Author

Topic: Butterfly Labs Upgrade Kits.... (Read 1452 times)

legendary
Activity: 1692
Merit: 1018
September 05, 2014, 09:58:54 AM
#9
BFL hardware is valuable as a museum piece.  Future generations will gaze in wonder and think WTF were those old folks thinking chewing up gigawatts of power to create a currency 99.9% of the world never used.
hero member
Activity: 699
Merit: 504
September 03, 2014, 05:11:59 AM
#8
Sadly no.  The primary problem with trying to do this are the BFL chips themselves consuming 5w/GH.  The best I think you could hope for would be some serious under-clocking and even then your probably still paying more for electric than your earning :/

The sad truth of the matter is you can almost salvage your BFL jally's for scrap metal and earn as much as you can sell them for (ok, i'm exaggerating a bit) and there's a really good reason for it.

i completely hear ya, but what i am saying is what if someone...(and does not need to be BFL)...if any manufacturer made a PCB with their own new gen asic chips that fit into the device ?  

legendary
Activity: 1610
Merit: 1000
Well hello there!
September 02, 2014, 10:14:26 PM
#7
Sadly no.  The primary problem with trying to do this are the BFL chips themselves consuming 5w/GH.  The best I think you could hope for would be some serious under-clocking and even then your probably still paying more for electric than your earning :/

The sad truth of the matter is you can almost salvage your BFL jally's for scrap metal and earn as much as you can sell them for (ok, i'm exaggerating a bit) and there's a really good reason for it.
hero member
Activity: 699
Merit: 504
September 02, 2014, 09:21:07 PM
#6
The only thing that can be salvaged from a BFL Single is the metal casing, the 2 fans and maybe you could sell the heatsink for scrap - a total value of about $5 at most (since their fire hazard PSUs are worth negative money).

This is why the Bitmain Antminer S1 upgrades are also useless.

The Bitmain s1 upgrades are useless because price is virtually the same as buying an s3.  The upgrade is 240 gh/s for .46 btc, not really cost effective and an ROI is highly unlikely.    

It would be really nice to see the jally back in action.  

and Dr.G, i am still upset with you for not selling me your BFL singles  =)   j/k

Yeah well that is the same case with the S3 - they're basically recycling the case and maybe the controller board I think.  Either way it proved to be not significant in cost savings.

If BFL were to use the jalapeno casing they would need to reuse the same heatsink and would need to find a layout of chips on a PCB that would fit under there.  I think BFL wanted to move away from the jalapeno since it was too complicated with too many parts on the board.

As for the Singles, sorry about that.  I really didn't want to ship them since it was a pain in the butt but the buyer made it easier for me to ship them and kids were involved and I always prefer new blood learn about bitcoin over us old farts (ok maybe you're not an old fart Tongue)

the maker of the make believe PCB's for BFL asics does not necessarily need to be BFL.  any manufacturer can take a stab at it.  if they can make the R-Box miner go 40 gh/s...i am sure someone can surely map a pcb with updated chips that fits.  just seems like it would make sense - perhaps i have had way too much cafe today.  the manufacturer would not have to find heatsinks, fans, cases....it's all plug and play. 

as for your BFL's sir, no worries man...i was just busting your chops.  i agree, it's good to give newbies a shot a mining.  i am not really sure how much longer i will be an active miner.  i may just buy the coin--seems easier and way less overhead to worry about.  this go around i will be much smarter with my coins...i will avoid altcoin traps and superbowl gambling  LoL   
DrG
legendary
Activity: 2086
Merit: 1035
September 02, 2014, 07:41:01 PM
#5
The only thing that can be salvaged from a BFL Single is the metal casing, the 2 fans and maybe you could sell the heatsink for scrap - a total value of about $5 at most (since their fire hazard PSUs are worth negative money).

This is why the Bitmain Antminer S1 upgrades are also useless.

The Bitmain s1 upgrades are useless because price is virtually the same as buying an s3.  The upgrade is 240 gh/s for .46 btc, not really cost effective and an ROI is highly unlikely.    

It would be really nice to see the jally back in action.  

and Dr.G, i am still upset with you for not selling me your BFL singles  =)   j/k

Yeah well that is the same case with the S3 - they're basically recycling the case and maybe the controller board I think.  Either way it proved to be not significant in cost savings.

If BFL were to use the jalapeno casing they would need to reuse the same heatsink and would need to find a layout of chips on a PCB that would fit under there.  I think BFL wanted to move away from the jalapeno since it was too complicated with too many parts on the board.

As for the Singles, sorry about that.  I really didn't want to ship them since it was a pain in the butt but the buyer made it easier for me to ship them and kids were involved and I always prefer new blood learn about bitcoin over us old farts (ok maybe you're not an old fart Tongue)
hero member
Activity: 699
Merit: 504
September 02, 2014, 02:05:06 PM
#4
The only thing that can be salvaged from a BFL Single is the metal casing, the 2 fans and maybe you could sell the heatsink for scrap - a total value of about $5 at most (since their fire hazard PSUs are worth negative money).

This is why the Bitmain Antminer S1 upgrades are also useless.

The Bitmain s1 upgrades are useless because price is virtually the same as buying an s3.  The upgrade is 240 gh/s for .46 btc, not really cost effective and an ROI is highly unlikely.    

It would be really nice to see the jally back in action.  

and Dr.G, i am still upset with you for not selling me your BFL singles  =)   j/k
DrG
legendary
Activity: 2086
Merit: 1035
September 02, 2014, 12:16:39 PM
#3
The only thing that can be salvaged from a BFL Single is the metal casing, the 2 fans and maybe you could sell the heatsink for scrap - a total value of about $5 at most (since their fire hazard PSUs are worth negative money).

This is why the Bitmain Antminer S1 upgrades are also useless.
legendary
Activity: 1512
Merit: 1000
September 02, 2014, 11:57:23 AM
#2
hero member
Activity: 699
Merit: 504
September 02, 2014, 10:07:02 AM
#1
I am guilty of owning several BFL devices...which in all honesty were beasts (if you got your hands on them early).  Now they are no more than paper weights, sitting and collecting dust.  I think someone should come out with upgrade kits...a la Bitmain, to upgrade existing hardware.  someone should make a PCB with newer chips that one can swap with the BFL asics.  it would be nice to see the Jalapeno come back going 60 gh/s and only consuming 60 watts or less. 

it definitely seems like a smart move, the infrastructure and end consumer is already in place.  there are tens of thousands of these devices in homes already. the only thing a manufacturer needs to do is fabricate the pcb.

is this a pipe dream ?
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