LifeSize Express 200 Codec Teardown

Overview / Main Features

The LifeSize Express 200 Codec is the audio/video (A/V) hub and codec for LifeSize's Express 200 telepresence system. The Express 200 Codec under analysis here supports 2 HDMI connections to high definition displays and an IEEE1394 for the LifeSize Express 200 HD video conference camera as well as ethernet/LAN networking. The onboard hardware codec performs on-the-fly decoding and encoding of live A/V teleconference streams with other remote telepresence systems.

LifeSize Express 200 Codec Main Image

Telepresence (Enterprise / Large Organizations)

Released

Q2 2009

LifeSize Express 200 Codec - Main PCB Top

Pricing - LifeSize Express 200 (system) has an MSRP of under $6000 (per press release). However, exact pricing for the codec is unknown.

Availability - Assumed global availability

Volume Estimations

For the purposes of this teardown analysis, we have assumed a lifetime production volume of 100K units over 2 years.

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.

LifeSize Express 200 Codec - Main PCB Bottom

Main Cost Drivers Representing ~90% of total materials cost

Altera - HC240F1020NBC - Structured ASIC - HardCopy II, 350MHz, 71,760 Stratix II ALMs, 2.2M ASIC Gates, 8,847,360 Bits RAM, 951 User I/O Pins, 12 PLLs, 90nm

Texas Instruments - TMS320DM642AZNZ7 - DSP - 32 Bit, Fixed-Point, 720MHz CPU, 133MHz External Memory Interface, 66MHz PCI (Qty:4)

Broadcom - BCM7411HKPBG - High Definition Decoder - Dual-Channel, AVC/MPEG (Qty:2)

Isupetasys - 10-Layer - FR4, Lead-Free

NXP Semiconductors - PNX1502E/G - Media Processor - 32-Bit, 300MHz, 1.3V, SoC

Freescale - MPC8247VRTIEA - Microprocessor - Dual G2_LE Core, 400MHz, 0.13um

Li Shin International Enterprise Corp. - 0227B19120 - AC Adapter - 19V, 6.32A, 120W, w/ 6ft Cord & Magnetic Filter

Micron Technology - MT48LC4M32B2P-6:G - SDRAM - 128Mb, 166MHz, 3.3V (Qty:8)

SanDisk - SDCFJ-512-388 - Compact Flash Memory Card - 512MB

Analog Devices - AD9889BBSTZ-80 - HDMI/DVI Transmitter - HDMI v.1.3, DVI v1.0, 165MHz, Resolution 480i - 1080p & UXGA at 60Hz, 1.8V (Qty:2)

Samsung Semiconductor - K4H561638J-LCCC - SDRAM - DDR400, 256Mb, 2.5V (Qty:3)

Enclosure, Main, Top - Injection Molded ABS Polycarbonate, Painted, w/ 4 Brass Threaded Inserts

Yen Sun Technology Corp. - YW03015012BH - Fan - DC Brushless, 12VDC, 0.06A, 30mm x 30mm x 15mm, Injection Molded Plastic Housing, w/ Integral 3-Wire Harness and 3-Position Pin Socket Connector (Qty:2)

National Semiconductor - LM5642MTC - Regulator - DC-DC Converter, Dual, Synchronous Buck (Qty:3)

Panasonic - EEFUE0E391R - Aluminum Conductive Polymer - Encapsulated, 2.5V, 390uF, 105C, 20%, Low ESR (Qty:5)

Total BOM Cost $581.87

LifeSize Express 200 Codec Cost Analysis

iSuppli's standard production calculation methodology was developed for high volume production runs with OEMs that have a high degree of purchasing power. In the case of smaller manufacturers such as the Tandberg C20 Codec with presumed relatively weak pricing leverage, we compensate for this fact in our pricing analysis by accounting for the higher component prices as well as all of the extra costs (such as line set-up start-up / breakdown costs, and other miscellaneous costs) incurred in the manufacturing process.

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.

Manufacturing Notes

Country of Origin / Volume Assumptions

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

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 connectors), 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.

LifeSize Express 200 Codec - Enclosure Disassembly

Design for Manufacturing / Device Complexity

The LifeSize Express 200 Codec has an overall component count of 1988, of which, only 81 are mechanical in nature. Overall, the Express 200 Codec has a significantly less component count than the Tandberg codec [primarily in the MPU & Glue Logic, Memory and I/O & Interface functional areas].

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. The cost of manufacturing is also, to some extent, decreased in this case because of assumed labor rate applied for Mayalsia.

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.

Design Notes

The key element [as well as main cost drivers] of the LifeSize Express 200 Codec is the main PCB. The most prominent component here is the Altera Structured ASIC which presumably handles the core encoding/decoding functions. Compared to the Tandberg Codec, the Express 200 Codec is a much more integrated using one Altera structured ASIC as opposed to 2 separate FPGAs. Like the Tandberg, the LifeSize also uses a Freescale microprocessor for controls.

Here is a summary of the major components used in the LifeSize Express 200 design:

Main PCB

MPU & Glue Logic

• Structured ASIC - Altera - HC240F1020NBC
• Microprocessor - Freescale - MPC8247VRTIEA

A/V Processing

• DSP - Texas Instruments - TMS320DM642AZNZ7 (Qty. 4)
• Media Processor - NXP Semiconductors - PNX1502E/G
• High Definition Decoder - Broadcom - BCM7411HKPBG (Qty 2)

LifeSize Express 200 Codec - Box Contents