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Logitech Revue Teardown

Teardown

Teardowns provide a look inside a device and should not be used as disassembly instructions.

The Logitech Revue is the first set-top box device on the market with Google TV. We took a gander inside this little box to see how it stacks up with its recently-exposed rival, the Apple TV.

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Edit Step 1 — Logitech Revue Teardown ¶

The Logitech Revue with Google TV finally makes its way into the hands of iFixit.
Although other options exist, the Revue ships with a custom keyboard controller, with built-in multi touch trackpad.
Things you can do with the Logitech Revue and Google TV:
- Watch Television
- Watch Movies
- Browse the Internet
- Use Apps
- Combine any of the above options any way you like.

Edit Step 2 ¶

Some of the ports found on the Revue:
- HDMI In / HDMI Out
- 2x IR Blasters
- 2x USB
- Ethernet
- SPDIF
Vents on the sides of the Revue help keep the motherboard nice and cool.
Up and Atom! Looks like today's teardown will feature an Intel chip.

Edit Step 3 ¶

We figured there were screws underneath the rubber pads, and we were correct.
Four #2 Phillips screws lurked beneath and were the first to come out.
This is much easier than the two-handed pry required to open the Apple TV.

Edit Step 4 ¶

Once the bottom screws were removed, it was as simple as inserting a plastic opening tool into the plastic seam and prying the two halves apart.
There are a bunch of clips around the perimeter of the device, so we had to be careful not to break any of them.

Edit Step 5 ¶

The cover comes off just like that, revealing a beautiful blue motherboard within.
There's a fan approximately twice the size of the new MacBook Air's fan on the top cover of the ~~Google TV~~ Logitech Revue.
The internal fan is attached to a nifty duct that directs the air flow across the CPU heat sink (located in the area shaded in red when the device is assembled) toward the vents on the side of the top cover.
Compare this to the fanless Apple TV that relies on conduction and natural convection to dissipate its internally generated heat.

Edit Step 6 ¶

It's a very simple layout inside -- just one large motherboard, brought to you by Gigabyte.
There's tons of unused space inside. The extra room should keep the Revue pretty cool and prevent any serious overheating from taking place.
Still, it is quite the departure from the "as small as possible" route Apple has chosen to take with the Apple TV.

Edit Step 7 ¶

Next, a spudger is used to disconnect the Wi-Fi antenna cable.
- This style of IPEX MHF connector is widely used in the electronics world as an antenna connector.
A #1 Phillips screwdriver makes short work of the single screw securing the Wi-Fi card to the lower case.
Finally, the Wi-Fi card can be lifted off the pins connecting it to the main board.

Edit Step 8 ¶

The 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi board is manufactured by AzureWave.
De-soldering the protective cap reveals an Atheros AR9271 featuring an on-board CPU and RAM to run WLAN functions on the chip itself, taking load off other components on the main board.
On the back of the Wi-Fi board lies an Atmel H024 IC.