Walmart’s onn. UHD streaming system: Android TV at a compelling value

As I most just lately talked about again in March, I’ve dissected a lot of media streamers through the years, most of them from well-known suppliers similar to Amazon, Apple, Google and Roku. One producer you would possibly not concentrate on, though seemingly a rising presence on this phase of the electronics enterprise, is Walmart, with its line of streamers and different merchandise branded by way of the onn. moniker. Walmart? Why?

Initially, I assumed that the corporate’s media streamer “push” may be associated to its 2010 acquisition of Vudu, one of many early pioneers in on-line media content material distribution (the place it competed towards, for instance, the then-embryonic on-line division at then-optical-disc-still-dominant Netflix). However then I discovered whereas researching this specific piece that Walmart had subsequently bought Vudu to Fandango a decade later (in 2020), which made Walmart’s subsequent partnership with Paramount+ extra sensical…on that word, the onn. UHD Streaming Machine we’re taking a look at at the moment wasn’t launched till mid-2021.

So once more, why? I think it has at the least one thing to do with the Android TV-then-Google TV commodity software program basis on which Google’s personal Chromecast with Google TV sequence together with the TiVo field I tore down for March 2024 publication (for instance) are additionally based mostly, which additionally permits for generic {hardware}. Mix that with a widespread distribution community:

Immediately, Walmart operates greater than 10,500 shops and golf equipment in 19 international locations and eCommerce web sites.

and a compelling (translation: impulse buy candidate) value level ($30 at intro, vs $20 extra for the comparable-resolution 4K variant of Google’s personal Chromecast with Google TV). And also you’ve acquired, I think Walmart executives had been considering, a winner in your arms, beginning with the unique Android TV-based UHD (3840×2160 pixel, alternately acknowledged as 4-times 1920×1080 pixel FHD) Streaming Machine “field”, quickly afterward joined by a FHD “stick” sibling, and each subsequently obsoleted by Google TV-based successors…all of that are queued up on the bookshelf to my proper for sooner-or-later teardown functions.

After I purchased the UHD Streaming Machine we’ll be dissecting at the moment in October 2021 (with a teardown in thoughts from the very starting…clearly, it took me some time to actualize this specific aspiration!), it was even inexpensive, $19.88 on-line. Listed here are “inventory” pictures of it:

its companion distant management:

the complete equipment contents, additionally together with a HDMI cable and a microUSB-connection energy provide:

and a illustration of what all of it appears like connected and operational:

And listed below are the outer field pictures of at the moment’s precise affected person:

Cute, huh?

Let’s see what’s inside…

The smaller of the 2 inside cardboard enclosures homes the Bluetooth-interface distant management and its pair of AAA batteries. I’ll take a move on dissecting the previous, as a substitute holding it as a spare below the belief that it’ll additionally work with newer-generation Walmart onn. units. The latter will assuredly discover various use elsewhere:

The bigger inside field accommodates the media streamer system, together with its companion energy provide and a HDMI cable (which can additionally assuredly discover various use elsewhere):

Listed here are a few closeup pictures of the PSU, showcasing its microUSB output and specs:

Publish-teardown, I occurred to additionally discover a little bit of documentation nonetheless caught contained in the outer field:

And now for our affected person, as typical accompanied by a 0.75″ (19.1 mm) diameter U.S. penny for measurement comparability functions (per the product web page, the system has dimensions of 4.90” x 4.90” x 0.80” and weighs 1.2 lbs., which appears overly heavy to me. Mebbe that latter spec additionally included the field and every part else in it?). Prime first:

Now the underside:

Right here’s a closeup of the underside sticker, revealing (amongst different issues) FCC ID H8N-8822CS. Notice, too the “Comprises” prefix, which I hadn’t encountered earlier than. Maintain that thought:

I hesitate a bit to name this subsequent viewpoint the “entrance” as a result of I wouldn’t personally be enthralled with seeing a microUSB cable protruding of a tool sitting on high of my TV, however absent any higher thought I’ll go together with it per the “illustration of what all of it appears like connected and operational” inventory photograph I confirmed earlier (a reminder, too, that the blue glow seen right here and in different pictures is from the OWC MiniStack STX on my desk behind the teardown sufferer):

If the earlier shot was certainly of the “entrance”, then I suppose this one’s of the naked left aspect:

Round again is the HDMI connector:

And final however not least, on the suitable aspect, are an exercise LED and a distant management pairing (together with multi-function undocumented manufacturing unit reset and restoration mode entry) swap:

That underside sticker I confirmed you earlier is commonly a pathway inside a tool (particularly, by way of screws or different latching mechanisms beneath it), however not so on this case (unhealthy pun meant). As an alternative, I targeted my “spudger” consideration on the seam operating across the backside edges:

That did the trick!

See the 2 screw heads, one within the higher proper and the opposite at decrease left?

You recognize what comes subsequent, proper?

Be free, little PCB!

And now the PCB topside is uncovered to view, too:

Notice the sizeable heatsink right here! Warmth rises, don’cha know, due to this fact the topside presence.

You most likely already noticed these Faraday cages on each side, too. And common readers already know what comes subsequent now. Backside aspect first:

I couldn’t get the cage to pop cleanly off however ripping it to shreds as a substitute completed the identical “see what’s beneath” goal albeit with a much less cosmetically enticing consequence. That’s a Nanya Know-how NT5AD512M16H4-HR 8 Gbit DDR4-2666 x16 SDRAM below the lid. And under it, usually uncovered to view, is a Samsung KLM8G1GETF-B041 8 GByte eMMC flash reminiscence module.

Now again to the topside. The cage high popped off cleanly this time:

Right here’s a closeup:

Simple stuff first: at high is the HDMI connector. At backside is the microSD energy enter. To the suitable is the multi-function swap. And above/subsequent to it’s the LED, which factors straight up from the board. How does it find yourself shining out the aspect of the system? Through this nifty gentle pipe, in fact!

Now for the varied ICs on this aspect of the board. Exposing to view, due to this fact figuring out, the primary one necessitated a bit extra upfront surgical procedure:

It’s one other Nanya 8 Gbit DDR4 SDRAM. The markings on the massive sq. IC to its proper are faint, so that you’ll should take my phrase on the id, however its proximity to the sooner famous heatsink needs to be a tipoff: it’s the system’s “brains”, an Amlogic S905Y2. Can I simply say that I’m not shocked to search out the very same SoC inside because the one discovered within the TiVo RA2400 Stream 4K I tore down only a couple months again? Together with the very same DRAM and flash reminiscence allocation? “Straight-to-production private-labeled reference design”, anybody?

That mentioned, the 2 merchandise’ guts aren’t fully equivalent. The Wi-Fi/Bluetooth module within the TiVo was the AP6398S, based mostly on Broadcom’s BCM43598. Right here, conversely, it’s Askey Pc’s 8822CS, which seemingly has Realtek wi-fi transceiver silicon inside. And if the H8N-8822CS FCC ID conveniently additionally stamped atop the module sounds acquainted, it ought to: that’s the identical code that was on the case-underside sticker I confirmed you earlier!

One different set of wireless-related deviations between the 2 designs additionally bears mentioning. The TiVo RA2400 Stream 4K had PCB-embedded its Bluetooth and Wi-Fi antennae. Right here, alternatively, they’re jutting out of the board, and humorous wanting (at the least to me) in addition. The one within the higher proper nook handles Wi-Fi, I’m guessing; word the black wire extending to it from a connector under it and to the left of the swap. And by the method of elimination, I’m guessing the one within the decrease proper should deal with Bluetooth. The system’s Bluetooth distant amenities are an Achilles Heel, apparently, judging from this video:

together with varied evaluations and user-complaint posts I got here throughout whereas doing my analysis.

I’ll wrap up with 4 side-view pictures (oh, that poor mangled bottom-side Faraday cage…):

And in closing, right here’s a prolonged discussion board thread for any of you who’re excited about hacking yours. And with that, I’ll shut and switch it over to you in your ideas 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 publication.

Associated Content material

• Google’s Chromecast with Google TV: Dissecting the HD version
• The TiVo RA2400 Stream 4K: A good thought, affected by utilization delay
• The Google Chromecast with Google TV: Realizing a resurrection alternative
• Are streaming sticks the current and future?

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