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BTCMiner is a Bitcoin Miner software which allows you to make money with your ZTEX USB-FPGA Module. Since these FPGA Boards contain an USB interface no additional hardware (like JTAG programmer) is required and low cost FPGA-clusters can be build using standard USB hubs.

Features

• Supported FPGA Boards:
  • Spartan 6 USB-FPGA Module 1.15b with XC6SLX75: 90 MH/s (typical)
  • Spartan 6 USB-FPGA Module 1.15x with XC6SLX150: 215 MH/s (typical)
  • Spartan 6 USB-FPGA Module 1.15y with four XC6SLX150: 860 MH/s (typical)
• Dynamic frequency scaling / overclocking based on error measurement, i.e. BTCMiner automatically chooses the frequency with the highest rate of valid hashes.
• Cluster mode: one software instance can control many FPGA Boards (up to several hundreds, limited by the number of USB host controllers)
• Hot-plugging: new FPGA Boards can be added / removed during runtime
• Stale reduction by Long Polling and block monitoring
• Backup server / pools
• Possibility of enumeration of FPGA Boards and cluster partitioning using that numbers
• Power save mode after 5min inactivity of per command
• Temperature monitoring and overheat shutdown (USB-FPGA Module 1.15y rev. 2)
• Overheat protection by shutdown if error rate increase to much
• Logging
• Package is Open Source
• Ready-to-use Bitstream, i.e. no Xilinx Software or Licence required

Usage

For Mac users there is a user contributed port on the Wiki: MacOS port.

General Usage

where

With -host, -u and -p access data for primary server / mining pool are specified, with -b backup server / pools can be defined. Multiple alternate addresses can be given by several specifications of -b. Backup accesses are used if connectivity to the primary server / mining pool is interrupted.

A list of all available parameters can be obtained by

Running a single FPGA Board

where

Example:

Running a FPGA cluster

where

If neither -pt nor -ps is given BTCMiner programs only unconfigured devices. In order to re-program FPGA-Boards the parameters -pt and -ps can be used to select devices by type (see the Firmware List) or by serial number, respectively. In all modes single devices can be selected from the device list (see -i) by -d. If this option is not given all devices are programmed.

Example:

After Firmware has been installed on all FPGA Boards the cluster can be started by

where

In cluster mode one thread is started per bus. If the amount of FPGA Boards on a bus is larger than the number given by -n additional threads are generated. A value of 5 to 20 is recommended if BTCMiner is connected over the internet (Mining Pools). For local setups a value of 127 is recommended (=maximum number of devices per bus).

In cluster mode FPGA Boards can be hot-plugged. A re-scan of the bus can be initiated by the command r.

Firmware and FPGA Board overview

The power dissipation for USB-FPGA Modules 1.15b and 1.15d was measured using an Experimental Board 1.3 at 12V external input voltage. USB-FPGA Modules 1.15x and 1.15y have on-board voltage regulators. The power dissipation of this FPGA board was measured at 12V input voltage.

Cooling and power requirement

In order to avoid overheating the usage of the heat sinks delivered with the FPGA Boards and some air flow is required. If there are no case fans larger heat sinks for USB-FPGA Modules 1.15b (LX75) or heat sinks with an installed 25mm mini fan for USB-FPGA Modules 1.15d (LX150) are available. USB-FPGA Modules 1.15x (LX150) and USB-FPGA Modules 1.15y (4 × LX150) are are delivered with 40x40mm fans.

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