{
 "slug": "digilent-analog-discovery-3",
 "name": "Digilent Analog Discovery 3",
 "maker": "Digilent",
 "category": "instruments",
 "categoryLabel": "Instruments",
 "status": "listed",
 "statusLabel": "Listed by maker",
 "description": "Add oscilloscope, waveform generation and logic tools to a laptop.",
 "goodFor": "Add oscilloscope, waveform generation and logic tools to a laptop.",
 "youNeed": "Supported host, WaveForms, suitable leads/adapters, and adequate USB power or a 5 V auxiliary supply.",
 "tradeoff": "Full advertised oscilloscope bandwidth requires the BNC adapter.",
 "tags": [
  "build"
 ],
 "price": "US$379",
 "priceShort": "$379",
 "priceFrom": "digilent.com",
 "checked": "2026-09-15",
 "url": "https://gadgets.sh/devices/digilent-analog-discovery-3/",
 "shortUrl": "https://gadgets.sh/digilent-analog-discovery-3",
 "markdown": "https://gadgets.sh/devices/digilent-analog-discovery-3.md",
 "image": "https://gadgets.sh/assets/digilent-analog-discovery-3.jpg",
 "cutout": "https://gadgets.sh/assets/cutouts/digilent-analog-discovery-3.webp",
 "shareCard": "https://gadgets.sh/og/digilent-analog-discovery-3.jpg",
 "shops": [
  {
   "merchant": "Digilent",
   "label": "Buy from Digilent",
   "kind": "shop",
   "orderable": true,
   "url": "https://digilent.com/shop/analog-discovery-3/?utm_source=gadgets.sh&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=digilent-analog-discovery-3&utm_content=api",
   "note": null
  },
  {
   "merchant": "Amazon",
   "label": "Buy from Amazon",
   "kind": "shop",
   "orderable": true,
   "url": "https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C4L59R83?utm_source=gadgets.sh&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=digilent-analog-discovery-3&utm_content=api",
   "note": "In stock at Amazon when checked on 2026-09-24."
  }
 ],
 "specs": [
  {
   "group": "Oscilloscope",
   "rows": [
    {
     "label": "Inputs",
     "value": "Two differential channels.",
     "source": "https://files.digilent.com/datasheets/Analog-Discovery-3-Datasheet.pdf"
    },
    {
     "label": "Resolution and rate",
     "value": "14-bit; up to 125 MS/s per channel.",
     "source": "https://digilent.com/shop/analog-discovery-3/"
    },
    {
     "label": "Measurement range",
     "value": "±2.5 V or ±25 V relative to ground.",
     "source": "https://files.digilent.com/datasheets/Analog-Discovery-3-Datasheet.pdf"
    },
    {
     "label": "Analog bandwidth",
     "value": "9 MHz direct; 30+ MHz with BNC adapter, at −3 dB.",
     "source": "https://files.digilent.com/datasheets/Analog-Discovery-3-Datasheet.pdf"
    },
    {
     "label": "Input impedance",
     "value": "1 MΩ parallel with 24 pF.",
     "source": "https://files.digilent.com/manuals/WaveForms/3.25.1/start10.html"
    },
    {
     "label": "Protection",
     "value": "±50 VDC / ±30 VRMS protection; not a larger measurement range.",
     "source": "https://files.digilent.com/datasheets/Analog-Discovery-3-Datasheet.pdf"
    },
    {
     "label": "Capture buffer",
     "value": "Up to 32,768 samples/channel; 65,536 with one analog input, configuration-dependent.",
     "source": "https://files.digilent.com/datasheets/Analog-Discovery-3-Datasheet.pdf"
    },
    {
     "label": "Streaming",
     "value": "Approximately 10 MS/s total to RAM or 5 MS/s to disk; host-dependent.",
     "source": "https://files.digilent.com/datasheets/Analog-Discovery-3-Datasheet.pdf"
    }
   ]
  },
  {
   "group": "Generation and digital I/O",
   "rows": [
    {
     "label": "Waveform outputs",
     "value": "Two 14-bit channels, up to 125 MS/s; ±5 V.",
     "source": "https://digilent.com/shop/analog-discovery-3/"
    },
    {
     "label": "AWG bandwidth",
     "value": "9 MHz direct; 12 MHz with BNC adapter, at −3 dB.",
     "source": "https://files.digilent.com/datasheets/Analog-Discovery-3-Datasheet.pdf"
    },
    {
     "label": "AWG load",
     "value": "Up to 30 mA DC drive.",
     "source": "https://files.digilent.com/manuals/WaveForms/3.25.1/start10.html"
    },
    {
     "label": "Digital channels",
     "value": "16 individually programmable I/Os, up to 125 MS/s.",
     "source": "https://digilent.com/shop/analog-discovery-3/"
    },
    {
     "label": "Digital levels",
     "value": "3.3 V outputs; 5 V-tolerant inputs; threshold setting is shared.",
     "source": "https://files.digilent.com/datasheets/Analog-Discovery-3-Datasheet.pdf"
    },
    {
     "label": "Target supplies",
     "value": "0.5–5 V and −0.5…−5 V; auxiliary-powered limit is 800 mA or 2.4 W per channel.",
     "source": "https://files.digilent.com/datasheets/Analog-Discovery-3-Datasheet.pdf"
    }
   ]
  },
  {
   "group": "Power, accessories and pinout",
   "rows": [
    {
     "label": "Host connection",
     "value": "USB-C connector; USB 2.0 data rates.",
     "source": "https://files.digilent.com/datasheets/Analog-Discovery-3-Datasheet.pdf"
    },
    {
     "label": "USB-A host",
     "value": "USB 3.2-compatible power required unless auxiliary-powered.",
     "source": "https://files.digilent.com/datasheets/Analog-Discovery-3-Datasheet.pdf"
    },
    {
     "label": "Auxiliary input",
     "value": "5 V; 4 A recommended, 3.1 A minimum; 5.5×2.1 mm center-positive barrel.",
     "source": "https://files.digilent.com/datasheets/Analog-Discovery-3-Datasheet.pdf"
    },
    {
     "label": "Base kit",
     "value": "Device, project box, USB-C/C cable, 2×15 flywires, headers and labels.",
     "source": "https://digilent.com/shop/analog-discovery-3/"
    },
    {
     "label": "Separate accessories",
     "value": "BNC adapter, probes, auxiliary supply and measurement adapters are optional.",
     "source": "https://digilent.com/shop/analog-discovery-3/"
    },
    {
     "label": "BNC wiring",
     "value": "Adapter grounds the scope’s negative inputs; use BNC output leads rather than oscilloscope probes on the AWG.",
     "source": "https://digilent.com/shop/bnc-adapter-for-analog-discovery/"
    },
    {
     "label": "Pinout",
     "value": "Official AD3 startup guide supplies the 30-pin map and per-function operating limits.",
     "source": "https://files.digilent.com/manuals/WaveForms/3.25.1/start10.html"
    },
    {
     "label": "External clock",
     "value": "Trigger 1 accepts a documented 10–50 MHz reference in the configured clock mode.",
     "source": "https://files.digilent.com/manuals/WaveForms/3.25.1/start10.html"
    },
    {
     "label": "Body",
     "value": "100×100×20 mm; 128 g; operating ambient 0–40 °C.",
     "source": "https://files.digilent.com/datasheets/Analog-Discovery-3-Datasheet.pdf"
    }
   ]
  },
  {
   "group": "Software and setup",
   "rows": [
    {
     "label": "Application",
     "value": "WaveForms supports Windows, macOS and Linux; demo mode works without hardware.",
     "source": "https://digilent.com/shop/analog-discovery-3/"
    },
    {
     "label": "Windows runtime",
     "value": "WaveForms installer includes Adept Runtime and USB support.",
     "source": "https://files.digilent.com/manuals/WaveForms/3.25.1/main.html"
    },
    {
     "label": "Apple silicon",
     "value": "WaveForms 3.25.1 manual describes an Intel app using Rosetta; its runtime supports arm64.",
     "source": "https://files.digilent.com/manuals/WaveForms/3.25.1/main.html"
    },
    {
     "label": "Linux runtime",
     "value": "Install the appropriate architecture’s WaveForms and separate Adept Runtime packages.",
     "source": "https://files.digilent.com/manuals/WaveForms/3.25.1/main.html"
    },
    {
     "label": "SDK and instruments",
     "value": "C/C++/Python control; LabVIEW/MATLAB support; scope, protocol and network/impedance tools.",
     "source": "https://digilent.com/shop/analog-discovery-3/"
    },
    {
     "label": "Specification conditions",
     "value": "Generally typical after 30-minute warm-up at 25 °C.",
     "source": "https://files.digilent.com/datasheets/Analog-Discovery-3-Datasheet.pdf"
    }
   ]
  }
 ],
 "docs": [
  {
   "label": "Maker specifications and base-kit contents",
   "url": "https://digilent.com/shop/analog-discovery-3/"
  },
  {
   "label": "AD3 datasheet rev1, May 2025",
   "url": "https://files.digilent.com/datasheets/Analog-Discovery-3-Datasheet.pdf"
  },
  {
   "label": "AD3 pinout, setup and troubleshooting",
   "url": "https://files.digilent.com/manuals/WaveForms/3.25.1/start10.html"
  },
  {
   "label": "WaveForms 3.25.1 installation and runtime",
   "url": "https://files.digilent.com/manuals/WaveForms/3.25.1/main.html"
  },
  {
   "label": "BNC adapter and coupling options",
   "url": "https://digilent.com/shop/bnc-adapter-for-analog-discovery/"
  },
  {
   "label": "WaveForms instrument documentation",
   "url": "https://files.digilent.com/manuals/WaveForms/3.25.1/toc.html"
  }
 ],
 "blueprint": {
  "openness": "closed",
  "opennessLabel": "Closed design",
  "summary": "Digilent publishes a reference manual and datasheet for Analog Discovery 3 but no schematics, PCB files, BOM, or FPGA source.",
  "files": [
   {
    "kind": "manual",
    "label": "Analog Discovery 3 Reference Manual (mirror, PDF)",
    "url": "https://assets.testequity.com/te1/Documents/pdf/digilent/Digilent_Analog-Discovery-3-Reference-Manual_1123.pdf",
    "format": "PDF"
   }
  ],
  "repos": [],
  "parts": [
   {
    "part": "Xilinx (AMD) 7 Series FPGA (exact device not disclosed)",
    "role": "instrument FPGA (clocking, ADC/DAC control)",
    "datasheet": "https://assets.testequity.com/te1/Documents/pdf/digilent/Digilent_Analog-Discovery-3-Reference-Manual_1123.pdf"
   }
  ],
  "notes": "digilent.com and files.digilent.com (incl. the known_links datasheet and WaveForms manual) return a Cloudflare challenge 403 to curl and WebFetch here, so they are not cited. Used a TestEquity-hosted copy of Digilent's AD3 Reference Manual (HTTP 200, 8.8 MB PDF, text extracted with pdftotext): it says the unit 'features circuitry made by Texas Instruments' and references Xilinx's 7 Series SelectIO guide (UG471), but names no ADC/DAC part numbers and includes no schematic. No Digilent GitHub hardware repo or schematic download exists for AD3; forum threads asking for AD3 schematics exist (titles seen in search) but could not be fetched. Specific ADC/DAC/FPGA part numbers need a teardown.",
  "checked": "2026-09-27"
 },
 "sourceFiles": null,
 "firmware": [],
 "chips": [
  "xilinx-7"
 ]
}