Questions about BFL - BitForce Jalapeno

[unclemantis]

For $150 it seems like a nice novelty item to have. May not get any rewards with it but it is a nice conversation piece to have.

Is this self sustaining or does it rely on my PC?

http://news.yahoo.com/butterfly-labs-announces-next-generation-asic-lineup-054626776.html

[1715505915]

1715505915

[silverbox]

It probably contains 1.2g of unobtainium and will run until the 2nd coming autonomously!

[unclemantis]

It probably contains 1.2g of unobtainium and will run until the 2nd coming autonomously!

I guess what I am asking is does it include wifi or a ethernet port or does everything happen through the USB? Does it need a controller application on the PC that it is connected to?

Again... would like to purchase for novelty reasons. If I was serious about mining I would be taking out a rather large loan LOL

[ssateneth]

It probably contains 1.2g of unobtainium and will run until the 2nd coming autonomously!

I guess what I am asking is does it include wifi or a ethernet port or does everything happen through the USB? Does it need a controller application on the PC that it is connected to?

Again... would like to purchase for novelty reasons. If I was serious about mining I would be taking out a rather large loan LOL

Extremely likely to run off of USB and require the usage of an included AC to DC power adapter. Will also likely make a large chunk of money the first month or so (3.5 ghash right now is about $500/month if you sell the coins you mine).

[DeathAndTaxes]

Maybe will make a lot of money the first DAY or so.  Retargets intervals are every 2016 blocks not every 2 weeks.  So if hash rate rises 10x the week all this gear ships the network will retarget in 0.5 to 1.4 days.  So say 1 day @ $15 per day.  Max retarget is 400% so then it is maybe another 5 days @ $4 per day.  Then after second ratarget difficulty is now 10x as high so revenue is down to $1.50 a day..  So you might get $15+5x$4+24*$1.50 = $71 the first month and then $50 a month after that.  If more than 100TH/s are added you would get even less.

That assumes you get a unit delivered on day 1.  If you get a unit delivered on say day 6 you miss both retargets and start at $1.5 per day.

Note the numbers aren't intended to be exact obviously the exact difficulty, the amount of increased hashpower and BTC/USD rate are all unknown.  It is more intended to show that if network hashing power rises significantly the retargets will be very quick. 

[unclemantis]

Maybe will make a lot of money the first DAY or so.  Retargets intervals are every 2016 blocks not every 2 weeks.  So if hash rate rises 10x the week all this gear ships the network will retarget in 0.5 to 1.4 days.  So say 1 day @ $15 per day.  Max retarget is 400% so then it is maybe another 5 days @ $4 per day.  Then after second ratarget difficulty is now 10x as high so revenue is down to $1.50 a day..  So you might get $15+5x$4+24*$1.50 = $71 the first month and then $50 a month after that.  If more than 100TH/s are added you would get even less.

That assumes you get a unit delivered on day 1.  If you get a unit delivered on say day 6 you miss both retargets and start at $1.5 per day.

Note the numbers aren't intended to be exact obviously the exact difficulty, the amount of increased hashpower and BTC/USD rate are all unknown.  It is more intended to show that if network hashing power rises significantly the retargets will be very quick. 

So is the value of BTC going to skyrocket or what?

[unclemantis]

Does this contain it's own network card or is everything going through the USB?

[rjk]

So is the value of BTC going to skyrocket or what?

The difficulty will, but the value is in no way "pegged" to the difficulty. Although they have tended so far to follow each other somewhat, that doesn't guarantee anything.

Does this contain it's own network card or is everything going through the USB?

Nobody knows except BFL... Although what's the point of having a network card when you have USB?

[mc_lovin]

It will make a great conversation piece.

[unclemantis]

Yes it will make a great conversation piece and a coffee warmer. Question again is does this box require the assistance of a PC to operate?

[P_Shep]

Yes it will make a great conversation piece and a coffee warmer. Question again is does this box require the assistance of a PC to operate?

Yes.

[ChanceCoats123]

Since no one has one, nobody can say for sure. But odds are a million to one that it works in the exact same way the current hardware from BFL works. You plug it in, turn it on, and it connects to the mining program which then uploads your shares to the pool (or solo mines) of your choice.

[unclemantis]

Since no one has one, nobody can say for sure. But odds are a million to one that it works in the exact same way the current hardware from BFL works. You plug it in, turn it on, and it connects to the mining program which then uploads your shares to the pool (or solo mines) of your choice.

Well that sucks. For $150 you think it would be self reliant. Have it's own network card and stuff.

Would the Jalapeno work with the Rasberrry PI?

[DeathAndTaxes]

Well that sucks. For $150 you think it would be self reliant. Have it's own network card and stuff.

Why would you think that?
BFL Singles cost $599 and require a PC.  
Other FPGA cost $300 to $700 and require a PC.
GPUs cost $200 to $800 and require a PC.

Why would the cheapest hashing device ever not require a PC.  

Would the Jalapeno work with the Rasberrry PI?

Nobody knows.  Technically if someone got an OS, mining software, and drivers for Jalapeno working on Pi then it could work otherwise it won't.  As of today you can't use BFL Singles on Pi so it seems very unlikely that will be available on day 1.

[unclemantis]

Well that sucks. For $150 you think it would be self reliant. Have it's own network card and stuff.

Why would you think that?
BFL Singles cost $599 and require a PC.  
Other FPGA cost $300 to $700 and require a PC.
GPUs cost $200 to $800 and require a PC.

Why would the cheapest hashing device ever not require a PC.  

Would the Jalapeno work with the Rasberrry PI?

Nobody knows.  Technically if someone got an OS, mining software, and drivers for Jalapeno working on Pi then it could work otherwise it won't.  As of today you can't use BFL Singles on Pi so it seems very unlikely that will be available on day 1.

You can tell I am not a miner and that I have absolutely no idea about any of this new ASIC stuff LOL

[rjk]

You can tell I am not a miner and that I have absolutely no idea about any of this new ASIC stuff LOL

However, it does point up a notion that many people have about custom hardware that has not yet been addressed; namely that many people would appreciate standalone functionality. Ideally this would be just an ethernet port and a mini-webserver. It has traditionally never been included due to cost, but I wonder if more people would use such a thing if it were available.

[Cranky4u]

You can tell I am not a miner and that I have absolutely no idea about any of this new ASIC stuff LOL

However, it does point up a notion that many people have about custom hardware that has not yet been addressed; namely that many people would appreciate standalone functionality. Ideally this would be just an ethernet port and a mini-webserver. It has traditionally never been included due to cost, but I wonder if more people would use such a thing if it were available.

If mining, or even VTC wallets, are to ever be for the masses then the answer is yes. Either standalone suite that is scalable or a truely plug and play solution.

[Dargo]

Well that sucks. For $150 you think it would be self reliant. Have it's own network card and stuff.
 

Really? Why would you think that? A 7970 costs about 3x as much and has less than 1/5 the hashing power. Do you also expect it to be self reliant merely based on its price? And have its own network card?

Edit: DeathAndTaxes already made essentially the same point - didn't realize this.

[50BTC.com]

Since no one has one, nobody can say for sure. But odds are a million to one that it works in the exact same way the current hardware from BFL works. You plug it in, turn it on, and it connects to the mining program which then uploads your shares to the pool (or solo mines) of your choice.

Well that sucks. For $150 you think it would be self reliant. Have it's own network card and stuff.

Would the Jalapeno work with the Rasberrry PI?

Maybe it will work this way https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=76685.0
I think it's not bad variant.

[Zara]

If the Jalapeno is going to be a coffee warmer, too, i think it should come in some cool colors like the little iPods have. Then i could give them as Christmas gifts and get more people interested in BitCoins.