We need your feedback on new algorithms

[Chris Sokolowski]

Over the next weeks, we will be working on implementing additional algorithms for the pool, with the initial push focusing on the GPU-mineable algorithms. We would like your feedback on how we will implement these additional algorithms. Therefore, I have three questions on which I need feedback:

1.) Do you mine one algorithm with your GPUs or do you switch algorithms depending on profitability? If we programmed a client that determines the capabilities of your GPU and then mines the most profitable coin on the most profitable algorithm, would you use the algorithm-switching client? If you prefer to stick to one algorithm, what is your reason for doing so?

2.) Is there any client or pool that already exists that performs this algorithm switching depending on profitability? I have seen the Miner Control software, but it has a deficiency in that it polls pools only once per minute for profitability, which makes it less than optimal when the most profitable coin can change multiple times per second. Our client would receive commands from the mining pool itself telling it what algorithm and what coin to mine, allowing it to respond instantaneously. Is there any client and pool that I do not know of that has this functionality?

3.) Do different algorithms draw different amounts of electricity on the same GPU? If we programmed a client that switches algorithms, would we need to consider that each algorithm draws a different amount of electricity, or do all algorithms use about the same amount of electrical power?

Thanks in advance for your feedback!

[tucsondirect]

1.) Do you mine one algorithm with your GPUs or do you switch algorithms depending on profitability? If we programmed a client that determines the capabilities of your GPU and then mines the most profitable coin on the most profitable algorithm, would you use the algorithm-switching client? If you prefer to stick to one algorithm, what is your reason for doing so?

I would mine with other algorithms if there were an easy managed way to switch between them....


2.) Is there any client or pool that already exists that performs this algorithm switching depending on profitability? I have seen the Miner Control software, but it has a deficiency in that it polls pools only once per minute for profitability, which makes it less than optimal when the most profitable coin can change multiple times per second. Our client would receive commands from the mining pool itself telling it what algorithm and what coin to mine, allowing it to respond instantaneously. Is there any client and pool that I do not know of that has this functionality?

I haven't seen it but would love prohashing to implement it!

3.) Do different algorithms draw different amounts of electricity on the same GPU? If we programmed a client that switches algorithms, would we need to consider that each algorithm draws a different amount of electricity, or do all algorithms use about the same amount of electrical power?

It's my experience that they generally draw the same amount of power, unless you are overclocking memory in which case the mining rate is the best indicator of actual power draw Scrypt currently draws the most power on my gpu's however the difference is negligible

[kires]

1.) Do you mine one algorithm with your GPUs or do you switch algorithms depending on profitability? If we programmed a client that determines the capabilities of your GPU and then mines the most profitable coin on the most profitable algorithm, would you use the algorithm-switching client? If you prefer to stick to one algorithm, what is your reason for doing so?

My Titans can do Scrypt or Script-N. (Sorry for that, VertCoin ) I think they could potentially do more algorithms, but KNC (never to be sufficiently damned) stopped development of the firmware before any other algorithms were enabled. Anyway, I would gladly switch between Scrypt and Scrypt-N PRN. If you get the algorithm-hopping feature enabled, I'll gladly rebuild and fire up my GPU rig.

2.) Is there any client or pool that already exists that performs this algorithm switching depending on profitability? I have seen the Miner Control software, but it has a deficiency in that it polls pools only once per minute for profitability, which makes it less than optimal when the most profitable coin can change multiple times per second. Our client would receive commands from the mining pool itself telling it what algorithm and what coin to mine, allowing it to respond instantaneously. Is there any client and pool that I do not know of that has this functionality?

Not that I've ever heard of. I'll be interested to see how the switching is carried out, miner-side. Will you have different ports for the various algorithms, or will you simply be telling the miner process to change algorithm? Also, I'm, hoping that BFGMiner plays nice with whatever method is used. FWIW, I think that CGRemote has this functionality built-in.

3.) Do different algorithms draw different amounts of electricity on the same GPU? If we programmed a client that switches algorithms, would we need to consider that each algorithm draws a different amount of electricity, or do all algorithms use about the same amount of electrical power?

I think different algorithms use different amounts of power on the same GPU. As I understand it, the processor uses way more power than the memory. Most of the alternate algorithms made themselves ASIC resistant by requiring/using more memory in their calculations than whatever algorithm they were intended to replace. Because of this, the GPU has to spend more time waiting on the memory, and is effectively idle while doing so. Some algorithms, like X-11, actually use the lower power requirements and temps as a selling point. But as always, I might be wrong, especially given the fact that I've got to leave for work soon and don't really have time to research this properly.

Edit: If you've got a kill-a-watt handy, the definitive answer could be had pretty quickly.

[bizkut]

Nicehash/Westhash has implemented algorithm changing in their service. I believe you have to use a modified version of sgminer that allows switching algos on the fly. The implemented it by setting multiple failover pools in sgminer's config. When the algo that is being mined is no longer profitable, it is "turned off" and sgminer switches to the next "alive" pool. I do not own any strong GPU's so I have not tried using their method, but it is supposed to be very profitable.

EDIT: I now see in your job posting thread that you have already recognized Nicehash's algo switching. Didn't mean to repeat.