Black Arrow 28nm 100Ghash Bitcoin ASIC from $0.49/GH/s

[BlackArrow Matt]

asking for an update on your thousands of dollars is not puerile.  it's common f-ing sense.  

If a corporation had invested tens of thousands in a similar situation and was getting the runaround like this, they'd be in touch with their lawyers and, more likely, they'd be on a plane demanding an inspection of the plant and hard evidence of progress to date.  customers have sent BA what is likely several hundred thousand dollars, if not more.  That's not the type of money for which you just tell people they have no right to know what the hell is going on.

no-one in their right mind just shuts up and lets the other party just stonewall when this sort of money is involved, unless they're a damn fool.

There's a difference between stonewalling and not having any further information. We have allowed customers as well as Bobsag3 visit our facilities and post photos. We really have nothing to hide but we also have nothing to report at the moment either.

As I said earlier, I'm looking for more information. I will speak with our engineering team to see where we're at.

I appreciate that everyone is eager to learn more about where we're at.

edit: I also wanted to say that just because my status here shows me as being online does not mean I'm looking at this thread. I have this tab open all the time so whenever I'm on this machine I'm shown as online here. Just wanted to let you know I'm not ignoring anyone when it shows me as being online but not posting.

[Stedsm]

 I would argue there is difference between not having new info and not being allowed to repeat or given new info as I suspect is the case. Either the Minion has taped out or it hasn't. Both answers would be new info for us but maybe BA just doesn't put any importance to it like most other manufactures.

Maybe you could answer this;is the quote by Dyslexiczombie from https://asktom.cf/index.php?topic=339163.0  true or false?



"I assisted in the launch of the BA Bullet Run and our co-op holds the rights to the exclusive Group Buy for x-3 Prospero GBs in February. They're not 3rd party boards - its a nearly complete test of the new BA Prospero design being launched in late February.

This allowed them to do a limited size test of their entire design and assembly process sans the Minion chip, while working with bobsag3 to troubleshoot problems and iron out issues (it also allowed our co-op members access to Bullet Run Prosperos 3-4 months ahead of the full launch).

The main difference is that this Bullet Run that's currently hashing uses 55nm Bitfury chips, while the February Prosperos will be using their own 28nm Minion ASIC. Everything I've seen/heard so far is that they still appear to be on track for a late February launch of their Minion Prosperos (in fact, absolutely no promises and don't hold this as holy gospel, but I understand that this is a conservative target date; as there's been too much over promising and underdelivery in this industry, as a whole)."
   

[Syke]

There's a difference between stonewalling and not having any further information. We have allowed customers as well as Bobsag3 visit our facilities and post photos. We really have nothing to hide but we also have nothing to report at the moment either.

Unfortunately, no news means you have not taped-out. Please explain how you can still be on track. There's a limit to how fast wafers can be produced.

[Cheshyr]

There's a difference between stonewalling and not having any further information. We have allowed customers as well as Bobsag3 visit our facilities and post photos. We really have nothing to hide but we also have nothing to report at the moment either.

Unfortunately, no news means you have not taped-out. Please explain how you can still be on track. There's a limit to how fast wafers can be produced.

No news means they haven't gotten an update from their foundry; it doesn't mean nothing is happening.  That said, CNY always throws a wrench in things.  Seeing as it's 4:30a in China right now, we can probably give Matt a few hours rest this weekend, and wait for him to get news from the engineers.

[Cheshyr]

Both Matt's and Blackarrow's "local time" on their profile is 8:30PM, so it sounds like they're in Europe, not China.

Blackarrow may be in Europe, but I believe their foundry is in China.  Regardless, I doubt Matt works in the foundry, and I'd be surprised if anyone was answering phone calls or emails at 8:30p on a Saturday, so the point remains the same.

[Syke]

No news means they haven't gotten an update from their foundry; it doesn't mean nothing is happening.  That said, CNY always throws a wrench in things.  Seeing as it's 4:30a in China right now, we can probably give Matt a few hours rest this weekend, and wait for him to get news from the engineers.

You think their foundry taped-out weeks ago and put the wafers into production yet never notified them? Seriously?

[Cheshyr]

No news means they haven't gotten an update from their foundry; it doesn't mean nothing is happening.  That said, CNY always throws a wrench in things.  Seeing as it's 4:30a in China right now, we can probably give Matt a few hours rest this weekend, and wait for him to get news from the engineers.

You think their foundry taped-out weeks ago and put the wafers into production yet never notified them? Seriously?

I think they made revisions to their design to meet their efficiency goals, took them back to their foundry and said 'change the masks to make this happen, and please do it quickly'.  I have no other insight into the communication protocols or expectations they have established with their foundry, so I'm not going to hazard a guess.  Maybe he has information, maybe he doesn't.  I can think of a number of non-technical reasons why they wouldn't announce their tapeout here.  I don't think we're going to hear anything from him in the next 36 hours regardless.

[merv77]

I'm sure that BlackArrow is in Shenzhen China and as you know they're in CNY mode.  China shuts down from the 26th for I think a couple of weeks

[Adrians__]

I was planning picking my up at the factory the 24. of February.
But with the news in this thread I am not sure booking a ticket is such a good idea.

[erk]

I was planning picking my up at the factory the 24. of February.
But with the news in this thread I am not sure booking a ticket is such a good idea.

I bet you were not. Nobody can be that noob, even with only 5 posts.

[terrapinflyer]

I was planning picking my up at the factory the 24. of February.
But with the news in this thread I am not sure booking a ticket is such a good idea.

I bet you were not. Nobody can be that noob, even with only 5 posts.

erk strikes again!

[Unacceptable]

I was planning picking my up at the factory the 24. of February.
But with the news in this thread I am not sure booking a ticket is such a good idea.

I bet you were not. Nobody can be that noob, even with only 5 posts.

erk strikes again!

LMAO    You tell that newbie erk!!!!!!!!!!   

[karanveer]

why the x-1 miner for purchase a minimum of 10???
and its for the home miner?
shouldn't you bring that down?

[erk]

why the x-1 miner for purchase a minimum of 10???
and its for the home miner?
shouldn't you bring that down?

It's called wholesale. Get 10 home users to buy one each, or go to one of the Black Arrow resellers like normal people do.

[BlackArrow Matt]

why the x-1 miner for purchase a minimum of 10???
and its for the home miner?
shouldn't you bring that down?

It's called wholesale. Get 10 home users to buy one each, or go to one of the Black Arrow resellers like normal people do.

Actually if you get 10 users to buy one each that'd be a group buy... which isn't allowed. Our resellers are the only option if you want fewer than 10 X-1's.

I'm still digging for information guys. Sorry about the delay.

[erk]

why the x-1 miner for purchase a minimum of 10???
and its for the home miner?
shouldn't you bring that down?

It's called wholesale. Get 10 home users to buy one each, or go to one of the Black Arrow resellers like normal people do.

Actually if you get 10 users to buy one each that'd be a group buy... which isn't allowed. Our resellers are the only option if you want fewer than 10 X-1's.

I'm still digging for information guys. Sorry about the delay.

Yeah, but you wouldn't know it was a group buy with only one person placing the order for 10.

[ghcannon]

Hi Matt, please check your inbox as I sent you a PM.

So far i haven't come across a more affordable and capable hardware.
I managed to get 5 x1's while it was still possible from the webshop, i guess I count myself lucky.

Looking forward to batch 1 !

[rrigek]

Hi Matt.

past 13th January I ordered 10x X1 the paid same day by TT but i got an email the past 23th from BA let my know that your company have some troubles for get the payment.

Also I try contact several days by telephone with your office at Shenzhen and at Hong Kong but nobody answer.

So, I want visit your office at Shenzhen or HK since i living near there in Shenzhen and discuss about the payment.

Let me know if possible go there tomorrow 28th or after tomorrow 29th.

Regards.
Luis

 

[vesperwillow]

Are you guys still going to offer more hash to your customers, as you discussed from day 1, to make sure they profit?

[zurg]

Are you guys still going to offer more hash to your customers, as you discussed from day 1, to make sure they profit?

Was this a promise?  I must have missed this somewhere as to my knowledge they have not offered any sort of guarantee.  If you have a link to where this is discussed could you please share it?

I think he is referring to this:

All pre-orders are guaranteed to be protected against any price decrease. If at any time, during the pre-order period, we drop the price under what you have already paid, you will be compensated by receiving more X-3 mining machines.
Example: If you have purchased an X-3 with 25% discount and we offer later 40% discount, your order will be recalculated at 40% discount and you will receive more X-3. Then, if we offer later only 10% discount you will still get order as if you've ordered at 40% discount.

Which is not what he thinks it is.

Cant think of anything else they ever said.