ASIC mining in 2018

When cryptocurrencies first appeared, no one really cared about them. “This is an unpopular asset that will soon blow up like all the previous ones,” was the commonly heard opinion. Later, the idea of mining began to be supported by idlers who just wanted to kill time and give this field of activity a hope of existence. During the period of ancient mining, currency was mined with graphics processors. Nowadays, mining is a hobby of geniuses that has grown to the level of industry, as special farms have been in demand in China for years. Now, our Asian friends have decided to make a discovery by developing chips for mining the most iconic currency, bitcoin.

What is ASICanyway ?

This abbreviation stands for Application Specific Integrated Circuit. Such chips are configured only for a specific type of work, and in this case, it is the decryption of algorithms. It is important to note that any algorithm is based on its own unique algorithm. At the moment, there are the following variations:

– Scrypt (Litecoin, B3Coin, Bitdeal);

– Blake (Siacoin, Decred);

– Ethash (Ethereum and classic, Ubiq);

– X11(Dash, Pura);

– SHA-256.

It is worth noting that the latter algorithm involves working with one of the most popular currencies – Bitcoin. It should also be remembered that miners are divided into two groups depending on their size and capacity: professional and home miners. Representatives of the first group form entire farms, while those of the second group will become an ideal working machine at home.

Rating of the best tillers in 2018

Currently, the most reputable manufacturers of Asikas are Baikal; PinIdea and Bitmain. For the sake of convenience, let’s summarize all the data in a table, highlighting the most important criteria:

As you can see from the table, the choice is significantly influenced by the hashrate and power consumption, as well as the currency being produced. These items are subject to high requirements, since, for example, the first two models in the table work on the same algorithm, have the same power consumption, but the speed of operation is different. It should be noted that devices with low power consumption are affordable, which is directly related to performance.

Payback period

The payback period of the purchase comes first. This parameter refers to the time that the purchased device will take to compensate for the funds from its purchase. Therefore, let’s get acquainted with the key factors that form the holistic concept of payback:

– hashtag;

– purchase price;

– settings;

– the currency produced.

Currently, the payback calculation is very simple and can even be summarized on the website. You choose the Asika model you are interested in, specify the electricity costs, the type of currency to be produced, and the performance. With the help of such calculators, users can easily find out the payback period of the products.

Assembling an Asik with your own hands

The price of some models can hardly be called adequate, so more and more craftsmen decide to assemble a productive unit with their own hands. First, let’s see what this miracle for making money consists of:

– ASIC board – located in special slots and have chips on their body (usually several of them);

– memory unit – responsible for the full operation of the device and data exchange;

– power supply unit – responsible for converting alternating current into direct current (AC for the miner itself, DC for the chips);

– cooling system – is represented by fans that are designed to ensure timely and high-quality cooling of the device, as high performance generates a large amount of heat;

– connectors – provide communication with external devices, so external outputs are mandatory;

– case – now the whole structure needs to be ergonomically placed in a box with a sufficient level of ventilation (it is better to opt for a thin-walled metal, such as aluminum).

Before assembling the asik, it is best to draw up a diagram and purchase the necessary components. Don’t forget that if you want a small device, you need to think about ventilation, because a strongly “clamped” version will often overheat and even malfunction. Beginners are unlikely to be able to assemble a productive gadget on their own, so it is better to contact a specialist or buy an already assembled version sold in stores

What kind of asic to choose?

Those who know where to spend their money and also realize that they will not be able to assemble a miner on their own want to buy an ASIC. However, there are a number of fundamental factors to consider before making a choice:

– Hashrate – it can be compared to a performance index over a certain period of time. The higher this indicator is, the more money is gained, and the shorter the payback period. By the way, only new models of miners can boast of excellent performance, as the old ones run on outdated hardware. Nowadays, the figure of more than 30 TH/s is relevant, but we should not forget about power consumption. The 30 TH/s figure can already be attributed to the premium segment, so it is better to stop at the golden mean of 20-30 TH/s, which is what Asik D3 and M3 models are good at.

– The microprocessor frequency is a parameter that directly affects the hashtag, and you can draw an analogy with laptops. A “vegetable” processor with good hardware will never give the same effect as a powerful processor and average hardware.

– Power consumption – are you ready to pay a lot of money to maintain a powerful device without having enough money to spare? How much will you have to spend on electricity? You’ll have to choose a middle ground from the options on offer.

– Pricing policy – this is the issue that most consumers who want to buy an Asik are concerned about. It is advisable to buy the device not in a period of high demand, as prices at this point soar incredibly high, like at the presentation of a new iPhone or Samsung.

Connecting an ASIC miner

Connecting Asik is quite simple, as each device comes with a manual. It shows every step so that the user does not make mistakes, but let’s take a closer look:

– connect the power supply using the junction of the connectors of the action body and the control panel (the connection sequence does not matter);

– connect the network cable to the router;

– perform a test run (when connected correctly, the network connection indicators indicate that the network connection is working, and the fans start operating at minimum power);

– to determine the IP address of the server (you can use a variety of utilities to open a browser and find the settings);

– configure the web interface – all settings are selected there, such as pool, frequency, power (firmware update may be required);

– save the settings and check the status of the equipment on the tab.

IMPORTANT!

The miner must be provided with an optimal temperature regime that will allow it to operate. If overheating occurs, the device receives a corresponding signal and automatically shuts down.

To summarize the above

The complexity of the network is growing regularly, not to mention the level of competition. However, mining is still in demand among all segments of the population. Asic is one of the most profitable and relevant areas for earning digital currency, which, in turn, attracts more and more participants. In general, I would like to say that the mining business is able to bring excellent profits, despite all the costs, which pay off in the shortest possible time.