Red Pitaya, the company that is pioneering the move to low cost, open-source, reconfigurable instrumentation with its credit-card-sized platform, has launched a high-end STEMlab platform to join its successful STEMlab-125 development boards. STEMlab is a test and measurement environment designed to provide a low-cost alternative to many expensive measurement and control instruments. STEMlab 250-12 offers enhanced hardware performance, complete software control and additional hardware features over the STEMlab-125 products and is designed to meet the needs of more demanding users for industrial, research, test & measurement and data acquisition applications. Its larger FPGA enables greater real-time processing capabilities plus faster analogue front and back-end performance. Small and portable, it also offers the benefits of remote access, with a web app user interface accessible through Ethernet or WiFi. 
The new STEMlab 250-12 is a two-channel 250 Msps 12-bit signal acquisition and two-channel 250 Msps 14-bit signal generator module with Zynq 7020 Dual-Core ARM cortex-A9 CPU and FPGA, 1GB DDR memory and 1 Gbit Ethernet connectivity. Accuracy and quality of signal is assured with 12-bit A/D converter resolution, frequency response of ±0.5 dB up to 45MHz and -3dB at 60MHz and channel isolation >60 dB (DC to 100MHz). There are two input ranges of ±1V and ±20V. Outputs can generate signals ranging from DC to 60MHz frequency, with output voltage ranging from ±5V for a 50O load to±10V for high impedance loads. The device also features software control for attenuators, gain and trigger level. There is one trigger input via a BNC connector on the front panel and one reference clock input (10MHz) via an SMA connector on the back panel. Signal capture is fast, with rise/fall time of 13ns input 1/20 and 11ns input 1/1. A range of interfaces that are becoming established as standard interfaces across the STEMlab product range are included on STEMlab 250-12, including USB, SPI, I2C and 16 GPIOs. The device also boasts four additional slow analogue inputs and outputs. PoE is offered on request.
Further STEMlab 250-12 specifications include an operating temperature range of +0°C to +55°C, with a storage temperature range of -20°C to +85°C. STEMlab 250-12 is available as an OEM module or in an aluminium chassis.
