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Metrowerks Provides Industry's First Hardware Debug Capability for StarCore(R) 8102 Digital Signal Processors
-- Quad-Core Debugger Allows Designers to Shorten Development Cycles
for MSC8102 Applications
AUSTIN, Texas, Aug 26, 2002 -- For the first time, software designers have the ability to debug a
hardware prototype assembly incorporating the Motorola (NYSE: MOT) StarCore(R) MSC8102 Digital Signal Processor (DSP). The
capability is available in Version 2.0 of Metrowerks' CodeWarrior(TM) Development tools for StarCore DSP, which begins shipping this
week.
Earlier this year, Metrowerks, a Motorola company, became the first tools company to provide a quad-core debugger with its CodeWarrior
Development Tools for StarCore DSP, Version 1.5. This version provided quad-core debugging capabilities through simulation. With
Version 2.0, designers can actually debug all four cores of the MSC8102 silicon.
With its quad-core debugging capability, Metrowerks' CodeWarrior(TM) Development Tools for StarCore DSP allows designers to speed
development of advanced networking infrastructure applications for the telecommunications and networking markets, including 2.5G and
3G wireless base stations and packet telephony systems.
A quad-core DSP with shared memory, the MSC8102 DSP represents significantly increased processing power over previous designs.
Without tools that enable the designer to understand and control what is happening within the MSC8102 quad-core environment, it would be
impossible for developers to harness that processing power. Using the CodeWarrior Integrated Development Environment (IDE) for
StarCore DSP, developers can view the quad-core system of the MSC8102, write code, compile, and simultaneously debug all four cores.
"Designers require a toolset that allows them to control the complex interactions between all four cores of the powerful MSC8102 --
something single core debuggers are not designed to do," said John Smolucha, vice president of marketing. "Our CodeWarrior tools for
StarCore DSP are designed to make this process manageable and shorten development cycles so designers can get their products to
market as quickly as possible."
The CodeWarrior debugger is tightly integrated with each of the four cores and provides designers an unprecedented level of control. For
example, designers can load, run, or stop a single core at will, or all cores simultaneously. The tight integration between the debugger and
the quad-core architecture enables the developer to know which core is accessing shared resources. Shared access information is vital to
understanding and optimizing the performance of high-capacity telecommunications applications.
The toolset also includes a new compiler that processes the tightest and fastest code in the industry. Other features include optimized code
debugging, which allows designers to debug optimized code with ease, and data visualization, which allows designers to graphically visualize
the data.
According to a March 2002 report published by research firm Gartner Dataquest, Metrowerks' CodeWarrior compiler and debugger are
ranked number one in usage among commercially available software development tools products.
Online StarCore Course
Metrowerks has also launched a new online course on its CodeWarriorU.com site that covers the StarCore architecture. The course,
called "StarCore Revealed," describes the capabilities of Motorola's StarCore DSP and demonstrates how programmers can make use of
specific processor features, such as interrupts, internal timers, and the DSP itself. Sample programs are also provided, giving the student
the opportunity to experiment with working code.
The course is open for enrollment through September 6, and lasts 13 weeks. More information can be found at
http://www.codewarrioru.com .
About the MSC8102 DSP
Integrating four 300 MHz SC140 extended cores and 11.5 Mbits of on-chip memory, the MSC8102 delivers up to 4800 MMACS (Million
Multiply Accumulates per Second) of DSP performance, making it the highest performance DSP announced to date. The raw processing
power of this highly integrated system- on-a-chip device enables developers to create next generation networking products that offer
tremendous channel densities, while maintaining system flexibility, scalability, and upgradeability. As with the other components of the
Smart Networks Platform, the ease of programmability of the MSC8102 DSP, along with the CodeWarrior tools, allows Motorola's
customers to bring these products to market quickly, providing more time in market and minimizing development costs.
Availability and Pricing
CodeWarrior Development Tools for StarCore DSP, Version 2.0, is available today direct from Metrowerks at
http://www.metrowerks.com/buy/ and from Metrowerks authorized distributors. The suggested retail price for the product is
US$4995.00 per license. More information is available from Metrowerks by telephone at 800-377-5416 or +1-512-997-4700, or by email at
sales@metrowerks.com . Information on pricing and availability outside the U.S. and Canada is available via the list of Metrowerks
International Sales Offices at www.metrowerks.com/buy or by sending email to intlsls@metrowerks.com .
About Metrowerks
Metrowerks creates CodeWarrior software and hardware products and services for developers, with a particular focus on the following
industries: consumer electronics; transportation; wireless; and networking and communications. The CodeWarrior product line includes
hardware and software development tools and middleware that enable customers to decrease their time to market. The company also
offers services, including training and custom software development. Founded in 1985, Metrowerks is today an independently operating
subsidiary of Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT). Metrowerks corporate headquarters are in Austin, Texas; Metrowerks Europe is
headquartered in Basel, Switzerland; and Metrowerks Japan is headquartered in Tokyo. More information is available at
http://www.metrowerks.com/ .
About Motorola
As the world's #1 producer of embedded processors, Motorola's Semiconductor Products Sector creates DigitalDNA(TM) system-on-chip
solutions for a connected world. Our strong focus on wireless communications and networking enables customers to develop smarter,
simpler, faster and synchronized products for the person, work team, home and automobile. Motorola's worldwide semiconductor sales
were $4.9 billion (USD) in 2001. http://www.motorola.com/semiconductors
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