Design Feature: September 12, 1996

On-chip debugger unravels knots on PowerPC 604.

The SingleStep debugger joins forces with Hewlett-Packard's processor probe for the embedded PowerPC 604 to bring you the latest on-chip real-time debugging techniques. The graphics and window layouts in SingleStep maintain the native look and feel under both Windows (3.1, 95, and NT) and Unix (HP-UX, Solaris, and SunOS). Prices for SingleStep for the HP processor probe start at $8400 under Unix and $6500 under Windows, including the processor probe hardware. Software Development Systems Inc, Oak Brook, IL. (708) 368-0400.

Embedded-system analyzer lightly monitors treads.

The C-TAC embedded-system analyzer monitors key system points nonintrusively; that is, without injecting wait states or cycle stealing. C-TAC does not affect bus timing or message sequencing, and it correlates data across multiple processors, backplanes, and networks. System components include a workstation with a GUI package and a channel chassis, along with an acquisition channel for monitoring one target. The acquisition channel consists of an event detector and acquisition card, a SCSI hard disk, a personality interface module, and a probe adapter. ITCN, Miamisburg, OH. (513) 439-2648.

Tornado/VxWorks acquires data collection tool.

StethoScope 4.3 for Tornado (VxWorks 5.3), a real-time data-collection and display program, lets you monitor or modify program variables while your program is running. This version offers a monitor window that displays dynamically updated numeric data in any format you choose and lets you write back to the target. You can also browse and monitor Unix programs with CodeProbe, a graphical-symbol table browser. A development seat for StethoScope 4.3 for Tornado costs <$5000. Real Time Innovations Inc, Sunnyvale, CA. (408) 720-8312.

Grabber connects to 0.3-mm QFP leads for side-by-side testing.

The FP-2S-10 MicroGrabber provides hands-free connection to µPs that run at as high as 100 MHz and are housed in plastic and ceramic QFPs with pins as small as 0.5 to 0.3 mm and package pin counts of as many as 304 pins. A nonconductive ABS plastic housing allows side-by-side testing of an unlimited number of pins without interference. The MicroGrabber, which also works with TSOPs, comes with standard leads to connect it to an oscilloscope, emulator, or other test instrumentation. A package of grabbers costs $325 (10). Emulation Technology Inc, Santa Clara, CA. (408) 982-0660.

Emulator tool examines SAB-C167 processors.

Working with a Siemens-specific C167 bond-out processor, the DProbe167 hardware and software debugging tool gives you access to all internal processor operations through the processor's five internal buses. You can trace operations of the peripheral event controller, modify internal registers, and emulate on-chip RAM and ROM areas all at zero-wait-state operating speeds. Through an X-Bus peripheral connection, the DProbe167 supports a variety of SAB-C167 processor derivatives, including the SAB-165 and SAB-C163. The system costs <$10,000. Kontron Electronik Corp, Newport Beach, CA. (714) 851-1872.

Board speeds TMS320C2 fixed-point DSP development.

The Tiger 203/PC ISA-bus board builds a feature-rich environment for developing software and system's designs based on the TMS320C2xx fixed-point DSP. In addition to as many as 256 kbytes of zero-wait-state SRAM, the board carries two channels of 16-bit CD-quality analog I/O and a built-in RJ-11 telephone interface. The Tiger 203/PC comes with the QuickStart, which includes such software development features as device drivers, DSP memory allocation, buffer handling, and standard I/O to the host computer. Prices start at $1695. DSP Research Inc, Sunnyvale, CA. (408) 773-1042.

Low-power embedded controller has PowerPC core.

The PowerPC 401GF is the vendor's first embedded controller based on the PowerPC 401 core architecture. Operating at clock frequencies of as high as 100 MHz, the 32-bit controller targets low-cost electronic products, such as Internet terminals, set-top boxes, modems, and digital cameras. The 401GF delivers 1.05 MIPS/MHz, and at 25 MHz, requires just a 2.5V supply. The 2.5V device typically consumes only 40 mW. The 50-, 75-, and 100-MHz versions run on 3.3V. The controller comes in an 80-pin TQFP and costs $13 (10,000). IBM Microelectronics, Hopewell Junction, NY. (800) 769-3772.

Nonintrusive test tool targets client/servers.

TestWeb is a nonintrusive client/server regression-, benchmark-, and compatibility-software test tool for Unix, Motif, Windows, and other PC-based environments. You can complete all test functions without attaching instruments to the client or server. TestWeb performs multiple and simultaneous test recordings, as well as synchronized playback testing. A Web browser interface allows remote execution, viewing, and analysis of tests and test results. Prices start at <$6000/seat. Eastern Systems, Westborough, MA. (508) 366-3223.

ROMable kernel serves PowerPC embedded controller.

The RTXC real-time kernel offers a small, fast, ROMable, and completely configurable OS for the PowerPC 401GF embedded controller. Requiring <16 kbytes of ROM, RTXC offers >70 kernel services, including task management, semaphore services, queue services, mailbox and message services, memory management, and timer management. It also permits full source-level simulation, kernel awareness during debugging, and integration with ANSI C/C++ compilers. RTXC V3.2 is royalty-free and comes with source code. Prices start at $9500. Embedded System Products Inc, Houston, TX. (713) 561-9990.

Windows debugger for MCS 96 microcontrollers.

V1.0 of the ChipView-x96 for Windows debugger works with 16 and 24-bit derivatives of the MCS 96 microcontroller family, as well as with popular MCS 96 C compilers and assemblers, such as Borland's Turbo. ChipView-x96 presents >14 different views of your program. The simulator version of ChipView-x96 mimics the CPU and all on-chip peripherals, trapping invalid operations over the entire 24-bit address space. A ROM-monitor version complies with the reduced-instruction-set-monitor (RISM) protocol and controls any RISM-based target board. List price for the simulator version is $1495; the RISM-based ROM-monitor version costs $995. ChipTools Inc, Mississauga, ON, Canada. (905) 274-6244.

AT-compatible module shrinks size and power.

Able to fit into space-limited portable designs, the PCM-SX SBC puts a 40-MHz 386SX processor on an industry-standard PC/104 module and draws just 350 mA at 5V. The board, which is 3.6×3.8 in., comes with as much as 8 Mbytes of DRAM and a host of on-board peripherals, including seven DMA controllers and a watchdog timer. An installable device driver for use with MS-DOS and ROM-DOS comes with the PCM-SX. However, the board can work without DOS and BIOS as a stand-alone SBC. Prices start at $360 with 1 Mbyte of DRAM. WinSystems Inc, Arlington, TX. (817) 274-7553.

Software suite assists in embedded Windows NT development.

Component Integrator 3.4 is a GUI-based software package that lets you design, configure, enhance, build, and deploy Windows NT-based target systems. You can create preconfigured and bootable floppies, network images, CD-ROMs, or disks for field and manufacturing installation. Component Integrator logically divides Windows NT into >50 service sets. The Embedded Component Kit 1.1, which is included with Component Integrator, is a collection of specialized Windows NT drivers and components for deployment on target NT systems. Component Integrator 3.4 costs $23,500 under the vendor's early-access program. The general release, available in December, will cost $29,500. VenturCom Inc, Cambridge, MA. (617) 661-1230.

PC/104 module offers a choice of CPUs.

Built on a PC/104 form-factor board, this CPU module comes with a PGA socket that accommodates a 486 processor in any speed version, as well as the Cyrix 133-MHz 586 chip. The PC/104 486 CPU module has a 2×10 header for a keyboard port, mouse port, speaker port, external battery, and reset switch. On-board are a NiCd battery and charger, along with a 16-bit PC/104 stack-through connector and memory-bus interface. Prices start at $495. Comark Corp, Medfield, MA. (508) 359-8161.

Low-power logic devices offload MCU functions.

Devices in the ZPSD4XXA2 series of 5V MCU support chips combine the programmable-logic equivalent of five 22V10s, EPROM, and SRAM, yet consume one-third the power of a stand-alone 3.3V EPROM and one-seventh the power of a comparable 5V discrete version. Since the ZPSD4XXA2 devices consume only 10 µA on standby and 0.08 mA/MHz when operating, they can add four or more hours to the battery life of portable equipment. The ZPSD4XX is a general-purpose PLD with 59 inputs and 118 product terms in 24 flexible macrocells, along with as much as 128 kbytes of program storage and 2 kbytes of SRAM. Prices start at $11.07 (5000). WSI Inc, Fremont, CA. (510) 657-8495.

Half-length PC/AT SBC has SVGA controller.

In addition to a P54C Pentium processor running at as high as 133 MHz, the 2003 SBC comes with a CRT/flat-panel controller with bit-block transfer and GUI-accelerator functions. The half-length PC/AT form-factor board, which displays images at resolutions of as many as 1280×1024 pixels, also provides two 16C550 serial ports, a printer port, floppy and dual enhanced-IDE support, and a PC/104-bus interface. Memory consists of as much as 64 Mbytes of RAM and 256 kbytes of secondary cache. The fully configured board costs <$1000. Toronto MicroElectronics Inc, Mississauga, ON, Canada. (905) 625-3203.

SBC presents dual-CPU, dual-bus architecture.

Tackling fast, deterministic I/O-intensive applications, the V236 Voyager uses a 68060 number cruncher and 68360 I/O processor that each have their own independent local bus with fully dedicated memory and I/O resources to eliminate shared-resource contention. The VMEbus board provides a high-speed gateway with sustained data-transfer rates from 40 to 60 Mbytes/sec to minimize exchange latency. DRAM modules provide as many as 32 Mbytes of memory for each processor. Prices start at $4495. General Micro Systems, Rancho Cucamonga, CA. (909) 980-4863.

PCI-based system controller IC teams with RISC CPU.

The GT-64011 is a single-chip system controller equipped with a PCI-bus interface for use with IDT's R4640 64-bit RISC processor. With these two devices, you can build the core of a 150-MIPS embedded system for <$60. The controller chip runs at a CPU-bus frequency of as high as 50 MHz and at both 3.3 and 5V. Housed in a 208-pin PQFP, the GT-64011 integrates both a flexible DRAM controller and a device controller that offers five chip selects with programmable timing for each. The GT-64011 costs $29 (10,000). Galileo Technology Inc, San Jose, CA. (415) 451-1400.

SBCs provide PowerPC development solution.

Two SBCs combine a PowerPC core with a communications processor module and an extensive interface unit for memory and system control. The SBC821 and SBC860 development boards let you evaluate the MPC821 and MPC860 (PowerQUICC) chips, respectively. Each contains everything you need to prototype or evaluate a fully working application, including a 40-MHz processor, as much as 2 Mbytes of SRAM, as much as 4 Mbytes of DRAM, 1.5 Mbytes of flash memory, 8 kbytes of EEPROM, and Ethernet and serial communications. Prices start at $1995. Embedded Support Tools Corp, Canton, MA. (617) 828-5588.

Single-core device offers RISC and DSP functions.

The hyperstone E1-32 combines the advantages of RISC and DSP technologies in a unified core for embedded systems requiring compactness and high performance. The 32-bit RISC µP includes an additional DSP instruction set and on-chip microcontroller functions, delivering burst execution rates of as high as 60 MIPS. Peak DSP performance is as high as 180 MOPS. Operating at 50 MHz, the device consumes 0.65W at 5V. Packaging options include 144-pin TQFPs and 160-pin PQFPs. The hyperstone E1-32 costs about $25 (100,000). Hyperstone Electronics GmbH, D-78467 Konstanz, Germany. +49-7531-98030.