High Efficiency FPGA & ASIC Bitcoin Mining Devices https://BTCFPGA.com

[scrybe]

Thanks guys,

May you both come in over spec, under budget and within 10% of your labor forecast.

[1713484602]

1713484602

[1713484602]

1713484602

[cablepair]

ModMiner Quad Customers:


I am trying very hard to work out a upgrade path that makes sense for both of us. I have a potential "re-use" of the MMQ but I am not sure how much I can pay for them in a buy-back program just yet.


So I would like your input:

(Q) What do you think is a "Fair" trade in value

(Q) What is the lowest trade in value you would accept

(Q) What would you rather do?

1) Trade in your ModMiner Quad for a $300 discount on a bASIC unit.
2) Resell your ModMiner Quad to someone for $200 cash
3) Have BTCFPGA spend resources to have developers continue to develop new firmware for the device to make it do other things like crack password files or other specific computational use

please note those numbers are just hypothetical - and I am just gauging interest

thanks!

[purelithium]

1) Trade in your ModMiner Quad for a $300 discount on a bASIC unit.
2) Resell your ModMiner Quad to someone for $200 cash
3) Have BTCFPGA spend resources to have developers continue to develop new firmware for the device to make it do other things like crack password files or other specific computational use

I don't think you should get into #3, that would place you in a bad spot legally.

A discount of $300 is acceptable, IMO. However I would like to put myself to purchase others' MMQ's at a comparable price, since I can still run them after the ASICs come out due to cheap(ish) electricity.

[Bogart]

I AM GIVING AWAY A FREE MODMINER QUAD 840Mh/s FPGA MINING DEVICE EVERY SINGLE WEEK IN OCTOBER!

(Q) What do I have to do to win a Free ModMiner Quad 840Mh/s FPGA Mining Device?

(A) You must change your signature title ...

I must say, I'm disappointed.  I was not real surprised to see BFL doing this, but I had thought you were above this sort of thing.

Did you really have to use a large bold font with colors, on 4 lines?  It's way more prominent than the message body.

Do you really think that anyone who is serious enough to plop down $599 for an asic miner is not already aware of all of the product offerings, and will be swayed by seeing a signature ad?

I am giving away over $4000.00 in FPGA bitcoin mining hardware just for changing someone's signature. I think thats pretty generous.

Also it is within the forum guidelines of allowable signatures and breaks no current forum rule or regulation.

I had to do something to at least attempt to level the advertising playing field.

That is generous.  As much as I would like to enter the contest, my signature space is not for sale.

I suppose I can understand the reasoning.  I mostly didn't like the "spammy" look/feel of it, and I generally object to "someone else does it" justifications.

If that disappoints you - than I am very sorry. If you currently have an order with us and would like a refund due to my advertising policies than please let me know your order # and I will refund your money immediately

Indeed I do have an order for a bASIC product, and I won't be canceling it over this.

In most areas your business practices appear to be a good head and shoulders above those I have seen BFL display.  I didn't like the idea of their paid signature ads, and didn't like to see you doing the same.

I can understand that business is business, and advertising does pay.  Especially now having heard the story of missing out on the forum ad slots, I can understand the move more.

I apologize for the harsh tone I took.  I'm sure it's stressful being in your position.  Don't let the trolls bring you down.  I'll try not to be one.

[jayeeyee]

Any ETA on when the bASIC will start production?  This is mainly the reason why Tom needs to create a new thread for this.  Or.. is it still too early for speculations?

[cablepair]

I apologize for the harsh tone I took.  I'm sure it's stressful being in your position.  Don't let the trolls bring you down.  I'll try not to be one.

It's OK, I understand - and don't worry we are cool

[cablepair]

1) Trade in your ModMiner Quad for a $300 discount on a bASIC unit.
2) Resell your ModMiner Quad to someone for $200 cash
3) Have BTCFPGA spend resources to have developers continue to develop new firmware for the device to make it do other things like crack password files or other specific computational use

I don't think you should get into #3, that would place you in a bad spot legally.

A discount of $300 is acceptable, IMO. However I would like to put myself to purchase others' MMQ's at a comparable price, since I can still run them after the ASICs come out due to cheap(ish) electricity.

When I mean cracking password files, I dont mean for illegal purposes. People crack password files for security testing and even for fun / hobby
(check out http://hashcat.net/oclhashcat-plus/)

Thank you for your input!

[cablepair]

Any ETA on when the bASIC will start production?  This is mainly the reason why Tom needs to create a new thread for this.  Or.. is it still too early for speculations?

Production should start by the end of the month.

the chips are being fabricated - the board design is nearly done. The software developers should have some units to work with in a few weeks

[GenTarkin]

(Q) What do you think is a "Fair" trade in value

(Q) What is the lowest trade in value you would accept

(Q) What would you rather do?

1) Trade in your ModMiner Quad for a $300 discount on a bASIC unit.
2) Resell your ModMiner Quad to someone for $200 cash
3) Have BTCFPGA spend resources to have developers continue to develop new firmware for the device to make it do other things like crack password files or other specific computational use

please note those numbers are just hypothetical - and I am just gauging interest

thanks!

Well, keeping in mind competition, isnt BFL offering a straight trade up for a bitforce single at full price towards an their ASIC products?
Trade in value of only 300$ is a huge loss for most customers =/

[purelithium]

Trade in value of only 300$ is a huge loss for most customers =/

So you want Tom to take the loss instead?

[Jack1Rip1BurnIt]

Also, do you realize how much faster you would get your product from Tom?

[cablepair]

Trade in value of only 300$ is a huge loss for most customers =/

So you want Tom to take the loss instead?

PLEASE understand - that was a hypothetical number. It is not a number I am offering. I may not be able to offer anything. I may give you a lot more. I am really not sure yet - this is a priority and am actively researching ways to make this happen that will work for both of us.

I am not sure how BFL can afford to take the full trade in value. They certainly have me beat there because I could not afford to give even half in trade and still make a profit.

Anyways  thanks for the input and if anyone has any ideas in this regard please share them - I am actively looking for ways to offer buybacks/rebate/upgrade path for current BTCFPGA ModMiner owners.

thanks!

[Mobius]

Trade in value of only 300$ is a huge loss for most customers =/

So you want Tom to take the loss instead?

PLEASE understand - that was a hypothetical number. It is not a number I am offering. I may not be able to offer anything. I may give you a lot more. I am really not sure yet - this is a priority and am actively researching ways to make this happen that will work for both of us.

I am not sure how BFL can afford to take the full trade in value. They certainly have me beat there because I could not afford to give even half in trade and still make a profit.

Anyways  thanks for the input and if anyone has any ideas in this regard please share them - I am actively looking for ways to offer buybacks/rebate/upgrade path for current BTCFPGA ModMiner owners.

thanks!

How about a scrypt firmware - could be sold in that market.

[reeses]

ModMiner Quad Customers:


I am trying very hard to work out a upgrade path that makes sense for both of us. I have a potential "re-use" of the MMQ but I am not sure how much I can pay for them in a buy-back program just yet.


So I would like your input:

(Q) What do you think is a "Fair" trade in value

(Q) What is the lowest trade in value you would accept

(Q) What would you rather do?

1) Trade in your ModMiner Quad for a $300 discount on a bASIC unit.
2) Resell your ModMiner Quad to someone for $200 cash
3) Have BTCFPGA spend resources to have developers continue to develop new firmware for the device to make it do other things like crack password files or other specific computational use

please note those numbers are just hypothetical - and I am just gauging interest

thanks!

#3 open dev kit for these boards.  Parallel FPGA, even if limited on RAM, would be a great accelerator for various projects.  Openbitstream.com is available. :-)

[cypherdoc]

Trade in value of only 300$ is a huge loss for most customers =/

So you want Tom to take the loss instead?

PLEASE understand - that was a hypothetical number. It is not a number I am offering. I may not be able to offer anything. I may give you a lot more. I am really not sure yet - this is a priority and am actively researching ways to make this happen that will work for both of us.

I am not sure how BFL can afford to take the full trade in value. They certainly have me beat there because I could not afford to give even half in trade and still make a profit.

Anyways  thanks for the input and if anyone has any ideas in this regard please share them - I am actively looking for ways to offer buybacks/rebate/upgrade path for current BTCFPGA ModMiner owners.

thanks!

full value trade in is clearly a loser for you.

[Bogart]

Anyways  thanks for the input and if anyone has any ideas in this regard please share them - I am actively looking for ways to offer buybacks/rebate/upgrade path for current BTCFPGA ModMiner owners.

thanks!

How about a scrypt firmware - could be sold in that market.

I understand that scrypt requires a good bit of memory with a fast connection to the processor.  These FPGA miners do not have that, so I think we are unlikely to see a scrypt bitstream for them.

[GenTarkin]

Also, do you realize how much faster you would get your product from Tom?

You would get it faster? We dont know about that yet....
The ASIC world aint established fully. We dont know when BFL, BTCFPGA, or any other company is REALLY shipping.
Or are you implying once regular production begins, the preorders will be filled much faster than BFL would be...meaning normal orders would be shipped much sooner than BFL's normal orders?
That would for sure be interesting.

[cablepair]

Anyways  thanks for the input and if anyone has any ideas in this regard please share them - I am actively looking for ways to offer buybacks/rebate/upgrade path for current BTCFPGA ModMiner owners.

thanks!

How about a scrypt firmware - could be sold in that market.

I understand that scrypt requires a good bit of memory with a fast connection to the processor.  These FPGA miners do not have that, so I think we are unlikely to see a scrypt bitstream for them.

yes he is right, as far as I know - no current FPGA Bitcoin mining device is capable of mining scrypt alt-coins

[quasarbtc]

3) Have BTCFPGA spend resources to have developers continue to develop new firmware for the device to make it do other things like crack password files or other specific computational use

Admittedly, I do not own a MMQ but how about re-purposing MMQs for Monte Carlo calculations?

Also, I am not knowledgeable about FPGA hardware, so perhaps someone else can chime in about the limitations of the MMQ toward this purpose.

A couple of random examples of FPGAs used for Monte Carlo calculations:
http://www.engineeringletters.com/issues_v16/issue_3/EL_16_3_24.pdf
http://cadlab.cs.ucla.edu/~cong/papers/fpga048s-cong3.pdf

[firefop]

yes he is right, as far as I know - no current FPGA Bitcoin mining device is capable of mining scrypt alt-coins

Maybe that's the project - making a new board for your modules to plug into... that allow them to scrypt.

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Then you could at least offer that as an 'alt-grade' for close to cost.