Project Update

[tazzduke]

Greetings All

Over at BU, after the current subprojects complete, they will be no longer be supporting CPUs and GPUs.  All the details are on their website.

Regards

[JugNut]

Seems they are not accepting new members at BU so will have wait on this one.

Dingo has an invitation code here..

EDIT BY DINGO: I moved the post to the correct place http://forum.boinc-australia.net/index.php?topic=1852.0

Although as reported by tazzduke CPU & GPU crunching will soon be phased out.

[chooka03]

Oh well, looks like you be one of the few still getting credit points soon Jugnuts (except maybe the die hard BC farmers.)
I imagine most people are using a standard CPU & GPU like me.
On the positive side, this might clean up the distortion that Bitcoin Utopia has created with the silly amounts of credit points given. (Again, except for the die hards with all the BC gear)

[Dataman]

Seems they are not accepting new members at BU so will have wait on this one.

Dingo has an invitation code here..
EDIT BY DINGO: I moved the post to the correct place http://forum.boinc-australia.net/index.php?topic=1852.0

Although as reported by tazzduke CPU & GPU crunching will soon be phased out.

Used it and was able to join. Bought the last USB miner they had on Amazon (maybe another doorstop). Something to play with though. Checked every USB miner listed at BU and ALL were sold out worldwide.   Why??
???
I read a BUNCH of posts at BU last night and now I know even less than I knew before which was nothing.  biggrin Oh well, this how I got started with GPU crunching. I bought a 9800 GTX and it was almost 2 MONTHS before I returned a successful result at GPUGRID. Steep learning curve.

[Dataman]

OMG I have gone over to the dark side.   Returned my first successful GPU BU wu. ~5K credits for a 22 min run ... shame on me
I should get my miner on Wed ... will keep ya'all posted.

[chooka03]

Before ya know it this will be in either Dataman's or Jugnuts garage! 

[tazzduke]

      

[Dataman]

 biggrin biggrin

[Dataman]

@Jugnut:
To use the miner only do you turn off CPU and GPU in preferences or do you have to uncheck all the CPU and GPU projects?
Thanks

[JugNut]

@ Chooka:  Wow *LOL* I'm a  believer that anything is possible but as far as idea's go that one is plain bonkers,  lets just say it's right up there with me pooping gold nuggets or maybe being the one true messiah err it's possible but highly flipping unlikely ;)


@ Dataman: Yup that's exactly what I did I just unselected CPU & GPU and then I just chose a 333MHs or 1.6GHs ASICs campaign and unselected all the other campaigns. If you leave all the other campains selected they will download as well,  so best just have one campaign selected at a time. Least thats what I did. 
I got a bit greedy and tried a 20GHs campaign but it did not go well,  it seemed like it was going fine at first and it only took 40 mins to get to 90% but that's where my luck ran out as it took a further 3 1/2 hours to get to 99% and showed no sign of ever ending.  So after it stayed at 99% for a further hour I gave up & aborted it.


To get up & running in the first place I just followed the post in the FAQ thread entitled - "How to install an ASIC miner (USB)"
Basically I did exactly what was mentioned in the FAQ,  which went something like this..... 

As my device was not recognised properly by Windows I installed the Zadig drivers from here. http://zadig.akeo.ie/

Then because i run a Boinc version greater than v7.4.22 I had to insert the below lines into the cc_config.xml file located in C:\ProgramData\Boinc\. (or where ever yours is installed to)

<cc_config>
<options>
<coproc>
<type>miner_asic</type>
<count>1</count>
</coproc>
</options>
</cc_config>

note: Edit cc_config.xml file with notepad and insert the above lines anywhere between the options flags.  eg: between <options> </options> Not between <log_flags> </log_flags>

Well after that it still wouldn't work,  so I experimented a bit and the problem was the USB 3 ports on my box as soon as I plugged the device into USB 2 ports boinc recognised it and I was golden.

Good Luck 


PS:  These things run crazy hot so you most probably will need an external fan

[Dataman]

@ Chooka:  Wow *LOL* I'm a  believer that anything is possible but as far as idea's go that one is plain bonkers,  lets just say it's right up there with me pooping gold nuggets or maybe being the one true messiah err it's possible but highly flipping unlikely ;)


@ Dataman: Yup that's exactly what I did just unselected CPU & GPU and then just choose a 333MHs or 1.6GHs ASICs campaign and thats it. If you leave other campains selected they will download as well,  so best just have one campaign selected at a time. Least thats what I did. 
I got a bit greedy and tried a 20GHs campaign but it did not go well,  it seemed like it was going fine at first and it only took 40 mins to get to 90% but that's where my luck ran out as it took a further 3 1/2 hours to get to 99% and showed no sign of ever ending.  So after it stayed at 99% for a further hour I gave up & aborted it.


To get up & running in the first place I just followed the post in the FAQ thread entitled - "How to install an ASIC miner (USB)"
Basically I did exactly what was mentioned in the FAQ,  which went something like this..... 

As my device was not recognised properly by Windows I installed the Zadig drivers from here. http://zadig.akeo.ie/

Then because i run a Boinc version greater than v7.4.22 I had to insert the below lines into the cc_config.xml file located in C:\ProgramData\Boinc\. (or where ever yours is installed to)

<cc_config>
<options>
<coproc>
<type>miner_asic</type>
<count>1</count>
</coproc>
</options>
</cc_config>

note: Edit cc_config.xml file with notepad and insert the above lines anywhere between the options flags.  eg: between <options> </options> Not between <log_flags> </log_flags>

Well after that it still wouldn't work,  so I experimented a bit and the problem was the USB 3 ports on my box as soon as I plugged the device into USB 2 ports boinc recognised it and I was golden.

Good Luck 


PS:  These things run crazy hot so you most probably will need an external fan

Thanks, I will make the config changes to all the machines. The C++ change got all my GPU's working at BU. Even the GTX460 SI's that are almost useless now on other projects.
I should receive this miner tomorrow:
http://www.amazon.com/USB-Green-Bitcoin-Miner-11-22/dp/B015VFEM9I?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=od_aui_detailpages00
and this one by Thursday:
http://www.amazon.com/Bitmain-Antminer-Batch-Bitcoin-Miner/dp/B00SL2UVIK?ie=UTF8&psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=od_aui_detailpages00
I know the antminer will work at BU but not sure about the green one. I will let everyone know as they still have 7 of the Green ones left at Amazon. Only $75 USD and free shipping for Prime customers.
If heat is a problem, I have a USB hub with a long cord and will just hang it out the window.  Either that or Karen will hang ME out the window. 

[chooka03]

LOL guys.
Shame $US 75.00 is over $100.00 AUD + shipping. I'm not that keen :)

[kashi]

Not certain but think the GekkoScience stick one should work:

http://www.bitcoinutopia.net/bitcoinutopia/forum_thread.php?id=965#10260

Probably that means you would need to install Zadig USB driver as it emulates an Antminer U3.

I was going to get one myself to play with but they don't post to Australia.

Possibly the Antminer U3 would be better value, but the one for US$99.99 also doesn't post to Australia and the Hong Kong seller that does has a price of US$168.99 and a poor rating as well.

I read to beware of buying Antminer U3s on eBay from sellers in China, either new or used, as there are reports of fakes and unreliability.

I know little of how bitcoin works but I briefly read of the planned halving of block reward in July. Lots of speculation about what will happen then. Some predict great volatility as the potential bitcoin price rise due to halving has already been priced in.

Suppose if market crashes you'd still get billions of BOINC credit even if the donation target project only gets the teensiest percentage on what is spent on power. 
   

[Dingo]

They don't ship to Canada either but there are a couple on the Amazon.ca site but they are not on the list at Bitcoin ? These two that is close to my price range is this one

https://www.amazon.ca/Yellowjacket-2-2-ASIC-Miner-Nanofury/dp/B00I21R4HG/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1464057718&sr=8-8&keywords=bitcoin+miner

This one looks over priced for the output.


https://www.amazon.ca/ASICMINER-Sapphire-Block-Erupter-Bitcoin/dp/B00DYBD0X6/ref=pd_sim_sbs_147_3?ie=UTF8&dpID=41pqi4Cq2dL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=77D356HS791R4C8NJWSF

[chooka03]

Yeah as Jugnuts said, his 5Ghz one cost about $28.00 (I think that's $US) I'd use that for a bench mark. There seem to be a few floating around which aren't as good as the BitFury. The HexFury looks good too but too pricey for me and good luck finding one!
The green one which Dataman has bought for US$75.00 could be good but we'll wait to see if that one works for him :)

I read an article in the Australia today about a businessman who has about 1/3rd of his wealth in Bitcoins as an alternative to gold. Personally I'm still VERY skeptical of BC.
Here -
http://www.wsj.com/articles/bitcoin-catches-on-with-gold-bugs-1463959897