Finally got a chance to look at the avalon schematics. Seems like he is using differential signalling for all the data, this guy is smart. My homebuilt FPGA rig still struggles with async noise even at 9600 baud...
*edit*
Ok not differential, can't think of the name of the encoding just now.
I wonder if it might be worth simulating an Avalon in an FPGA and wiring it to our PCB as an end-to-end test. I don't understand SHA256 well enough to grok the significance of the pre-calculation they are doing, I do have some experience working with the open source HDL code though.
Topic: Klondike - 16 chip ASIC Open Source Board - Preliminary - page 149. (Read 435369 times)
argh last week i ordered a reflow oven from usa and now delivering is delayed because of german customs. 
Zey juhst vant to see youah paahpers...
But the blade is made up of multiple modules of 10 chips each. If one chip fails, only that module stops working. I don't know for certain, but I can only assume that removing a module or two of 10 chips each would not take down the entire unit. But I'm only assuming, and we know what that means...
I guessed about this too... the risk probably lies between a complete blade (80 chips) to the 10 chips you mentioned. Would be probably better to know it before taking chips out.
He can test by just removing the 10-chip board, and seeing if it still works. If it works without the board, he can leave the board out, and remove chips from it, leaving the board(s) out until he gets the chips back.
Yes that is what i am thinking. I will skip remove part though i am not skilled enough. Let us wait to see if avalon will send demo chips as promissed. Or if we can buy broken module from somwhere
argh last week i ordered a reflow oven from usa and now delivering is delayed because of german customs.
At least you dont need it in the next days...
Do you have to drive there to pay it out? I wonder why they dont simply give a price to pay online and only when you think otherwise you go there to discuss and pay.
argh last week i ordered a reflow oven from usa and now delivering is delayed because of german customs.
But the blade is made up of multiple modules of 10 chips each. If one chip fails, only that module stops working. I don't know for certain, but I can only assume that removing a module or two of 10 chips each would not take down the entire unit. But I'm only assuming, and we know what that means...
I guessed about this too... the risk probably lies between a complete blade (80 chips) to the 10 chips you mentioned. Would be probably better to know it before taking chips out.
He can test by just removing the 10-chip board, and seeing if it still works. If it works without the board, he can leave the board out, and remove chips from it, leaving the board(s) out until he gets the chips back.
But the blade is made up of multiple modules of 10 chips each. If one chip fails, only that module stops working. I don't know for certain, but I can only assume that removing a module or two of 10 chips each would not take down the entire unit. But I'm only assuming, and we know what that means...
I guessed about this too... the risk probably lies between a complete blade (80 chips) to the 10 chips you mentioned. Would be probably better to know it before taking chips out.
Quote from: SebastianJu
oO You know that will kill your blade? Im not sure if one of the three big ones or only one small pcb but its likely...
Im not sure what to do. Buy chips from broken avalon or wait for example chips.
Im not sure what to do. Buy chips from broken avalon or wait for example chips.
Removing 1-2 modules shouldn't kill the blade. I believe it was designed so that the modules could fail and it would keep right on hashing.
Ok... i only asked in a thread, dont know where, and wanted to know what happens when one asic is crashing. I was told all asics in the chain wont work anymore. Its a problem even the new developed ones will have. Though bkkcoins plans to have the board able to run with less than all chips. So the broken one could be taken out simply.
But i understood it like the chain broken will stop all other asics too. Im not sure though.
But the blade is made up of multiple modules of 10 chips each. If one chip fails, only that module stops working. I don't know for certain, but I can only assume that removing a module or two of 10 chips each would not take down the entire unit. But I'm only assuming, and we know what that means...
oO You know that will kill your blade? Im not sure if one of the three big ones or only one small pcb but its likely...
Im not sure what to do. Buy chips from broken avalon or wait for example chips.
Removing 1-2 modules shouldn't kill the blade. I believe it was designed so that the modules could fail and it would keep right on hashing.
[/quote]
Ok... i only asked in a thread, dont know where, and wanted to know what happens when one asic is crashing. I was told all asics in the chain wont work anymore. Its a problem even the new developed ones will have. Though bkkcoins plans to have the board able to run with less than all chips. So the broken one could be taken out simply.
But i understood it like the chain broken will stop all other asics too. Im not sure though.
Quote from: SebastianJu
oO You know that will kill your blade? Im not sure if one of the three big ones or only one small pcb but its likely...
Im not sure what to do. Buy chips from broken avalon or wait for example chips.
Im not sure what to do. Buy chips from broken avalon or wait for example chips.
Removing 1-2 modules shouldn't kill the blade. I believe it was designed so that the modules could fail and it would keep right on hashing.
There are water blocks available in 100*100 mm sizes prefabbed. Seen them on AliExpress.
That guys broken avalon is being repaired by MRb and sent back right... I don't think he is selling the chips. We will need to have some developer chips from the early orders. I suspect someone will send BKKcoins their chips as he has clearly the most advanced design or at least the only design that everyone can see is nearly completed. So if anyone is going to give out their developer chips to an open source developer they should start with BKKcoins.
Unless anyone has a few extra coins to go to Taiwan and scoop up a few and stop in Thailand on the way home?
That guys broken avalon is being repaired by MRb and sent back right... I don't think he is selling the chips. We will need to have some developer chips from the early orders. I suspect someone will send BKKcoins their chips as he has clearly the most advanced design or at least the only design that everyone can see is nearly completed. So if anyone is going to give out their developer chips to an open source developer they should start with BKKcoins.
Unless anyone has a few extra coins to go to Taiwan and scoop up a few and stop in Thailand on the way home?
another question for that is the ce, rohs certificate and an invoice because without export/import in eu is a problem.
and if we can arrange a better quantity the price should be lower (but think if something is sold from a company the guarentee must be considered and so there is some profit for handle that)
Ya, I don't know about that EU certification stuff. It's a bare board that doesn't plug into the wall. It should be classifiable as exempt under some special use gear for development purposes or something. You guys in the EU will have to figure out what all that means, and if you're going to have hassles during import. and if we can arrange a better quantity the price should be lower (but think if something is sold from a company the guarentee must be considered and so there is some profit for handle that)
I do know that the assembler in Bkk says they build to RoHS compliance if need be. So maybe they know how to get stickers etc.
Hmmm. Let me guess - if you had to wait 6 months to get a sticker, you'd be ok with that...
Can it really take so long to get this sticker? If thats correct i would assemble myself. But i hope these things are way faster (while no fake of course).
What we can do is to collect some BTC and buy broken AVALON hash unit or two and send to BKK this will speedup the process. I am in with BTC as long as someone finds it for sale ate reasonable price. He will need just 20-30 chips i guess. There were threads with damaged/broken modules already
Normally on tuesday zefir should have get his example chips because its 4 weeks after his first batch order. So i think it cant take much longer until they arrive. Of course its only a guess...
PM me a week before you get stuck if chips are not available i will took them from my unit and i will send them to you
oO You know that will kill your blade? Im not sure if one of the three big ones or only one small pcb but its likely...
Im not sure what to do. Buy chips from broken avalon or wait for example chips.
On the heatsink question, I do have one concern on the center of the K64 or wherever two or more K64s share an edge (e.g. "K256"). That's centralizing a lot of heat in comparison. Just wanted to bring the topic up so that whatever heatsink selected/recommended they allow for a clear airflow path when they are placed side-by-side.
I think plain finned ones will be good for this, as you could have a fan on two of the end ones and a metal plate on the next so that air flows along in "lanes", either that or an up/down like some people are using on the asicminer blades.
I'm thinking gonna use copper or aluminum plating and flexible copper tubing to build water blocks. Passive water cooling will be WAAAY better than trying to worry about airflow, spacing, fans, etc, etc.
On the heatsink question, I do have one concern on the center of the K64 or wherever two or more K64s share an edge (e.g. "K256"). That's centralizing a lot of heat in comparison. Just wanted to bring the topic up so that whatever heatsink selected/recommended they allow for a clear airflow path when they are placed side-by-side.
I think plain finned ones will be good for this, as you could have a fan on two of the end ones and a metal plate on the next so that air flows along in "lanes", either that or an up/down like some people are using on the asicminer blades.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c_Qt5CtUlqY Stencils, QFN info on hot air reflow. This is an excellent video and explains the reflow profile and how to with heat gun very well.
Found some very cheap potential heatsinks, would they dissapate enough heat though?
http://dx.com/p/aluminum-cooler-heat-sink-chipset-for-ram-memory-w-type-8-piece-set-35816
130x180x60mm
http://dx.com/p/aluminum-cooler-heat-sink-chipset-for-ram-memory-w-type-8-piece-set-35816
130x180x60mm
Those are smaller than you indicate by 10x. 13mm not 130mm. They may be good as one per chip but they wouldn't work for the whole board (obviously). There's a lot of these RAM/VGA chip coolers out there. They may work per chip but once you add them up you end up spending more than one big heat sink. (I'm looking for a nice blue cool looking one for the K1 however, about 1"x1.25").
Can someone verify this company? http://www.pcb-assembly.com.tw/contact.html
I'm seeing very good prices for pcb printing in mid sized orders, for 100 printed boards like $9.3
The price doesn't surprise me at all. I'm expecting to pay $2.70 each in qty 100.
On the heatsink question, I do have one concern on the center of the K64 or wherever two or more K64s share an edge (e.g. "K256"). That's centralizing a lot of heat in comparison. Just wanted to bring the topic up so that whatever heatsink selected/recommended they allow for a clear airflow path when they are placed side-by-side.
I should get sample chips from my order, but my group buy isn't even completed yet. I'd be glad to send some over. But I'm sure others will come in before mine. The sooner the better.
Even one chip would be super useful. More would be cool. 8 would be awesome as that's a full bank. And 16 would be super awesome as that's a full board. So keep me in mind when samples start popping up. You'll get them back eventually, if you want, unless I blow one up or do something retarded.
I have that in mind from day 1!
I will try to find something for you in advance before samples come out:)
When arer you going to need them Yesterday?
No jocks when do you think you will get to the point that lack of chips will stop the development?
Calm down dude.
I will fill pretty good if i can order PCB's somewhere in china and have them in my hands waiting for chips not the opposite.
In order this to happen chips are needed in a first place
Four layer PCB is not a joke and in small quantities it needs time. PCB fab should be carefully chosen+ logistics+customs and so on so on
If all of the above shit is sorted out first it will be great at least for me
Even one chip would be super useful. More would be cool. 8 would be awesome as that's a full bank. And 16 would be super awesome as that's a full board. So keep me in mind when samples start popping up. You'll get them back eventually, if you want, unless I blow one up or do something retarded.
I have that in mind from day 1!
I will try to find something for you in advance before samples come out:)
When arer you going to need them Yesterday?
No jocks when do you think you will get to the point that lack of chips will stop the development?
Calm down dude.
You tell me to calm down? Relax take a breath... still plenty of people out there could have chips. Probably steamboat will come through. Great news then... so... what are the next steps BKKcoins?
Can we get a rough development run down from here on out?
Calm down dude Can we get a rough development run down from here on out?
Perfectly calm... as always. Just asking BKKcoins what his thinking is now these hurdles are cleared with specs from Avalon... but thanks for jumping in and doing it for him.
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