171K views · Jan 11, 2021 · 33:43 · 1 HN recommender · 3 mentions · discussed 2021–2026
The Signal Path takes apart a Starlink dish layer by layer, analyzing the phased array RF design, system architecture and integrated circuits, with an X-ray of the RF stack.
Why Hacker News points people here: Recommended as the deep, expert RF analysis behind Starlink's hardware.
“Check out this video by The Signal Path (a Bell Labs expert!)”HN comment, 2021
“Check out this video by The Signal Path (a Bell Labs expert!)”
Teardown explaining the Starlink dish's phased array
It's a phased array, it uses those many little chips to do "beam steering". Check out this video by The Signal Path (a Bell Labs expert!) doing a teardown and explaning parts of it: this video
“And more detailed RF analysis at”
Detailed RF analysis of the Starlink dish
There’s a pretty crazy amount of electronics in the dish. They are likely selling it at well below cost at present. Teardown showing PCB at: link And more detailed RF analysis at this video
“See this teardown”
Teardown showing complex FPGAs and components in Starlink dish
Starlink receivers are actually very complicated. They make use of a bunch of high-end FPGAs and a bunch of other expensive and uncommon components. See this teardown: this video .
