4.1. Hardware
This section provides comprehensive hardware documentation for all Red Pitaya products, including detailed specifications, schematics, known issues, and comparison tables.
4.1.1. Understanding Product Names
Red Pitaya board names follow a consistent format: [Sampling Rate]-[Input Resolution]
For example:
STEMlab 125-14 = 125 MSps sampling rate, 14-bit input resolution
SDRlab 122-16 = 122.88 MSps sampling rate, 16-bit input resolution
SIGNALlab 250-12 = 250 MSps sampling rate, 12-bit input resolution
Additional suffixes indicate variants:
PRO = Professional features (internal/external clock switching, external QSPI & eMMC booting, expanded connectivity)
Z7020 = Zynq 7020 FPGA (double the logic capacity of standard Zynq 7010)
4-Input = Four input channels instead of two
LN = Low Noise variant
EXT = External clock capability
4.1.2. Understanding Generations
Red Pitaya products are organized into two distinct hardware generations. These generations are kept separate to distinguish the newer boards with improved features and capabilities.
Gen 2 vs Original Generation
Why are they different?
Gen 2 boards feature significant hardware improvements over the original generation:
Improved analog frontend - Reduced noise and crosstalk, better SFDR performance
USB-C connectivity - Replaces Micro USB for power and console (Gen 2 requires 5V, 3A vs Original’s 5V, 2A)
Enhanced output capabilities - ±2 V @ Hi-Z load and ±1 V @ 50 Ω load vs ±1 V on original boards
No power-on glitching - Outputs remain stable during boot
OS requirements - Gen 2 requires OS version 2.07-43 or higher; Original works with older versions (see OS Version Compatibility)
PRO models add:
Internal/external clock switching
E3 add-on board with STM32 microcontroller (power, watchdog, boot control)
eMMC and QSPI booting options
When choosing a board:
Choose Gen 2 if you need the latest hardware improvements, lower noise, and better analog performance
Choose Original Gen if you need specific models like SDRlab 122-16 (16-bit ADC) or SIGNALlab 250-12 (250 MS/s, BNC connectors, AC/DC coupling)
For detailed comparison, see the Gen 2 comparison table and Original Gen comparison table.
4.1.3. Identify Your Board
To ensure compatibility with software and accessories, it’s important to identify which Red Pitaya board you have. This section provides guides to help you determine your board model based on physical characteristics, serial numbers, and other identifiers.
Identify your board model - A comprehensive guide to help you identify your Red Pitaya board model.
4.1.4. Products
In this section, you can find information about all existing Red Pitaya products, including the second generation of Red Pitaya boards, the original generation of Red Pitaya boards, extension modules, discontinued and obsolete products.
Second generation boards
The second generation of Red Pitaya boards is designed to provide enhanced performance and features compared to the original generation.
Note
The second generation products differ from the original generation even if the name itself is similar.
Original boards
The original generation of Red Pitaya boards.
Extension modules
Discontinued
Discontinued boards and extensions are no longer manufactured, but are still supported by the Red Pitaya software.
Obsolete
Obsolete boards and extensions are no longer manufactured, and are not supported by the current Red Pitaya software. The last working software version is listed under each product.
4.1.5. Specifications & Comparisons
General hardware specifications
This section includes general hardware specifications for each generation of Red Pitaya products.
Product comparison tables
Product comparison tables provide a detailed overview of the differences between various Red Pitaya products, including specifications, features, and capabilities.
4.1.6. Known hardware issues
This section lists known hardware issues for each generation of Red Pitaya products.
4.1.7. Performance & Measurements
Measured performance data for Red Pitaya boards.
4.1.8. Certificates
Here you can find and download certificates for Red Pitaya products.