POD256 | Bitcoin Mining, Freedom Tech, and Awesome Tangents

• 095. Open-Source or Bust: Mujina, Miner Firmware Wars, and the Future of Trustless Hashing

  In this episode, we go deep on the shifting landscape of Bitcoin mining hardware, open-source firmware, and why trustless stacks matter for miners big and small. Fresh off the local Bitcoin++ in Durham, we recap the vibe: a developer-heavy crowd, real collaboration between devs and miners, and our announcement of the Mujina developer preview—an open-source mining firmware now publicly accessible for hands-on testing. We discuss practical demo plans for the HeatPunk Summit, creative power ideas (from inverter gens to EVs like the F-150 Lightning/Cybertruck), and what it takes to stage quiet, controlled mining demos. From secure boot cat-and-mouse games to aftermarket control boards, we unpack why closed firmware is antithetical to Bitcoin’s trust-minimized ethos, the history from CGMiner and GPL violations, and how LibriBoard, Hydro Pool, and Start9 packaging can radically reduce friction for at-home and pro operators. We also cover Stratum v2 progress, open-source community wins (Home Assistant integrations, config-first setups), and tangible on-ramps for developers—including free Auradine chips from 256 Foundation for reverse engineering and Bitaxe-based Mujina dev workflows. We close with a candid segment on Freedom Tech, the chilling effects of targeting software developers, and why building and supporting open-source tools is essential for a free society. Resources and links mentioned (non-sponsor): - Mujina developer preview: github.com/256foundation/mujina - 256 Foundation chips request: 256foundation.org (contact form at page bottom) - Hydra Pool (self-hosted pool software) - LibriBoard (open control board initiative) - ESP-Miner and Bitaxe (dev-friendly hardware) - Start9 Office Hours (service packaging) and Hydra Pool packaging efforts - Exergy docs and forum: support.exergyheat.com - Bitcoin++ local edition (Durham), BitDevs communities - Stratum v2 discussions and implementations - Home Assistant miner integrations, Node-RED and shell-script config approaches

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• 094. PPLNS, Pick-and-Place, and Pardon: A Deep Dive into Mining and Freedom Tech

  In episode 94 of POD256, we cover a full slate of Bitcoin mining and freedom tech updates from Nashville to Denver. We recap the Bitcoin Veterans telehash fundraiser that briefly peaked near 98.5 PH, discuss PPLNS dynamics at Ocean and Slush/Brains, and explore Square’s new Lightning payments rollout. We share a field report from installing an immersion-based hashrate heating system on subsidized power in Buena Vista, the pros/cons of immersion (including an oil-leak mishap), and how recapturing heat favors small, distributed miners. We dive deep into 256 Foundation progress: Ember One hashboard prototyping on the pick-and-place, the Libre control board, Ant Hat and Edit boards, Hydra Pool’s PPLNS design with a public shares API, and the imminent open-sourcing of Mujina firmware. We also preview January’s Telehash at Bitcoin Park where we’ll “eat our own dog food” by running Ember One + Libre + Mujina against our self-hosted Hydra Pool instance. Finally, we break down the Samourai Wallet sentencing, why the “unlicensed money transmitter” framing is dangerous despite Samourai’s non-custodial design, the realities around “restricted markets,” and why broad community action (including a pardon push and better anonymity for devs) is critical. Plus: Start9 VPN tunneling in Alpha 12, packaging Hydra Pool for StartOS, and listener hash-rate shoutouts across Lincoin, Solo CK, Public Pool, and Ocean.

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• 093. Decentralize or Die: Open Miners, Pool Payouts, and the Certification Gauntlet

  In this episode, we dive into Canaan’s surprising GitHub drop and what it could mean for open-source mining, license tangles and all. We unpack the inclusion of CGMiner, the BSD-3 vs GPLv3 conflict, and Canaan’s RISC-V K230 SDK. We also explore the Nano 3/Nano 3S design, home-mining momentum, and the practical realities of certification (FCC/UL/CE/RoHS) for miners and heater-integrations. From local vs remote control to insurance implications, we discuss the gauntlet that open hardware must run and why decentralization requires openness. We spotlight Intel BZM2 progress: Bitaxe Bonanza’s lessons, the new BIRDS dev board, nine-bit serial hurdles, and a call for builders to leverage upcoming chip availability. Hydra Pool hits a milestone with public Dockerized releases and coinbase payout flexibility, while we test live at test.hydropool.org (and note Bitmain firmware limits). We cover Pluto’s HRF grant for fleet management, ESPminer stewardship funding, and D++’s Lightning-powered gamification for community builds. We also discuss Support for the Samourai Wallet devs, including context around sentencing and broader implications for open-source freedom. We preview Bitcoin++ Durham on Nov 15, share updates on the Samurai Wallet developers’ impending sentencing, and talk product integrity, copying, and the push to re-shore manufacturing. Finally, we tee up HeatPunk Summit 2026; bringing HVAC pros and open-source miners together, and have fun with Lightning “thermo-zaps” for live heating control.

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• 092. Hashrate at Home: Zigbee Thermostats, Bitaxe Wins, and Dockerized Pools

  In this episode, we range from ice-cold mornings and sunny Colorado skies to a deep dive on home mining, heat reuse, open hardware, and sovereign home automation. We recap getting featured in Forbes on Heat Punk projects and how mainstream coverage is finally grokking mining-as-heat, Canon’s heating-first designs, and Bitmain’s market dominance risks. We share real-world progress: integrating Canaan home miners with Home Assistant via APIs and Node-RED, using Zigbee sensors for room-aware thermostatic control, solar and TOU-aware automations, and the vision for a sovereign “miner control hub” box built on Raspberry Pi 5. We get nerdy on RISC‑V vs ARM, open firmware, and the Libre Board + Mujina roadmap, with detours through customs-destroyed SMD parts, packaging HydroPool for Docker, and the power of public, self-hosted pools after a solo-Block win with a NerdQAX. We also cover privacy and the surveillance creep: doorbells, cars, app signing, and why self-hosted tools (Pi-hole, PFsense, Mullvad, Signal, Proton/Tutanota) matter. We discuss HPC pivots by large miners, grid vs. heat-reuse economics, Canaan’s momentum in home heating, and the imminent Telehash on HydroPool with StartOS packaging on deck. Plus, the Stealth Miner enclosure, Bitaxe-powered heat projects, and shoutouts to the open-source crew making sovereignty practical at home, one sensor, miner, and Docker container at a time.

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• 091. Hash, Heat, and Hardware: LibreBoard, Mujina, and the BitAxe Battle

  In this episode, we go deep on two fronts: protecting open-source projects from trademark hijacking and advancing real-world hash rate heating. We share the ongoing battle to oppose fraudulent USPTO filings on the BitAxe mark, why “TM” vs. registered matters, and how we’re navigating opposition, Madrid Protocol options, and the broader goal of keeping open hardware open without enabling scammers. We then switch to practical engineering: Tyler walks us through immersion mining powering radiant floor heat, dynamic performance scaling, control loops with Home Assistant, thermostats and dry coolers, and why tight software control beats expensive hardware band-aids. We unpack LibreBoard and Mujina plans, APIs, Stratum v1/v2 quirks, Intel vs. Bitmain chip behaviors, and how PyASIC/ASIC-RS standardize miner control. We also touch on FreeCAD pains, open-source CAD needs, educational content plans, and a wild idea: launching a BitAxe to low Earth orbit for space-mining experiments. The throughline: building a sustainable, open-source mining ecosystem where entrepreneurs can profit while dismantling proprietary roadblocks, especially for heat reuse at home and in buildings.Resources we discussed or referenced include: USPTO trademark process and oppositions, Madrid Protocol for international marks, Home Assistant integrations with open thermostats/APIs, LibreBoard and Mujina firmware architecture, BrainsOS and DPS/ATM concepts, PyASIC and ASIC-RS (standardizing miner APIs), FreeCAD/KiCad vs. proprietary CAD, and Dyson Labs’ BitAxe-in-space concept. We wrap with shout-outs to community hashers supporting 256 Foundation and an invitation to contribute, test, and build on these open platforms.

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