from my blog;
http://rgsneddon.thescribe.eu/#post103The next generation of bitcoin mining machines, which have been billed to be running with super-efficient 20nm chips, will be delayed by a few months compared to the actual shipping dates initially advised by the bitcoin mining rig manufacturers. In a confidential document seen today, actual cybershuttle cycle time figures on the 20nm technology, which will be included in the Swedish mining manufacturer KnC and the US Cointerra, shows shuttle times of around 130days, with 16nm at 171 days.
KnC announced at the beginning of March this year that they had taped out their chip, which would put the delay of their hotly anticipated ‘Neptune’ 3-terrahash mining rig back, until at least the end of 2014 (Q4). Even if all goes well in the build and test, and KnC keep to their advertised 20nm; looking at the shuttle times, these won’t ship out sample units until at least August, and more likely September with build, testing and packaging yet to be done on the full build for customer batches.
With much frustration emitting from the bitcoin mining community over recent failures by other miner hardware manufacturers to ship on time, and on specifications advertised, this looks to be another hurdle for these companies, who are likely to face yet more angry mobs in IRC channels and internet forums.
The documentation seen today, shows 20nm as a ‘tester’ , or a ‘stepping stone’ for the upcoming 16nm. Let’s hope that these bitcoin miner manufacturers do a good solid burn-in to test their customer’s rigs before shipping them out.
All the manufacturers are doing full masks of course and not shuttle (which is shared die for several designs). Full masks takes more or less the same as shuttle.