OT: Analog Discovery II

[Nick]

As I'm having to build a table-top-workshop here from scratch (can't denude my workshop back in the UK), I've been trying out some of the nice USB-based tools you can now get...

Just received an Analog Discovery 2 unit for $279 - http://store.digilentinc.com/analog-discovery-2-100msps-usb-oscilloscope-logic-analyzer-and-variable-power-supply/
- Farnell have them for about GBP 220 http://uk.farnell.com/digilent/410-321/oscilloscope-usb-2-ch-30mhz-100msps/dp/2528523 .

This is an interesting bit of kit - it's a cooperation between Analog Devices (who do all the signal conditioning and interfacing) and Xilinx, who do the logic, but put together by Digilent, who sell Xilinx development systems... Initially just a reference design, i.e. a technical paper, they realised that they had something pretty neat on their hands, so made it a product.

The design has turned into a really cool bit of kit at a very acceptable price - a full design rationale is available as are all the schematics etc. in the reference manual (also on the Farnell page). Its a really nice unit... Two programmable supplies, 2 waveform generator channels, 16 logic channels. Lots of analog too. 14-bit A/D/A as well, not the usual 12-bit...

Very few compromises have been made - by using 14-bit DACs and ADCs, it compares very favorably with far more expensive units. The software is also extremely stable.

As a small unit to keep with the laptop, there's not a lot to argue about... I keep mine with the laptop at all times. The wiring harnesses are only $10/each, so I leave those attached to the boards I'm working on - the WaveForms (free) software has the concept of projects which contain the configurations of all the devices on the AD2 that you are using for each setup, so switching boards takes literally a minute (or less).

I was using it on the flight from the UK back to the UAE last week - I had my laptop out, a Texas Instruments MSP-EXP430FR5969 development board and the Analog Discovery - 6 hours of uninterrupted development time - USB-powered dev environments are wonderful. No problems from other passengers or the crew - I told the steward in advance I was an EE and that I'd be working on the 'plane - I also made sure to keep any blinking LEDs concealed

I also have the probe expansion board - just sooooooo cute!

• Two-channel USB digital oscilloscope (1MΩ, ±25V, differential, 14-bit, 100MS/s, 30MHz+ bandwidth - with the Analog Discovery BNC Adapter Board
• Two-channel arbitrary function generator (±5V, 14-bit, 100MS/s, 12MHz+ bandwidth - with the Analog Discovery BNC Adapter Board
• Stereo audio amplifier to drive external headphones or speakers with replicated AWG signals
• 16-channel digital logic analyzer (3.3V CMOS and 1.8V or 5V tolerant, 100MS/s)
• 16-channel pattern generator (3.3V CMOS, 100MS/s)
• 16-channel virtual digital I/O including buttons, switches, and LEDs – perfect for logic training applications
• Two input/output digital trigger signals for linking multiple instruments (3.3V CMOS)
• Single channel voltmeter (AC, DC, ±25V)
• Network analyzer – Bode, Nyquist, Nichols transfer diagrams of a circuit. Range: 1Hz to 10MHz
• Spectrum Analyzer – power spectrum and spectral measurements (noise floor, SFDR, SNR, THD, etc.)
• Digital Bus Analyzers (SPI, I²C, UART, Parallel)
• Two programmable power supplies (0…+5V , 0…-5V). The maximum available output current and power depend on the Analog Discovery 2 powering choice:

...250mW max for each supply or 500mW total when powered through USB

...2.1W max for each supply when powered by an auxiliary supply. 700mA maximum current for each supply.

As of March 17th, they have also released a fully-fledged logic analyser version, the Digital Discovery for $199 - http://store.digilentinc.com/digital-discovery-portable-logic-analyzer-and-digital-pattern-generator/ .
This is an up to 800MHz multi-channel logic analyser & pattern generator for peanuts.


Nick

[Ian Vine]

I have been looking for a usb scope/function gen/logic analyzer and this is just that and a whole lot more. Does the software decode spi, i2c etc.?

Cheers

IanV

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[Nick]

Indeed is does decode serial comms - look at the screenshot I posted - it's looking at I2C talking, as it happens, to a DS3231.

The included client s/w works on a variety of platforms and drives all the instruments on the device - it's not bad at all - I like it - it's easy to use, stable, fast and the ability to save or restore the configuration of everything to do with testing a board in a second is great....

Cheers

Nick

[Grahame]

Nick

Thanks for this - just what I have been looking for! The AD2 "Pro
bundle" looks like a steal at $299. Thanks for the tips about buying
more flywires to leave a project hooked up.

Grahame

[Nick]

On Monday, 3 April 2017 15:47:40 UTC+4, Sgitheach wrote:

Thanks for this - just what I have been looking for! The AD2 "Pro
bundle" looks like a steal at $299. Thanks for the tips about buying
more flywires to leave a project hooked up.

I'm genuinely very pleased with mine. Digilent are no fly-by-night operation and produce really neat stuff - the ADII just gets better & better - the Digital Discovery (full-blown logic analyser)  is also looking good, though doesn't (at the moment) do synchronous capture - a colleague who really knows his Xilinx/VHDL foo tels me the hardware supports it, but it would need a firmware change.

Nick

[GastonP]

As of March 17th, they have also released a fully-fledged logic analyser version, the Digital Discovery for $199 - http://store.digilentinc.com/digital-discovery-portable-logic-analyzer-and-digital-pattern-generator/ .

This is an up to 800MHz multi-channel logic analyser & pattern generator for peanuts.


Nick

Peanuts seem to be pretty expensive on your side of the pond :D

Arrow sold for a time the BeScope FPGA (Altera) + A/D (500 MS/sec, 8bit, Analog Devices), which went on offer for 65 USD... Not as much capable as Xilinx's but it let me wet my feet on that waters.

Gastón

[Nick]

My side of the pond?

I live in Dubai :)

The point was really that for the capability of the device, the price was very cheap, i.e. excellent value for money when compared with similar devices, rather than being cheap in absolute terms...

The BeScope does not compare on any level with the functionality of the ADII or DD - it's probably just about worth what you pay for it (now $45).

Nick

[Dekatron42]

Nick, I browsed through the information on their website and looked through some manuals but I didn't find anything on if it has a trigger output that could be hooked up to an external oscilloscope, do you know if it has that feature?

/Martin

[Nick]

I've only got the Analog Discovery II (ADII), not the Digital Discovery...

What are you looking for? A trigger when a pattern is matched, or something else?

Nick

[Dekatron42]

I need to check some high voltage analog signals, from dekatrons and polyatrons and such, while checking some low voltage digital and analog signals while also checking an I2C-bus, and it would feel a lot better to hook up my scope with its high voltage probes to the dekatrons and use the module for the low voltage stuff. In my case I think that the module would survive a lot longer if I don't hook it up to the high voltage stuff...... :)

I've been checking the specs for the LeCroy Logicstudio but it is a lot more expensive and don't have nearly as many inputs and features.

/Martin

[Nick]

Just looking at the ADII - it has a complete scripting language in the WaveForms UI. I think that it'd be very possible to output a pule on one of the waveform generator output pins whenever a pattern is matched or a particular protocol feature is hit...

The 'scope probes for the ADII arrived today - for USD 20 a pair, they really are very good indeed.

Nick

[John Rehwinkel]

> I need to check some high voltage analog signals, from dekatrons and polyatrons and such, while checking some low voltage digital and analog signals while also checking an I2C-bus, and it would feel a lot better to hook up my scope with its high voltage probes to the dekatrons and use the module for the low voltage stuff. In my case I think that the module would survive a lot longer if I don't hook it up to the high voltage stuff...... :)

From the specifications for the Analog Discovery II:

Two input/output digital trigger signals for linking multiple instruments (3.3V CMOS)

Seems like that's just what you need. I actually have an ADII too, I guess I could give it a try. I'd be a little leery of hooking my P6013 to the ADII to measure kilovolt signals, even though it would probably be just fine.

- John

[gregebert]

I bought a pair of 100x probes for Nixie/dekatron work. Rather inexpensive on Ebay, maybe 20-25 USD for set of 2.

Fairly generic, and will work with typical scope that has a BNC connector, and 1meg/20pf input impedance.

Although I'm using lab-grade equipment from the early 1990's, the features on the USB/PC based instruments are compelling, and when you consider the ability to capture much more data with a PC-based instrument, and export it to applications, it's the best way to go.

[Nick]

I have sold most of my '90s stuff - I still have a Tektronix 2465A (best analog 'scope ever made, according to many) and a few other bits, but selling the older stuff was cathartic - I can now see my workbench again !

Also, the USB kit, whilst in *some* cases not having the performance of the lab stuff, is extremely portable. Devices like the ADII and DD show just was can be done for just a fraction of the lab gear's cost.

Nick