Inside the introduction to my July 2024 teardown of Walmart’s first-generation onn. Android TV 4K UHD Streaming System, I additionally alluded to “a FHD “stick” sibling” that was “queued up on the bookshelf to my proper for sooner-or-later teardown functions.” That point is now. Let’s begin with a quick evaluation of the variations between “UHD” and “FHD”. The latter delivers a most decision of 1920×1080 pixels (curiously additionally known as “2K” on the Walmart web site product web page), initially (with ATSC TV, for instance) interlaced, and progressive scan these days. The previous, conversely maxes out at 3840×2160 pixels (the extra widespread “4K”), alternately said as 4-times 1920×1080 pixels FHD.
So why would you go together with a lower-resolution system, versus a higher-resolution different? One (slight) distinction entails pricing; whereas the UHD Streaming System was $19.88 on closeout once I purchased it in October 2021, its FHD Streaming Stick sibling was $5 cheaper ($14.88). Dimension and weight deviations are a extra significant differentiator. Right here’s the UHD Streaming System once more, with dimensions of 4.90” x 4.90” x 0.80” and weighing in at 1.2 lbs.:
And listed here are some inventory pictures of the three.81” x 1.39” x 0.61”, 6.5 oz FHD Streaming Stick, designed to hold off the again of a TV versus sitting on prime of it (or its stand, for that matter):
Subsequent up, some “real-life” field pictures of the system I’ll be tearing down at this time:
I’m admittedly simply amused, however as I additionally talked about final time, I nonetheless giggle every time I see this:
Subsequent, let’s dive inside:
Beneath the distant management (and a chunk of interstitial cardboard), an identical appearance-wise to the distant bundled with the UHD Streaming System (and in any other case as properly; the 2 remotes’ product markings inside their battery compartments precisely match):
is the USB-A to micro-USB energy cable, for which I’ll undoubtedly discover different use elsewhere sooner or later:
Beneath the “wall wart” energy provide for the streaming stick, as traditional accompanied by a 0.75″ (19.1 mm) diameter U.S. penny for measurement comparability functions, is a set of AAA batteries for the distant management, which I’ll additionally press into service elsewhere another time (the “wall wart” as properly, for that matter):
And beneath the streaming stick:
is a HDMI male-to-female extender cable helpful for when direct entry to a TV’s HDMI enter (as proven in one of many earlier inventory pictures) is simply too tight of a squeeze (once more, saved for reuse later):
Now for at this time’s topic. The topside (I used this time period, together with “backside” and “sides”, loosely as a result of, as I’ve additionally beforehand talked about with different gadgets of this sort, orientation is HDMI plug- and cable-orientation dependent, due to this fact inconsistent from one TV and broader setup to a different) view, with a emblem niftily constructed of a number of passive airflow vents, you’ve already seen from the prior “inventory” pictures:
Much more vents adorn the underside:
Right here’s the HDMI connector finish:
The opposite finish’s comparatively bland:
Alongside one facet is the micro-USB energy enter, with a UPC code beneath it:
Alongside the opposite is an entry gap for a reset swap (which you’ll see extra clearly shortly), and a product-marking suite:
which is extra clearly (and totally) readable as soon as I give the stick a slight tilt:
Time to see what’s contained in the case. The micro-USB slot has been a handy entry start line previously, because it was once more on this occasion:
Right here’s the now-exposed inside the underside of the case, together with the underside of the PCB:
Lifting out the PCB and flipping it over reveals each its topside and the case prime insides:
Listed here are the interiors of each case sides by themselves:
Together with the now-standalone PCB topside:
And PCB underside:
Protecting the underside of the PCB is a sizeable piece of tape:
The highest’s a special story. A a lot smaller piece of tape:
And beneath it, a extra sizeable piece of (presumably) aluminum, I’m guessing each for heat-removal functions and to supply the meeting with rigidity:
Under that is thermal tape, together with a pad:
Whereas we’re right here, let’s get these two Faraday Cages off:
The massive sq. IC on the backside, beforehand lined by the thermal pad, is (unsurprisingly) the system SoC, an Amlogic S805Y-B (versus the S905Y2 within the sibling Streaming System, thereby rationalizing amongst different issues the output-resolution variability between the respective methods containing them). Above it’s one (of two complete, the opposite on the opposite facet of the PCB) rectangular-shaped CXMT CXDQ2BFAM-CG 4 Gbit (x16) 1200 MHz DDR4 SDRAM.
Above and to the left of the DRAM is a Realtek RTL8821CS 802.11ac/abgn SDIO WLAN with Bluetooth 4.2 single-chip controller, unsurprising contemplating its standalone Faraday Cage together with its proximity to PCB-embedded antennae above it and to its proper. Alongside the left fringe of the PCB is the reset swap. And within the higher proper nook is the micro-USB connector.
Flipping the PCB again over, again to its underside, and eradicating its Faraday Cage:
At backside is a Sandisk SDINBDG4-8G industrial (-25°C to 85°C) 8 GByte embedded MMC flash reminiscence module. And above it, towards the center, is the aforementioned different CXMT CXDQ2BFAM-CG 4 Gbit (x16) 1200 MHz DDR4 SDRAM. Notice, by the best way, that the sooner dissected Streaming System had twice the full DRAM capability within the design as is discovered right here: one other reflection of the output-resolution differentiation between them.
See the rest attention-grabbing on this design? Let me (and your fellow readers) know within the feedback!
—Brian Dipert is the Editor-in-Chief of the Edge AI and Imaginative and prescient Alliance, and a Senior Analyst at BDTI and Editor-in-Chief of InsideDSP, the corporate’s on-line e-newsletter.
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