tight to sell it under 0.2 BTC at curent BTC price.

holy f**k sounds crazily low at me, 120/150 USD are enough to produce an ant?

Look at Asicminer when they announced they will stop production of their first and second generation blades because it won't be profitable to produce them anymore.
You will be surprised how much profit there was for Asicminer.
Friedcat is really smart in doing business.

[Xian01]

I wish I could buy a 1TH Dragon for $3255 plus shipping right now! I would buy several at that price.

 Ditto.

[Abraxas601]

The difference between the S1 and S2 could be similar to the difference between the U1 and U2.  Same chip but with hardware and software based optimizations to improve performance.

[Delarock]

Same chip... But there's 64 of them in a S1 and only 1 in an U1.

Anyone know how much power is lost to components besides the chip?

[SVK]

I wish I could buy a 1TH Dragon for $3255 plus shipping right now! I would buy several at that price.

 Ditto.

http://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/1-TH-s-SHA256-Bitcoin-miner_1682627228.html