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Topic: Black Arrow 28nm 100Ghash Bitcoin ASIC from $0.49/GH/s - page 341. (Read 787066 times)

full member
Activity: 173
Merit: 100
Do one thing and do it well. They haven't taped out yet so it's not very likely that they will be able to deliver in Feb as they stated.
hero member
Activity: 560
Merit: 500
just read the post on their forum, i agree. finish the 28nm Smiley
working on the 20nm in no rush while finishing the 28nm seems like the best idea.
newbie
Activity: 46
Merit: 0
Blackarrow asking customers if they will accept delay for switch to 20nm;

http://ecointalk.net/topic/289-20nm-or-28nm/

I hope they are not seriously considering these. Any kind of delays (2-3 months) would suck

its allot better then having you hardware for 2-3 months, then it becomes obsolete Smiley

I disagree. It's better to have hardware that earns more BTC over its lifetime than hardware that remains profitable longer.

with the rate the difficulty is rising, i'm afraid you are wrong..

full member
Activity: 226
Merit: 100
Blackarrow asking customers if they will accept delay for switch to 20nm;

http://ecointalk.net/topic/289-20nm-or-28nm/

I hope they are not seriously considering these. Any kind of delays (2-3 months) would suck

its allot better then having you hardware for 2-3 months, then it becomes obsolete Smiley

I disagree. It's better to have hardware that earns more BTC over its lifetime than hardware that remains profitable longer.
hero member
Activity: 560
Merit: 500
Blackarrow asking customers if they will accept delay for switch to 20nm;

http://ecointalk.net/topic/289-20nm-or-28nm/

I hope they are not seriously considering these. Any kind of delays (2-3 months) would suck

its allot better then having you hardware for 2-3 months, then it becomes obsolete Smiley
legendary
Activity: 876
Merit: 1000
Etherscan.io
Blackarrow asking customers if they will accept delay for switch to 20nm;

http://ecointalk.net/topic/289-20nm-or-28nm/

I hope they are not seriously considering these. Any kind of delays (2-3 months) would suck
legendary
Activity: 1904
Merit: 1007
Blackarrow asking customers if they will accept delay for switch to 20nm;

http://ecointalk.net/topic/289-20nm-or-28nm/

Quote
2. We will need to redo the whole backend (transistor placing and routing) of the chip which takes 2-3 months. This means that 20nm cannot be shipped by end of February. If not all our customers are switching to 20nm we will need to continue with 28 nm as well (which we intend to do as it is the safest way)

I propose that we should change the name from "Custom hardware" to "Delay fest"!
hero member
Activity: 574
Merit: 500
1.21 GIGA WATTS
Blackarrow asking customers if they will accept delay for switch to 20nm;

http://ecointalk.net/topic/289-20nm-or-28nm/
this doesn't look good for end of feb 2014 delivery for 28nm if these questions being asked at this point of time.
and why hasn't this question been ask here?
newbie
Activity: 48
Merit: 0
Blackarrow asking customers if they will accept delay for switch to 20nm;

http://ecointalk.net/topic/289-20nm-or-28nm/
member
Activity: 77
Merit: 10
For example - there are 40 pins that provide IOVDD and IOVSS - do you really have to have 40 pins for that? Do they have to deal with that high currents?

Well, they do need quite some lines I think... Rough estimation is that @0.85V and 0.5W/Ghs they would need to have ~59 amps (100ghs*.5W / 0.85V) per chip (not including losses and such and assuming 1 chip per 100ghs device).

And the other question - heat - what are the plans to deal with that?
Is the silicon going to be exposed (BFL-like) where users can attach a proper heatsink? Or is heat going to be dissipated through the PCB? If the second then bitfury-like packaging with a huge pad underneath the chip (and tons of vias on the pcb) will be better than a bunch of balls/pins.

Yes, heat is going to be substantial, but 50W is not too crazy for a chip with a large heatsink. Pictures of testing heatsinks have been posted as Carlton is mentioning.

On the first question - you probably haven't looked at the specs. There is a separate set of VDD/VSS pins for the CORE - that's where the main current goes. Those are okay to be as many as needed (but also don't have to be more than the necessary).
The IOVDD/IOVSS part is for the interface portion - where the chip communicates with other chips - there isn't any noticeable current going there. I'd be surprised if more than 50mA goes through those.

I briefly went through them, but you're right, they are only interface. I guess that the selection of the combination of nr of pins and number of on-die transistors for the package is always a tricky one since SHA256 takes huge amounts of power (in comparison to others). So maybe they have plenty of pins anyway because they selected the package on other criteria, hence the overkill on the IOVDD/IOVSS?

As for the heatsink - I'm not talking about what they plan to put in their retail products. The question is specifically to the chip's packaging. The final product design is a consequence of the chip design.
If the chip has exposed silicon - they you'll see heatsinks on top of the chip (e.g. like BFL). If the chip is meant the send all the heat via the PCB - then you'll see a large heatsink on the back of the PCB (e.g. like Avalon and Bitfury).
So - the question is which of the two options have they picked (and if that's been decided already).

Ah yes, that clarifies. I was looking for some data on the maximum recommended power which you can transfer through the PCB, yet didn't really find anything yet. I do feel that putting roughly 50W on 1 location on the PCB is really a demanding setup for a good thermal via design, especially with the already demanding pin configuration. So my best guess would be top-cooled dies...
vs3
hero member
Activity: 622
Merit: 500
For example - there are 40 pins that provide IOVDD and IOVSS - do you really have to have 40 pins for that? Do they have to deal with that high currents?

Well, they do need quite some lines I think... Rough estimation is that @0.85V and 0.5W/Ghs they would need to have ~59 amps (100ghs*.5W / 0.85V) per chip (not including losses and such and assuming 1 chip per 100ghs device).


And the other question - heat - what are the plans to deal with that?
Is the silicon going to be exposed (BFL-like) where users can attach a proper heatsink? Or is heat going to be dissipated through the PCB? If the second then bitfury-like packaging with a huge pad underneath the chip (and tons of vias on the pcb) will be better than a bunch of balls/pins.

Yes, heat is going to be substantial, but 50W is not too crazy for a chip with a large heatsink. Pictures of testing heatsinks have been posted as Carlton is mentioning.

On the first question - you probably haven't looked at the specs. There is a separate set of VDD/VSS pins for the CORE - that's where the main current goes. Those are okay to be as many as needed (but also don't have to be more than the necessary).
The IOVDD/IOVSS part is for the interface portion - where the chip communicates with other chips - there isn't any noticeable current going there. I'd be surprised if more than 50mA goes through those.

As for the heatsink - I'm not talking about what they plan to put in their retail products. The question is specifically to the chip's packaging. The final product design is a consequence of the chip design.
If the chip has exposed silicon - they you'll see heatsinks on top of the chip (e.g. like BFL). If the chip is meant the send all the heat via the PCB - then you'll see a large heatsink on the back of the PCB (e.g. like Avalon and Bitfury).
So - the question is which of the two options have they picked (and if that's been decided already).
hero member
Activity: 546
Merit: 500
Owner, Minersource.net
heads up guys, My partner and I are planning on making a trip out to BA here in the next few weeks, just waiting to get our Visas back before we buy tickets.
you can get a travel agent in LA to do all that work for you on visas.  they will want a ticket to issue the visa.  I know a guy that can get you two day turnaround.   you should get multiple entry (trust me on this).

Planning on it, I have the letter of intro and everything from them Smiley. You mind PM'ing me the info for the visa agent? Would love to have someone more knowledgeable handling it.
legendary
Activity: 2478
Merit: 1020
Be A Digital Miner
heads up guys, My partner and I are planning on making a trip out to BA here in the next few weeks, just waiting to get our Visas back before we buy tickets.
you can get a travel agent in LA to do all that work for you on visas.  they will want a ticket to issue the visa.  I know a guy that can get you two day turnaround.   you should get multiple entry (trust me on this).
hero member
Activity: 546
Merit: 500
Owner, Minersource.net
heads up guys, My partner and I are planning on making a trip out to BA here in the next few weeks, just waiting to get our Visas back before we buy tickets.
member
Activity: 87
Merit: 10

5). Tigerfree, are you the original owner? Did you get our email? Reply via personal message please so we can get this sorted out.


I got the e-mail, as I purchased 10 Lancelot's, but I thought I had missed the boat on getting any discounts.  Can I still get a discount?

Lancelot machines credit can be used against up to 30% of the amount on pre-orders or against up to 50% of the amount on orders. This credit has no cash value.

Regarding being a re-seller, please submit a ticket. Thanks!
hero member
Activity: 546
Merit: 500
hi matt

Any news on a UK reseller please?

Hopefully soon Smiley

If your looking for a UK reseller, I might be interested. I have a Ltd VAT registered company.
full member
Activity: 194
Merit: 100
BlackArrow Matt,
i create Ticket: #VRN-839-94850, answer me please
hero member
Activity: 546
Merit: 500

5). Tigerfree, are you the original owner? Did you get our email? Reply via personal message please so we can get this sorted out.


I got the e-mail, as I purchased 10 Lancelot's, but I thought I had missed the boat on getting any discounts.  Can I still get a discount?
newbie
Activity: 13
Merit: 0
member
Activity: 87
Merit: 10
hi matt

Any news on a UK reseller please?

Hopefully soon Smiley
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