Analog Devices Inc. (ADI) has launched a portal for the uClinux port to its “Blackfin” DSP chip, and seeks community developers. Blackfin is the first single-core DSP to run uClinux natively. uClinux runs now on ADI's Blackfin BF535 DSP, with a port to the BF533 in progress.

Blackfin is based on the Micro Signal Architecture co-developed by Analog Devices and Intel, which incorporates both Digital Signal Processing (DSP) and microcontroller functionality in a single core.

The new Blackfin uClinux portal can be found here. ADI calls the site “an open source workspace for non-commercial software and hardware projects targeted for use with Blackfin processors.” ADI hopes the site will serve as a workspace for projects supporting Open Source hardware and software tools for the Blackfin processor, including the GNU GCC toolchain, uClibc, and the uClinux kernel.

The 2.4 kernel port for the BF535 Blackfin processor (with associated GNU tools under Linux and cygwin) is available now. A uCLinux port to the ADSP-BF533 Blackfin DSP is currently underway.

According to ADI, a limited number of free Blackfin development platforms are available for developers. More details can be found online.

Note from editor: Another innovative DSP Linux port project, Softier's MediaLinux for the TI DM64x, was publicly announced at about the same time as the Blackfin port appeared on the uClinux website, leading to some discussion regarding which DSP port came first. The Blackfin port does appear to have been demonstrated first, while MediaLinux was officially announced first. The Blackfin is definitely the first single-core DSP to run uClinux, though.

 
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