Re: Black Arrow 28nm 100Ghash Bitcoin ASIC from $0.49/GH/s

[goozman96]

In the interest of being fair and open, I'm happy to report that my order from ~5 months ago has finally been transferred to the latest site. Hallelujah

How do I transfer my order? Where to write??

Email support@minersource.net and give them your order details.

[goozman96]

minersource.net has the BA PSUs for sale on the site

Wow.. The PSU for the X3 is $220. I'm still hoping they decide last minute to include it with the extra unit for free..

[DebitMe]

Are there going to be any ways of powering the X1's off a normal ATX psu? - Trying to figure out if i can run my 3x X1's aswell as my 10x gridseeds off the same unit.

They have said it will be possible, but that you will need to solder something in order to do it. They will be releasing specs on how to soon.

[OleOle]

Need to know the exact specs of these power supplies going into the X-3 also need the exact specs required to overclock each case of the X-3's.  Please respond with detail.  These details should have been posted ages ago.  How are we suppose to prepare with this lack of info.

these details have been posted here on this forum.

If you're confident in your assertion that details have been posted on this forum then back it up by providing a link.

It's important to note that Black Arrow have delivered nothing at this stage and everything they have said has been contradicted by their their own subsequent [spurious?] updates, so rather than just slack-jawing that 'something was said on the forum' how about you actually follow what's happened and appreciate that almost everything that BA have said up till now has been utter bullshit.

Maybe if BA finally get a product launched then they'll be in a position to publish information that can be relied upon, but you'll appreciate that the commentator above inquiring about exact specs is absolutely correct in seeking confirmed information from BA rather than potentially wasting more money on a power supply that isn't suitable for the requirements.

BA have said a lot, "Ya, ya, we're absolutely confident we can deliver in February..." but their words have proven to be garbage, they can't even communicate with their customers in a unified way and instead there's a revolving door of apparently well-meaning nobodies who parrot whatever rubbish BA feeds them, meanwhile customers are supposed to wait and wait and wait and give them the benefit of the doubt? - Nope, the real world doesn't work that way.

 

[OleOle]

The specs are on ecointalk, he must've been confused as to which forum they were posted on:

http://ecointalk.net/topic/392-black-arrow-weekly-production-update/page-21


From Blackarrow on ecointalk:

"Internal PSUs, they provide 12v (X3: 120A, X1: 12A) and 5volts (5A). They use custom connectors which we can provide as well."


I'm not sure about overclocking.

That's helpful. Thanks.

 

[DebitMe]

Bitcoin Miners progress update – 01 May 2014

1.   Minion – shipping scheduled in the next few days.
2.   X3 hashboard – currently in production
3.   X1 hashboard – currently in production
4.   X1 and X3 backplanes – the board containing the voltage fix has been tested. We’re able to restrict the voltage to 0.8Volts in hardware using in the previous version of the backplanes which are already manufactured. The board with the new improved design will start to be manufactured on 04/05/2014. PCBs will be delivered on 08/05/2014. The units manufactured on 7th and 8th will not be able to be overclocked too high. The customers due to receive this small batch will be contacted directly.
5.   Control board
a.   Apart from having double memory, early reports confirm that our control board is proven to be 3x faster than RPI and more reliable.
b.   One of our PCB suppliers reported the wrong specifications on PCBs therefore we don’t have it yet in stock. However, despite the holiday season they made amendments and stock will be replenished on 05/05/2014.
c.   The LCDs are not yet in stock. We have scheduled a visit to the local supplier on 04/05/14 to reconfirm their delivery schedule.
6.   Software - the control board in mining correctly on FPGA, the software team clearing the final debugging while waiting to receive the real chip to confirm our pre-testing results.
7.   X3 Case
a.   Final sample has been approved. We are happy to report that we reached our goal in producing a case which is robust, compact, very light and easy to assemble.
b.   Currently in production.
8.   X1 Case
a.   Metal case in production.
b.   The plastic case mould will be manufactured in the next few days.
c.   Our last hashboard had to be resized. A new version of the hashboard has been produced.
9.   Bill of materials: Most of the parts have been delivered, the rest are due in the next few days.

Well congrats on this coming together, eagerly waiting to see how it comes out in the next couple of days.  So does this mean that you have a chip in hand now?  Or are those still being waited on and will you post an update in a few days when they come in with exact power and speed specs?

[OleOle]

Any news on the compensation package with the recent pricecut of the Antminer?

Keep laying into them hard about that, people are owed serious compensation for BA's failure to deliver in February.

It will soon be time for the slow hand clap when they finally get round to delivering some miners.

 

[OleOle]

Zillions, did you choose your name based on anticipated difficulty at delivery time!  

I'm sure Chuck Finlay approves





 

[notbatman]

Have BA seen the price of Antminer S1's lately? 0.55BTC for 180GHS +

Plan.. get refund of 2.75BTC that I paid last year for an X1 (as they have not supplied the hardware).. Buy 5X Ant Miners now .. and get around 2THS instead of 100 GHS for the same $$.

X1 power consumption better?

I'd say the S1 has vastly superior power consumption considering the fact that it's a real product and actually gets shipped to customers.

Alternatively one could argue the 0 kW/hrs prospero customers currently use to power their hot air miners is a huge savings over what the S1 customers pay.

[CryptoGuy]

I am still quite confused as to how come the rest of the hardware is not ready when the ASIC chips were delayed by a few months?
 eg cases not made yet, is that for real?

That is a very valid point chap, I think we are in for more delays.

Because they need to know the pinout of the packaged chip before they can build the board. This was mentioned a while back.

[OleOle]

I suppose a question some people might be asking themselves is, "Just how long is the long con?"

Or maybe, "If the hashing I'm getting now is worth less than half the hashing I expected at the earlier promised delivery dates, have I only been half scammed?"

Conned and scammed, or half conned and half scammed? 





 

[DebitMe]

I suppose a question some people might be asking themselves is, "Just how long is the long con?"

Or maybe, "If the hashing I'm getting now is worth less than half the hashing I expected at the earlier promised delivery dates, have I only been half scammed?"

Conned and scammed, or half conned and half scammed? 





 

The good news is, after all of this ordeal, we will know tomorrow whether this has been one big scam or not.  I believe tomorrow (the 6th) is when chips should start shipping, which means that they will have chips in hand or not.  I would have thought getting the chips would be big news and BA would have gotten on here and rubbed it in all of our faces that they actually had chips, but that has not seemed to happen.  So the question is have chips arrived or haven't they?  I guess we will know tomorrow.

[DebitMe]

Indeed the chips will arrive on the 6th.

Oh I thought they were shipping on the 6th?  Just arriving?  My bad must have misread something, will there be an update tomorrow with pics and specs and what not?

Also, I am not sure if there is any more reevaluating going on about the compensation plan, but has anyone brought up further (besides me) about being able to sell the 50% discounts?  I would def buy some off of people who only ordered 1 unit and cannot or will not buy another one, so that I get 2 units for 1.5x the price of one.

[goozman96]

Indeed the chips will arrive on the 6th.

Oh I thought they were shipping on the 6th?  Just arriving?  My bad must have misread something, will there be an update tomorrow with pics and specs and what not?

Also, I am not sure if there is any more reevaluating going on about the compensation plan, but has anyone brought up further (besides me) about being able to sell the 50% discounts?  I would def buy some off of people who only ordered 1 unit and cannot or will not buy another one, so that I get 2 units for 1.5x the price of one.

There should be an update tomorrow, but if not the minute I get notice that the chips have landed, I will be booking a flight over to China, I am going to be on hand for the first completed units and testing so I can bring at least 1 X1 back with me in my carry on

Please also try to strong-arm them about including the PSU for the compensatory units. Thanks

[notbatman]

For the same as an x-3 cost I could have 4Th/s worth of ant miners in hand right now.

Thanks for making me look like a total fucking retard who lost all his money on bitcoins. I told you so's all around for me.

[Pentax]

But if he ordered on batch 2 it's 15th of May delivery not March so he needs to say what batch he is not be vague.

I think the original delivery was end of April for batch 2.  I don't know where this 15th of May date comes from.



http://web.archive.org/web/20140209091048/http://www.blackarrowsoftware.com/store/prospero-x-3.html

"This product will be available on 30 Apr 2014"

"This is a PRE-ORDER (Batch 2), available for dispatch at end of April 2014"



http://web.archive.org/web/20140209130336/https://minersource.net/products/black-arrow-prospero-x-3-2000ghash-slash-second

"THIS IS A PRE-ORDER, NOW ON BATCH 2 ROUND 1, ALL FURTHER ORDERS ARE AVAILABLE FOR DISPATCH APRIL 30TH 2014."




batch 2 is already late, according to that. 

[Pentax]

But if he ordered on batch 2 it's 15th of May delivery not March so he needs to say what batch he is not be vague.

I think the original delivery was end of April for batch 2.  I don't know where this 15th of May date comes from.



http://web.archive.org/web/20140209091048/http://www.blackarrowsoftware.com/store/prospero-x-3.html

"This product will be available on 30 Apr 2014"

"This is a PRE-ORDER (Batch 2), available for dispatch at end of April 2014"



http://web.archive.org/web/20140209130336/https://minersource.net/products/black-arrow-prospero-x-3-2000ghash-slash-second

"THIS IS A PRE-ORDER, NOW ON BATCH 2 ROUND 1, ALL FURTHER ORDERS ARE AVAILABLE FOR DISPATCH APRIL 30TH 2014."




batch 2 is already late, according to that. 

taken from the bottom of ba's own site

Note: the preliminary specifications are currently reported by our design tools. They have not yet been proven in a laboratory and might be subject to change, although we do not expect it to vary much.

Group buys: Group buys are not permitted. We will cancel any order that we discover that is a group buy and will refund the payment minus 10% that we will charge for our time wasted in this matter. By placing an order for this item you agree with the above.
This is a PRE-ORDER for Batch 2, available for dispatch around 15/05/2014

I know that is the site today. 

What I posted was from the wayback machine and shows the site in February, ie, when many/most people likely actually cordered their batch 2's. 

[DebitMe]

Well congrats, they look nice, I hope they perform at or above specs.  We seem to be pretty close to starting shipping.  I think now is the time to really show your customers who you are and wow them with some positive news on both the chip and compensation front.

[Pentax]

I really hope we get a little more information before thursday, at this late in the game i think we need updates when every step happens. I know they're busy but a forum post off a smartphone would only take a minute and more people would actually know the status of production.

chips are in, according to their forum:

http://ecointalk.net/topic/392-black-arrow-weekly-production-update/page-33

[goozman96]

Thanks for the pictures. I guess bobsag3 should be on his way to China now. Have a safe trip.