DirecTV H24-700 HD Set-Top Box Teardown

Overview / Main Features

The DirecTV model H24 is the satellite TV providers latest non-DVR high definition (or HD) satellite receiver set top unit. The DirecTV set top [H24-700 analyzed here] features Dolby 5.1 audio output and support for up-coming HD 3D content from the satellite television provider. Additional features (according to DirecTV's website) include:

• Watch and schedule recordings on your HD DVR with Whole-Home DVR service. Learn more
• High definition (mpeg-2, mpeg-4) and standard definition (mpeg-2) enabled. View the best in both HD and SD programming.
• Customize your channel guide with your favorite channels.
• Quickly find what you want to watch. Search by title, actors, channel and more. Even save your recent searches.
• Seven-day Advanced Program Guide. Search the channel guide for shows up to 7 days in advance.
• Choose your screen format: full screen, stretched, letterbox, pillar box or crop mode. 480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i picture output and multiple screen formats supported.
• This DIRECTV Receiver was honored with the 2010 ENERGY STAR Excellence In Energy Efficient Product Design Award by the EPA.
• Get weather, horoscope, lottery info and more just by clicking the ACTIVE button on your remote.
• Press the red button on your remote to get the scores of all the major games on TV without changing the channel of the game you're tuned in to.
• Take advantage of multiple connection ports: HDMI, Component, S-Video, Composite, Optical Audio outputs.
• View and log Caller ID info provided by your local phone company.
• Parental controls/locks: Enjoy peace of mind over what your children are watching by lockingout objectionable programming.

Target Market

DirecTV Satellite TV subscribers

DirecTV H24-700 HD Set-Top Box Main Image

Based on research, the set-top box was first release in 1st half of 2010.

Pricing and Availability

Pricing - As with most satellite TV services, the cost of hardware is typically obscured by the overall service package contract.

Availability - Continental US territories (dependent on satellite coverage)

DirecTV H24-700 HD Set-Top Box - Main PCB Top

For the purposes of this teardown analysis, we have assumed a lifetime production volume of 1.8M units.

As a reminder, teardown volume production assumptions are primarily used for our cost analysis in terms of amortized NRE and tooling costs, especially for custom components specific to the model being analyzed (mechanical components especially). Unless assumed volumes are different by an order of magnitude, minor changes in volume (say 1 million vs. 2) rarely have a large net effect on our final analysis because of this.

DirecTV H24-700 HD Set-Top Box Cost Analysis

Main Cost Drivers Representing ~70% of total materials cost

Trident Microsystems - CX24501-A3F1Z - AV Decoder - ARM1176 CPU, HD/H.264/VC-1/MPEG2, Multiple Audio Format, DIRECTV/DVB Compliant

Spansion - S29GL01GP11FFSS8 - Flash - NOR, 1Gb, 110ns, 90nm

Entropic Communications - EN2210-BG2 - Coaxial Network Controller - MoCA 1.0, Integrated c.LINK MAC/PHY

Piotek Computer(Suzhou) Co., Ltd - 4-Layer - FR4, Lead-Free

Shanghai Apex Precision Electronics Co., Ltd - Power Supply Value Line Item

Remote Control Unit w/ 2x AA Battery

Hynix - H5PS1G63EFR-S6C - SDRAM - DDR2, 1Gb, 1.8V (Qty:2)

Enclosure, Main, Bottom - Stamped / Formed Electro-Galvanized Steel, Painted, w/ 7 Threaded Metal Standoffs

Enclosure, Main, Top - Injection Molded ABS-Polycarbonate

Trident Microsystems - TDA10075 - Demodulator - DVB-S2, Dual-Channel

Enclosure, Main, Top, Inner - Stamped / Formed Electro-Galvanized Steel, Painted

Entropic Communications - EN1212C1 - Coaxial Network Interface IC

HDMI Cable - 6ft

Trident Microsystems - TDA20137 - Tuner - DVB-S2, QPSK, 925-2175MHz, w/ Integrated LNA and RF Splitter, 3.3V

Direct Materials + Manufacturing $87.49

What Is Not Included in our Cost Analysis

The total materials and manufacturing costs reported in this analysis reflect ONLY the direct materials cost (from component vendors and assorted EMS providers), AND manufacturing with basic test. Not included in this analysis are costs above and beyond the material manufacture of the core device itself, cost of intellectual property, royalties and licensing fees (those not already included into the per component price), software, software loading and test, shipping, logistics marketing and other channel costs including not only EMS provider and the OEM's margin, but that of other resellers. Our cost analysis is meant to focus on those costs incurred in the manufacture of the core device and exceptionally in some circumstances the packaging and literature as well.

DirecTV H24-700 HD Set-Top Box - Disassembly View 1

OEM/ODM/EMS Relationships / Manufacturing

According to the latest iSuppli's topical report (Q4 2008) titled "Global OEM Manufacturing and Design Analysis', Set-Top Boxes DirecTV and Thomson entered into a 5 year development and supply contract in May 2004 by which Thomson would supply receivers and set-top boxes to DirecTV. However, base on the model designation H24-700, this set top box comes from Pace.

Country of Origin / Volume Assumptions

Based on markings, the unit was assembled in China. Furthermore, we have assumed that custom mechanicals (plastics, metals, etc.) were also sourced in China.

Country of origin assumptions relate directly to the associated cost of manufacturing, where calculated by iSuppli. In the cases of 'finished' sub-assemblies (such as HDMI cables), we do not calculate internal manufacturing costs, but rather assess the market price of the finished product in which case country of origin assumptions may or may not have a direct effect on pricing.

Remember also that labor rates are applied directly only to hand inserted components and systems in our bill of materials, and although regional assumptions do, these new rates do not have a direct effect on our modeled calculations of placement costs for automated SMD assembly lines. 'Auto' inserted components (such as SMT components) placement costs are calculated by an iSuppli algorithm which allocates a cost per component based on the size and pincount of the device. This calculation is affected by country or region of origin as well.

Design for Manufacturing / Device Complexity

The total component count of the DirecTV H24-700 is 1277 (excluding box contents), of which, 1109 reside on the Main PCB.

Component counts have a direct bearing on the overall manufacturing cycle times and costs, and also can increase or decrease overall yields and re-work. Our calculations of manufacturing costs factor counts and more qualitative complexities in the design.

Note that manual labor has a much smaller effect on auto-insertion assembly lines (for the Main PCB, for example), where manufacturing costs are much more capital equipment intensive and driven by these investment costs.

DirecTV H24-700 HD Set-Top Box - Box Contents