BOSTON – Mar. 15, 2012 - P&E Microcomputer Systems Inc., a leading developer of third-party tools for Freescale microcontrollers, has announced the addition of support for Freescale DSCs (digital-signal controllers) to key P&E development and production programming interfaces. Freescale DSCs are designed to blend processing power with specific, optimized control loop capabilities. P&E's DSC-compatible products represent a range of feature sets and price points in order to accommodate projects of any scope and budget.
BOSTON – Feb. 28th, 2012 - P&E Microcomputer Systems Inc., an industry trendsetter in hardware and software development tools for Freescale microcontrollers, is introducing a series of hardware and software development tools that support Freescale’s new S12ZVM device family. This support includes a sub-$1000 trace interface, low-cost development interfaces, debug and programming software, and production programming equipment.
P&E continues to expand on its line of all-in-one interfaces with the launch of the high-speed USB Multilink Universal FX. Like P&E's original all-in-one interface, the USB Multilink Universal, the new USB Multilink Universal FX supports a varirety of Freescale MCUs, including: Kinetis, Qorivva 55xx/56xx, ColdFire V1/ColdFire+ V1, ColdFire V2-4, HC(S)12(X), HCS08, RS08, Power Architecture PX Series, and DSC. However the new FX interface can download at speeds up to 10x faster and can provide power to the target processor, among other enhancements.
The new USB Multilink Universal FX is natively supported by recent versions of CodeWarrior®, current P&E software applications, and toolchains from many Freescale partners including Keil and Cosmic.
More information about the USB Multilink Universal FX is available on the product page at P&E's website.
P&E
presented its new USB Multilink Universal, an ALL-IN-ONE development interface, at the recent Freescale Momentum conference. The revolutionary ALL-IN-ONE interface concept
was very well received by conference attendees. USB Multilink Universal is a single interface that supports Freescale’s HCS08, RS08, HC(S)12(X), Coldfire V1/+V1/V2-V4, Qorivva
MPC55xx/56xx, and Kinetis ARM microcontrollers. Thus, it eliminates the need to
purchase different hardware interfaces to support specific devices that belong to those MCU families.
P&E also previewed two upcoming products: the USB Multilink
Universal FX and Tracelink. The USB Multilink Universal FX is an enhanced, very
high-speed version of the USB Multilink Universal. The Tracelink interface will support
trace capture for 32 bit Freescale device architectures.
P&E has released its groundbreaking new USB Multilink Universal all-in-one interface. The USB Multilink Universal is an economical, reliable USB-to-target interface that uses multiple headers to support Freescale's HCS08, RS08, HC(S)12(X), ColdFire V1/+V1 & V2-4, Qorivva MPC55xx/56xx, and Kinetis ARM microcontrollers. The USB Multilink Universal includes multiple ribbon cables to allow connections to the various supported devices. The USB Multilink Universal's case simply flips open for easy access to the headers.
It is supported by P&E software, in addition to Freescale's Codewarrior and software from other third party vendors. A configuration utility is available on P&E's website which allows configuration of the USB Multilink Universal for use with older software packages.
P&E is also developing the USB Multilink Universal FX, an enhanced, high-speed version of the USB Multilink Universal interface.
For users of our Cyclone for Renesas stand-alone programmer, we've made our library of programming algorithms for supported Renesas devices available for download here. As always, if you do not see the algorithm you need for a supported device, you can use this link to request a custom algorithm. The Cyclone for Renesas currently supports the H8, R8C, and M16C families.
Freescale offers certain development boards with an integrated debug circuit based on Open Source BDM. The Open Source BDM circuit design is an open source, community-driven design. It has been published on Freescale's website, and full documentation can be found in the Community Forums.
P&E Microcomputer Systems has released a free utility that allows the user to upgrade the firmware on the current JM60-OSBDM development board design. The utility may be downloaded at: www.pemicro.com/osbdm
P&E's USB Multilink (part# USB-ML-12E) hardware interface is required to perform this firmware update. The process of updating the firmware via this utility is very simple. Please follow these steps:
1. Plug the USB Multilink into the 6-pin BDM header for a JM60 device in the OSBDM design.
2. Click the "Select" button to browse for the firmware file that you would like to download to the OSBDM design.
3. Click the "Update Firmware" button to complete the firmware update.
This video provides a brief comparison of the features of two popular
P&E hardware interfaces, the USB BDM Multilink and the Cyclone PRO.
This overview is intended to help users determine which interface is
best suited for their project. More information about each interface
can be found on the USB-ML-12 and Cyclone PRO product pages.
P&E is pleased to announce that 64-bit Windows support has arrived,
including support for Windows 7. P&E software has been upgraded
to work under Windows 7 (and other Windows 64-bit operating systems) by
using the latest version of our drivers - P&E Hardware Interface
Drivers 10. There is no need to worry about P&E software
compatibility if you're migrating to a Windows 64-bit OS at home or in
the office. Click through to read more...
We're pleased to announce the release of our latest device drivers.
This update includes support for Microsoft Windows XP, Vista, and
Windows 7 Operating Systems for both 32-bit and 64-bit architectures,
as well as some minor bug fixes. Please click through for simple instructions.
The power of P&E's Cyclone programmers is now available for Renesas! P&E's Cyclone for Renesas is a flexible, affordable in-circuit flash programming solution for Renesas devices that excels in a demanding production environment. After configuration, operation is as simple as one touch. Click through to read more about the latest addition to P&E's Cyclone family of programmers.
This video gives a demonstration of how to load a programming image onto a
CompactFlash card in the expansion port of P&E's Cyclone products.
CompactFlash activation is a powerful feature that lets users expand
the memory and versatility of their Cyclone:
One
of the key features of P&E Cyclone stand-alone programmers is their
ability to store all necessary programming information - binary data,
algorithm information, and programming settings – in the Cyclone’s
internal memory, in a format known as the Stand-Alone Programming (SAP)
Image. This allows programming operations to be initiated by pushing a
single button.
Now this memory space can be expanded via optional software which
enables the Cyclones’ CompactFlash interface. The expanded storage
feature simplifies management of Stand-Alone Programming images. This
Expert’s Corner explains how to take advantage of the CompactFlash card
feature to facilitate the Stand-Alone Programming process.
P&E engineer Edison Tam demonstrates how to program
Freescale's QE128 with P&E's Cyclone PRO stand-alone automated
programmer, and gives an overview of the development and production
capabilities of the Cyclone PRO. To learn more, please visit the Cyclone PRO product page:
Watertown, MA - P&E Microcomputer Systems has expanded its line of UNIT Library Interface Routines by adding a new version that supports Freescale's RS08 microcontroller family. P&E's UNIT Libraries allow the user to create custom Windows applications that can fully control an RS08 processor using either P&E's Cyclone PRO (Rev. C) or USB-ML-12 (Rev. C) interfaces. It also supports P&E's DEMO9RS08LA8, DEMO9RS08LE4, and DEMO9RS08KB12 development boards, available through Freescale.
The UNIT libraries are frequently used to build custom production line testers. The libraries allow applications to peek and poke memory, peripherals, and other resources of the processor by using P&E interfaces to access the debug port. With these abilities, the application can perform tests of the target hardware, calculate target calibration data, or simply control the target using debug mode.
More information about P&E's UNIT Interface Library Routines for the RS08 can be found at P&E's website.
P&E's flash programming software PROG12Z now supports the Freescale MC9S12XE family of microcontrollers.
The MC9S12XE family of microcontrollers comes with unique flash
memory called D-Flash that can be allocated for Emulated EEPROM (EEE)
which mimics the small sector size and endurance of real eeprom. Before you can program the D-Flash or EEE, the D-Flash must be
configured with the "Full Partition" command PROG12Z. This article discusses how to program the D-Flash of the MC9S12XE100 using PROG12Z.
Systems that use memory-mapped external flash require special considerations from a programming perspective. Because there are so many variables, questions about external flash are among the most common types of technical support inquiries that we receive. In this article, we provide an overview of how the P&E PROG software handles external flash and offer some tips to help debug a system. The examples in this article relate to Freescale ColdFire devices, but the concepts can be applied to most microprocessor systems. Click through to read more...
P&E has updated its Cyclone PRO Image Creation Utility to provide a
way for users to set a custom trim frequency for HCS08, RS08, and CFV1
devices that have an internal reference clock. To use this feature, the
user must first select a programming algorithm, because not all devices
have the same maximum and minimum internal reference clock
frequencies. Click through for more information about setting a custom trim frequency...
Did you know that P&E offers full chip simulation for all 8-bit Freescale
devices? This powerful tool allows you to jump start device evaluation
and firmware development. You can start writing code without having
access to the actual device. All aspects of 8-bit devices from
the CPU to external I/O can be analyzed in a full-chip
simulator.
Continue reading for more information about P&E's full chip simulation...
P&E’s PROG programming software will sometimes prompt the user to
enter a “Base Address”. In this article, we discuss what the base
address is and why it exists. For situations where the flash can be relocated, the PROG software will always move the flash so that it begins at address 0. However, the developer may not have an object file that matches this new memory mapping. To account for this, the “Base Address” (specified by the user) is subtracted from all addresses in the object file prior to programming.
Click through to read more about understanding the base address...
BOSTON – Feb. 28th, 2012 - P&E Microcomputer Systems Inc., an industry trendsetter in hardware and software development tools for Freescale microcontrollers, is introducing a series of hardware and software development tools that support Freescale’s new S12ZVM device family. This support includes a sub-$1000 
P&E continues to expand on its line of all-in-one interfaces with the launch of the high-speed 
P&E
presented its new 
P&E has released its groundbreaking new 
Freescale offers certain development boards with an integrated debug circuit based on Open Source BDM. The Open Source BDM circuit design is an open source, community-driven design. It has been published on Freescale's website, and full documentation can be found in the Community Forums. 
P&E's flash programming software PROG12Z now supports the Freescale MC9S12XE family of microcontrollers.
P&E has updated its Cyclone PRO Image Creation Utility to provide a
way for users to set a custom trim frequency for HCS08, RS08, and CFV1
devices that have an internal reference clock. To use this feature, the
user must first select a programming algorithm, because not all devices
have the same maximum and minimum internal reference clock
frequencies. Click through for more information about setting a custom trim frequency...
Did you know that P&E offers full chip simulation for all 8-bit Freescale
devices? This powerful tool allows you to jump start device evaluation
and firmware development. You can start writing code without having
access to the actual device. All aspects of 8-bit devices from
the CPU to external I/O can be analyzed in a full-chip
simulator.