3 ms·

Yeah, the actual core of the device is going to be roughly something like a chromecast. Almost certainly no asics, so the cost is going to be dominated by comm

Yeah, the actual core of the device is going to be roughly something like a chromecast. Almost certainly no asics, so the cost is going to be dominated by commodity parts-- displays, audio-visual jacks and then there's the branded plastic case, graphics, labels. There's an iFixit teardown of the chromecast here: https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Chromecast+2015+Teardown/50189 https://www.ifixit.com/Teardown/Chromecast+2015+Teardown/501... Basically, 5 or 6 IC's and related trimmings--- BOM cost? I am going to guess around $35-- that's what google sells it for. Since they're making money not on the device itself but rather the online activity that becomes enabled from using the device, I expect the retail price would be roughly the BOM cost. A little more money if you're looking at a proper set-top, I guess, though I haven't actually seen a cable box in a long time. Are they roku-sized now, or just huge mostly empty boxes?

cr0sh 8y ago
> Are they roku-sized now, or just huge mostly empty boxes? I haven't seen a new one in a while either, but the last time I used one (at a relative's house IIRC), it was the same-old, same-old: A box about the size of a DVD player, a bit larger (smaller than a VCR, though), mostly empty inside. Usually if it's a DVR, there's a hard drive, and the board is mostly a computer, generally running some kind of embedded proprietary closed-source RTOS. Occasionally you'll see linux, android, or some flavor of Windows CE. Beyond that - yeah, empty air. I know that some of the very simple cable boxes are about the size of a Roku, but I don't think any of them are like a Chromecast (that is, usb drive size).
Unklejoe 8y ago
For what it’s worth, my old cable box actually had an FPGA in it.