Thinking of starting some mining...

[GeorgeStorm]

As above really, heard about it a while back, had a quick go on me 4870X2, but kept giving failed work units (or whatever they're called) and I couldn't be bothered to look into it
However, I've started playing eve, and apparently you can pay in bitcoins, and I'm upgrading 2 pcs gpus anyways, so thought might aswell get some which can mine, what would you guys recommend?
Looking at a £300 ish budget
One PC is my LAN rig, so only has a 450W SFF PSU, so may be limited in what cards it can run, other has 750W so shouldn't have an issue regarding cards.

Been looking at picking up some 583/5/70s?
Or should I look at a 6xxx?

Does memory make a difference (will I see any difference between a 6950 1gb and 2gb?)

Thanks

Edit:
Obviously I'd still like it to be a gpu upgrade for gaming etc (not a massive upgrade, but certainly not less powerful)
The LAN PC currently has a 4850, and my main a GTX260.

[acebmxer]

Here is a list of cards and what they can do and for the dollar amount. https://en.bitcoin.it/wiki/Mining_hardware_comparison

I think the best bang for your buck is the 5830 or the 5850 depending if you can still find some. If not the 6950/6970 would be better but you are also jumping up 100$.

Memory has no effect on bitcoin mining. Actually must of us down clock the memory to run at a slower speed like 300-350 mhz to cut back on electric and heat from the cards.

[GeorgeStorm]

Yeah I've been looking at that, prices aren't that comparable sadly to the UK, new 5850s go for around £160, and even 2nd hand ones are more pricey than £100 (equiv of 161usd)
Am tempted to just go all out and get 2 6950s for my main PC, and then a 5870 for my LAN one. But tis a fair amount of monies :/ (looking at £500ish)

[artemm]

Since you're upgrading, I'd go with 6xxx series cards... they'd be best for gaming. That being said, now's not a great time to be getting into bitcoin. The exchange rate is pretty deflated and the difficulty is quite high. Currently, a 6970 will make about 0.2 BTC a day. After electrical and factoring in that you can't mine while gaming, I'd say you wouldn't be making a significant amount to justify the heat and noise.

[GeorgeStorm]

Heat/noise isn't an issue whatsoever, just thought it would be good if I could make any money whatsoever, but now I'm not so sure :/

[GeorgeStorm]

Another question:
Could I have a 5850/5770 in the LAN pc
Then a 5870 and a 6950 in the main? Using the 6950 for mining/gaming, then the 5870 just for mining?

And what PSU would you recommend for a 5870+6950 / 2x6950 combo?
Got a 750W CoolerMaster atm, which I think should be fine

[OldChap]

I ran a pair of 5870's on a corsair tx750 OK before I spread things around a bit. Not sure how the coolermaster compares

[GeorgeStorm]

Ok cool thanks.
I'm not worried about running 2 cards, only about running 3/how the mining works with 2 different cards (6950 and 5870)
Although it's not looking like I'll put the 5870 in the LAN box, then 1 6950 in my main, with a potential upgrade in the form of another 6950 a little bit later (depending how the mining goes)

[GeorgeStorm]

Just a bit of an update.
Got a 1gb 6950 and a 5870
Currently running the 6950 in my main PC, tis mining at around 320mhash
5870 is in my LAN rig, need to look into mining for linux though, any guides for a non guiminer way?
Thinking of picking up another 6950 for my main PC (for around £130-140) although not sure how the heat will be, considering having to run the card at stock, with 100% fan, and is sitting at around 70 :/ Seems to be pulling 420W (with a 920 @ 4.2)
No idea if this will all be worth it, but will be fun giving it a go

[ggdh]

Glad to see that there are new people coming despite recent market fluctuations

[GeorgeStorm]

Yeah, well, was planning a gpu upgrade anywho, and so thought I'd switch (atleast for a bit) from crunching F@H to this.
Having major performance issues with linux though, although don't know if that's because it's linux, or because it's ati (getting no performance increase going from a 4850 to a 5870/6950 :P)

[ggdh]

The issue must be the way how you set it up

This may help:
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?PH...a&topic=7514.0

[GeorgeStorm]

Gave up on linux, since couldn't get satisfactory performance in wine regardless (tis my LAN PC) so just shoved XP on there.
Now getting 7-800 MHash/s
With the looks to get another 6950 for the main PC, which I won't run in crossfire, so that when I want to game, I can just stop the one miner
May have to upgrade me PSU though (or swap it around with the more powerful 850W silverstone in the family PC which they got since I couldn't be bothered to take mine out at the time :P) due to number of connectors, since I don't like using molex>>6pin adaptors.

[Piotrsama]

Or if you want to game while mining, just put the miner on lowest priority (aggression), and see if works

[GeorgeStorm]

OOh, haven't seen that, linky to more details?

[Aerou]

choose a lower number of AGGRESION parameter if using phoenix (phatk) or higher -f parameter if using m0mchil (pobclm)