LAST UPDATE:
The negotiations failed miserably on one crucial aspect. Josh DID NOT allow us to TEST chips before ESCROW release.
I call this project a success on finding the most probable point of BFL selling chips. It is very much possible, they just want to get rid of third quality chips and make some money on the side. Than blame all of it on community devs.
PROJECT CLOSED. BIG THANK TO ALL INVOLVED!
65 nm efficient BFL chips Group Buy under the conditions:
- BFL delives sample chips and datasheets to board developers on time previously agreed on. (two weeks- pending)
- BFL delives ordered chips in quality and on time previously agreed on. (100 days - accepted)
- They don't get the money if they don't deliver ON TIME. (100% ESCROW by John K. - accepted)
UPDATE 1: Josh/BFL accepted our escrow offer [June 06]
STATUS: GB not open yet, Refining deal with Josh, discussing board development options with burnin, Chris/BkkCoins (Klondike), allten and other community developers
We have now three lead community developers - burnin, Chris (Klondike) and allten - considering BFL chip board. Under some conditions of course. We may have the power to make this happen. (Or not.)Random selection of BFL chips will be put trough hash test previous to ESCROW release. My Group Buyers either get quality on time or money back from John K. I know the idea of actually recieving a BFL product seems ridiculous, but two days ago a lot of people laughed at me about 100% escrow with BFL. The approach used now is different. No upfront, no shit policy.
Remember BFL needs the community to produce a mining board or they won't sell ... a single chip.[/b]
Original message by Josh:
Butterfly Labs will begin selling bulk chips to individuals and companies starting in June, 2013. Chip delivery schedule is approximately 100 days through end packaging once your order is placed. We will be providing reference documentation, reference design/schematics, and foundry receipt/documentation.
Grade A chips have 16 engines and will do 250 MHz comfortably, equating to 4 GH/s per chip.
Chips will be graded and priced as follows:
Grade A: 16 Engines - $97/chip
Grade B: 15 Engines - $93/chip
Grade C: 14 Engines - $89/chip
Grade D: 13 Engines or less - $83/chip
Our chips will be provided in minimum lots of 100 with the following price structure:
100 - 999 chips - Regular Price
1000 - 9999 chips - 5% discount
10,000 - 99,999 chips - 10% discount
100,000 or more - 20% discount
Chip orders will require 50% down and 50% upon order delivery. Payment can be made via BTC (preferred) or bank wire.
Advantages of BFL chips:
1/2 the power usage per GH as the closest competitor
1/10th the silicon area per GH as the closest competitor (Very high performance density)
You can use off the shelf heat sinks depending on your chip layout due to FCBGA package vs custom underside heat sinks as required on some QFN packages. You don't have to design and manufacture heat sinks!
Proven design currently operating in the field and ready to go.
Funds would be probably gathered in BTC as order takes place and incrased/decrased based on BTC to dollar fluctuation before hand-to-hand payment. No cost (full refund) bailout.
Let me know what do you think. I can try to negotiate our terms of deal if there is enough willing people behind me.
EDIT 1: I described the situation and conditions to BFL sales. Awaiting reply.Greetings Butterfly Labs,
I represent some of the BitcoinTalk.org community members willing to buy your ASIC chips. There is demand and I expect a significant order if we manage to agree on some basic business terms.
We would like you to guarantee delivery date both sites agree on. 100 days for example with a small reserve for unexpected events. To make sure no other delays occur, John K. is willing to 100% escrow the transaction.
You can present your attitude to such conditions and propose your own to the community as email reply or directly by posting in the BFL Chips Group Buy Thread
https://bitcointalksearch.org/topic/65-nm-chips-bfl-accepted-100-escrow-by-john-k-group-buy-1-kernel32-223571Thank you very much,
Kernel32
BitcoinTalk.org community member
EDIT 3: Awaiting another reply to following proposal:Hi Josh,
Thank you for your answer.
John K. already expressed his good will to do the escrow.
Where I can't get you any hard number on how many chips we will buy, it's certain that the community is willing to invest a lot in this.
To get the most interesting deal possible and all of the potential/undecided costumers involved, you could give them some guarantees, that way they can put any doubts behind. Could we agree on random chip selection hash test attended by our representative before escrow release? Community based board development is also a very good motivation. Are you able to arrange sample chips (even with only some cores working) and chip documentation delivery to (2-3) community lead developers in let's say two weeks?
As the the number of chips could be pretty high, let me please know what proportions of grade A, B, C .. chips are most beneficial for your company.
Thank you Josh,
Kernel32
BitcoinTalk.org community member
