Product category: Design and Development Software
News Release from: Freescale Semiconductor | Subject: MCF532x and MCF537x BSPs
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial Team on 16 February 2006
Open source tools speed ColdFire
development
Open source development tools for MCF532x and MCF537x ColdFire device families simplify product development for embedded networking and graphical user interface systems.
Freescale Semiconductor is simplifying product development for embedded networking and graphical user interface (GUI) systems with a suite of open source development tools for its MCF532x and MCF537x ColdFire device families To support the ColdFire processor families, Freescale is offering a user-friendly board support package that includes liquid crystal display (LCD) and networking support, which helps users reduce costs and speed time to market
This article was originally published on Electronicstalk on 20 Mar 2001 at 8.00am (UK)
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Based on the ColdFire V3 core, the MCF532x and MCF537x product families are the first in an expanding ColdFire processor portfolio to feature both an integrated USB On-The-Go (OTG) controller and a USB host controller.
The devices deliver performance up to 211MIPS at 240MHz, placing them among the highest performing in their class.
Additionally, the MCF532X integrates a bus-mastering 18bit colour LCD controller that supports screen sizes up to 800 x 600 pixels on panels for human-machine interfaces.
The ColdFire board support package is comprised of several software elements, including the uCLinux tool chain and kernel with basic Ethernet and serial communication drivers, full TCP/IP stack, USB Host/OTG and LCD frame-buffer drivers and the Nano-X open source tool.
Nano-X is an open source tool aimed at bringing the features of modern graphical windowing environments to smaller devices and platforms.
The architecture allows developers to easily add different display, mouse, touch screen and keyboard devices to their designs and comes complete with a full set of graphical components for building application-specific GUIs.
A key component of the Nano-X tool is its small system overhead (50-250Kbyte of memory), which enables the realisation of powerful embedded GUI systems while keeping design costs to a minimum.
To assist with processor design-in, Freescale offers comprehensive design and evaluation platforms for the MCF532x and MCF537x families.
The platforms feature plug-in system-on-a-module cards that can be designed directly into an embedded system and are available for individual resale.
The evaluation boards come with a complimentary copy of CodeWarrior Development Studio for ColdFire Architecture, Special Edition.
Freescale also offers comprehensive software and tools solutions through alliances with world-class embedded suppliers, including Green Hills, MQX Embedded, Wind River and Accelerated Technology.
Customers will have access to full open source software solutions and third party off-the-shelf boards.
Samples of the MCF532x and MCF537x processors currently are available, with production quantities anticipated in the second quarter of 2006.
Suggested resale pricing in 10,000-piece quantities starts at US $10 for the MCF532x and $11 for the MCF537x devices.
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