[chbot] Diligent USB test tools

[Mark Atherton]

All,

Have just been forwarded this message, and am taking the liberty of 
passing it on, since it had been forwarded sever times before it reached 
me...

Looks like they are  $568.84 from element 14, even so, an interesting 
piece of kit.

-Mark

=========================

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 so 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.