New Software Tools From TI Simplify Multi-Platform Development In a Single IDE and Offer New Features to Reduce Debug Frustration

Platinum Edition Merges All Platforms Into One Easy-to-Use IDE

Many DSP applications today are growing to hundreds of thousands of lines of code with on-board support for multiple processors. These complex systems are often based on multiple DSP processors and platforms in order to achieve the necessary scale of operations. In the past, developers using multiple DSP platforms normally had to maintain multiple toolsets for their designs. TI's new CCStudio Platinum Edition simplifies this process by offering a fully merged IDE supporting all TI platforms, including the TMS320C6000(TM) DSP, TMS320C5000(TM) DSP, TMS320C2000(TM) DSP and OMAP(TM) platforms.

This high level of multi-platform support means a reduced investment for developers, who now have all the tools they need available at a single low purchase price. The IDE can be installed at one time for all platforms, and its integration simplifies tool maintenance and updates. Developers also benefit from parallel debug capabilities for interprocessor visualization, as well as simplified migration of software from one TI DSP platform to another under a common IDE.

Rewind: Innovative New Solution for Debugging Complex Code

Analysts estimate that programmers have to spend more than 60 percent of their project time debugging code, slowing the development cycle in the tedious process of hunting for and fixing software bugs. Rewind, the newest feature in CCStudio Platinum Edition, addresses this problem by providing a solution for greatly reducing the amount of time spent in debug mode. In the past, developers were forced to go back to the beginning and retrace program steps in order to find problems in source code. With Rewind, the world's first DSP software technology of its kind, developers can easily move both forward and backward within their source code. This capability allows developers to stop at any point using a single back-step keystroke, thus effectively eliminating the need to reload and step through a program from the beginning to find code errors. Rewind keeps a complete history of execution made by normal step and run commands; then it permits the developer to view the program state and run code at earlier points in the program. The feature has no associated overhead, so it doesn't slow down the simulation as it records execution of the application. Operating on information stored during normal routines, Rewind allows developers to quickly return to the problem area of the program and fix its operation, taking an enormous amount of frustration and time out of the debug process.

Another new capability that eliminates tedious restart sequences is Connect/Disconnect, which gives developers the capability to disconnect from the hardware target and restore the previous debug state when connecting again. When hardware and software are being debugged simultaneously, it is not uncommon for the software application to lose connection with the target board. This new feature in the Platinum Edition now makes it easier to connect and disconnect with the target system dynamically. Developers can replace a suspect board with a known good board during the debug session, eliminating the hardware as a potential source of errors and narrowing the focus to the software application. Connect/Disconnect eliminates tens of minutes from repeated reset and restart sequence each time a failure is encountered, saving tremendous time and frustration for developers.

"Rewind and Connect/Disconnect both focus on eliminating downtime. Waiting for a restart sequence when developers are deep into a debug session can feel like an eternity. The CCStudio Rewind and Connect/Disconnect features get rid of that stress and accelerate the overall development timeline, helping speed time to market for end products," said Lori Vidra, eXpressDSP tools product manager, TI.

CCStudio Platinum Edition Boosts Productivity Throughout the Design Flow

In addition to offering multi-platform support and the Rewind and Connect/Disconnect features, the Platinum Edition includes new and improved capabilities such as:

     *  CodeWright(TM) Editor -- Developers can now take advantage of the rich
        feature set of CodeWright, the industry's most popular editor now
        integrated in the CCStudio IDE when writing and debugging DSP code.
        CodeWright gives new developers the comfort of using a familiar tool,
        enabling them to become productive immediately with CCStudio.
     *  Component Manager -- A user can now upgrade the IDE to take advantage
        of new features and bug fixes while locking down on the specific
        compiler and DSP/BIOS(TM) software kernel foundation versions for the
        life of the program.  The new component manager also lets the
        developer easily install and evaluate a new compiler or DSP/BIOS
        kernel version before committing to them in the project.
     *  Tuning tools across all TI platforms -- Available now on all TI
        platforms, CCStudio Tuning Edition includes tools that proactively
        review program code, track potential areas for improvement and offer
        suggestions to help programmers optimize system performance and memory
        usage.  These powerful yet easy-to-use features speed development time
        and help programmers unleash the full potential of TI's DSP platform
        devices.  For more information, please see:
        http://focus.ti.com/docs/pr/pressrelease.jhtml?prelId=sc04172
     *  Compiler updates across all TI platforms help improve cycle counts and
        code size, enabling developers to maximize their DSP performance.

For more information on these new features, please see: http://www.ti.com/ccstudioplatinumpr .

Pricing and Availability

Available now, the CCStudio Platinum Edition IDE integrates everything programmers need for application development from start to finish, including reference frameworks, project manager, code generation tools, integrated CodeWright editor, fast simulators, DSP/BIOS Real-Time OS, debug and analysis tools, drivers and software libraries. A single installation of the IDE covers all TI platforms, including the TMS320C6000(TM) DSP, TMS320C5000(TM) DSP, TMS320C2000(TM) DSP and OMAP(TM) platforms. The CCStudio Platinum Edition is available for $3,600, including 15 months of update subscription service. A free 120-day evaluation version is available on CD-ROM at http://www.ti.com/ccstudioplatinumpr .

Texas Instruments Incorporated provides innovative DSP and analog technologies to meet our customers' real-world signal processing requirements. In addition to Semiconductors, the company's businesses include Sensors & Controls and Educational & Productivity Solutions. TI is headquartered in Dallas, Texas, and has manufacturing, design or sales operations in more than 25 countries. Texas Instruments is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol TXN. More information is located on the World Wide Web at http://www.ti.com .

Trademarks

Code Composer Studio(TM), TMS320C6000(TM), TMS320C5000(TM), TMS320C2000(TM), OMAP(TM), DSP/BIOS(TM), and TMS320(TM) are trademarks of Texas Instruments. All other trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Product Reviews for the Code Composer Studio Platinum Edition

"TI's new Code Composer Studio(TM) Platinum Edition has exceeded our expectations. The connect/disconnect feature makes starting CCS easy and stable, especially when your last setup does not match the current target or you have no emulator attached. What I like best is that it allows target changes to be trouble-free, which comes in handy when you are programming flash on multiple boards. This feature alone is worth the upgrade, but there is a lot more to this release, and we will definitely spread the word to our customer base."

                                         Andrew Ferrari, director, Blackhawk

"Spectrum Digital is excited about supporting TI's Code Composer Studio Platinum version with our large base of JTAG emulators and target boards. New users will appreciate the improved overall debug efficiency, particularly with OMAP and other multi-core devices. Existing users will want to upgrade immediately to take advantage of the new connect/disconnect feature in the test environment as it lets you release control of the target system during critical external experiments and then quickly connect back into the debug environment. This tool should make life easier for the developer."

                                Mike Strain, president, Spectrum Digital, Inc

"TI's Code Composer Studio(TM) Platinum Edition enables The MathWorks and TI to provide engineers with tools to rapidly design and verify video, audio, and control applications that utilize the high performance, high precision capabilities of TI DSPs. Using The MathWorks' Embedded Target for TI C6000 DSP, Embedded Target for TI C2000 DSP, together with Link for Code Composer Studio that connects MATLAB(R) and Simulink(R) with Code Composer Studio(TM) IDE, engineers, now, can introduce their product innovations more quickly to the marketplace."

                                       Ken Karnofsky, marketing director,
                                       signal processing & communications,
                                       The MathWorks

"TI's Code Composer Studio Platinum is a breakthrough in ease-of-use for DSP developers. TI has always led the industry in DSP compiler development, but the ability to easily target all TI platforms from the same IDE will be a real hit. We see the same trends as TI: software development tools are very important in DSP selection. And we share the same vision: creating state-of- the-art development tools for DSP developers."

                              Dr. Randy Allen, founder and CEO, Catalytic Inc

CONTACT: Lisa Ferrara of Texas Instruments Incorporated, +1-281-274-4213,
or Email Contact , for Texas Instruments Incorporated. Please do
not publish these numbers or email addresses.

Web site: http://www.ti.com/
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