Green Hills Software has developed an intelligent hardware debug probe for Motorola's StarCore-based MSC810x DSPs and StarCore-based SoC embedded systems. Used with the Green Hills MULTI 2000 source-level debugger and IDE, the probe simplifies the debugging of embedded DSP programs by streamlining host/target communications and handling many debugging functions previously handled by the host.

The probe uses an embedded 32bit processor and reconfigurable logic to achieve MSC8101 host/target download speeds of 200kb/s. Built-in intelligence also enables the probe to provide advanced target read/write and control facilities, and to host a built-in web server that simplifies setup, status, and diagnostics.

The debug interface provides access to, and control over, StarCore-based target processors via the processor's industry-standard EOnCE port. Using the Probe, the host-based MULTI debugger can upload data from the target processor, run, halt, and reset the processor, read/write the processor's registers and memory, single-step through code, and set hardware and software breakpoints.

Tightly integrated with the MULTI's debugger, the probe reduces latency for common debug commands. It works with with Solaris, Windows 9x/ME/NT/2000/XP, HP/UX, and Linux hosts, and connects to the host-resident debugger via an Ethernet, USB, or RS-232C serial port.

Published in Embedded Systems (Europe) February 2002