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

Naked hardware #7: TerraTec Cinergy T Stick Black

TerraTec Cinergy T Stick Black teardown

That stick is Realtek RTL2832U reference design. Used RF tuner is Fitipower FC0012. TerraTec has assigned USB ID 0ccd:00a9 for that device.

Device is supported under Linux starting from the Kernel 3.6.

TerraTec Cinergy T Stick Black

TerraTec Cinergy T Stick Black

Key components:

Realtek RTL2832U
Fitipower FC0012

PCB top side

Top side of PCB

Both main chips are that side of the PCB. Upper one is FC0012 RF-tuner and lower one is RTL2832U demodulator & USB-interface. Naturally, RF-tuner is near antenna connector and USB-interface chip is near USB connector. There is 28.800MHz crystal quite between the chips. It is that clearly visible metal box. It offers clock source for both RTL2832U and FC0012 - saving one crystal.

Black box, right side of PCB and near antenna connector and FC0012, is IR-receiver for remote controller.

FC0012 is direct-conversion (aka Zero-IF) architecture RF-tuner. It is very typical DVB-T RF-tuner what we could expect to see nowadays. There is four clearly visible parallel wires between FC0012 and RTL2832U, which are going through SMD resistors, that are located very near FC0012. It is baseband interface, I+, I-, Q+, Q-. That bus feeds baseband "antenna" signal from tuner to demodulator.

I am not going to explain RTL2832U features that time as I have explained those earlier. Please see older blog posts.

PCB bottom side

Bottom side of PCB

That side of PCB is quite empty and booring. The only and the one IC, marked as FM24C02A, is 2k serial eeprom. As usually it contains configuration information for RTL2832U, most notably TerraTec own USB ID.

USB interface

IDLE current drain without a driver: 18mA

lsusb -vvd 0ccd:00a9 Bus 002 Device 013: ID 0ccd:00a9 TerraTec Electronic GmbH RTL2838 DVB-T COFDM Demodulator [TerraTec Cinergy T Stick Black] 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 0x00a9 RTL2838 DVB-T COFDM Demodulator [TerraTec Cinergy T Stick Black] bcdDevice 1.00 iManufacturer 1 Realtek iProduct 2 RTL2838UHIDIR iSerial 3 00000041 bNumConfigurations 1 Configuration Descriptor: bLength 9 bDescriptorType 2 wTotalLength 34 bNumInterfaces 2 bConfigurationValue 1 iConfiguration 4 USB2.0-Bulk&Iso bmAttributes 0x80 (Bus Powered) MaxPower 500mA Interface Descriptor: bLength 9 bDescriptorType 4 bInterfaceNumber 0 bAlternateSetting 0 bNumEndpoints 1 bInterfaceClass 255 Vendor Specific Class bInterfaceSubClass 255 Vendor Specific Subclass bInterfaceProtocol 255 Vendor Specific Protocol iInterface 5 Bulk-In, Interface 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 Interface Descriptor: bLength 9 bDescriptorType 4 bInterfaceNumber 1 bAlternateSetting 0 bNumEndpoints 0 bInterfaceClass 255 Vendor Specific Class bInterfaceSubClass 255 Vendor Specific Subclass bInterfaceProtocol 255 Vendor Specific Protocol iInterface 5 Bulk-In, Interface 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 2 Device Status: 0x0000 (Bus Powered)

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Naked hardware #2: TerraTec Cinergy T Stick

TerraTec Cinergy T Stick

TerraTec Cinergy T Stick

Key components:

Afatech AF9035
Infineon TUA 9001


Keywords: TerraTec Cinergy T Stick, Afatech AF9035, Infineon OMNITUNE TUA 9001, AF9033, AF9030, DVB-T, dvb_usb_af9035, af9033, tua9001, Afa Technology, ITE Tech

Afatech AF9035

Afatech AF9035

AF9035 is integrated digital television USB-interface and DVB-T demodulator. Metal box on bottom-right direction from the AF9035 is 12.000 MHz clock source. Black 8 pin chip left from the clock source is 2k serial eeprom (24C02). It is used likely for storing USB ID and other hardware design settings.

Demodulator integrated that chip is AF9033 and it is sold separately too. AF9035 supports dual mode, which means it can feed two television stream at the same time. For dual configuration it is needed one RF-tuner more and 2nd demodulator which is AF9033. Chip needs firmware.

AF9015 is predecessor of that chip and IT9135 is successor.

ITE Tech has acquired Afatech in 2009. Chips starting from IT9135 are manufactured by ITE Tech.

Linux driver:

name: dvb_usb_af9035
author: Antti Palosaari <crope@iki.fi>

name: af9033
author: Antti Palosaari <crope@iki.fi>

Infineon TUA 9001

Infineon TUA 9001

TUA 9001 is very typical terrestrial silicon RF-tuner. Metal box near tuner is 26.00000 MHz clock source.

Linux driver:

name: tua9001
author: Antti Palosaari <crope@iki.fi>

USB interface

IDLE current drain without driver: 43mA


lsusb -vvd 0ccd:0093 Bus 002 Device 022: ID 0ccd:0093 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 0x0093 bcdDevice 2.00 iManufacturer 1 TerraTec iProduct 2 Cinergy T-Stick iSerial 3 11132008 bNumConfigurations 1 Configuration Descriptor: bLength 9 bDescriptorType 2 wTotalLength 122 bNumInterfaces 2 bConfigurationValue 1 iConfiguration 0 bmAttributes 0x80 (Bus Powered) MaxPower 500mA Interface Descriptor: bLength 9 bDescriptorType 4 bInterfaceNumber 0 bAlternateSetting 0 bNumEndpoints 5 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 Endpoint Descriptor: bLength 7 bDescriptorType 5 bEndpointAddress 0x86 EP 6 IN bmAttributes 1 Transfer Type Isochronous Synch Type None Usage Type Data wMaxPacketSize 0x0000 1x 0 bytes bInterval 1 Interface Descriptor: bLength 9 bDescriptorType 4 bInterfaceNumber 0 bAlternateSetting 1 bNumEndpoints 5 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 Endpoint Descriptor: bLength 7 bDescriptorType 5 bEndpointAddress 0x86 EP 6 IN bmAttributes 1 Transfer Type Isochronous Synch Type None Usage Type Data wMaxPacketSize 0x1400 3x 1024 bytes bInterval 1 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