[ANN] Bitfury is looking for alpha-testers of first chips! FREE MONEY HERE! - page 17.

vs3

hero member

Activity: 622

Merit: 500

Quote from: ssi on September 09, 2013, 04:54:35 PM

Quote from: vs3 on September 09, 2013, 04:46:31 PM

I'm watching for updates on that too ... I hope they keep up that promise and do finally announce the pricing.
I really hope they won't ruin their so far pretty good reputation and take the Avalon/BFL route with everything happening "in two weeks" Sad

I'm getting concerned about that... I've designed a product around prices that were announced months ago and then rescinded, and I've been waiting approaching two weeks for $800 worth of chips that are "sorry they're expensive but they ship immediately" to be shipped. My whole model depends on chips being available early in October and near the price I expect. Bitfury chips are great, and I'm thrilled with them so far from a technical standpoint, but there's not enough margin in them if anything goes pear shaped :/

I feel the same way - I bit the bite ($20/chip) and I invested a lot of effort in developing a miner. Then they took the bite away. Now I'm being told that chips won't be available at that price anymore, and even more - if they'll be available at some sensible price at all. So, all of my time went to waste. What a lesson Sad

Given that it takes $10-$20 per chip to produce a finished product, and it would take optimistically speaking a few weeks from ordering of the chips to getting them making money - the last moment when it makes any sense to look at them is early October.
Chips delivered in early October (and start hashing on Nov/1) will make between $20 and $30 in their entire life! (source)
And that's if you have absolutely no expenses and if you get free electricity. And that's if difficulty jumps "only" 80-100% a month (which is becoming a wishful thinking with all of the new ASICs being released now).

If they keep postponing that announcement they may as well just throw all of those chips away. They will be useless after November even if they are free!
My advise to the bitfury team - announce the pricing a.s.a.p. and pick some sensible numbers. $15 in early October, $10 in mid-october and $5 in November. And don't waste your time offering them past that.

ssi

member

Activity: 70

Merit: 10

Quote from: vs3 on September 09, 2013, 04:46:31 PM

I'm watching for updates on that too ... I hope they keep up that promise and do finally announce the pricing.
I really hope they won't ruin their so far pretty good reputation and take the Avalon/BFL route with everything happening "in two weeks" Sad

I'm getting concerned about that... I've designed a product around prices that were announced months ago and then rescinded, and I've been waiting approaching two weeks for $800 worth of chips that are "sorry they're expensive but they ship immediately" to be shipped. My whole model depends on chips being available early in October and near the price I expect. Bitfury chips are great, and I'm thrilled with them so far from a technical standpoint, but there's not enough margin in them if anything goes pear shaped :/

vs3

hero member

Activity: 622

Merit: 500

Quote from: Gomeler on September 09, 2013, 01:50:08 PM

I saw a few posts mentioning that October pricing for the Bitfury chips would be announced over the weekend. Does anyone know if a decision was made?

I guess you're referring to this one:

Quote from: punin on September 06, 2013, 08:50:25 AM

Quote from: marto74 on September 06, 2013, 05:32:25 AM

Hi,
Niko
I've send you a few Emails asking about bulk chip order prices.
Is there any problem ?

Sorry Marto, I'm drowning in emails, just had someone take over the communication for me. We will introduce new chip pricing on the site this weekend.

I'm watching for updates on that too ... I hope they keep up that promise and do finally announce the pricing.
I really hope they won't ruin their so far pretty good reputation and take the Avalon/BFL route with everything happening "in two weeks" Sad

Gomeler

hero member

Activity: 697

Merit: 500

I saw a few posts mentioning that October pricing for the Bitfury chips would be announced over the weekend. Does anyone know if a decision was made?

intron

sr. member

Activity: 427

Merit: 251

- electronics design|embedded software|verilog -

Quote from: -Redacted- on September 09, 2013, 08:06:38 AM

Quote from: cscape on September 09, 2013, 04:47:49 AM

I do everything with 0.8 mm chisel tip. But I agree with fpgaminer. Use good solder, and make sure it's fresh. Don't let the flux evaporate, and if you do then wipe tip clean and start again. My favorite solder wire for rework is Multicore crystal 511.

Sonme of us don't have the steadyness of hand we used to, like you young whippersnappers still do. Did you ever consider taking up brain surgery as a profession? I think I'd rather just shoot myself than try to use a .8 mm tip on 0402. Or even just try to hand solder 0402 for that matter - I can't even read print that small these days. I long for the good old days, when a resistor was a resistor, and something you could actually see...

EDIT: 0,8 8/10ths mm.... Not 8 mm.... really....

"Those days when hardware meant hardware
and software wasn't even a word..." Wink

cscape

sr. member

Activity: 251

Merit: 250

0.8 mm not 8 mm

And I prefer not to hand solder 0402 (0603 is okay), but use my reflow oven instead.

Sitarow

legendary

Activity: 1792

Merit: 1047

Quote from: cscape on September 09, 2013, 04:47:49 AM

I do everything with 0.8 mm chisel tip. But I agree with fpgaminer. Use good solder, and make sure it's fresh. Don't let the flux evaporate, and if you do then wipe tip clean and start again. My favorite solder wire for rework is Multicore crystal 511.

I don't know if it has been said however cscape you have been a boon for this community with your open ability to share your experiences and suggested support. This also applies to most that have posted in this thread.

To all you lurkers out there. Take a page out of his book and share with us your success and failures.

-Redacted-

hero member

Activity: 574

Merit: 501

Quote from: cscape on September 09, 2013, 04:47:49 AM

I do everything with 0.8 mm chisel tip. But I agree with fpgaminer. Use good solder, and make sure it's fresh. Don't let the flux evaporate, and if you do then wipe tip clean and start again. My favorite solder wire for rework is Multicore crystal 511.

Sonme of us don't have the steadyness of hand we used to, like you young whippersnappers still do. Did you ever consider taking up brain surgery as a profession? I think I'd rather just shoot myself than try to use a .8 mm tip on 0402. Or even just try to hand solder 0402 for that matter - I can't even read print that small these days. I long for the good old days, when a resistor was a RESISTOR - something you could actually see...

EDIT: 0,8 8/10ths mm.... Not 8 mm.... really....

LaserHorse

full member

Activity: 140

Merit: 100

Quote from: jimrome on September 08, 2013, 09:46:48 PM

Go with the Hakko. Get a decent magnifier too, you'll need it.

Or grab a used Metcal MX500 on ebay and never look back.
Stylus so agile, auto-off invaluable, heats up so fast ... oh so dreamy.

also - the brass sponge, dry so it cleans without cooling the tip.

cscape

sr. member

Activity: 251

Merit: 250

I do everything with 0.8 mm chisel tip. But I agree with fpgaminer. Use good solder, and make sure it's fresh. Don't let the flux evaporate, and if you do then wipe tip clean and start again. My favorite solder wire for rework is Multicore crystal 511.

fpgaminer

hero member

Activity: 560

Merit: 517

Quote

If you go with the Hakko, get a couple of extra T18-B tips for it. That standard chisel tip is going to look enormous compared to the size of stuff you'll be working on.

Pffft, sissies. I soldered 0402 with a big honking chisel tip on my Hakko. Tongue

Not that I'll ever want to hand solder 0402 again.

But for the love of electronics, please get good solder. Good solder, good iron, and flux is all a man needs to be happy.

cscape

sr. member

Activity: 251

Merit: 250

I usually take an X-Acto knife with a fresh blade and a metal ruler. Cut across the traces. Shift the ruler a tiny bit, and make a parallel cut. Now, using tip of the blade peel away the little strips of copper between the two cuts.

-Redacted-

hero member

Activity: 574

Merit: 501

The trace cuts at U44 are not a very good example of what it should look like when you get done.... The cuts near the bottom traces of U43 are much more like what you want to strive for - you can barely tell they've been cut. Those can be repaired with a solder bridge if necessary, the cuts near U44 not so much..

vs3

hero member

Activity: 622

Merit: 500

Quote from: Doff on September 08, 2013, 11:22:06 PM

Quote from: jspielberg on September 08, 2013, 09:56:25 PM

Lol... the shopping list is getting longer... those sparkfun guys are going to love me.

The advice/recommendations are very much appreciated.

Hehe since your pictures are good if you wouldn't mind showing what this looks like after you have cut the traces and soldered anything that would be cool.

Just in case I need to do this in the future id like to see how its actually done.

See also this example: (source: https://bitcointalksearch.org/topic/m.3099241)

(although that is a bit of a overkill)

In essence - make a narrow cut (1mm) just enough so that you can visually tell that the traces have been cut apart and that should do it. It is also a good idea to keep the cut relatively small - in case it turns out that this is the wrong chip

(yes - believe me - Murphy's laws were not invented out of boredom!)

Be careful as once you cut the traces it would be relatively easy to grab an end and just peel the entire trace off. That's fine if you're sure you'll never ever need it again (but are you?)

You can also use a small piece of wire (any wire will do) to connect the points. Or make a large slump of solder and bridge them that way. I'd go with a wire though - much easier.

Doff

sr. member

Activity: 327

Merit: 250

Quote from: jspielberg on September 08, 2013, 09:56:25 PM

Lol... the shopping list is getting longer... those sparkfun guys are going to love me.

The advice/recommendations are very much appreciated.

Hehe since your pictures are good if you wouldn't mind showing what this looks like after you have cut the traces and soldered anything that would be cool.

Just in case I need to do this in the future id like to see how its actually done.

intron

sr. member

Activity: 427

Merit: 251

- electronics design|embedded software|verilog -

Quote from: jspielberg on September 08, 2013, 09:11:22 PM

Thanks Kaerf -

Bridge all 4 (i.e. SJ16,SJ17,SJ18,SJ54)?

Bridging all solder jumpers can fix the SPI chain by taking
out the bad ASIC. But when the ASIC still has functional
output drivers (meaning: the ASIC is not hashing, but the
outputs still drive a logic level on there pins) this shorting
of the solder pads won't help much. The ASIC has to be
removed from the chain completely then. To do that, cut
the traces at two points with a small snap-off knife and
apply some heat with the tip of a soldering iron. The glue
between the copper and the board will soften and the trace
can be removed easily, without doing any damage to the
board. You even hardly see it when done with care.

Shorting the jumpers also has a little trick. Applying solder
in one go can be tricky. Just apply solder to one pad and
let it cool down. Then apply solder to the other pad and let
it cool too. Repeat a few times until a small lump has 'grown'
on each pad. Then in one swift motion connect both lumps
with some more solder.

intron

jspielberg

sr. member

Activity: 490

Merit: 255

Lol... the shopping list is getting longer... those sparkfun guys are going to love me.

The advice/recommendations are very much appreciated.

-Redacted-

hero member

Activity: 574

Merit: 501

If you go with the Hakko, get a couple of extra T18-B tips for it. That standard chisel tip is going to look enormous compared to the size of stuff you'll be working on. And don't forget some solder and small roll of solder wick...

jimrome

sr. member

Activity: 434

Merit: 250

Quote from: jspielberg on September 08, 2013, 09:43:19 PM

Quote from: -Redacted- on September 08, 2013, 09:30:07 PM

Get something reasonably decent... I've had my eye on this:

http://www.amazon.com/X-TRONIC-MODEL-4010-XTS-Centigrade-ANTI-MAGNETIC/dp/B0053491YO

Thanks Redacted... I was thinking of getting https://www.sparkfun.com/products/11704 but your link looks to be a better value.

Go with the Hakko. Get a decent magnifier too, you'll need it.

jspielberg

sr. member

Activity: 490

Merit: 255

Quote from: -Redacted- on September 08, 2013, 09:30:07 PM

Get something reasonably decent... I've had my eye on this:

http://www.amazon.com/X-TRONIC-MODEL-4010-XTS-Centigrade-ANTI-MAGNETIC/dp/B0053491YO

Thanks Redacted... I was thinking of getting https://www.sparkfun.com/products/11704 but your link looks to be a better value.

Topic: [ANN] Bitfury is looking for alpha-testers of first chips! FREE MONEY HERE! - page 17. (Read 176728 times)