FPGA development board "Icarus" - DisContinued/ important announcement

[kano]

Aside: I've made some changes to the Icarus code in cgminer.
With the right options you should be able to use any Icarus type device that is faster or slower than the standard Rev3 Icarus.
(It must have 2 FPGAs and of course accept the same work data and return the same nonce reply as an Icarus Rev3)
Re: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=28402.msg904930#msg904930
I'd of course be interested to hear from anyone with a non standard bitstream Icarus or one of the Icarus clones and any success or failure.

[1714192435]

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[1714192435]

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[1714192435]

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[allinvain]

Good luck selling your FPGAs. It's what I have been saying ALL along but some of you don't listen.

Once the new generation like Lancelot comes out then your Icarus becomes useless but now since mining is profitable it is OK but good luck selling

I don't think they are _useless_ but "older generation" (a more appropriate term would be "older revision" or something like that) boards will get discounted typically. If there are certain physical changes to the new Lancelot board that make it more desirable than Icarus in spite of perhaps being bitstream compatible then no doubt miners would want the newer board and people selling Icarus boards will have to accept a lower price. It's the way the free market works.

[coblee]

Hmm, yeah, it's a bit hard to value the Icarus boards now that the new Lancelot boards are about to be released.

Also may I ask why you are selling them? Looking to replace them with BFL Singles?

I'm interested as well but the asking price seems a bit high.

Well, make me an offer.

There's nothing wrong with my 2 icarus boards. Compared the the BFL Singles, the break even time is just long. Of course, if I just let it mine for a year or 2, I will likely make my money back and it will keep "printing money". But I'm just kind of testing the water to see if I can get a good enough price for these right now.

[Energizer]

I am expecting a new bitstream for Icarus to be released soon, not sure yet how or who or when! Hopefully in maximum 1 month by ngzhang! By then Icarus would be as valuable as Lancelot if not as valuable as BFL singles in terms of hash rate / electricity consumption!

[bulanula]

Good luck selling your FPGAs. It's what I have been saying ALL along but some of you don't listen.

Once the new generation like Lancelot comes out then your Icarus becomes useless but now since mining is profitable it is OK but good luck selling

I don't think they are _useless_ but "older generation" (a more appropriate term would be "older revision" or something like that) boards will get discounted typically. If there are certain physical changes to the new Lancelot board that make it more desirable than Icarus in spite of perhaps being bitstream compatible then no doubt miners would want the newer board and people selling Icarus boards will have to accept a lower price. It's the way the free market works.

That is what I meant. 28nm GPUs will have higher price and price retention compared to old 40nm GPUs like 5xxx.

Same with FPGAs and all chips. New technology is usually cheaper and faster than old tech.

[allinvain]

Hmm, yeah, it's a bit hard to value the Icarus boards now that the new Lancelot boards are about to be released.

Also may I ask why you are selling them? Looking to replace them with BFL Singles?

I'm interested as well but the asking price seems a bit high.

Well, make me an offer.

There's nothing wrong with my 2 icarus boards. Compared the the BFL Singles, the break even time is just long. Of course, if I just let it mine for a year or 2, I will likely make my money back and it will keep "printing money". But I'm just kind of testing the water to see if I can get a good enough price for these right now.

Are these boards Rev1, 2 or 3?

[coblee]

Hmm, yeah, it's a bit hard to value the Icarus boards now that the new Lancelot boards are about to be released.

Also may I ask why you are selling them? Looking to replace them with BFL Singles?

I'm interested as well but the asking price seems a bit high.

Well, make me an offer.

There's nothing wrong with my 2 icarus boards. Compared the the BFL Singles, the break even time is just long. Of course, if I just let it mine for a year or 2, I will likely make my money back and it will keep "printing money". But I'm just kind of testing the water to see if I can get a good enough price for these right now.

Are these boards Rev1, 2 or 3?

I already sold these. Thanks.

[ngzhang]

i really think 28nm FPGAs are still 1 year away.
usually, XILINX's FPGA  will reduce the price to an "acceptable range" 2 years after first distribution. notice that until now, 28nm FPGAs are still can not do a quantity buying.
means: dismal speaking, until 2014 we will not have high cost-performance 28nm FPGAs.
by 2014, i think ASICs will also come out. a 130nm mining ASIC can fuck all fpgas to shit.

[antirack]

Spartan 6 is now 4 years into its lifespan if I am not wrong. Does anybody know the price history of it the past few years?

[ngzhang]

Spartan 6 is now 4 years into its lifespan if I am not wrong. Does anybody know the price history of it the past few years?

about 50% off

[sadpandatech]

a 130nm mining ASIC can fuck all fpgas to shit.

Now you're speaking my 'language'!  


cheers

[xiangfu]

Checkout this: (another 40 Icarus for sale)
  https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=82958

[Beaflag VonRathburg]

Checkout this: (another 40 Icarus for sale)
  https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=82958

Insider information on an upcoming project?

[rudrigorc2]

Checkout this: (another 40 Icarus for sale)
  https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=82958

Insider information on an upcoming project?

you mean Lancelot ? https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=79835.0

I believe more info will come in short time.

[Raize]

Insider information on an upcoming project?

My guess is xiangfu is selling his Icarus to make room for the Lancelots he'll be testing for ngzhang.

[ngzhang]

Insider information on an upcoming project?

My guess is xiangfu is selling his Icarus to make room for the Lancelots he'll be testing for ngzhang.

no... i will test them myself...

[wildemagic]

I have PM'd ngzhang, but if anyone else can answer my query I would be most appreciative.

What voltage input does icarus work from?
I have a bench power supply that is 12v 10A and works at 13.8v.  Will this work with my 4 icarus?

I have 1xv2 and 3xv3 icarus.
I have heard that other hardware works from 5v-15v input, but Im sure its different from manufacturer to manufacturer.

[update] Reply from ngzhang :

hi，
a range of 10-14v is fairly safe. But the boards will get a batter efficiency at lower voltage , like 12v

kind regards

[wildemagic]

Has anyone tried the 200mhz bitstream on the v2 or v3 hardware?

Just wondering what the results were?

I assume some extra cooling may be required.

kind regards

[luffy]

what is the procedure of loading a different bitstrwam? is it possible from the PC via USB?

[wildemagic]

Im pretty sure you need the dev xilinx cable and software.

Not sure tho as I dont have it (yet).

The instructions on ngzhang's link here : https://github.com/ngzhang/Icarus/blob/master/Downloads/bitsteam/guide%20for%20flash%20update.txt suggest that the cable is required.

kind regards