From: danm@bali.amd.com (Daniel Mann)
Newsgroups: comp.realtime
Subject: Embedded RISC Evaluation
Date: 15 Apr 92 19:46:53 GMT
Organization: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc., Austin, Texas

Due to the number of requests for more information, 
below is the complete message which was posted to
comp.newprod but for some reason did not apear.

Daniel Mann   danm@amd.com


           GNU Tools for Embedded RISC Evaluation

                         AMD Am29200

     In 1991 the Am29000 family was the biggest selling
     RISC  processor  family  in  the  embedded product
     business.  AMD wishes you to know that a very  low
     cost  evaluation package is available to you, ena-
     bling your company or institution to better under-
     stand  the  capabilities of RISC technology and in
     particular the Am29200 processor.

          The tool package is specially  configured  to
     deal  with  the  problem  of developing high level
     code for embedded applications.  The  use  of  GDB
     and  an  embedded  monitor provides an inexpensive
     method of developing software for complex embedded
     applications.   The  software  for  the evaluation
     package is free, and programs could be executed on
     a supplied 29K simulator.  Alternatively, an inex-
     pensive hardware platform is available for  proto-
     typing.   The  evaluation  board  is  not  of  the
     highest performance type, but it is  suitable  for
     studying  29K RISC technology, and it is an intro-
     duction to a family which offers members  of  much
     higher performance.


_1.  _T_h_e _S_A_2_9_2_0_0 _P_r_o_t_o_t_y_p_e _B_o_a_r_d

     The SA29200  is  an  inexpensive  software  development
board  utilising  the Am29200 RISC micro-controller.  Only a
5v supply and a serial cable connection to a  host  computer
are  required  to  enable  board operation.  Included on the
board is an 8-bit wide EPROM which  contains  the  _M_i_n_i_M_O_N
debug  monitor.   There  is also 1M byte of 32-bit DRAM into
which programs can be loaded via the on-chip  Am29200  UART.
The  processor clock rate is 16M Hz, so although the perfor-
mance is good it is not as high as other members of the  AMD
29K  RISC  family.   The  board  supports  connection  to an
optional  hardware  prototyping  board,  Proto-29200.   This
extension  board  has additional I/O interface devices and a
small wire-wrap area for inclusion of  application  specific
hardware.  There are also sockets for additional memory dev-
ices.


_2.  _T_h_e _S_o_f_t_w_a_r_e _T_o_o_l_s

     Using the GNU software  tools  developed  by  the  Free
Software  Foundation and additional tools supplied by AMD, a
very low cost tool  chain is available.  AMD  has  developed
a  new   monitor  for  the  Am29000  RISC   processor,   the
MiniMON monitor, which  operates  with  GDB.   However,  the
MiniMON monitor can also be used alone when the source-level
debugging capability of GDB is not required.

     Most of the tools are  supplied  in  source  form.   In
addition, they have already been compiled for execution on a
SUN-3 or SUN-SPARC workstation.  The software is distributed
on  a  SUN  tape  cartridge.   Below  is a list of the tools
included on the tape distribution.


o+    The  GCC  C-language  compiler  assembler,  linker  and
     librarian.   These  tools  are  configured  for  cross-
     compilation and produce Am29000 executable  code.   The
     tools  are  expected  to be hosted on a UNIX type plat-
     form.  There are also software libraries and other sup-
     port utility programs.

o+    The GDB C source level debugger.  It is  configured  to
     use the Universal Debugger Interface (UDI) which relies
     on UNIX socket IPC facilities.

o+    An instruction set simulator (ISS) which is supplied in
     binary  only.   The  ISS has a UDI interface and can be
     connected to GDB or MiniMON.  When using the simulator,
     29K  programs can be executed with out the need for any
     real 29K based hardware.

o+    An architectural simulator (sim29) which is supplied in
     binary  only.   This  simulator allows different memory
     models to be evaluated and expected performance  deter-
     mined  for individual applications.  The simulator also
     reports statistics on  instruction-type  and  processor
     resource  usage  as well as cache performance.  It will
     be of particular interest to university  graduate  stu-
     dent courses.

o+    The MiniMON debug monitor.  It comes in three parts;  a
     host  front-end and a host back-end which are connected
     via UDI; the third part, known as  the  target  control
     part, must be located in the memory of the Am29000 tar-
     get system.  MiniMON host code can also execute  on  an
     IBM  PC.   When  used  with GDB the MiniMON back-end is
     used in conjunction with the GDB front-end

o+    AMD specifies an Operating System (OS) interface format
     known  as  HIF.   The 29K library code ultimately makes
     HIF operating system calls.  A collection of  code  and
     operating  system  trapware known as OS-boot implements
     the HIF specification. OS-boot is  supplied  in  source
     form.  In addition, the code is linked with the MiniMON
     29K control software and incorporated in ROM memory  on
     the SA29200 board.


_3.  _D_o_c_u_m_e_n_t_a_t_i_o_n

     The following Documentation package  will  be  supplied
with  the  software.   Many  of  the listed documents can be
obtained separately from AMD.  To order  documents  use  the
29K  Technical  Support  Hot-Line  number  listed below, and
state the Publication Identification (pid) number listed.


o+    The GCC and GDB Users Manual, as produced by  the  Free
     Software Foundation.

o+    The MiniMON debug monitor User's Manual  and  Reference
     Manual.

o+    The  Host  Interface  (HIF)  2.0   Specification   (pid
     11539B).   Note,  the  operating  system implementation
     (OS-boot) is described in  a  section  of  the  MiniMON
     documentation.

o+    A collection of usefull  Application  Notes:  Interrupt
     Handlers  for  the  29K  Family  (pid 11034B).  Context
     Switching with the Am29000 Processor (pid 16359).   TLB
     Handlers  with  the AMD 29K Processor (pid 16494).  How
     to Benchmark Applications for the 29K (pid 16519).  The
     29K Family Product Overview (pid 15716).

o+    International published articles update (pid 16695).

o+    The Fusion29K Catalog (pid 11426) which  list  AMD  and
     Partner  products.   This catalogue has a complete list
     of tools, services and hardware products available  for
     the 29K family.

o+    The Am29200 RISC Microcontroller User's Manual and Data
     Sheet (pid 16362).


_4.  _T_o_o_l _P_e_r_f_o_r_m_a_n_c_e _a_n_d _A_l_t_e_r_n_a_t_i_v_e_s.

     The Am29000 code produced by the GCC compiler does  not
currently  execute as fast as code produced by certain other
compilers.  The table below shows results for  the  Stanford
benchmark  running on an EB29K card (a PC plug-in card based
on the Am29000 using DRAM).

     The HigH C 29K compiler is  available  from  AMD.   For
those users who find the tools supplied in the free software
tool package unsuitable, there is the AMD Fusion29K program.
The various companies involved in the program make available
a wide range of high performance products.


      ________________________________________________
               Stanford Benchmark using EB29K
      ________________________________________________
       Compiler     GCC       High C    GCC advantage
      ________________________________________________
       Perm        2209900    1929896      -14.5%
      ________________________________________________
       Towers      3005682    2520902      -19.2%
      ________________________________________________
       Queens      1600940    1379159      -16.1%
      ________________________________________________
       Intmm       5889445    2994708      -96.7%
      ________________________________________________
       Puzzle     11162372   11931536       +6.5%
      ________________________________________________
       Quick       1899381    1659044      -14.5%
      ________________________________________________
       Bubble      2690755    2285151      -17.8%
      ________________________________________________
       Tree        3621006    3511484       -3.1%
      ________________________________________________



_5.  _T_e_c_h_n_i_c_a_l _S_u_p_p_o_r_t

     The 29K technical  support  Hot-Line  while  supporting
customers  who  are  enquiring about 29K silicon products or
the SA29200 development board, will also deal with technical
questions  about  AMD  products  such  as MiniMON or the ISS
simulator.  In the US they can be phoned at  (800)-2929-AMD,
in  the  UK  011-44-512-4624118,  in Japan 0-031-11-1129, in
Canada (800)-5315202 ext  55651,  in  Germany  49-89-4114-0.

     Users of GNU tools for the 29K can share information by
mailing  to  the gnu29k@amd.com mail group. To get your name
added to this group mail your request to daniel.mann@amd.com


_6.  _W_h_o _t_o _C_o_n_t_a_c_t _a_n_d _t_h_e _C_o_s_t.

     The Software and  Documentation  package  is  available
free of charge (while supplies last). Please write to Daniel
Mann at AMD, 5204 E. Ben White Blvd, Mail Stop 573, Austin,
Texas   78741.   Alternatively,  E-mail  your  request   to
daniel.mann@amd.com, this address is suitable  for  software
requests only.

     The cost of the SA29200 board is $199 it can be ordered
through  your  local  AMD  sales  representative.   However,
Universities which are  AMD  acredited  and  listed  in  the
Higher Education Directory may be able to order the hardware
free of charge.  To determine if your University  is  eligi-
ble, please phone Tammy Bigelow at AMD 408-7492424.

     Educational establishments located outside the  US  may
also  be  eligible for SA29200 boards at reduced cost.  They
should contact Daniel Mann and  outline  their  requirements
and  intended  projects  to  determine their eligibility for
reduced board prices.


_7.  _S_u_m_m_a_r_y

     The Combination of the GNU tool chain and the low  cost
SA29200  evaluation  board, and associated prototping board,
makes available an evaluation environment for  the  industry
leading  embedded  RISC  processor.   The  cost  of  getting
started with the embedded RISC is very  low  and  additional
high  performance products can be selectively purchased from
specialised tool builders.  The evaluation package should be
of  particular  interest  to  University  undergraduate  and
post-graduate courses studying RISC processors.
Newsgroups: comp.realtime