Synopsys has announced availability of the DesignWare ARC HS4x/4xD Development Kit to accelerate software development for the ARC HS4x/4xD family of high-performance processor IP.
The ARC HS4x/4xD Development Kit is a ready-to-use software development platform with support for the Linux kernel and access to the embARC open-source software packages on the embARC website, enabling designers to start software development prior to SoC availability.
The ARC HS4x/4xD Development Kit includes a multicore ARC HS4x/HS4xD-based chip implemented in a 28-nm process, and integrates a wide range of interfaces including Ethernet, HDMI, USB, SDIO, I2C, SPI, UART, and GPIO, as well as a low-power GPU.
The kit also features an on-board WiFi (802.11abgn) and Bluetooth (BT4.0) module. This combination of ARC HS4x/4xD processors and the comprehensive set of peripherals allow developers to build and debug complex software on a fully-featured hardware platform.
The ARC HS4x/4xD Development Kit is configurable to support single and dual-core HS45D and HS47D processors and up to quad-core ARC HS48 processors, giving developers the flexibility to use a single development board for multiple ARC HS processor configurations. The kit offers an ARC HS4x processor running at 1 GHz and includes 4 GB of DDR memory to run full software loads. With the Development Kit’s support for the Linux kernel, Yocto, and Buildroot systems, developers can immediately begin Linux application development.
For bare-metal and RTOS-based development, the freely available embARC Open Software Platform (OSP) provides drivers, FreeRTOS and middleware for embedded and IoT application development. All software for the ARC HS4x/4xD Development Kit is available on the embARC website, a comprehensive resource for embedded developers that provides a single point of access to free and open source software (FOSS) and tools to accelerate the development of embedded applications for ARC Processors.
The ARC HS4x/4xD Development Kit is supported by Synopsys’ ARC MetaWare Development Toolkit, enabling the development and debugging of highly optimized, high-density code. The GNU Toolchain for ARC also supports the ARC HS4x/4xD family of processors.
A HapsTrak connector, enabling designers to easily connect the ARC HS4x/4xD Development Kit to Synopsys’ HAPS FPGA-based prototyping system, extends the platform so that it can be used for prototyping of new IP and associated driver development. The ARC HS4x/4xD Development Kit is also extensible through the available Digilent Pmod, mikroBUS, and Arduino connectors.
“Integrated hardware and software solutions are crucial in helping designers rapidly develop and debug software for their embedded SoC designs,” said John Koeter, senior vice president of marketing and strategy for IP at Synopsys. “Synopsys’ new ARC HS4x/4xD Development Kit provides developers with a ready-to-use platform and access to a comprehensive set of free and open source software, drivers, and operating systems to reduce development time and effort for their ARC HS DSP Processor-based systems.”
