DEMO-AD7124-DZ - CN0382 24-bit ADC Eval Board | Analog Devices
MPN: DEMO-AD7124-DZ β Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $178.5 | $178.50 |
| 10 | $169.58 | $1,695.80 |
| 25 | $160.65 | $4,016.25 |
| 50 | $151.73 | $7,586.50 |
| 100 | $142.8 | $14,280.00 |
DEMO-AD7124-DZ Overview
An evaluation board (also called a demo board or development board) is a printed circuit assembly that lets engineers characterize an IC or a complete signal chain before committing to a custom PCB design. Within the system hierarchy, evaluation boards sit at the board-and-module level of the semiconductor ecosystem: IC -> analog front end (AFE) -> reference design -> evaluation board. The DEMO-AD7124-DZ implements the full CN0382 loop-powered smart transmitter chain, so it demonstrates not just the ADC but the entire 4-20 mA + HART output path.
Key features include the 24-bit, low-noise AD7124-4 Sigma-Delta ADC with integrated PGA and four differential (or seven single-ended/pseudo-differential) input channels, the AD5421 loop-powered 16-bit DAC driving the 4-20 mA industry-standard current loop, and the AD5700 HART modem enabling digital communication over the same two-wire loop. This combination covers the dominant wired interface used in industrial process control transmitters for pressure, temperature, and flow.
Technically, the board demonstrates a low-power architecture in which all signal-chain functions are supplied from the 4-20 mA loop itself, eliminating the need for local power. The AD7124-4 contributes low noise and low power consumption essential for meeting loop power budgets, while the AD5700 HART modem adds digital superimposed communication per the HART protocol used across process automation installations.
Typical applications include 4-20 mA HART smart pressure transmitters, temperature transmitters using RTD or thermocouple inputs, and general loop-powered industrial process measurement. Engineers use this board to validate ADC noise performance, DAC loop accuracy, and HART communication before layout of a custom transmitter PCB.
A key design consideration is that loop-powered systems impose a strict total supply current ceiling (typically 3.5 mA minimum loop current headroom), so every block on this board was selected for ultralow power - a useful benchmark when selecting components for a production design.
This page synthesizes verified distributor listings, the CN0382 reference design context, evaluation-board alternatives, and practical design guidance not consolidated on the manufacturer datasheet alone.
Drop-in alternatives for DEMO-AD7124-DZ β same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
Quick Comparison Tool β Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
EVAL-AD7124-4SDZ
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
EVAL-AD7124-8SDZ
β Drop-Inπ Reference alternative (not in catalog)
DEMO-AD7124-DZ Specifications (manufacturer-published)
| Product Type | Evaluation / Demonstration Board (CN0382) |
| Primary ADC | AD7124-4, 24-bit Sigma-Delta, ultralow power |
| ADC Resolution | 24 bit |
| ADC Input Channels | 4 differential or 7 single-ended / pseudo-differential |
| DAC | AD5421, 16-bit, 4 mA to 20 mA loop-powered |
| HART Modem | AD5700, HART-compliant, lowest-power IC modem |
| Reference Design | Analog Devices CN0382 |
| Target Application | Loop-powered smart transmitter (pressure/temperature) |
| Output Interface | 4-20 mA current loop with HART digital communication |
| Compatible ADC Devices | AD7124-4 (board-specific per CN0382) |
| Board Supply Method | Powered from 4-20 mA current loop |
DEMO-AD7124-DZ Interfaces & Connectors
DEMO-AD7124-DZ exposes the following interfaces and connectors as published by the manufacturer: Expansion / Buses, Power Input. Expansion header pinout, connector pin numbering, and electrical limits are defined in the manufacturer documentation.
| Expansion / Buses | AD7124-4, 24-bit Sigma-Delta, ultralow power |
| Power Input | 4 differential or 7 single-ended / pseudo-differential |
Refer to the manufacturer documentation for the full expansion header pinout and connector pin numbering.
Power & Thermal Characteristics
| Power Input | 4 differential or 7 single-ended / pseudo-differential |
Power input and thermal parameters for DEMO-AD7124-DZ as published by the manufacturer.
Typical Applications
DEMO-AD7124-DZ is suitable for 6 applications: Loop-Powered Smart Pressure Transmitters, RTD and Thermocouple Temperature Transmitters, Industrial Process Automation (HART Networks), Precision Sensor Signal Chain Prototyping, Battery/Loop-Powered Low-Power System Design, Analog Front End Education and Reference Designs.
Loop-Powered Smart Pressure Transmitters
The DEMO-AD7124-DZ is purpose-built to demonstrate CN0382, a loop-powered 4-20 mA HART smart transmitter architecture. The AD7124-4's 24-bit Sigma-Delta core and integrated PGA digitize pressure sensor bridge outputs with low noise at ultralow power, which is essential because all circuitry must operate within the current loop's power budget. The AD5421 16-bit DAC then regulates the 4-20 mA loop current to represent the measured pressure, while the AD5700 HART modem superimposes digital communication on the same pair of wires. Engineers use this board to validate sensor excitation, ADC noise performance, loop accuracy, and HART interoperability before committing to a custom transmitter PCB. Because the entire signal chain mirrors commercial industrial transmitter design, measured results transfer directly to production architecture decisions.
Recommended
RTD and Thermocouple Temperature Transmitters
Temperature measurement is a headline use case: Analog Devices states the AD7124-4 includes all the features needed for temperature systems, including an integrated PGA, excitation current sources, and a low-noise 24-bit Sigma-Delta converter that resolves microvolt-level thermocouple signals or RTD bridge outputs. On the DEMO-AD7124-DZ, temperature sensor inputs are digitized by the AD7124-4, scaled by the AD5421 16-bit DAC into the 4-20 mA industrial standard, and reportable digitally through the AD5700 HART modem. Because the board is loop-powered, it demonstrates how a complete temperature transmitter fits within the 3.5 mA minimum loop current headroom dictated by the 4-20 mA standard. This makes the board an ideal validation platform for cold-junction compensation, linearization, and sensor-fault detection firmware.
Recommended
Industrial Process Automation (HART Networks)
HART remains the dominant digital protocol layered over the 4-20 mA analog standard across process industries such as chemical, oil and gas, and water treatment. The DEMO-AD7124-DZ demonstrates a complete HART-capable transmitter node: the AD5700 modem - described by Analog Devices as the industry's lowest power, smallest footprint HART IC - modulates 1200/2200 Hz FSK onto the loop driven by the AD5421. Process variables measured by the AD7124-4 ADC are therefore readable both by analog loop current and by HART-capable handheld communicators or control systems. Engineers developing field instruments can use this board to verify HART physical-layer compliance, loop load margins, and multidrop behavior before PCB layout, shortening fieldbus certification timelines.
Recommended
Precision Sensor Signal Chain Prototyping
Beyond transmitters, the DEMO-AD7124-DZ serves as a reference platform for any precision measurement prototype that needs a low-noise 24-bit analog front end. The AD7124-4 integrates a programmable gain amplifier, reference buffers, and diagnostic functions, reducing external component count compared with discrete ADC plus amplifier chains. Coupling it with the loop-powered AD5421 DAC demonstrates isolated, two-wire signal delivery - a pattern applicable to flow meters, level sensors, and analytical instruments. Because the board implements published CN0382 circuitry, engineers can benchmark their own ADC layouts against a known-good reference: noise floor, effective resolution, and offset drift measured on this board provide an authoritative baseline for judging custom designs, and the schematic in the CN0382 documentation guides layout replication.
Recommended
Battery/Loop-Powered Low-Power System Design
Every device on the DEMO-AD7124-DZ was selected for minimum power consumption, making the board a masterclass in ultralow-power system engineering. The AD7124-4 is explicitly an ultralow power ADC, the AD5421 operates from the loop supply, and the AD5700 holds the industry's lowest HART modem power figure. In a 4-20 mA loop the transmitter must stay under the minimum loop current minus its output floor, so total supply budget is typically only a few milliamps. Developers of battery-powered dataloggers, wireless sensor nodes, and energy-harvesting instruments can study this board's power architecture, then reuse the same component choices and sequencing in their own designs. Validating that the full measurement chain meets the power ceiling on hardware, rather than in simulation, is the board's key value here.
Recommended
Analog Front End Education and Reference Designs
The DEMO-AD7124-DZ doubles as a teaching and reference platform because it embodies a complete, documented Analog Devices circuit note (CN0382) spanning conversion in both directions: the AD7124-4 ADC on the input side and the AD5421 DAC on the output side, tied together by HART communication through the AD5700. Students and junior engineers can trace the full signal path from sensor to 4-20 mA + HART field bus on real hardware. The companion CN0382 documentation and the related EVAL-AD7124 evaluation ecosystem (EVAL-AD7124-4SDZ) provide software and user guides that explain register configuration, noise analysis, and loop compliance. Universities and corporate training labs use such complete signal-chain boards to bridge the gap between datasheet study and production-grade mixed-signal design.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for DEMO-AD7124-DZ β comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | EVAL-AD7124-4SDZ | EVAL-AD7124-8SDZ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Package / Form Factor | CN0382 demonstration board (loop-powered transmitter form) | ADC evaluation board, USB form factor | ADC evaluation board, USB form factor |
| Brand | Analog Devices | Analog Devices | Analog Devices |
| ADC On Board | AD7124-4, 24-bit Sigma-Delta | AD7124-4, 24-bit Sigma-Delta | AD7124-8, 24-bit Sigma-Delta |
| ADC Channels | 4 differential / 7 single-ended | 4 differential / 7 single-ended | 8 differential / 15 single-ended |
| 4-20 mA Loop DAC | Yes - AD5421 16-bit | No | No |
| HART Modem | Yes - AD5700 | No | No |
| Power Source | Powered from 4-20 mA current loop (per CN0382) | 5V USB supply via PC | 5V USB supply via PC |
| Reference Design | CN0382 | EVAL-AD7124 user guide (UG-2362) | EVAL-AD7124 user guide (UG-2362) |
| Best Use | Complete loop-powered smart transmitter development | AD7124-4 ADC characterization | AD7124-8 high-channel-count characterization |
Key Differentiators
- Complete transmitter signal chain on one board (vs EVAL-AD7124-4SDZ)
- Loop-powered operation (vs EVAL-AD7124-4SDZ)
- Full ADC channel access and higher channel option (vs EVAL-AD7124-8SDZ)
Design Notes
In a 4-20 mA loop-powered transmitter, all circuitry including the AD7124-4 ADC, AD5421 DAC, and AD5700 HART modem must operate within the loop current budget below the 3.5 mA minimum level required by the 4-20 mA standard (the exact headroom figure should be verified against the CN0382 circuit note for this specific design). Use the DEMO-AD7124-DZ to measure total quiescent current with the ADC at your intended output data rate, since AD7124-4 power scales with conversion rate and PGA settings. Budget for HART transmit bursts, which raise instantaneous consumption above the average.
When replicating the CN0382 front end on a custom PCB, keep the AD7124-4 analog inputs short and guard them from the HART FSK coupling and loop driver switching paths. The 24-bit converter resolves microvolt-level signals from RTDs and bridge sensors, so star grounding between the analog measurement ground and the AD5421 loop-return path is essential. Follow the CN0382 schematic component placement closely; the reference design demonstrates proven filter and decoupling choices for achieving rated noise performance in a transmitter environment.
A frequent mistake is treating the DEMO-AD7124-DZ as a generic AD7124-4 ADC evaluation board. Unlike the EVAL-AD7124-4SDZ (which pairs with the AD7124 Eval+ PC software over USB), this board is the CN0382 loop-powered transmitter demonstration, and its firmware and interface are oriented to the 4-20 mA + HART chain. Confirm your test equipment supports loop powering and HART communication before ordering, and consult the CN0382 circuit note and the datasheet archive PDF for board-specific bring-up details rather than the ADC datasheet alone.
Compliance Information
Compliance data was not present in the verified web data for this evaluation board. Refer to the Analog Devices product page or distributor listings for board-level compliance statements.
