Red Pitaya Unveils Its Second-Generation Software-Defined Instrumentation Boards

Red Pitaya has unveiled its second-generation software-defined instrumentation family, the Gen 2 family — promising enhanced performance, reduced noise, and the option of a "significantly larger" FPGA and double the memory in the range-topping STEMlab 125-14 Pro Z7020 Gen 2.

"With the Gen 2 lineup, we are transforming the landscape of modular, software-defined instrumentation," claims Red Pitaya's chief technical officer Črt Valentinčič in support of the launch. "By working closely with industry leaders and proactive engagement with our growing user community, we are providing innovative solutions specifically designed for industrial needs. Our offerings boast superior performance, enhanced reliability, and alignment with the latest technological advancements."

The new boards build on the company's existing STEMlab 125-14 platform of single-board instrumentation devices, launched back in 2013 via a crowdfunding campaign that raised over a quarter of million dollars. Most are built around the same AMD Xilinx Zynq 7010 SoC FPGA, with a an integrated hardware dual-core Arm Cortex-A9 processor, and come with the same 512MB of memory as their predecessors. The micro-USB port has been switched to modern USB Type-C connector, adding support for up to 5V 3A power draws, and the gigabit Ethernet port remains intact — with Wi-Fi available as an optional add-on via a dongle.

Those coming from an existing STEMlab 125-14, in fact, will be hard-pushed to spot a difference — but digging into the specifications reveals a few relatively minor changes, beyond the promise of lower noise levels. First among these is the new option of ±2V hi-Z RF output, alongside the existing ±1V at 50Ω. The second is, however, a loss: the general-purpose input/output (GPIO) pins on the board now include only ±5V and ±3.3V voltages, with the original model's -4V rail dropped. There's also no SATA connector, previously used to daisy-chain multiple boards together, and the unpopulated QSPI footprint for optional on-board boot storage has been removed.

Further up the range, though, you start to find some real improvements. The new STEMlab 125-14 Pro Gen 2 has the same base specifications but adds in support for external clock inputs through a new E3 connector, and regains multi-board synchronization over a USB Type-C link between boards. The same E3 connector can also be used for an optional add-on module with QSPI and eMMC storage, as an optional boot device in place of the SD Card.

Finally, the STEMlab 125-14 Pro Z7020 Gen 2 switches from the AMD Xilinx Zynq 7010 to the larger Zynq 7020 — adding more FPGA logic elements for custom gateware while doubling the RAM to 1GB. The top-end model also gains support for high-speed differential pairs, while retaining the E3 connector and daisy-chain support of the Zynq 7010 model.

Red Pitaya is showcasing the new STEMlab 125-14 Gen 2 at Embedded World in Nuremberg this week; more information is available on the company's website, where interested parties can sign up to a waitlist for when orders open.