Metrowerks has released a new embedded Linux board support package (BSP) for Motorola's Lite5200 evaluation board based on the Motorola MPC5200 processor, a new PowerPC processor targeting automotive and other high-temperature, low-power embedded applications.

The Motorola Lite5200 evaluation board sells for $995, which includes a Metrowerks WireTap debugging probe. The board provides 16MB of Flash memory and 64MB of SDRAM in addition to most of the interfaces supported by the MPC5200 processor. Metrowerks says its new BSP includes a boot loader, Linux Kernel 2.4.21 with enhanced real-time capabilities, and support for input/output including Ethernet, PCI, I2C, serial, CAN, and Flash memory programming.

Lite5200 evaluation board for MPC5200

The MPC5200 is a low power, 760 MIPS processor built on the PowerPC 603e core. It features an integrated BestComm DMA controller for fast data throughput. It supports Ethernet, USB, PCI, ATA, I2S, I2C, SPI, serial, J1850 and CAN (Controller Area Network) interfaces. It supports Double Data Rate (DDR) memory and incorporates a double precision Floating Point Unit (FPU). At 400MHz, it draws under one watt and can tolerate temperatures from -40 to 85 degrees C. At 264MHz, it can withstand temperatures up to 105 degrees C.

The MPC5200 targets automotive applications, as well as network gateway, Internet access, industrial automation, image detection/analysis, and electronic/medical instrumentation markets, according to Motorola.

Metrowerks says the BSP can be freely downloaded, but that it works best with Metrowerks's $6,240-per-seat Linux Platform Creation Suite (PCS) and the $3,114-per-seat Metrowerks Code Warrior Integrated Development Environment (IDE). These tools can take designers from the earliest stages of assembling an image through execution and debugging of MPC5200-based applications, according to Metrowerks.

Motorola and its independently operating subsidiary Metrowerks believe that their single-vendor, end-to-end support for Linux on the MPC5200 can simplify the design process and speed time to market of Linux-based products targeting industrial, instrumentation, and automotive applications.

The MPC5200 PowerPC processor has a suggested retail price of $22.50 in 10,000 unit quantities. Additional information about the MPC5200 and Metrowerks support tools is available from Motorola.

 
This article was originally published on LinuxDevices.com and has been donated to the open source community by QuinStreet Inc. Please visit LinuxToday.com for up-to-date news and articles about Linux and open source.