1 HN user recommended this explainer1 month2021–2026score 1
Years with an HN recommendation, 2007–2026
Recommended as the deep, expert RF analysis behind Starlink's hardware.
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.
“Check out this video by The Signal Path (a Bell Labs expert!)” (HN, 2021)
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]
Teardown explaining the Starlink dish's phased array
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]
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] .
Teardown showing complex FPGAs and components in Starlink dish
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