Just an opinion ... lol ... for what little mine might be worth. No authority on this.

Looks like mid-grade because you've got AC to DC changeover happening on the same board as the rest of the computing part of it.



I don't get many cable boxes but i do get satellite TV boxes. They are similar in form and function. If you look at the board ... one side of it is where the ac to dc changeover is happening. I find it's simpler for me to cut that part off with a pair of tin snips.

That leaves just the side with all of the goodies on it.

From there ... i usually pick off the metal tops and the RCA connectors. I use a razor sharp carpenter's chisel and cut the soldered side of the RCA connectors. They pop right off.

This seems to make em' passable for mid grade high. I don't know as i would recommend going to the extra work for someone else. It's just that my shipping costs are high. I try to ship the best quality so that there is the most bang for the box. It seems to yield the highest net profit / lb. after deducting expenses. Whether or not this is the best strategy ... i could not tell you. It's all situational.