APEX-Debug is complimented by APEX-Pro, an advanced SHARC programming
environment offering high-level communication utilities, a customizable, multi-threaded host interface, plus an interactive visual utility for system configuration and diagnostics. The goal of the APEX-Pro development tool is to provide developers with a system-level tool that simplifies application development, freeing users from low-level hardware configuration and topology concerns. Spectrum offers a very wide range of scaleable (modular) SHARC-based, COTS products that are all supported by APEX-Pro and Debug tools.
SPECTRUM SIGNAL PROCESSING PROVIDES TIME-SAVING SYSTEM-LEVEL
EVENT TRACE TOOL FOR DEVELOPING PARALLEL DSP APPLICATIONS
New Event Trace Tool Enhances Real-time Debug for SHARC-based
Applications
San Jose, CA, USA - November 3, 1998 -- Spectrum Signal Processing Inc.
(NASDAQ NMS: SSPIF / TSE: SSY), the industry leader in high-performance DSP systems, today at the Embedded Systems Show unveiled APEX-Debug 3.0 with a new Event Trace feature. This tool allows engineers developing parallel DSP systems to simultaneously view each processor's activity in the system. Now developers working on SHARC-based applications can view the internal operation and behavior of the DSP, quickly identify disruptions, and correct them at the system-level.
APEX-Debug 3.0 with Trace is ideally suited for applications requiring
massively parallel systems and/or asynchronous event handling. This
product is an interactive, multi-processor graphical debug and
optimization tool that gives the designer a user-friendly, graphical
view of the DSP's activity. With APEX-Debug, the designer can view data flow through multiple DSPs and view system-level interactions offering an immediate visual indication as to whether the application is running as expected. This debug tool is designed to work with minimal support from the run-time environment, leaving scheduling and communications under the control of the user.
The new Trace feature displays information in a fashion similar to a
logic analyzer, such that software events and states are shown on
different 'trace-lines'. Therefore, the designer benefits from the
powerful capability of viewing the timing and interaction of
user-defined or system events. For example, APEX-Debug can provide an
instantaneous snap-shot of the system, including a history of events to the point where debugging is activated. Post-mortem debugging is
extremely beneficial, particularly since the activities of each
processor in the network during the last moments of execution often
contain the key to tracking down programming errors. In this situation,
APEX-Debug 3.0 with Trace becomes indispensable, providing users with
very detailed information on the final state of each DSP. - more -
As more DSPs are added to the system, taking best advantage of available processing power is often more difficult than getting the application running. Having reliable optimization tools is integral to any parallel debugging utility. APEX-Debug 3.0 with Trace offers a number of powerful features (including profiling, communication statistics and event tracing), each of which provide vital information on performance and communication bottlenecks that could severely hinder system performance.
APEX-Debug is complimented by APEX-Pro, an advanced SHARC programming
environment offering high-level communication utilities, a customizable, multi-threaded host interface, plus an interactive visual utility for system configuration and diagnostics. The goal of the APEX-Pro development tool is to provide developers with a system-level tool that simplifies application development, freeing users from low-level hardware configuration and topology concerns. Spectrum offers a very wide range of scaleable (modular) SHARC-based, COTS products that are all supported by APEX-Pro and Debug tools.
"We recognize that our customers need to rapidly implement, debug and
deploy their system. APEX-Debug with the new Trace tool assists the
developer to visualize the interaction between multiple DSPs that are
executing activities in parallel at the processor-level. This
visualization tool enables the developer to debug complex system-level
software issues very quickly. This new product will allow rapid debug of complex hardware and software integration problems," said Phil Radtke, Software Marketing Manager at Spectrum. "APEX-Debug with the Trace tool greatly increases the sophistication level of SHARC-based COTS software available from system-level DSP providers."
Spectrum's APEX-Debug 3.0 with Trace for SHARC-based applications is
available for order today. Base pricing starts at US$4,950 for single
product purchases.
Spectrum Signal Processing is the leading worldwide supplier of DSP
system solutions. The company offers DSP software, off-the-shelf
hardware, custom ASIC design and complete custom systems. Customers such as Nortel, Hewlett Packard, Northrop Grumman, NEC, Daewoo Telecom, the US Department of Defense and Lockheed Martin benefit from Spectrum's innovative, programmable DSP products, by gaining competitive advantages such as faster time to market and low-cost feature set upgradeability. Spectrum Signal Processing is publicly traded on NASDAQ NMS under the symbol SSPIF and on the TSE under the symbol SSY. The company is ISO9001
quality certified, can be found on the web at
spectrumsignal.com, and is located at #100 - 8525 Baxter
Place, Burnaby, B.C., Canada. ph (604) 421-5422; fax (604) 421-1764.
Regards
Norden |
