FPGA development board "Icarus" - DisContinued/ important announcement

[ngzhang]

Damn! 451 peak! 

I wonder if there is a way to increase the average speed (ie shorten the gap between the peak and the minimum). 400 Mh/s average would be really sweet to have.

a close beta ver bitsteam is already reached that speed (400M average), but looks like not 100% stable on all -2 device.
so ...

So you are saying that the beta ver bitstream would be 100% stable on all -3 devices or are you saying that only SOME -2 devices will work 100% stable with this  beta version bitstream?

Personally I would take my chances loading the bitstream on the Icarus board if it meant the reward would be consistent 400 MH/s performance.

no, please do not deduce. i do not have a -3 device, so there is no test under them.

and, 380 to 400 only a 5% difference, it there really necessary drive the FPGAs to such a limiting case?

after the shipment over, i will clear up all the code and put them on github, if any one want to try a higher speed version, just do it. anyway Icarus present is a  warranty invalid product.  

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[ngzhang]

Hi ngzhang

I got this error while doing the first step( synthesize the stuff under ./miner_core). nothing relate to 2nd step.  I do get this file sha256_top.ngc. but it give me 1 error. should I take care of this error or just ignore. jump to 2nd step?

thanks ngzhang
xiangfu

no map need at the first step. just sync and get a NGC file.

thanks ngzhang.

another question. how can I create the smartguide file: ./src/miner_top.ncd? it is a binary file. I want know which sources generate this smartguide file?  by read the help of xilinx. it's should be one of the files when running synthesis.

this is generate by smartXplorer flow.
actually, it's used for a higher P&R speed. you certainly can run with out this guild file, and turn to smartXplorer, but it cost a lot of time...

[chungenhung]

please PM me once you start accepting new orders.

[allinvain]

Does the single fan on the 2'nd batch Icarus board provide adequate cooling to the fpgas? (compared to the dual fan solution)

edit: Also is the current fan sleeve or ball bearing?

[plastic.elastic]

would you consider to have a storefront to accept order in the near future?

Also is the 2nd batch sold out yet? I'm looking for 2 boards.

[ngzhang]

Does the single fan on the 2'nd batch Icarus board provide adequate cooling to the fpgas? (compared to the dual fan solution)

edit: Also is the current fan sleeve or ball bearing?

1, the single 4CM fan model get a higher temperature than the 2* 2.5CM fan model, but also acceptable, and not find any error rate increase during the compare test. the ambient temperature is 25-26 centigrade.
2, the single 4CM fan model uses a 4200RPM slave bearing fan, made by SUNON. MODEL NO. is KD1204PFS3.  here is the datasheet:
http://datasheet.octopart.com/KD1204PFS3-H-Sunon-Fans-datasheet-146198.pdf
3, 4CM fan model's noise is much lower than the 2 fans model.
4, the 4CM fan is fasten by 2 screw, you can change it by yourself easily.

would you consider to have a storefront to accept order in the near future?

Also is the 2nd batch sold out yet? I'm looking for 2 boards.

i have no plan for a personal website for selling, here in china i can use "taobao" for a Intermediary Transactions. but for international selling i have no idea.

2nd batch is all sold out. now accept 3rd batch pre-order, planed shipping date is mid - Feb.

[allinvain]

1, the single 4CM fan model get a higher temperature than the 2* 2.5CM fan model, but also acceptable, and not find any error rate increase during the compare test. the ambient temperature is 25-26 centigrade.
2, the single 4CM fan model uses a 4200RPM slave bearing fan, made by SUNON. MODEL NO. is KD1204PFS3.  here is the datasheet:
http://datasheet.octopart.com/KD1204PFS3-H-Sunon-Fans-datasheet-146198.pdf
3, 4CM fan model's noise is much lower than the 2 fans model.
4, the 4CM fan is fasten by 2 screw, you can change it by yourself easily.

Hmm I see. Well to me noise is no issue so I think I will replace the single 4 cm fan with 2 x 2.5 cm ones if I can find them somewhere.

By the way if anyone is wondering the USB to Serial chipset on the board is a Prolific PL2303 which can be found here:

http://www.prolific.com.tw/eng/downloads.asp?id=31

This is necessary on Windows XP (and perhaps older) machines. I'm not sure about windows 7, but apparently the windows action center actually located the proper manufacturer and it even gives you a link to follow to download the drivers. Needless to say I did not actually install it on a windows 7 machine yet.

update: did some checking and apparently the link to the proper usb driver is located in the README file for the Tcl miner but not for the python beta miner.


Now the next challenge is getting the miner.py program to actually work. Do I need a specific version of python or any will do? JSON-RPC addon perhaps?

I know for linux this will be a lot easier but it would be cool if there was a guide for windows out there. 

For now I think I shall see if I can get the Tcl version working at least.

[allinvain]

Just wanted to thank ngzhang for the excellent support. With a bit of assistance from him I was able to get the board mining.

[ngzhang]

1, the single 4CM fan model get a higher temperature than the 2* 2.5CM fan model, but also acceptable, and not find any error rate increase during the compare test. the ambient temperature is 25-26 centigrade.
2, the single 4CM fan model uses a 4200RPM slave bearing fan, made by SUNON. MODEL NO. is KD1204PFS3.  here is the datasheet:
http://datasheet.octopart.com/KD1204PFS3-H-Sunon-Fans-datasheet-146198.pdf
3, 4CM fan model's noise is much lower than the 2 fans model.
4, the 4CM fan is fasten by 2 screw, you can change it by yourself easily.

Hmm I see. Well to me noise is no issue so I think I will replace the single 4 cm fan with 2 x 2.5 cm ones if I can find them somewhere.

By the way if anyone is wondering the USB to Serial chipset on the board is a Prolific PL2303 which can be found here:

http://www.prolific.com.tw/eng/downloads.asp?id=31

This is necessary on Windows XP (and perhaps older) machines. I'm not sure about windows 7, but apparently the windows action center actually located the proper manufacturer and it even gives you a link to follow to download the drivers. Needless to say I did not actually install it on a windows 7 machine yet.

update: did some checking and apparently the link to the proper usb driver is located in the README file for the Tcl miner but not for the python beta miner.


Now the next challenge is getting the miner.py program to actually work. Do I need a specific version of python or any will do? JSON-RPC addon perhaps?

I know for linux this will be a lot easier but it would be cool if there was a guide for windows out there. 

For now I think I shall see if I can get the Tcl version working at least.

notice that the 4CM fan i select is a low speed model. change to a faster model will sure better than even use 2 X 2.5CM fans.
the FPGA is -I temperature grade, and can run under 100 C core temp.

all the need files i'm updating them onto github.

[allinvain]

Excellent. Thanks for the info. So far it seems the board is not running hot at all, but then again I've had it mining for only 2 hours. I may still replace it with the ball bearing version of the same fan (for longer lifespan and peace of mind).

[O_Shovah]

Hello everybody.

I wantted to share some empiric data regarding heat.
I took thermografic pictures from the Icarus board at full speed.

Circumstances:
No additional airflow(still room air)
Ambient temperature 21 °C

All parts are nicely cool and within safe margins:)

[randomguy7]

Got my boards today (thx ngzhang). The boards seem to work well but I'm constantly getting the message "reader get queue", not sure if this should be the case. I use the queue version of the miner by starting the python script directly (without the shell script).
Btw, does this miner support LP? Has someone already tried to mine on p2pool?

[server]

I wantted to share some empiric data regarding heat.
I took thermografic pictures from the Icarus board at full speed.

Circumstances:
No additional airflow(still room air)
Ambient temperature 21 °C

Nice pictures

Can you make a picture of the flipside of the board while mining ?

I messured the highest temps at the backside of the spartan6 chips.

[O_Shovah]

I wantted to share some empiric data regarding heat.
I took thermografic pictures from the Icarus board at full speed.

Circumstances:
No additional airflow(still room air)
Ambient temperature 21 °C

Nice pictures

Can you make a picture of the flipside of the board while mining ?

I messured the highest temps at the backside of the spartan6 chips.

Ok will try to take one next week when i get the camera back.

[ngzhang]

Got my boards today (thx ngzhang). The boards seem to work well but I'm constantly getting the message "reader get queue", not sure if this should be the case. I use the queue version of the miner by starting the python script directly (without the shell script).
Btw, does this miner support LP? Has someone already tried to mine on p2pool?

that means your network connection to the pool is not stable. the miner can't get a single job in few seconds.  if possible please change to a faster pool.
this miners are not support LP now. i'm working on a new miner, but it seems need some more time.

[xiangfu]

Hi

this miner.py not support LP. . I have already tried to mine on p2pool. anyway maybe we add the LP support to miner.py.
btw. I have setup the p2pool in my server. (www.openmobilefree.net:9333)

Btw, does this miner support LP? Has someone already tried to mine on p2pool?

[xiangfu]

Hi

do you mind I upload those picture to http://en.qi-hardware.com/wiki/Icarus. license will be public domain.

thanks
xiangfu

Hello everybody.

I wantted to share some empiric data regarding heat.
I took thermografic pictures from the Icarus board at full speed.

Circumstances:
No additional airflow(still room air)
Ambient temperature 21 °C

All parts are nicely cool and within safe margins:)

[coblee]

I just got my 2 Icarus boards. They came well package with everything I need to start mining. Unlike the x6500, these came with usb cables and power adapters. I plugged them in, installed the usb serial software, moved the python libraries to the right location, and ran miner.py and started mining right away. It took me less than 10 minutes from opening the package to mining. And I'm running this on my Mac.

When I have wattage and hashrate data, I will report back.

[coblee]

ngzhang, are you using curses? I'm asking because my output looks like this:

Code:

Block found on Fri Jan 20 20:47:11 2012
Upstream result: True
2e4b0c64
[39 accepted, 0 failed, 491.12 +/- 78.64 Mhash/s]
Block found on Fri Jan 20 20:47:12 2012
Upstream result: True
0abb5bdc
[40 accepted, 0 failed, 502.02 +/- 79.38 Mhash/s]
Block found on Fri Jan 20 20:47:16 2012
Upstream result: True
2840937f
[41 accepted, 0 failed, 509.00 +/- 79.49 Mhash/s]

Is that normal?

[ngzhang]

ngzhang, are you using curses? I'm asking because my output looks like this:

Code:

Block found on Fri Jan 20 20:47:11 2012
Upstream result: True
2e4b0c64
[39 accepted, 0 failed, 491.12 +/- 78.64 Mhash/s]
Block found on Fri Jan 20 20:47:12 2012
Upstream result: True
0abb5bdc
[40 accepted, 0 failed, 502.02 +/- 79.38 Mhash/s]
Block found on Fri Jan 20 20:47:16 2012
Upstream result: True
2840937f
[41 accepted, 0 failed, 509.00 +/- 79.49 Mhash/s]

Is that normal?

it's your lucky minutes!

curses will be used in the futuer.