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Networking

Boxee Box (D-Link) Teardown

By Bill Detwiler December 6, 2010, 5:25 AM PST on Twitter billdetwiler

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Boxee Box (D-Link) Teardown

Cracking open the Boxee Box by D-Link

Cracking open the Boxee Box by D-Link

In November 2010, Boxee and D-Link began shipping the Boxee Box by D-Link Internet TV set-top box. Follow along as I crack open the Boxee Box for a look at the hardware inside.

To see how the Boxee Box compares against other Internet TV set-top boxes, read Jason Hiner’s review of the Apple TV, Roku Player, and Google TV, the Boxee Box. And don’t forget to check out our cracking open gallery of the 2010 Apple TV.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Boxee Box (D-Link) Teardown

Boxee Box by D-Link

Boxee Box by D-Link

The Boxee Box by D-Link retails for $199 (US) and as of this writing, the unit offers content from Netflix, MLB, NHL, Vodo, Pandora, and a variety of online sources like YouTube. The Boxee Box also has a built-in browser that can play Flash video and supports a wide range of video and audio files–making it easy to play content stored on your own network.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Boxee Box (D-Link) Teardown

Boxee Box

Boxee Box

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Boxee Box (D-Link) Teardown

Remote - Top

Remote - Top

On top of the Boxee Box remote are a play/pause button, directional pad, enter button, and menu button.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Boxee Box (D-Link) Teardown

Remote - Bottom (keypad)

Remote - Bottom (keypad)

Flip the Boxee Box remote over, and you’ll find a QWERTY keypad. This is a very nice touch.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Boxee Box (D-Link) Teardown

Right side - SD/MMC card slot

Right side - SD/MMC card slot

Along the right side of the Boxee Box is an SD/MMC card slot.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Boxee Box (D-Link) Teardown

Removing the bottom rubber pad

Removing the bottom rubber pad

To access the case screws, we must remove the lime-green, rubber pad from the base of the Boxee Box.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Boxee Box (D-Link) Teardown

Hidden plastic cover

Hidden plastic cover

Under the rubber pad is a second black, plastic sheet that’s also stuck to the bottom of the Boxee Box. You’ll also need to remove it.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Boxee Box (D-Link) Teardown

Bottom rubber cover and plastic cover

Bottom rubber cover and plastic cover

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Boxee Box (D-Link) Teardown

External screws

External screws

With the lime-green pad and plastic sheet removed, we can see the six Phillips screws that secure the Boxee Box’s external shell. Two of the screws are located near the outer edge of the base. While, the other four are recessed inside the plastic base.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Boxee Box (D-Link) Teardown

Outer shell opened

Outer shell opened

With all six screws removed, you can lift the base section of the Boxee Box’s case away from the other half.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Boxee Box (D-Link) Teardown

Base section

Base section

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Boxee Box (D-Link) Teardown

Internal components with base section removed

Internal components with base section removed

With the base section of the Boxee Box’s outer shell removed, we get our first look inside D-Link’s set-top box. Immediately visible is the large heatsink and cooling fan. An oddly-shaped power board rises up from the main PCB (hidden within the internal metal case). The wireless card is located behind the cooling assembly. And, a small PCB with the USB ports is located to the right of the heatsink and fan.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Boxee Box (D-Link) Teardown

Overhead view

Overhead view

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Boxee Box (D-Link) Teardown

Upside-down mounting

Upside-down mounting

Although the Boxee Box’s odd shape makes it difficult to tell which end is up, the internal components are actually secured to the top of the unit.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Boxee Box (D-Link) Teardown

Removing the USB ports

Removing the USB ports

Next, you’ll need to remove the small PCB that houses the unit’s two USB ports. It is held to the Boxee Box’s internal metal frame with two Phillips screws. Before removing the USB PCB, you’ll also need to disconnect the cable that attaches it to the main PCB.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Boxee Box (D-Link) Teardown

USB PCB removed

USB PCB removed

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Boxee Box (D-Link) Teardown

USB PCB - Top

USB PCB - Top

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Boxee Box (D-Link) Teardown

USB PCB - Bottom

USB PCB - Bottom

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Boxee Box (D-Link) Teardown

USB ports removed

USB ports removed

With the small USB PCB removed, we can more easily access the four Phillips screws that hold the heatsink/fan assembly and its metal shroud.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Boxee Box (D-Link) Teardown

Thin metal shroud

Thin metal shroud

A thin metal shroud cover part of the heatsink and fan assembly. You’ll need to disconnect the fan’s cable before lifting it away from the Boxee Box.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Boxee Box (D-Link) Teardown

Heatsink/fan assembly removed

Heatsink/fan assembly removed

The Boxee Box’s heatsink uses a phase change thermal pad instead of thermal paste to conduct heat away from the CPU.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Boxee Box (D-Link) Teardown

Heatsink/fan assembly and shroud

Heatsink/fan assembly and shroud

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Boxee Box (D-Link) Teardown

With heatsink/fan assembly removed

With heatsink/fan assembly removed

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Boxee Box (D-Link) Teardown

Removing the wireless PCB

Removing the wireless PCB

The Boxee Box’s wireless PCB is next on our removal list. Two Phillips screws hold it in place. You’ll also need to disconnect the two antenna wires and the large cable before lifting it away from the rest of the unit.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Boxee Box (D-Link) Teardown

Wireless PCB removed

Wireless PCB removed

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Boxee Box (D-Link) Teardown

Wireless PCB - Top

Wireless PCB - Top

The wireless card is actually made oup of two PCBs–the larger board that connects directly to the main PCB via a cable and a smaller wireless PCB that provides the 802.11 b/g/n support. The smaller PCB is held to the larger with two Phillips screws.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Boxee Box (D-Link) Teardown

Wireless PCB - Bottom

Wireless PCB - Bottom

On the underside of the is a Nordic Semiconductor nRF24LU1 single chip 2.4GHz Tranceiver with USB Microcontroller and Flash Memory.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Boxee Box (D-Link) Teardown

802.11 b/g/n card removed

802.11 b/g/n card removed

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Boxee Box (D-Link) Teardown

802.11 b/g/n chips

802.11 b/g/n chips

With the EMI shield removed, we can see a a few of the chips on the 802.11 b/g/n card. Unfortunately, our view of the main chip is blocked by a metal cross beam on the EMI shield’s base. As I want to reassemble this unit in working order, I’m not going to cut the beam away from the card.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Boxee Box (D-Link) Teardown

Removing the external case's front panel

Removing the external case's front panel

We can now remove the front panel of the Boxee Box’s external case. It is held in place by a single Phillips screw. Before removing the panel, you’ll also need to disconnect the thin wire that runs from the main PCB to the large, rectangular LED panel mounted to the inside of the panel. This LED panel illuminates the Boxee logo on the front panel when the unit it powered on.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Boxee Box (D-Link) Teardown

Front case panel removed

Front case panel removed

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Boxee Box (D-Link) Teardown

Front case panel with LED attached

Front case panel with LED attached

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Boxee Box (D-Link) Teardown

With the front and back case panels removed

With the front and back case panels removed

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Boxee Box (D-Link) Teardown

Removing the wireless and USB PCB cable

Removing the wireless and USB PCB cable

This Y-shaped cable connects both the small USB PCB and wireless PCB to the Boxee Box’s main PCB (hidden inside the internal metal frame).

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Boxee Box (D-Link) Teardown

Power board and metal tape

Power board and metal tape

Two pieces of metal tape are attached to both the power board and the metal frame. I’m going to remove the long, horizontal piece at this point. I’ll remove the other piece later, when I remove the power board.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Boxee Box (D-Link) Teardown

Metal tape removed

Metal tape removed

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Boxee Box (D-Link) Teardown

Removing the metal frame screws

Removing the metal frame screws

Four Phillips screws hold the metal frame’s top and bottom halves together. One screw is located below the power board.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Boxee Box (D-Link) Teardown

Second metal frame screw

Second metal frame screw

A second screw is located below the ports.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Boxee Box (D-Link) Teardown

Third and fourth metal frame screw

Third and fourth metal frame screw

And, two screws are located on what would be the front of the Boxee Box.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Boxee Box (D-Link) Teardown

Opening the internal metal frame

Opening the internal metal frame

With the four Phillips screws removed, you can separate the two halves of the Boxee Box’s internal metal frame. The main PCB and power board are still attached to the top half of the frame. We’ll remove those in a bit.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Boxee Box (D-Link) Teardown

Bottom half of the internal metal frame

Bottom half of the internal metal frame

The bottom half of the Boxee Box’s internal metal frame is secured to the outer shell with several Phillips screws. As there’s nothing left to remove from the frame, I’m going to leave it attached to the outer shell.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Boxee Box (D-Link) Teardown

Metal frame, main PCB, and power board

Metal frame, main PCB, and power board

Next, we’ll remove the Boxee Box’s oddly-shaped power board.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Boxee Box (D-Link) Teardown

Power board metal tape

Power board metal tape

Before removing the power board, you’ll need to remove the thin, metal tape the runs over the board and metal frame. The tape helps reduce EMI inside the Boxee Box.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Boxee Box (D-Link) Teardown

Power board with metal tape removed

Power board with metal tape removed

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Boxee Box (D-Link) Teardown

Power board screws

Power board screws

The Boxee Box’s power board is held to the metal frame with two Phillips screws.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Boxee Box (D-Link) Teardown

Power board removed

Power board removed

With the screws removed, you can disconnect the power board from the main PCB. I was able to pry up from the bottom of the power board through a slot in the metal frame.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Boxee Box (D-Link) Teardown

Power board - Top

Power board - Top

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Boxee Box (D-Link) Teardown

Power board - Bottom

Power board - Bottom

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Boxee Box (D-Link) Teardown

Main PCB screws

Main PCB screws

Four Phillips screws hold the Boxee Box’s main PCB to the top half of the metal frame.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Boxee Box (D-Link) Teardown

Removing the main PCB from the internal metal frame

Removing the main PCB from the internal metal frame

With the screws removed, you can lift the Boxee Box’s main PCB away from the top half of the internal metal frame. You’ll need to first lift the end opposite the ports and then pull the port end out.

A thick cushion is taped to the top of the main PCB above the ports. The cushion makes the board a bit difficult to remove, but with a little effort the board should separate from the frame. Take note when removing the PCB, a plastic sleeve sits between the two RCA audio outs and the metal frame. It will likely come loose when you remove the main PCB.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Boxee Box (D-Link) Teardown

Top half of the internal metal frame - Bottom

Top half of the internal metal frame - Bottom

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Boxee Box (D-Link) Teardown

Top half of the internal metal frame - Top

Top half of the internal metal frame - Top

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Boxee Box (D-Link) Teardown

Main PCB - Top (with cushion)

Main PCB - Top (with cushion)

You can see the cushion taped to the top edge of the main PCB. We’ll remove this before looking at the Boxee Box’s chips.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Boxee Box (D-Link) Teardown

Terminus Technology FE1.1 USB 2.0 HUB LG3A924A6180

Terminus Technology FE1.1 USB 2.0 HUB LG3A924A6180

Terminus Technology FE1.1 LG3A924A6180 USB 2.0 High Speed 4-Port Hub Controller

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Boxee Box (D-Link) Teardown

Realtek RTL8201N 10/100M Fast Ethernet PHYceiver

Realtek RTL8201N 10/100M Fast Ethernet PHYceiver

Realtek RTL8201N Single-Chip/Port 10/100M Fast Ethernet PHYceiver with Auto MDIX

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Boxee Box (D-Link) Teardown

AKM AK8137A low power multi-clock generator and Gleam Micro GL1117 Linear Regulator

AKM AK8137A low power multi-clock generator and Gleam Micro GL1117 Linear Regulator

AKM AK8137A low power multi clock generator (top)?

?Gleam Micro GL1117 Linear Regulator

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Boxee Box (D-Link) Teardown

Wolfson WM8524G stereo DAC

Wolfson WM8524G stereo DAC

Wolfson WM8524G stereo DAC

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Boxee Box (D-Link) Teardown

Intel Atom processor CE4110 System-on-Chip (SoC)

Intel Atom processor CE4110 System-on-Chip (SoC)

Intel Atom processor CE4110 System-on-Chip (SoC)

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Boxee Box (D-Link) Teardown

Nanya NT5CB128M8CN-CG 1GB DDR3 SDRAM

Nanya NT5CB128M8CN-CG 1GB DDR3 SDRAM

Four 1GB Nanya NT5CB128M8CN-CG DDR3 SDRAM chips sit directly under their counterparts on the top of the main PCB.

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Boxee Box (D-Link) Teardown

Pericom Technology PT7C4311WE Real-time Clock Module

Pericom Technology PT7C4311WE Real-time Clock Module

Pericom Technology PT7C4311WE Real-time Clock Module

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Boxee Box (D-Link) Teardown

Microchip Technology PIC24FJ64GA004 16-bit microcontroller

Microchip Technology PIC24FJ64GA004 16-bit microcontroller

Microchip Technology PIC24FJ64GA004 16-bit microcontroller

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Boxee Box (D-Link) Teardown

Misc. chips

Misc. chips

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Boxee Box (D-Link) Teardown

Toshiba TC58NVG3S0ETA00 NAND Flash memory chip

Toshiba TC58NVG3S0ETA00 NAND Flash memory chip

Toshiba TC58NVG3S0ETA00 NAND Flash memory chip

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Boxee Box (D-Link) Teardown

NXP Semiconductor 4776 HDMI interface and Taiwan Semiconductor TS21C

NXP Semiconductor 4776 HDMI interface and Taiwan Semiconductor TS21C

NXP Semiconductor 4776 HDMI interface (left) and Taiwan Semiconductor TS21C (right)

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Boxee Box (D-Link) Teardown

AKM AK8136A low power multi-clock generator

AKM AK8136A low power multi-clock generator

AKM AK8136A Low Power Multi-clock Generator with VCXO

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

Boxee Box (D-Link) Teardown

System battery

System battery

Photo by: Bill Detwiler / TechRepublic

Caption by: Bill Detwiler

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By Bill Detwiler
Bill Detwiler is the Editor for Technical Content and Ecosystem at Celonis. He is the former Editor in Chief of TechRepublic and previous host of TechRepublic's Dynamic Developer podcast and Cracking Open, CNET and TechRepublic's popular online show.
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