[videobruce]

Some or most of this is not exactly new since these DVRs' have been out since the beginning of 2005, but since no one has spent any real time posting any information about this deck and the major electronic components I thought i would have a stab at it.


After acquiring a third deck for the price of shipping (which was completely unexpected) that had to be sent into Sony for repair (which I knew), I decided to tear one of these apart, not literally though.

Thought some photos have been posted, I wanted to include pics of all of the major chips and links to documentation for each one.


One would think by now there would be a ton of information available on this, but other the the dedicated thread in the sub-forum and one other forum dedicated to these decks, details are very scarce. I was unable to get the proper details on the main processor or any details of the video processor, both from ATI, now AMD (which recently sold the line to Broadcom) even though they were very popular at the time.

If anyone has better and more detailed info about anything posted here, please feel free to add or correct what I already have. I will be updating the individual posts when I become aware of errors.

 

[videobruce]

With and without boards and HDDs'.

 

[videobruce]

Both sides (separated from video daughter board). Also the power supply.

 

[videobruce]

Probably the part what everyone as waiting for since no one had anything at all on this.


The 1st time I disassembled one of these I intended to remove the heat sink for the processor, but after examining the attachment method of using one of these dreaded 'thermal pads' (that are usually a problem removing,) I decided to play it safe and not do so. This was also a deck that just came back from their service center with two new HDDs' so I didn't push my luck.

Upon opening my 2nd deck (for other reasons) I decided to give it a try. After unsoldering the two clips on the solder side of the board and slightly twisting the heat sink, I exerted some force and to my surprise the heat sink literally 'popped' off. There was some 'fluid' between the chip and the pad. Not the usual thermal paste. I reassembled it the same way, I didn't add or remove whatever this 'fluid' was.


After spending well over an hour between this and the video processor searching, I was unable to find datasheets on either. This was a very popular processor when these decks were introduced with many devices using it. Apparently ATI/AMD put a lid on any specific details. I was able to come across a 400+ page 'databook' on a hopefully similar 220 processor here;
http://digilander.libero.it/Zabanitu...nce_Manual.zip


I also found a link referencing this processor to the O/S it uses (or can use). If this is the same O/S used here, I don't know;
http://www.mvista.com/boards.php?archgroup=MIPS&v=3.1

 

[videobruce]

Four sticks of Infineon 32MB DDR memory is used. 128 MB even back in 2004 seemed pathetic. No wonder this 'hangs' so often. The datasheet is here (.pdf file):
http://pdf1.alldatasheet.com/datashe.../datasheet.pdf

 

[videobruce]

Here are closeups of the motherboard mounted Power LED, the HDD activity LED and a internal reset button.

Take note, the HDD LED shows activity only when the unit is 'on'. When the deck is in 'standby', there is NO HDD activity. IOWs' there is no writing to the disk(s) unless a timed recording is taking place.

The reset button accomplishes the same as doing a front panel reset by holding the TVGOS and Exit buttons for a few seconds.


The Pwr LED is just above the center of the photo (D101). The reset is the green button to the left.

The HDD LED (D503) is to the left of the IDE connector. It's too bad Sony didn't make this front panel accessible. I believe using a fiber optic strand secured to the MB by some clear epoxy routed to the front panel through a small hole drilled through the plastic face would suffice so one could see the activity.

 

[videobruce]

Here is the combination RF Swt., Tuner and Video Processor board.


The processor is a ATI/AMD NxT 2003 that I wasn't able to get anything on in spite on the popularity of these.

The tuner has a ALP510 IC in it. I was not able to get anything on this either, by searching for the number(s) on the shield or the number on the chip. I was thinking by the country of origin, the tuner might be by Matshita.

 

[videobruce]

On the riser board, IC 8000 replaces whatever the original flat pack was to be on the MB with a NEC D61151F1 MPEG encoder. Among other things, it even includes a TBC.


The datasheet is here (in .pdf form);
http://www.necel.com/digital_av/en/m...E_20030731.pdf


The memory is a Micron 48LC2M32B2 64Mb SDRAM package. The datasheet is here (in .pdf form);
http://www.digchip.com/data/297/297-...48LC2M32B2.pdf

 

[videobruce]

M-Systems "DiskOnChip Plus"

Until I started reading the datasheet, I didn't realize this is where the 'meat & potatoes' are. This apparently hold the 'keys' to the disk encryption.
The OS is linux 2.4 (2.4.18 I think), filesystems are encrypted XFS.

Quote:
Highlights;

Advanced protection and security-enabling features for data and code

Proprietary TrueFFS technology for full hard-disk emulation, high data reliability and maximum flash lifetime
Software tools for programming, duplicating, testing and debugging


Protection and Security-Enabling Features;

-16-byte Unique Identification (UID) number

-6KB user-configurable One Time Programmable (OTP) area

-Two configurable write and read-protected partitions for data and boot code

-Hardware data and code protection

-Protection key and LOCK# signal

-Sticky Lock option for boot partition lock

-Protected Bad-Block Table

Here is the datasheet (in .pdf form);
http://kr.ic-on-line.cn/IOL/datashee...90_4130585.pdf
http://www.qscomp.cz/Pdf/doc_mil.pdf


According to this, Sandisk bought the company in 2006;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M-Systems


A 'End of Life' statement was announced in 2005 which is the year Sony started and ended sales of these decks. There is/was a replacement offered with a smaller manufacturing process (.13nm vs .16nm);
http://sandisk.es/Assets/File/OEM/Ma...L-DOC-0205.pdf


I believe that the 2nd attachment is the block diagram.


I found these links for .pdf files on their "TrueFFS" software;
http://www.tri-m.com/products/sandis...al/doc_man.pdf
http://www.spezial.de/commercio/date...ge/TrueFFS.pdf
http://sandisk.es/Assets/File/OEM/Ma...doc/PU0400.pdf
http://www.prosig.com/protor/kbase/D...ment-HOWTO.pdf
http://www.prosig.com/protor/kbase/D...ment-HOWTO.pdf
http://www.acceed.de/manuals/M-sys_A...Guidelines.pdf
http://newsletter.spezial.com/pdfdata/DOC-Tools.pdf


This one is a text file;
http://download.advantech.com/Downlo...e_id=1%2D17T0F


Here is a paper on data recovery;
http://www.defcon.org/images/defcon-...moulton-WP.pdf


There were at least four versions of these chips. The 1st one listed (in bold) is the one Sony used;

Quote:
DiskOnChip Product Family in four standard form factors (32-pin DIP, 144-pin SODIMM, 32-pin TSOP-II, 48-pin TSOP-1):


• DiskOnChip Millennium Plus: 48-pin TSOP-I single-chip flash disk. Available capacity: 32MB. Features a true 16-bit data bus, data read/write protection and security enabling capabilities, 1KB XIP boot block and a ROM-like one time programming area (OTP).

• DiskOnChip 2000 TSOP1: 48-pin TSOP-I single-chip flash disk. Available capacity: 16MB. Includes a 1KB XIP boot block.

• DiskOnChip Millennium: 32-pin DIP or 32-pin TSOP-II single-chip flash disk. Available capacity: 8MB. Includes a 1KB XIP boot block.

• DiskOnChip 2000: 32-pin DIP flash disk. Available capacities: 16MB to 288MB

• DiskOnChip DIMM2000: 144-pin Small Outline DIMM (Dual In-line Memory Module) flash disk. Available capacities: 16MB to 256MB.

 

[HoustonPerson]

Excellent, Thanks

 

[videobruce]

Silicon Image SiI9190 PanelLink Transmitter. A HDMI 1.0 controller. Here is the datasheet;
http://kr.ic-on-line.cn/IOL/datashee...90_4130585.pdf

 

[videobruce]

The datasheet for this Texas Instruments TVP5147 states;

Quote:
The TVP5147 device is a high-quality, single-chip digital video decoder that digitizes and decodes all popular baseband analog video formats into digital component video. The TVP5147 decoder supports the analog-to-digital (A/D) conversion of component YPbPr signals, as well as the A/D conversion and decoding of NTSC, PAL, and SECAM composite and S-video into component YCbCr.

It also lists this;

Quote:
Macrovision copy protection detection circuit (Type 1, 2, 3, and separate color stripe detection)

This is no doubt the reason TVGOS hasn't been working.

(I just couldn't resist)


Here is the datasheet (in .pdf form);
http://www.chipcatalog.com/Doc/83C57...F84DB1899F.pdf

 

[videobruce]

Apparently, this is for the CC (Cable Slot) slot. The datasheet is here;
http://pdf1.alldatasheet.com/datashe.../datasheet.pdf


The description states;

Quote:
The CXD2099AR is a Common Interface (CI) controller IC designed for use with DVB compliant Conditional Acces Modules (CAM), POD and PCMCIA type memory cards -

 

[videobruce]

This possibly works in conjunction with the 'DiskOnChip Plus'. The ST M27W401 One Time Programmable EPROM. Description is;

Quote:
It is ideally suited for microprocessor systems requiring large data or program storage

Here is the datasheet;
http://www.datasheetcatalog.org/data...s/mXyzuyuw.pdf '

 

[bfdtv]



Quote:
Originally Posted by videobruce /forum/post/18100445


Four sticks of Infineon 256Mb DDR memory is used. The datasheet is here (.pdf file):
http://pdf1.alldatasheet.com/datashe.../datasheet.pdf

Note that's four sticks of 256Mb with a little b. In other words, four sticks of 32MB.

Quote:
Originally Posted by videobruce /forum/post/18100647


The processor is a ATI/AMD NxT 2003 that I wasn't able to get anything on in spite on the popularity of these.

That was a popular 8-VSB/QAM demodulator in its day.

Quote:
Originally Posted by videobruce /forum/post/18100384


Main processor: ATI Xilleon 226

Good info. That decoder was used in older TVs from about a dozen manufacturers. It's the same chip in the Sony KD-30XS955.


Scientific Atlanta (now Cisco) is the only other company I'm aware of that used the ATI Xilleon line in its U.S. DVRs.

 

[videobruce]

It's been partially known that Sony appeared to have a flat rate for these decks. When I received the already known "dead" deck that I acquired for just the cost of shipping, I contacted the service center in Laredo TX. that services these decks at this number;

866-357-6230 (then press 1)

I gave the required information and the error codes I received which were "ERR 4000001" and then after a failed "Clear NVM" procedure (my fault since I wasn't fast enough with the additional steps) a "ERR 4000009", I was given a Work Order number and the address to send the deck back.


Attached is a copy (with the personal data omitted) of the final invoice and a fact sheet regarding TVGOS. Attached is a pic of the new HDDs' that replaced the original WD drives. This was a '500' and both drives were replaced as I figured they would be.

Also, is a pic of the label that was attached to the bottom of the deck.

 

[rcrach]



On the riser board IC 8000 replaces the original flat pack that was on the MB with a NEC D61151F1 MPEG encoder.


The unloaded components under the riser card are for the Ethernet interface. The RJ45 jack, the magnetics, and the Ethernet controller with integrated PHY. I think it's either a DP83815 or a DP83816 from National.

 

[videobruce]



Quote:
Note that's four sticks of 256Mb with a little b. In other words, four sticks of 32MB.

I knew that didn't sound right 1GB in something like this. I'll correct the post. Damn b's.


rcrach; Thanks. I couldn't help but notice all the 'stuff' that was not installed.

 

[qz3fwd]

Can you replace the internal HDD with a 750GB IDE drive (largest IDE drives made I think).

 

[HoustonPerson]

videobruce,


Thanks again for posting the information and on the repaired unit as well.