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

Linux IT9135 driver firmwares

I extracted some firmwares from ITE Technologies IT9135 Windows driver. There was 3 different firmwares, one for old IT9135AX (ver. 1) and two which seems to be compatible with newer IT9135BX (ver. 2). Windows driver version was 12.10.04. (dated 10/04/2012) - it was the newest driver I was able to find...

dvb-usb-it9135-01.fw - versions: 12.54.14.0 / 2.47.14.0
dvb-usb-it9135-02.fw - versions: 3.42.3.3 / 3.29.3.3
dvb-usb-it9135-02.fw - versions: 3.40.1.0 / 3.17.1.0


dvb-usb-it9135-01.fw firmware seems to be just same old which has been there ages. Each of the dvb-usb-it9135-02.fw were newer, according to version numbers reported by the driver, than the old one around the net (old 3.39.1.0 / 3.9.1.0).

These firmwares are compatible with both Linux AF9035 (dvb_usb_af9035) and IT9135 (dvb_usb_it913x) drivers. AF9035 driver supports IT9135 too.

Feel free to test! Especially I am interested to hear if those new ones behaves differently than older.


Download: http://palosaari.fi/linux/v4l-dvb/firmware/IT9135/

Naked hardware #9: TerraTec Cinergy T Stick Dual RC (rev. 2)

TerraTec Cinergy T Stick Dual RC (rev. 2) teardown

That device is ITE Tech IT9135 reference design. It has two independent tuners, so called dual tuner model.
TerraTec has assigned USB ID 0ccd:0099 for that device. Unfortunately same USB ID is used for original revision 1 model too, which is build upon AF9015 chipset. AF9015 belongs to same chipset family, but it is two generation older and differs notably. Hey TerraTec guys, don't do that in future, it causes quite a lot headache!

Device is supported under Linux starting from the Kernel 3.10. Linux AF9035 driver supports IT9135/IT9137 too.

TerraTec Cinergy T Stick Dual RC (rev. 2)

TerraTec Cinergy T Stick Dual RC (rev. 2)

Key components:

ITE Tech IT9137
ITE Tech IT9133

PCB top side

PCB top side

Only chip attached to that side of PCB is IT9137. That chip is so called 3-in-1 as it contains USB-interface, demodulator and RF-tuner. It is all what is needed for DVB-T USB stick.
Black box with 3 pins, partially top of IT9137, is IR-receiver. It is connected to the IT9137, which handles IR decoding. There is also crystal clearly visible. Crystal markings are missing from the reason or the other, but it is most likely 12.000 MHz.

There is two versions of these (IT9130 series) chips available, version 1 and 2. Chips used on that device seems to be version 1. You could see letters AX (v1) or BX (v2) printed top of the chip.

PCB printings: RD168OC VER1.1.

AF9030 and IT9130 family relations

IT9130 family is successor of AF9030 family. Main difference between these families is integrated RF-tuner. IT9130 has integrated RF-tuner whilst external tuner is needed for AF9030. USB-interface and demodulator seems to be quite same between all these chips.

IT9137 is same as IT9135 but contains physical pins for connecting slave demodulator (for dual tuner configuration and/or diversity).

These chips are sold as following chip names and integrated combinations:
* AF9032 = demodulator ?
* AF9033 = demodulator
* AF9035 = USB-interface + demodulator
* IT9133 = demodulator + RF-tuner
* IT9135 = USB-interface + demodulator + RF-tuner
* IT9137 = IT9135 + MPEG TS input for connecting slave IT9133

PCB bottom side

PCB bottom side

Only chip on that side is IT9133. That chip contains demodulator and RF-tuner. It offers second tuner to that device. IT9133 is connected to the IT9137 (other side) as a slave, using I2C bus for control and serial TS for data stream. Also clock is feed through IT9137 saving one crystal.

PCB printings: 94-V0, 1213, LJ-M E300053

Missing eeprom

I cannot see serial eeprom anywhere. Device has still TerraTec USB ID, so there must be eeprom somewhere. I suspect it is integrated to the IT9137. I am pretty sure all IT9135 devices does not have eeprom at all, which makes me wonder if there is versions with and without. Maybe it will be clear after I teardown few more IT9135 devices.

USB interface

IDLE current drain without a driver: 181mA

lsusb -vvd 0ccd:0099 Bus 002 Device 004: ID 0ccd:0099 TerraTec Electronic GmbH Device Descriptor: bLength 18 bDescriptorType 1 bcdUSB 2.00 bDeviceClass 0 (Defined at Interface level) bDeviceSubClass 0 bDeviceProtocol 0 bMaxPacketSize0 64 idVendor 0x0ccd TerraTec Electronic GmbH idProduct 0x0099 bcdDevice 2.00 iManufacturer 1 ITE Technologies, Inc. iProduct 2 DVB-T TV Stick iSerial 0 bNumConfigurations 1 Configuration Descriptor: bLength 9 bDescriptorType 2 wTotalLength 71 bNumInterfaces 2 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 Interface Descriptor: bLength 9 bDescriptorType 4 bInterfaceNumber 1 bAlternateSetting 0 bNumEndpoints 1 bInterfaceClass 3 Human Interface Device bInterfaceSubClass 0 No Subclass bInterfaceProtocol 1 Keyboard iInterface 0 HID Device Descriptor: bLength 9 bDescriptorType 33 bcdHID 1.01 bCountryCode 0 Not supported bNumDescriptors 1 bDescriptorType 34 Report wDescriptorLength 65 Report Descriptors: ** UNAVAILABLE ** Endpoint Descriptor: bLength 7 bDescriptorType 5 bEndpointAddress 0x83 EP 3 IN bmAttributes 3 Transfer Type Interrupt Synch Type None Usage Type Data wMaxPacketSize 0x0040 1x 64 bytes bInterval 10 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