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ADI Blackfin gets .NET MF development kit
2009-11-10 Article Rating:  / 0
Avnet has announced a development kit combining the Analog Devices Blackfin BF518F processor and Microsoft's .NET Micro Framework. Available with an optional debug agent board and seven-inch display, the kit includes 64MB of RAM, 4MB of flash storage, 10/100 Ethernet, and a SD/MMC slot, the company says.
Available in a multitude of single- and dual-core versions, the Analog Devices (ADI) Blackfin is said to integrate the functionality of both a 16-bit DSP (digital signal processor) and a 32-bit RISC-like microprocessor, within a single unified architecture. It clocks up to 766MHz, and offers power consumption as low as 0.16 mW/MHz (at 250MHz), ADI says. Microsoft and Analog Devices first ported .NET Micro Framework to Blackfin in 2007. According to ADI, the Blackfin BF518F used here is code-compatible with all its other models, and clocks at up to 400MHz. It includes 116Kb of on-chip memory, an external memory controller, a memory management unit, an Ethernet MAC, a parallel peripheral interface (PPI), two UARTs with IrDA support, a real-time clock, and a watchdog timer, among other functionality cited by the company (see block diagram, below).  A block diagram of ADI's Blackfin BF518F (Click to enlarge) Avnet says its new "BF518F FMC Development Kit" is the first to combine the benefits of the Blackfin architecture with Microsoft's .NET Micro Framework (see later in this story for background). The device is touted as "a convenient modular platform for applications that combine FPGAs [field-programmable gate arrays], embedded processors with advanced networking capability, and the familiar Visual Studio software development environment." The device, whose dimensions were not specified, is said to include a .NET MF port by Adeneo, the Blackfin processor itself, 64MB of memory, and 4MB of flash storage. The device can operate standalone, or as an FPGA mezzanine card (VITA 57), Avnet adds. The kit includes 10/100 Ethernet with a RJ45 connector, a RS232 port with DB9 connector, a USB 2.0 mini-AB port with supplied cable, and a SD/MMC card slot, according to Avnet. Options include a seven-inch LCD display, plus a "debug agent board," which fits onto the main board as pictured below.   Avnet's BF518F FMC Development Kit without (left) and with (right) debug board Jeff Ittel, senior vice president of business development and marketing for Avnet, stated, "Embedded devices continue to become a more common part of the larger design solution. Integrating technologies such as the BF518F FMC Development Kit into applications gives designers the capabilities and enhancements they need, without having to acquire a new set of skills and tools for different parts of the solution. Integrating the .NET Micro Framework into embedded development gives customers the capabilities they need to help speed their time to market and cut cost." First released back in 2006, .NET MF is Microsoft's development environment for small, deeply embedded devices with constrained processor and memory resources. It originally grew out of the company's SPOT (smart personal objects technology) initiative, which brought about SPOT watches, weather stations from Oregon Scientific, and a coffee maker from Melitta. Related stories:
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