DSP Development EVM-Kits

ultra-compact DSP Development EVM-kits are the perfect entry platforms for applications that need to use the UC1394a-1 or UC1394a-3 multi-chip modules for embedded DSP. They provide the ability to individually program the onboard DSP processor, with programmable access to the FireWire and other I/O interfaces, and optional FPGA programming support.

• A target hardware environment for starting development
• Allows software programming of DSP
• Allows programming of on-board FPGA (optional FPGA development package required)
• Allows integration of external devices with the DSP processor
• Enables individual usage of onboard interface, including: RS232, McBSPs, I2C, digital I/O pins, and other processor specific connections (e.g. USB 1.1 interface on TMS320C5509)
• Enables use of IEEE 1394a FireWire interface, with IEEE 1394a API DSP software library
• Fully IEEE 1394a compliant, fully interoperable with IEEE1394b
• Application examples included as projects and as C-source code

DSP Master Board Support Packages

The DSP Development EVM-kits contains the a DSP Master Board Support Package (BSP) for the multi-chip module being used. These BSPs consists of an FPGA design with associated software for the DSP. The BSPs use the FPGA to add FIFO buffered IEEE1394 streaming.

For the UC1394a-1, the BSP FPGA design is used to extend address, data, and control lines of the DSPs External Memory Interface (EMIF), providing great flexibility for integrating external hardware. For the UC1394a-3, the BSP FPGA design extends data and control lines managed by a "Peripheral Interface", which provides an efficient mechanism for interfacing a single register of FIFO interface (individual digital I/O lines from the DSP can be used if additional addressing is required).

FPGA Programming - If the DSP Master BSP isn't Sufficient!

FPGA development is supported by an optional FPGA Development Package. Besides other features, it includes the DSP Master FPGA as a project, so that it can be modified and expanded by the customer. Customized FPGA designs can then be used in the DSP Development Kit just like the default, unmodified DSP Master FPGA.

IEEE 1394 FireWire Considerations

Isochronous Communications

The main difference between the DSP Development and DCAM Framecapture EVM-Kits with other ultra-compact IEEE 1394 streaming solutions such as the Bridging or Streaming-Development EVM-Kits, is that with the DSP Development and DCAM Framecapture Kit configurations isochronous IEEE 1394 data streaming is performed with isochronous data being transferred to or from onboard RAM (see block diagrams). The Bridging and Streaming-Development solutions direct the isochronous data to an extra external hardware streaming interface, without loading the DSP processor or its EMIF. Directly interfacing onboard RAM with the isochronous FireWire interface provides the benefit of DSP access to transmitted and received isochronous data, although onboard bus load does need to be considered more carefully. Developers with requirements that may overwhelm the comutational or bus bandwidth of the TMS320C5000 DSP processor should consider using one of the more powerful TMS320C6000 based (and FireWire enabled) micro-line embedded DSP/FPGA boards.

The PC-side of IEEE 1394 FireWire

When a standard IEEE 1394 FireWire protocol is implemented on an ultra-compact multi-chip module, such as the DCAM / IIDC-1394 standard for industrial digital cameras, a PC running Windows already knows this class of IEEE1394 devices and loads the appropriate class driver. When implementing customized protocols, it is necessary to have a general-purpose IEEE1394 class driver installed on the PC. This allows to individually program the PC IEEE 1394 interface in user mode and to transmit or receive isochronous and asynchronous data packets easily under application software control. As an example, the FireAPI Software Development Kit from Unibrain can be recommended, which is available from Traquair. Unibrain PC software drivers are capable to run on any PC, equipped with IEEE 1394a or IEEE 1394b hardware, under Microsoft Windows NT, 2000, XP or newer. Another development environment is the VHPD1394 development kit from Thesycon. This kit sets up on the Microsoft driver stack.

Software Development Tools

For DSP software development, Code Composer Studio from Texas Instruments is required. This powerful development environment provides extensive software resources, such as DSP/BIOS and a chip support library for the TMS320VC5501/02/09. Further, it supports very comfortable debugging when using a JTAG emulator. Data can then be displayed in real time by TI's real-time data exchange (RTDX). When not using an emulator, code can be created and tested using the simulator configuration of Code Composer Studio. All examples and source code included in the Development Kit were created and tested with Code Composer Studio so that they can readily be used by the customer. For evaluation, a time-limited version of Code Composer Studio is available from Texas Instruments.

UC1394a DSP Development EVM-Kit Configurations