Naked hardware #16: AVerMedia AVerTV Volar HD (A835)

AVerMedia AVerTV Volar HD (A835) teardown

AVerMedia AVerTV Volar HD (A835)

It is basic DVB-T stick from Taiwan based company named AVerMedia. AVerMedia manufactures wide range of audio and video media devices, especially PC TV tuners.

Device manufacturer has assigned USB ID 07ca:2835 for that given device. Please note that there is multiple variants. Windows driver lists following IDs 07ca:1835, 07ca:2835, 07ca:3835, 07ca:4835 and same IDs are added to Linux driver too. Hardware is expected to be about same between all these variants - just newer PCB version or so. Package printings contains model number A835. I am not sure if all these variants are still listed as a model A835.

Package does not contain remote controller at all. There is antenna, which is a bit better than antennas normally bundled with these sticks.

Linux support was added initially on kernel 3.9. 

Key components:
ITE IT9135

Hardware internals

ITE IT9135 single tuner reference design.

Main side of PCB

Main side.

That is top side of PCB. Biggest chip clearly visible is IT9135FN BX. Metal box near IT9135 is 12.000 MHz crystal, providing clock source for IT9135. 8-pin chip left top corner is 2k serial eeprom (chip marking 403RT / K407). Eeprom contains USB ID and other configuration for IT9135.

No remote controller receiver as there is no remote controller bundled with device.

Antenna connector is typical IEC (no adapter needed) and it is very strong looking! I am pretty sure you will break your PCB totally before antenna connector breaks off.

PCB printings:
0405A835-D7K
A835-B

Bottom side of PCB

Bottom side.

There is nothing on bottom side.

PCB printings:
MADE IN TAIWAN
0405A835-D7K
A835-B
AVerMedia
EP 09 94V-0
1351

ITE IT9135

ITE IT9135FN BX

That is chip brain of that device, containing basically whole DTV receiver in a single chip. It is integrated USB interface, DVB-T demodulator and RF tuner.

I introduced that chip earlier on Naked hardware #9 post. Go and read from there!

Antenna

Antenna.

Antenna is better, or at least better looking, than antennas normally bundled with these TV sticks. It has suction cup holder and laptop lid clip holder. Antenna length is adjustable, telescopic antennas.

Opening cover

Removing cover was not very easy. Both sides were very tightly tied together using plastic brackets. I broke about about half of the brackets even I had plastic opening tools... So don't do it if you don't want use tape or glue to assemble it.

USB interface

IDLE current drain without a driver: 46 mA
lsusb -vvd 07ca:2835 Bus 002 Device 009: ID 07ca:2835 AVerMedia Technologies, Inc. Device Descriptor: bLength 18 bDescriptorType 1 bcdUSB 2.00 bDeviceClass 0 (Defined at Interface level) bDeviceSubClass 0 bDeviceProtocol 0 bMaxPacketSize0 64 idVendor 0x07ca AVerMedia Technologies, Inc. idProduct 0x2835 bcdDevice 2.00 iManufacturer 1 AVerMedia TECHNOLOGIES, Inc. iProduct 2 A835B iSerial 3 306893400054 bNumConfigurations 1 Configuration Descriptor: bLength 9 bDescriptorType 2 wTotalLength 46 bNumInterfaces 1 bConfigurationValue 1 iConfiguration 0 bmAttributes 0x80 (Bus Powered) MaxPower 500mA Interface Descriptor: bLength 9 bDescriptorType 4 bInterfaceNumber 0 bAlternateSetting 0 bNumEndpoints 4 bInterfaceClass 255 Vendor Specific Class bInterfaceSubClass 0 bInterfaceProtocol 0 iInterface 0 Endpoint Descriptor: bLength 7 bDescriptorType 5 bEndpointAddress 0x81 EP 1 IN bmAttributes 2 Transfer Type Bulk Synch Type None Usage Type Data wMaxPacketSize 0x0200 1x 512 bytes bInterval 0 Endpoint Descriptor: bLength 7 bDescriptorType 5 bEndpointAddress 0x02 EP 2 OUT bmAttributes 2 Transfer Type Bulk Synch Type None Usage Type Data wMaxPacketSize 0x0200 1x 512 bytes bInterval 0 Endpoint Descriptor: bLength 7 bDescriptorType 5 bEndpointAddress 0x84 EP 4 IN bmAttributes 2 Transfer Type Bulk Synch Type None Usage Type Data wMaxPacketSize 0x0200 1x 512 bytes bInterval 0 Endpoint Descriptor: bLength 7 bDescriptorType 5 bEndpointAddress 0x85 EP 5 IN bmAttributes 2 Transfer Type Bulk Synch Type None Usage Type Data wMaxPacketSize 0x0200 1x 512 bytes bInterval 0 Device Qualifier (for other device speed): bLength 10 bDescriptorType 6 bcdUSB 2.00 bDeviceClass 0 (Defined at Interface level) bDeviceSubClass 0 bDeviceProtocol 0 bMaxPacketSize0 64 bNumConfigurations 1 Device Status: 0x0000 (Bus Powered)

Pictures