Digilent Unveils Its First All-in-One Test Workbench

Digilent, now part of Emerson, has released two new all-in-one mixed-signal oscilloscopes as part of its Analog Discovery Pro 5000 series. The series integrates mixed-signal oscilloscopes, digital multimeters, power supplies, and signal generators in one device. 

The Analog Discovery Pro 5000 series welcomes two new models: the ADP5470 and ADP5490. 

These "all-in-one" tools may meet the challenges of modern test engineers, who must accurately capture, analyze, and generate both analog and digital signals in complex mixed-signal environments. Achieving this with traditional test setups often necessitates multiple instruments, making the process cumbersome, costly, and time-consuming. Digilent hopes its highly integrated oscilloscopes can streamline the testing process and enhance efficiency. 

All-in-One Additions to the Analog Discovery Pro 5000 Series

The ADP5470 and ADP5490 USB-based mixed-signal oscilloscopes feature four analog input channels with bandwidths of 350 MHz and 500 MHz and sample rates of 1.5 GS/s and 2 GS/s, respectively. Both models maintain an eight-bit resolution across the ±20 V input range, as well as 34 digital inputs operating at 1 GS/s.

They also feature an integrated CAT II digital multimeter and an arbitrary waveform generator with a single BNC output channel. Here, the ADP5470 supports bandwidths up to 20 MHz and sample rates up to 125 MS/s, while the ADP5490 extends these capabilities to 40 MHz bandwidth and 200 MS/s. Both models feature a 14-bit resolution.

Anatomy of the ADP5490.

For power management, these solutions offer three programmable power supplies with outputs from 0 to 6 V, 0 to 25 V, and 0 to -25 V. Both models can supply up to 3 A on the 6-V rail and 1 A on the ±25 V rails, and both feature integrated hardware readback for precise monitoring and adjustment.

Finally, the ADP5470 and ADP5490 models support Digilent's WaveForms software, an extensive suite of tools for acquiring, visualizing, analyzing, and generating analog and digital signals. The software supports custom scripting through the WaveForms SDK in languages such as C, Python, and LabVIEW, enabling tailored application development and integration.

The Future of Test Engineering?

Digilent's Analog Discovery Pro 5000 Series reflects a broader trend in test engineering: the convergence of multiple instruments into singular compact, versatile platforms. Digilent claims its new Analog Discovery Pro solutions can minimize the disparate resources that a test engineer needs to rely on. A fully integrated solution can potentially save engineers thousands of dollars and significant space on their workbench.