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Topic: Ultra-Low-Cost DIY FPGA Miner - 175MH/s @ $1/MH (Read 125898 times)

copper member
Activity: 12
Merit: 2
Interestingly, ASIC technology is always faster and more efficient, but FPGAs, like GPUs, are versatile.  Wink
legendary
Activity: 4592
Merit: 1851
Linux since 1997 RedHat 4
Um, even the title explains why this is pointless.
$1/MH

If you buy an old S9 for (overprice) $200, then that's $200 for 13000000MHs
(yes that is the correct number of zeros)

So that S9 gives you $1/65000MH

i.e. this project is 65000 times more expensive than buying an old slow out of date S9 ...

... of course it's worse than that since I rounded the numbers in the direction that makes the S9 figures worse
e.g. an S9 should cost under $200 and should do over 13TH/s
hero member
Activity: 1008
Merit: 960
~snip~
This thread is 9+ years old when BTC was MUCH easier - see the comment above: BTC was around $100 or less then.

Things are very different now.

As an example, I have a dual FutureBit system running (one full node and one standard) which averages a bit more than 6 gHash or (about) 6,000 mHash. That rig generates about 0.00017 BTC per week or about $5.00 USD. At current BTC prices that's a few cents more than the electricity it costs to run. A single FutureBit full node costs $899 for 3 gHash or about $0.30/ mHash. At this level it's basically a hobby with the hope that "stacking sats" will pay off sometime in the indefinite future.

Bottom line: DIY FPGA mining at that level is a lot of work for zero return.

All that said... if you enjoy DIY electronics (I build Eurorack synth modules "for fun", LOL) and are reasonably competent/confident with modern software development tools, building a small miner could be an interesting project. There are a number of reasonably recent videos on YouTube documenting such projects and you can find PCB layouts, software, etc. on github.

For example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_AocgfvTIs&t=290s

Good Luck!


Well, the thing is that mining Bitcoin has usually been difficult, at the time, lots of hardware work for relatively low pay.

For example, the initial CPU miners were extremely inefficient, and Bitcoin was worth almost nothing. So all those miners mined for almost nothing.

The same is true today, and it has usually been the case in the entire Bitcoin mining history. At the time you're mining basically at cost or close to it. Sometimes a bit better, and sometimes a bit worse, but around the cost of production.

You also now have the concept of lottery mining, which wasn't even a thing back then, you had to wait a decade or so to see the value increase, now you can just get lucky and earn a lot of money mining.
newbie
Activity: 13
Merit: 0
Did this project ever end up mining crypto?

If so I would like to buy one Smiley

This thread is 9+ years old when BTC was MUCH easier - see the comment above: BTC was around $100 or less then.

Things are very different now.

As an example, I have a dual FutureBit system running (one full node and one standard) which averages a bit more than 6 gHash or (about) 6,000 mHash. That rig generates about 0.00017 BTC per week or about $5.00 USD. At current BTC prices that's a few cents more than the electricity it costs to run. A single FutureBit full node costs $899 for 3 gHash or about $0.30/ mHash. At this level it's basically a hobby with the hope that "stacking sats" will pay off sometime in the indefinite future.

Bottom line: DIY FPGA mining at that level is a lot of work for zero return.

All that said... if you enjoy DIY electronics (I build Eurorack synth modules "for fun", LOL) and are reasonably competent/confident with modern software development tools, building a small miner could be an interesting project. There are a number of reasonably recent videos on YouTube documenting such projects and you can find PCB layouts, software, etc. on github.

For example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_AocgfvTIs&t=290s

Good Luck!
newbie
Activity: 1
Merit: 0
Did this project ever end up mining crypto?

If so I would like to buy one Smiley
member
Activity: 61
Merit: 10
No it's a Klondike Avalon ASIC Miner (USB). not a FPGA. It's an Application-specific integrated circuit only produced for Double SHA-256 calculation. You only have to check the custom hardware forum and search for Klondike, i.e.

Greetings

I know what ASICs are but im going by i have a friend with 3 "ASIC"s but they are really just fpgas with a limiter
sr. member
Activity: 336
Merit: 250

So its like those "asic" fpga miners?   and where do i find one for that cheap?  I've only found a few so far by searching but they are all in the 1.4+ BTC range... or about $130 with the current rate

I did a quick look in the Group Buy section and found this group buy for a k-1 still open for about $74.13 USD +shipping.   https://bitcointalksearch.org/topic/closed-bpmc-k1-batch-1-worldwide-group-buy-052-btc-each-254358  I am not affiliated or endorse this group buy, I am just passing the information.  As with all things bitcoin.  Please do your research before you buy.  ;-)

full member
Activity: 204
Merit: 100
No it's a Klondike Avalon ASIC Miner (USB). not a FPGA. It's an Application-specific integrated circuit only produced for Double SHA-256 calculation. You only have to check the custom hardware forum and search for Klondike, i.e.

Greetings
member
Activity: 61
Merit: 10
I must have one of these. A perfect portable miner to go with me and my laptop so i don't burn up my dual gpu anymore than i have xD

You would be better off getting in on a group buy for a K-1.   Grin  Less than $90 USD for 350 Mh/s 

So its like those "asic" fpga miners?   and where do i find one for that cheap?  I've only found a few so far by searching but they are all in the 1.4+ BTC range... or about $130 with the current rate
sr. member
Activity: 336
Merit: 250
I must have one of these. A perfect portable miner to go with me and my laptop so i don't burn up my dual gpu anymore than i have xD

You would be better off getting in on a group buy for a K-1.   Grin  Less than $90 USD for 350 Mh/s 
member
Activity: 61
Merit: 10
I must have one of these. A perfect portable miner to go with me and my laptop so i don't burn up my dual gpu anymore than i have xD
legendary
Activity: 2772
Merit: 1028
Duelbits.com
How is $5000 for 5GH/s "Ultra Low Cost"? Thats horrendrous expensive

check when thread was started, it was cheap back then. No asics and lower difficulty.
newbie
Activity: 34
Merit: 0
How is $5000 for 5GH/s "Ultra Low Cost"? Thats horrendrous expensive
full member
Activity: 213
Merit: 100
I'm interested and don't have much in the way of cash or bitcoin ( yet ).
Just need a few details more than what is on the thread
1) price per unit ( no volume discount )
2) shipping costs ( estimates obviously, I am amazed how little stuff costs to get to me from some places and how much from 20 miles away due to a border )
3) Est volume of availability
4) can I get it as a ' buy at your own soldering skills risk ' kit?
and most importantly.. 5) will ya accept BTC?
aTg
legendary
Activity: 1358
Merit: 1000
Don't believe everything you read  Wink Bitcoin ASICs are marketing vaporware.
I doubt they will exist at all in a way that threatens the latest FPGAs,
at least not for the next 9 months or so.
Ohhh. Close but not quite. Tongue

Remember that the chips currently on the market have no more MH/s to an FPGA.
staff
Activity: 4284
Merit: 8808
Don't believe everything you read  Wink Bitcoin ASICs are marketing vaporware.
I doubt they will exist at all in a way that threatens the latest FPGAs,
at least not for the next 9 months or so.
Ohhh. Close but not quite. Tongue
member
Activity: 89
Merit: 10
Is this dead? If so, is there any other project like this? Perhaps the BeagleBone FPGA shield? Can that be used for mining?

http://valentfx.com/logi-blog/item/fpga-logi-family-bitcoin-mining-application
newbie
Activity: 14
Merit: 0
Is this dead? If so, is there any other project like this? Perhaps the BeagleBone FPGA shield? Can that be used for mining?
member
Activity: 86
Merit: 10
I would also like updates, will you be selling them?
member
Activity: 89
Merit: 10
Any updates on this project Smiley ?
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