Announcing the FutureBit Apollo BTC - A Full Node/Mining Platform for the Home!

[nullama]

Hello

Does anyone know the proper command for attaching 2 USB board Apollo BTC devices to an Ubuntu linux machine?

Would it look something like this with both "/dev/ttyACM0 /dev/ttyACM1" being the devices connected to PC?


apollo-miner -host "*.pool.org" -port 3333 -user "wallet_address".Apollo -pswd x -comport /dev/ttyACM0 /dev/ttyACM1 -brd_ocp 75  -osc 50 -ao_mode 1

It looks like the miner software only can control one miner at a time, so you would need to execute two instances of it.

Here's what the official script does:

#!/bin/bash
#This Script finds all your connected Apollo BTC Standard Hashboards and starts each one with the settings below in a screen session. Please see the miner_start.sh file for additional directions.

start_hashboards()
{
    while [ $1 ];
            do
            screen -dmS miner ./futurebit-miner -comport $1 -ao_mode 1 $settings
            sleep 1
            shift
    done
}

#find and start external hashboards


ports=$(ls /dev/ttyACM*)
start_hashboards $ports

echo "Started"

You could either do that, or simply run them manually, based on your command it would be something like this:

Code:

screen -dmS miner0 apollo-miner -host "*.pool.org" -port 3333 -user "wallet_address".Apollo -pswd x -comport /dev/ttyACM0 -brd_ocp 75  -osc 50 -ao_mode 1
sleep 1
screen -dmS miner1 apollo-miner -host "*.pool.org" -port 3333 -user "wallet_address".Apollo -pswd x -comport /dev/ttyACM1 -brd_ocp 75  -osc 50 -ao_mode 1

You can then do screen -r miner0 to go back to see the output of miner0. Same for miner1. To go back from that view, you can press Ctrl-A, then Ctrl-D. You can see what's running with screen -list

[1714098489]

1714098489

[1714098489]

1714098489

[jedilostone]

Hello

Does anyone know the proper command for attaching 2 USB board Apollo BTC devices to an Ubuntu linux machine?

Would it look something like this with both "/dev/ttyACM0 /dev/ttyACM1" being the devices connected to PC?


apollo-miner -host "*.pool.org" -port 3333 -user "wallet_address".Apollo -pswd x -comport /dev/ttyACM0 /dev/ttyACM1 -brd_ocp 75  -osc 50 -ao_mode 1

It looks like the miner software only can control one miner at a time, so you would need to execute two instances of it.

Here's what the official script does:

#!/bin/bash
#This Script finds all your connected Apollo BTC Standard Hashboards and starts each one with the settings below in a screen session. Please see the miner_start.sh file for additional directions.

start_hashboards()
{
    while [ $1 ];
            do
            screen -dmS miner ./futurebit-miner -comport $1 -ao_mode 1 $settings
            sleep 1
            shift
    done
}

#find and start external hashboards


ports=$(ls /dev/ttyACM*)
start_hashboards $ports

echo "Started"

You could either do that, or simply run them manually, based on your command it would be something like this:

Code:

screen -dmS miner0 apollo-miner -host "*.pool.org" -port 3333 -user "wallet_address".Apollo -pswd x -comport /dev/ttyACM0 -brd_ocp 75  -osc 50 -ao_mode 1
sleep 1
screen -dmS miner1 apollo-miner -host "*.pool.org" -port 3333 -user "wallet_address".Apollo -pswd x -comport /dev/ttyACM1 -brd_ocp 75  -osc 50 -ao_mode 1

You can then do screen -r miner0 to go back to see the output of miner0. Same for miner1. To go back from that view, you can press Ctrl-A, then Ctrl-D. You can see what's running with screen -list

Thank you i'll try this out

I have it running as a service to autostart upon reboot, i'll edit it and let you know how it goes

[jedilostone]

Hello

Does anyone know the proper command for attaching 2 USB board Apollo BTC devices to an Ubuntu linux machine?

Would it look something like this with both "/dev/ttyACM0 /dev/ttyACM1" being the devices connected to PC?


apollo-miner -host "*.pool.org" -port 3333 -user "wallet_address".Apollo -pswd x -comport /dev/ttyACM0 /dev/ttyACM1 -brd_ocp 75  -osc 50 -ao_mode 1

It looks like the miner software only can control one miner at a time, so you would need to execute two instances of it.

Here's what the official script does:

#!/bin/bash
#This Script finds all your connected Apollo BTC Standard Hashboards and starts each one with the settings below in a screen session. Please see the miner_start.sh file for additional directions.

start_hashboards()
{
    while [ $1 ];
            do
            screen -dmS miner ./futurebit-miner -comport $1 -ao_mode 1 $settings
            sleep 1
            shift
    done
}

#find and start external hashboards


ports=$(ls /dev/ttyACM*)
start_hashboards $ports

echo "Started"

You could either do that, or simply run them manually, based on your command it would be something like this:

Code:

screen -dmS miner0 apollo-miner -host "*.pool.org" -port 3333 -user "wallet_address".Apollo -pswd x -comport /dev/ttyACM0 -brd_ocp 75  -osc 50 -ao_mode 1
sleep 1
screen -dmS miner1 apollo-miner -host "*.pool.org" -port 3333 -user "wallet_address".Apollo -pswd x -comport /dev/ttyACM1 -brd_ocp 75  -osc 50 -ao_mode 1

You can then do screen -r miner0 to go back to see the output of miner0. Same for miner1. To go back from that view, you can press Ctrl-A, then Ctrl-D. You can see what's running with screen -list

Thank you i'll try this out

I have it running as a service to autostart upon reboot, i'll edit it and let you know how it goes

Thanks that worked like a charm

Appreciate the help

[anonymouze2020]

I'm very interested in ordering tonight...some questions...

1) Will I be able to run a lightning node like Umbrel on this machine?
2) What applications can be run on the computer, is it like a full computer (it has Linux) and can it run everything?
3) What is the profitability per day if pool mining?

[nullama]

I'm very interested in ordering tonight...some questions...

1) Will I be able to run a lightning node like Umbrel on this machine?
2) What applications can be run on the computer, is it like a full computer (it has Linux) and can it run everything?
3) What is the profitability per day if pool mining?

1) The full version includes the miner and a small computer (think something like a raspberry pi, but more powerful). There is a bitcoin node installed there, and I think they're still working on adding lightning on top of it. It would be a software update anyway. And of course you can just install anything there, it's a linux machine.

2) Yes, it's a linux device(if you buy the full version), you get full access to it. Note that the standard version includes just the miner, no computer. So if you get the standard you'll have to connect it through USB to a computer. Also note the miner software is closed sourced, but there are binaries for Raspberry Pi, Linux, and Windows. Also note that the full version comes with a web dashboard out of the box. The standard version is basically a DIY for checking the information of the miner.

3) This depends of course on how you configure it. It can get up to 3TH/s+. Any online calculator should give you the details when plugging this number. For quiet operation it gets around 2-2.5TH/s.

[WLColsher]

3) What is the profitability per day if pool mining?

You need to be aware that mining depends a great deal on "luck" and "difficulty". I mine with a full unit and one standard and track my results on a daily/weekly basis. My "best ever" week was March 30 - April 5 when the two units "mined" 0.00020829 BTC. The average with 2 units has been 0.00017008 BTC per week. At the current USD price of BTC that's about $5.00.

Obviously your "profitability" will depend on your cost of electricity (200 watts per unit) and how you choose to account it. I suggest that you treat these miners as variable rate foreign currency bonds with a *very long* duration. The simplistic "ROI" you see everywhere is really only relevant at the commercial level of mining.

Good Luck!

ETA: That's mining on Slushpool.

[n0nce]

I'm very interested in ordering tonight...some questions...

1) Will I be able to run a lightning node like Umbrel on this machine?
2) What applications can be run on the computer, is it like a full computer (it has Linux) and can it run everything?
3) What is the profitability per day if pool mining?

If you want to run Lightning on it, you can follow my guide about installing Core Lightning on it.

It's part of my full custom Linux install guide (replacing Futurebit's OS) and I'm not sure if you can just install Core Lightning on top of 'Futurebit OS' without issues. Following the guide should give a good result, however I still have a problem with the web UI. By the time you'll get your unit, I'll have it figured out and fixed though, I'm sure.

[jstefanop]

FYI Batch 4 is live on our shop. Production is already underway for these and should start shipping next month. We gave ourselves a 3 month leeway for Q3 deliveries to make sure we were actually not a month late like every other pre-order in the past 

[Sledge0001]

FYI Batch 4 is live on our shop. Production is already underway for these and should start shipping next month. We gave ourselves a 3 month leeway for Q3 deliveries to make sure we were actually not a month late like every other pre-order in the past 

Of course you announce this now. 

I have spent the last month+ scouring Ebay and buying from other members.

The good news is I have accumulated 18 of these and they run like a champ!

14 are in use and 2 more on the way! (I gave 2 full units away to family).

[prpoub]

Hello

is it possible to transform a full node into a usb node?
because i have 2 full! and 2 power !
If it possible 1 power 1 full and 1 usb-full tranform?

[nullama]

Hello

is it possible to transform a full node into a usb node?
because i have 2 full! and 2 power !
If it possible 1 power 1 full and 1 usb-full tranform?

The only difference between the Full and Standard is that the Full has an extra single board computer connected directly to the miner.

You can turn a Standard into a Full if you provide your own Raspberry Pi or similar for example.

And you can turn a Full into a Standard by simply not using the extra single board computer and connecting the miner through USB to another computer.

[JoeDirticus]

A couple of things--How many standards can you attach to a full via a splitter?--
Or are you better off looking at something different going that route?
Are they upgradeable via Ubuntu, or do you have your update ppas installed to supersede them?
If Ubuntu updates, will it break the system?
Since the hash power is so low, will these be hardware upgradeable when a future version release becomes available, instead of just throwing them out?
You can run the node and mine at the same time, right?
Never dealt with asic, which is why I ask.

[jstefanop]

A couple of things--How many standards can you attach to a full via a splitter?--
Or are you better off looking at something different going that route?
Are they upgradeable via Ubuntu, or do you have your update ppas installed to supersede them?
If Ubuntu updates, will it break the system?
Since the hash power is so low, will these be hardware upgradeable when a future version release becomes available, instead of just throwing them out?
You can run the node and mine at the same time, right?
Never dealt with asic, which is why I ask.

There is no real limit if you use a usb hub, but yea the point of these is a small low power device you can get started with mining and run in your house without worrying about the power bill. If your going to buy 15, you might as well get an s19.

The new images we will release we have further decoupled the futurebit specific OS bits from the underlying Ubuntu system, so you will be able to freely update it and install whatever you wish without fear of bricking it.

[n0nce]

The new images we will release we have further decoupled the futurebit specific OS bits from the underlying Ubuntu system, so you will be able to freely update it and install whatever you wish without fear of bricking it.

How about releasing the 'Futurebit specific OS bits' as a debian package or something like that?
Maybe even different packages:

• apollo-miner
• apollo-btc-core
• apollo-webgui
• apollo-lightning

So that you can install just what you want / need. And be able to add packages down the line. For instance one may want to just start off mining but then later realize a full node would be useful to them.

[Denormal]

Is out of the box Lightning Node functionality planned by FutureBit or does anyone have a step by step guide for setting one up on it?

[n0nce]

Is out of the box Lightning Node functionality planned by FutureBit or does anyone have a step by step guide for setting one up on it?

Yes, I believe it's planned.

I did create a guide, based on a fresh install of Armbian (the Linux distro also used by Apollo / which you get on the SD card images they provide), so it should work exactly the same on the latest version of 'Futurebit OS'.
Jump directly to here:

Core Lightning
[1] Install dependencies
[...]

[SG11]

Have the Full and an additional Standard node up and running from Batch 4.  One of the hashboards is showing an error rate of ~2% over its first 3 days of uptime, while the second has been showing an error rate upwards of 30%.

How do I address?  At what point does this machine require service or replacement?

[SG11]

The good news is I have accumulated 18 of these and they run like a champ! 14 are in use and 2 more on the way! (I gave 2 full units away to family).

oof!  That's not exactly the most efficient way to get to half the hashing power of an S19J.  How's the electric bill?  How many full units are you using to control that many miners?

[Sledge0001]

oof!  That's not exactly the most efficient way to get to half the hashing power of an S19J.  How's the electric bill?  How many full units are you using to control that many miners?

I'm somewhere between enthusiast / hobby & business miner at this point and also have 4 x S19APro's 110TH running @ Delmarva Blockchain.

I have 4 full Apollo BTC units currently running. (Only 1 is actually running as a BTC node).

2 of the full units have 5 standards each running off of them with a non-powered USB hub and the other 2 have 4 standards each running off of them.

I do have 1 full unit in for repair now and plan on purchasing another standard this week to bring me up to a total of 24 Total Apollo BTC units.

The heat isn't that bad from the Apollos as they are all running in turbo mode. The heat produced and the energy use is considerably less than what my 3.5GH/s Eth farm was consuming so I am happy overall and write off my expenses.

My ultimate goal now is to hit a block with these on Kano's solo pool.

[SG11]

2 of the full units have 5 standards each running off of them with a non-powered USB hub and the other 2 have 4 standards each running off of them.

Just a generic USB hub, or was there any issue finding one to work with the orange pi?

My ultimate goal now is to hit a block with these on Kano's solo pool.

Good luck!