EFI-X™ Module Autopsy

After I got my EFI-X™ back, I thought to sell it in eBay. I don't need it anymore. The Chameleon solution works better and I have the choice and the possibility to fix all issues by myself.

I was so curious about what's inside this "holy" EFI-X™ module, that I decided to open it. OK, I will loose some money, but my curiosity was greater :-)))

Open the module was not that difficult as I thought. Got this done without any visible trace on the enclosing. The front and the backside of the PCB was potted with some black plastic sealing. But I could remove the "protection" quite easy with a chemical treatment.

Here are the Photos. For the time being only in low resolution.

EFI-X™ Frontside still with protection:


EFI-X™ Backside still with protection:


EFI-X™ Frontside disassembled:


EFI-X™ Backside disassembled:


Very first analysis: The EFI-X™ module is made of nothing special at all. The module uses only one USB-port. The second USB-port of the mainboard connector is unused and not connected (See the backside photos). There are a microcontroller (64pin TQFP package, maybe it's a CPLD/FPGA), a 8 MHz ceramic resonator, a 5V to 3.3V DC-DC converter and a flash memory (presumably 256MB). The PCB seems to be a 4 layer. The whole thing, inclusive PCB, case, cable and packaging should be cost less than 10 dollars, I guess.

As you can see, ASEM had removed the description/partnumber of the microcontroller and the flash memory with a Laser. I will find out to which pins the oscillator and the USB is connected. This is like a fingerprint to discover which microcontroller they are using.

Update: New infos and better photos here.