Coship CDVB2300A Set-Top Box Teardown

Main Features

Low-End Digital Satellite Receiver. Coship model CDVB2300A.

This has an exteremely simple and low-end architecture revolving primarily around another ST Micro OMEGA audio/video processor (Sti5518). We have seen this OMEGA chip several times before and have seen many set-top boxes based on various variants of the OMEGA chip line (by far the most popular). This box represents the least expensive set-top box we have analyzed to date, regardless of type (satellite or cable).

Coship CDVB2300A Set-Top Box Main Image

Little can be said about the specific marketing of this device given the lack of knowledge of the specific customers or service providers that may be buying it (it appears that various no-name importers are provate labvelling this box in various countries).

Coship CDVB2300A Set-Top Box Cost Analysis

Again - this set-top box represents one of the lowest cost set-top box devices we have seen to date - and not specifically because we have made any extreme pricing assumptions about the Chinese content in the box, but more based on the basic and simple nature of this box. Few components - simple design combined with local sourcing conspire to make this box cheap to produce.

However, keep in mind that the single most costly lineitem, the ST Micro OMEGA processor we have costed at an aggressive ~$6 price tag. While we know that well known OEMs may buy this device at such prices, where this box 'wins' buy using local Chinese sources, it may 'lose' on low overall manufacturing volume and lack of purchasing power on this key device - which they might pay many dollars more. However, Coship claims to be the largest set-top box manufacturer in China. In any case we have already assumed aggressive pricing here.

Major Cost Drivers (representing approximately 65% of total materials costs)

ST Microelectronics Decoder - Audio/Video Processor

Sharp Digital Satellite Tuner

Power Supply (as a unit)

Memory (SDRAM & Flash)

Printed Circuit Board (2 Layer FR4)

Sourcing Notes

As the objective of this analysis was to identify the domestic Chinese sources used within this box (or usable in other box designs), where identifiable, we have done our best and focused effort on the positive identification of these manufacturers.

Where we were not able to positively identify the manufacturers we have provided, with the assistance of our analyst team in China, knowledge of likely sources within China (either domestic or foreign with manufacturing in China) for specific commodity groups. This can be viewed on the "Sources tab on the Excel BOM spreadsheet analysis.

It is logical and not surprising that the sources for the 'core' semiconductors are all international Tier 1 companies such as ST Microelectronics and Philips, as well as Hynix and Intel for memory. Once you drill past these items to more commodity-oriented products, diodes, passives, electro-mechanical and mechanical devices THIS is where we begin to see Taiwanese and Chinese players not only as likely sources - but in the case of this device, clearly domestic Chinese and Taiwanese company sources dominate the BOM.

In the diode space we see mostly Taiwanese players on this board (Panjit, Rectron and WTE) - but outside of that - again we see many surprisingly obscure names which are not currently familiar to us - and many of which seem to be Shenzhen based - so it is likely and probable that this board and most if not all of the unknown sources are local to southern China. Please refer to the ""Sources" tab in the Excel spreadsheet for details on both positively identified sources, not positively identified sources, and likely sources for detailed information on this subject.

Furthermore - the one product that single-handedly uses the most Chinese domestic product is the power supply itself - of which many of the identified capacitors and other devices were part. The power supply we believe to be manufactured by a Shenzhen based company Powa Electronics in Shenzhen.

Coship CDVB2300A Set-Top Box (iSi) - Main PCB Top Major IC's

We are assuming that all stages of the assembly process are taking place in China - and have applied this assumption in the calculation of assembly costs (both automatic pick and place and hand insertion), as well as in the manufacture of plastics and metals.

The overall volume production assumption (250K units for the product lifetime) is purely an assumption as we are uncertain of the exact market and provider (or not) marketing this box. This has an impact on certain elements of manufacturing cost (such as the amortization of test bench fixture costs or molds for injection molded plastics) - but typically at this quantity level represent a very small portion of the per unit cost. A change in this assumption would produce only a minor change in total cost of the device.

Design (Major Components)

Audio/Video Processing - ST Microelectronics, STi5518DVC, Set-Top Box Decoder

User Interface - Wuxi No.6 Radio Component Factory, RF-V2170MU, RF Modulator - VHF, Input/Output

Front End - Sharp, Tuner PN# Unknown

Memory - Hynix / Intel - SDRAM - 64Mb, 3.3V - Flash - 16M (1Mx16)

Power Supply - Powa Electronics Co., Ltd (Not positively identified - but seems likely manufacturer based on location products and part numbering schemes).