Where is Analog Discovery 2 training found?

General Electronics
1

I own one and can use basic functions like Power Supplies, Voltmeter and Oscilloscope. However, the logic analyzer and pattern generator are mysterious to me. I really do not like the Digilent videos that point out capability without providing examples. Specifically, I want to use the pattern generator to program (long) a string of Neo Pixel WS2812 RGB LEDs in various colors. How does one create and send this code to the LED string? I was thinking perhaps I could use an Arduino and capture the control string with the logic analyzer but I am as unskilled with that as I am with the pattern generator.
Thanks
Tim Miner

2

3’rd hit on google :-):

3

question for kvk… have you used Analog Discovery 2 for Pattern Generation?
Tim Miner

4

I’ve found Digilent’s documentation not to be bad: the resources for the AD2 are at https://reference.digilentinc.com/reference/instrumentation/analog-discovery-2/start?redirect=1

I’ve used the AD2 for simple pattern generation (just PWM pulse trains) without any trouble. If you want to generate more complex waveforms, you’ll have to play with the UI a little to see what to do. Select the Custom waveform type in the pattern generator, click on the pen icon to edit the parameters and you’ll get a window with a trace that you can manipulate in various ways. The easiest way to start with is probably just to put 1s and 0s in the boxes in the right hand panel showing the values of the signal at each timestep. The approach I would probably take is to play around a little, export some of the waveforms to files to understand the file format, then generate waveform data with a Python script or something to import again.

5

Oh, one other thing. For initial experiments, you can just draw the waveform in the edit dialog for the custom pattern type, so you can make something that looks more or less right, export it to see what the file format looks like, then make something precise using a script.

6

I do not own the Analog Discovery, I was just procrastinating, answering you question.

I am actually working on a product that would have the features of the AD2, but adding other stuff also at lower cost. Problem is I am way too busy right now

7

thanks for the helpful suggestions.
TM

8

Could someone familiar with CE videos tell me how to find CE created training for the AD2?
There is a tantalizing hint that CE did some AD2 training for a CE project. That is what I am hoping to find near term.
Thanks again
Tim Miner

9

I think it’s here: https://contextualelectronics.com/lessons/analog-discovery-2/

10

@Tim_Miner I totally agree with you about the Digilent videos, they are basically someone reading the reference manual. Finding practical examples is near impossible. I have found their support forum very useful and have even been given a custom protocol decoder for eMMC by one the the most prolific posters.

Digilent Technical Forums - Digilent Forum (digilentinc.com)

Good luck.