TimeSys is shipping 2.6-based embedded Linux development kits for two high-end IBM PowerPC chips for telecommunications, imaging, and networking. The TimeStorm Linux Development Kits (LDKs) support IBM's 750FX and 750GX, and include a hardware-optimized kernel with advanced real-time capabilities, an Eclipse-based development environment, and a royalty-free runtime, the company says.

The 750FX and 750GX chips

The 750FX clocks from 600 to 900MHz, and delivers 2.32 DMIPS (Dhrystone MIPS) per MHz, according to IBM. It includes a 512KB L2 cache with ECC, and 32KB each of instruction and parity-checking data cache. A 60x system bus can be clocked up to 200MHz. Typical power dissipation is 5.4 Watts at 800MHz, 1.45V.

Architecture diagram, IBM PowerPC 750fx
The newer 750GX clocks from 733MHz to 1GHz, and features a larger 1MB L2 cache (4-way set-associative). It, too, delivers a claimed 2.32 DMIPS per MHz, and features 32KB each of instruction and parity-checking data cache. It dissipates 8.3 Watts at 1GHz, 1.5V, according to IBM.

Architecture diagram, IBM PowerPC 750fx
Both chips are built on a 0.13-micron CMOS process, featuring copper and SOI (silicon-on-insulator) technologies, according to IBM.

TimeStorm LDK

TimeSys says its LDKs for the IBM chips include ready-to-run, hardware-optimized 2.6-based Linux distributions with advanced real-time capabilities such as schedulable hard and soft interrupt handlers, and a preemptible kernel. They also include the Eclipse 3.0-based TimeStorm Linux Development Suite (LDS), which enables developers to rapidly develop and debug applications or further optimize the Linux kernel and filesystems for their target platform.

IBM's Power marketing programs manager, Jesse Stein, said, “By working with TimeSys to make Linux Kits available for our high-performance 750FX and GX microprocessors, we're offering an open solution for the growing numbers of developers using Linux in embedded applications.”

TimeSys also offers free BSPs (board support packages) based on 2.4- and 2.6-series kernels, for over 90 specific hardware targets.

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