|
|
|
Altium Widens Nexar Reach and Enables LiveDesign on Any Third-Party FPGA Development Board
New universal JTAG interface allows Nexar to interact 'live' with
existing FPGA development boards
SYDNEY, Australia—(BUSINESS WIRE)—Oct. 25, 2004—
Altium Limited (ASX:ALU), a leading developer of Windows-based
electronics design software, today announced the release of a new
universal JTAG interface that makes it possible for engineers to use
the full LiveDesign capabilities of Altium's Nexar system-level FPGA
development software with virtually any third-party FPGA development
board. The interface makes it easy for developers to use their
existing FPGA development boards to interactively design and debug
digital systems, including entire processor-based systems, on an FPGA
using Nexar, without the need to specifically purchase a
LiveDesign-enabled development board.
The universal JTAG interface attaches to the parallel port of a
developer's computer and features a set of flying leads that connect
to the target development board. The interface supports two
independent JTAG connections - one to the JTAG programming pins of the
target FPGA and the other to four general I/O pins of the FPGA used to
establish a secondary 'soft' JTAG chain inside the device. The soft
JTAG chain is used by Nexar to communicate in real-time with active
design elements such as its processor cores and virtual instruments in
the circuit implemented inside the FPGA, facilitating interactive
development and debug of the system.
The interface supports both the Xilinx ISE and Altera ByteBlaster
cable standards, making it suitable for virtually any FPGA development
board on the market. Altium will provide additional support for
specific development boards on its website in the form of downloadable
constraint files as well as documentation and example projects to
allow engineers to get Nexar up and running immediately with the
target development boards. This will be particularly useful for
engineers and FPGA developers looking to evalutate the Nexar software
and its LiveDesign capabilities prior to purchase. The interface can
also be used with Protel, Altium's board-level design system, to allow
interactive FPGA hardware design on third-party development boards.
"Nexar and its LiveDesign methodology represents a breakthrough in
FPGA-based systems design," said Nick Martin, founder and Joint CEO of
Altium. "The interactive nature of the LiveDesign process allows
engineers to rapidly develop complete systems, including
processor-based systems, on a programmable platform in a
cost-effective and scalable way. With Altium's universal JTAG
interface, any engineer can now evaluate and use Nexar, and experience
the benefits of the LiveDesign process with their existing FPGA
development hardware."
Altium believes that the release of the universal JTAG interface
will extend the reach of Nexar, as engineers currently undertaking
FPGA development can evaluate and ultilize the full capabilities of
the software without the need to acquire significant additional
hardware.
Pricing and availability
The universal JTAG interface is able to be ordered immediately,
and shipping is expected to commence from November 8, 2004. Existing
Nexar and Protel license holders can purchase the cable for the cost
of shipping only.
For engineers wishing to evaluate Nexar, the universal JTAG
interface will be available as part of the third-party edition of the
new LiveDesign Evaluation Kit, which will be priced at US$49 and
includes a 30-day, Unified Nexar-Protel 2004 software evaluation
license with unlimited functionality.
The interface will be supplied with all new and upgrade licenses
of Protel and Nexar at no extra cost. Both Nexar and Protel software
licenses are priced at US$7,995 respectively. A Unified Nexar-Protel
2004 software license is also available for US$9,995. Protel 2004
users can upgrade their license to this system starting at US$2,995.
For more information, visit www.altium.com/nexar or contact your
local Altium sales and support center.
About Altium Limited
Altium Limited (ASX:ALU) is a global developer and supplier of
electronics design software for the Microsoft Windows environment.
Founded in 1985, Altium released the world's first Microsoft
Windows-based printed circuit board design tool in 1991 and continues
to provide advanced, easy-to-use and affordable software design tools
to electronics engineers, designers, and developers worldwide.
Altium's products offer tailored solutions covering a range of
hardware and software design processes including the Nexar, Protel,
P-CAD and TASKING brands. Altium is headquartered in Sydney, Australia
and has sales and support offices in Australia, the United States,
Japan, Europe and China. More information is available at
www.altium.com.
Altium, CAMtastic, CircuitStudio, Design Explorer, DXP,
LiveDesign, NanoBoard, NanoTalk, Nexar, nVisage, P-CAD, Protel, Situs,
TASKING, and Topological Autorouting and their respective logos are
trademarks or registered trademarks of Altium Limited or its
subsidiaries. All other registered or unregistered trademarks
referenced herein are the property of their respective owners, and no
trademark rights to the same are claimed.
Contact:
Altium
Melissa Chanslor, +1-650-968-4033 (USA Media Contact)
melissa.chanslor@edelman.com
or
Altium Limited
Jessica Maxwell, +61-2-9975-7710
jessica.maxwell@altium.com.au
|
|
|