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Kinect's BOM roughly $56, teardown finds
Dylan McGrath
11/11/2010 1:52 AM EST
SAN FRANCISCO—Microsoft Corp.'s Kinect motion-gaming add on for its Xbox 360 gaming platform carries a bill-of-materials (BOM) of roughly $56 and features chips made by PrimeSense Ltd., Marvell Technology Group Ltd., Texas Instruments Inc. and STMicroelectronics NV, according to a teardown analysis performed by UBM TechInsights.
"Basically, the strength of the design is the huge design win for the Israeli fabless company PrimeSense," said Allan Yogasingam, a technical marketing manager at UBM TechInsights. "They’ve provided the most innovative portion of the Kinect with their image processor, audio and video interface."
The Kinect includes four audio microphones on the front console that pinpoint where a user is standing by auditory projection, according to the UBM TechInsights analysis. The system also detects motion by using one infrared camera—classified as Class 1, which indicates that it's not LED-based— and two image sensors, the firm said. The image sensor include one with 32-bit color VGA resolution RGB and one monochrome 16-bit QVGA, UBM TechInsights said.
"The future applications of this technology could be fascinating," Yogasingam said. "I can see this being incorporated into televisions—allowing users to chang the channel by waving their hand, essentially replacing the remote control."
Of the roughly $56 BOM, about $17 is attributed to the cost of the PrimeSense reference system, including the cameras, microphones and processor, UBM TechInsights said. Microsoft is planning to retail the Kinect system for $149, and stands to make a healthy profit on each unit, UBM TechInsights noted.
Microsoft is estimating that it will sell 5 million Kinect units by Christmas, a boost for PrimeSense, Marvell, TI, STMicro and the system's other component suppliers, UBM TechInsights said.
Kinect is Microsoft's initial foray into motion gaming, a category popularized—and dominated—by Nintendo Co.'s Wii. Sony Corp. also recently through its hat into the ring with a $99 bundle for its PlayStation 3, Sony Move, which UBM TechInsights performed a teardown analysis of last month.
UBM TechInsights is a division of United Business Media, the parent company of EE Times.
A listing of the major parts found by UBM TechInsights within Kinect:
"Basically, the strength of the design is the huge design win for the Israeli fabless company PrimeSense," said Allan Yogasingam, a technical marketing manager at UBM TechInsights. "They’ve provided the most innovative portion of the Kinect with their image processor, audio and video interface."
The Kinect includes four audio microphones on the front console that pinpoint where a user is standing by auditory projection, according to the UBM TechInsights analysis. The system also detects motion by using one infrared camera—classified as Class 1, which indicates that it's not LED-based— and two image sensors, the firm said. The image sensor include one with 32-bit color VGA resolution RGB and one monochrome 16-bit QVGA, UBM TechInsights said.
"The future applications of this technology could be fascinating," Yogasingam said. "I can see this being incorporated into televisions—allowing users to chang the channel by waving their hand, essentially replacing the remote control."
Of the roughly $56 BOM, about $17 is attributed to the cost of the PrimeSense reference system, including the cameras, microphones and processor, UBM TechInsights said. Microsoft is planning to retail the Kinect system for $149, and stands to make a healthy profit on each unit, UBM TechInsights noted.
Microsoft is estimating that it will sell 5 million Kinect units by Christmas, a boost for PrimeSense, Marvell, TI, STMicro and the system's other component suppliers, UBM TechInsights said.
Kinect is Microsoft's initial foray into motion gaming, a category popularized—and dominated—by Nintendo Co.'s Wii. Sony Corp. also recently through its hat into the ring with a $99 bundle for its PlayStation 3, Sony Move, which UBM TechInsights performed a teardown analysis of last month.
UBM TechInsights is a division of United Business Media, the parent company of EE Times.
A listing of the major parts found by UBM TechInsights within Kinect:
- PrimeSense PS1080-A2 - PS1080 SoC image sensor processor (works with CMOS image sensor and an IR light source)
- Marvell 88AP1-BJD2 – Possible Marvell camera interface controller
- Elpida E5116AJBG-6E-E - 70nm DDR2 SDRAM (SI#18324)
- (2) Marvell G39 00A1P
- H1025519 XBOX1001 X851716-006 GEPP – Serial EEPROM for Marvell Controller
- Fairchild Semiconductor FDS8984 - N-Channel PowerTrench MOSFET
- NEC uPD720114 - USB 2.0 hub controller
- (2) Wolfson Microelectronics WM8737G - Stereo ADC with microphone preamp (one for every two microphones)
- STMicroelectronics 25P16V6G - M25P16 - 16 Mbit, low voltage, Serial Flash memory with 50 MHz SPI bus interface
- STMicroelectronics H28A 9017
- WT245 – Texas Instruments SN74AVC4T245RGYR - 4-bit noninverting dual-supply bus transceiver
- Texas Instruments 70530-08T-AVF4 – TPS3705-30 - Processor Supervisory Circuits with Power-Fail
- Texas Instruments TAS1020B - universal serial bus (USB) peripheral interface device
- Kionix KXSD9 – 3-axis accelerometer
- (2) Analog Devices AD8694 - Quad, Low Cost, Low Noise, CMOS Rail-to-Rail Output Operational Amplifier
- TI ADS7830I - 8-Bit, 8-Channel Sampling A/D Converter with I2C Interface
- Allegro Microsystems A3906 - Low Voltage Stepper and Single/Dual DC Motor Driver
- STMicroelectronics M29W800DB - 8 Mbit (1Mb x8 or 512Kb x16) NV Flash Memory
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yalanand
11/11/2010 12:22 PM EST
Is it the first major design which PrimeSense has won ?
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peter.clarke
11/12/2010 6:52 AM EST
Hi Yalanand
It may be the only one, but it is probably all that PrimeSense requires.
PrimeSense has been working with Microsoft since formation as we reported here http://www.eetimes.com/electronics-news/4184465/Israeli-sensor-startup-linked-to-PS3-Eye-Toy- in 2006 and here http://www.eetimes.com/electronics-news/4088237/PrimeSense-confirms-Microsoft-Natal-design-win earlier this year.
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elctrnx_lyf
11/11/2010 12:45 PM EST
To be in the microsoft product is a big win for Primesense. Marvell also found in many places inside the Kinest. The major disadvantage comapred to the sony move is the price. There is also a $50 higher price tag on the kinect.
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Sanborn84
11/11/2010 2:57 PM EST
The real question: How am I going to trick my girlfriend (and myself) into buying a Kinect.
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selinz
11/11/2010 4:46 PM EST
Having played a bit with Move, I have to wonder how things like releasing the frisbee during disk golf and releasing the arrow in archery can be done without a trigger, since such fine movement is unlikely to be detected by the video. Perhaps those classes of games simply do not work? Or they automatically release, resulting in every frisbee going in the correct direction (which is the effect of sacrificing user aptitude comprehension).
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LarryM99
11/11/2010 4:47 PM EST
I picked up one of these the first day it was out. My initial excuse was my 9-year old nephew visiting, but a couple of times this week I have come home and noticed the XBOX left on, and my wife was the only one home those days. I am figuring on picking up Dance Central for her for Christmas.
Bottom line, this can be addictive especially for non-hardcore gamers.
Larry M.
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sharps_eng
11/11/2010 5:08 PM EST
I am surprised a product retailing at $149 would return a healthy profit with a BOM cost of $56! After 2 levels of supply chain margin there has to be room for assembly cost, test, QA and packaging/freight. Before profit, the remainder has to pay for R&D (incl software development), marketing, wastage/losses, NRE, insurance, I could go on. Can I ask, what do others look for in terms of margin when judging feasibility of one of their products? I would want to see a BOM of less than $20 here.
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LarryM99
11/12/2010 12:48 AM EST
That's tricky on this product. This controller adds value to the platform, which in turn sells more games. That's where the real profit is in this business. I've heard that they don't turn a profit on the sale of the game platform until you buy between two and three games.
Larry M.
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goafrit
11/11/2010 10:14 PM EST
What is the BOM for the human knowledge? That is what matters.
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CameliaTex
11/11/2010 11:58 PM EST
Totally agree here. Seems that there's no new chip but new thinking in how they made them work together. Pricing human ingenuity is key. Hope those Engineers got a $$$ bonus.
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Sheetal.Pandey
11/11/2010 10:22 PM EST
Thats exciting. The video games are next big thing in technology. I think it has and will continue to be the profitable business. I wonder how much does the whole unit cost? What are the new games it brings on?
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Neo1
11/11/2010 11:30 PM EST
The motion sensing SOC from PrimeSense no doubt is a big winner in this. They not used any new technology but the ingenuity of engineering is there for everybody to see. But these things can only improve further and make road for many more startups to jump in the bandwagon of motion detection and control. This is just a start and can have wide area of applicability from games to military and from hazard control in industry to remote space applications.
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hm
11/12/2010 12:00 AM EST
The circuit card looks big. Can Microsoft integrate more and make it smaller?
Also how much time it took to come out with this product? What is contribution of Microsoft?
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Sheetal.Pandey
11/15/2010 12:33 PM EST
With a BOM costing $56 not sure if they can still reduce the size and make it more appealing. Lets see.
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Silicon_Smith
11/13/2010 6:24 AM EST
So TI has the maximum number of sockets on board! Nice to see ADI Amplifiers and TI A/D together on the board. Must have been a hard sell for both!
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jimcondon
11/14/2010 1:59 PM EST
I pretty excited the BOM for the 1st generation part is $56. Given a couple of cost reduction revisions, and this controller could start showing up everywhere. I know primesense is pushing for a uniform gesture software interface. I love to see devices like this become as ubiquitous as remote controls and mice.
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Lester Jeffries
11/14/2010 10:30 PM EST
I'm not sure if I will buy it, I ran into alot of problem with the xBox 360, if fact it's not working right now!
http://computerandelectronictalk.com/
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Sheetal.Pandey
11/15/2010 12:35 PM EST
Really.. I was planning to buy one.I thought Xbox 360 is liked by many people.
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--BitCrazed--
11/15/2010 1:34 PM EST
Really? What problems are you experiencing with your 360? If yours isn't working, why have you not returned it for repair?
We have 4 XBox (1 x v1, 3 x 360) in our house and only one has ever failed. Returned it to MS and a week later we had a repaired XBox with an extended warranty.
FWIW, we bought our family an early XMas present this year - our Kinect. It has been an absolute smash-hit so far and has made us all ache and sweat more than I ever thought a video games console would :)
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paulpan
11/17/2010 3:20 PM EST
I had the impression Canesta's 3D image sensor was the heart of the sensor suite on Kinect - perhaps next generation?
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vivekv80
11/18/2010 1:28 PM EST
Since Kinect is the first thing on every holiday shopper's list, probably Microsoft has done something excellent. Finally Primesense is getting prime coverage !!!
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hugov
11/26/2010 6:07 AM EST
What is the Marvell "camera interface controller" (which looks to me like an ARM application processor - with 64 Mbytes of DDR2 - and also a heat sink, see the iFixit teardown) for? I thought the PrimeSense chip and subsystem does basically everything needed internally, yet the Kinect has, in addition to the PrimeSense subsystem, a USB hub and (what appears to be) a second, quite powerful processor. Colour me confused.
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docdivakar
11/26/2010 5:04 PM EST
@LarryM99: did you eventually handover the Kinect to your nephew?!!
Seriously, I would like to do a teardown of the motion sensing SOC from PrimeSense. Perhaps they can integrate more functions into this SoC to reduce/eliminate the board foot print of other components? This is one area where there will be growth in the coming years via chip stacking.
Dr. MP Divakar
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