Avalon2 prototype

This design is use the Avalon first product design, replace the A3256 with A3255, some hardware pins modify and use different FPGA firmware. please check here for details and all design files and firmware files.

Documents

• Reference design
• Assemble Manual

Firmware

For latest 703N firmware please goto here: http://downloads.canaan-creative.com/software/avalon/latest/. from 20131229. the cgminer will support both Avalon 110nm and Avalon A3255 prototype machine.

2013-12-07

• 8, 16 miners works just fine
• ISSUE: 32 miners with 10 chips still not working because TIMEOUT issue
• Change `core_count to 64 to compatible with ealier cgminer
• Software should follow equation below when handle A3255 based miner

nonce_send_to_pool = nonce_receive_from_miner-0xc0

• Include all hardware design files under this tar ball

TIMEOUT

• TIMEOUT的有效值范围为[0,255]，FPGA controller根据TIMEOUT的配置来控制申请/计算任务的时间。当TIMEOUT值配置为1时，FPGA controller会每隔0.033s申请一次任务，也表示芯片已计算完当前HASH区间。
• TIMEOUT配置与申请/计算任务时间间隔的公式为

 TIME_OF_MINER_FINISH_HASH_RANGE = TIMEOUT * 0.033s
 TIMEOUT = TIME_OF_MINER_FINISH_HASH_RANGE / 0.033s

• 若FPGA controller连接的一个小模块上的计算能力为10GHs（10个芯片，每芯片1G），则FPGA controller申请任务的时间间隔为

 2^32 / 10*1000*1000*1000 = 0.4s
 0.4s/0.033s = 12 # TIMEOUT应配置为12

• 如果使用prototype中的FPGA固件，你们的硬件设计一定要满足下面的式子：

发送全部任务的时间 一定要小于 FPGA申请任务的时间(也就是ASIC算完自己区间的时间)
((11+2+chip_num)*4*10/115200)*miner_num*1000 + DELAY_IN_MS*miner_num < (128591 / chip_num / frequency) * 33ms

解释一下：
 11+2+chip_num)*4 ==> CHIP_NUM的任务长度，单位Byte
 ((11+2+chip_num)*4*10/115200)*miner_num*1000 ==> 发送MINER_NUM个这样的任务所需要的时间，单位是ms
 DELAY_IN_MS*miner_num ==> 总的Delay时间，DELAY_IN_MS见cgminer代码：driver-avalon.c:1132
 (128591 / chip_num / frequency) * 33ms ==> TIMEOUT值，详见Wiki文档

几个测试的例子，仅供参考：
MINER_NUM:CHIP_NUM:FREQUENCY:TIMEOUT
==> 16:10:1000:12 works fine
==> 16:10:1500:8   works fine
==> 24:10:1000:12 works fine
==> 24:10:1500:8   works fine
==> 32:6:1000:21   works fine
==> 32:6:1500:12   works fine
==> 32:10:1000:12 works fine
==> 32:10:1500:8   not working

Work without LDO RT9187

• Connect the C20 right pad to C15 or C14 left pad
• Please keep the Vcore to between 0.95v and 1.05v, the origin design was 1v.
• If the crystal not working, try to reduce the R28(by default it's 1K), if reduce the R28 didn't make crystal back to working. try repace the crystal with a better brand.

55nm open design

• form

https://github.com/formtapez/avalon
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=323175.0
Supported by official BFGMiner 3.8+

• flyonwall

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=323175.msg3759895#msg3759895

• Technobit Team

https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=323727.0
here is the design, BOM：
http://ge.tt/2B4qW051/v/0?c
Here is CGminer patch and dd-wrt cgminer build
http://technobit.eu/index.php?controller=attachment&id_attachment=30
Windows drivers
http://technobit.eu/index.php?controller=attachment&id_attachment=9
Windows HEXminer software
http://technobit.eu/index.php?controller=attachment&id_attachment=29
Specs
16 chip board
Hash rate - about 24 Gh/s overclocked
16 bit PIC controller
2 line power suply
Voltage controled by command in the software/firmware
USB connector
molex 4 pin power connector
Review: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=355323.0

• George Hahn

https://github.com/GeorgeHahn/Avalon

• Dan

http://arselin.com/drillbit/2013/12/01/avalon-gen2-miners-by-drillbit-systems/
http://www.drillbitsystem.com/avalon/

• Carlos

https://github.com/ctapang/DesignEntry/

• Zhaodong

https://github.com/BitDragonfly/A3256-mono

• Ardulon 2

https://code.google.com/p/ardulon-miner/source/browse/#svn%2Ftrunk