FS2 Introduces System Navigator Tools for MIPS32 74K Core Debug

-- First Silicon Solutions, a division of MIPS Technologies, Inc., has announced immediate availability of its System Navigator™ suite of EJTAG probes and software for the next-generation MIPS32® 74K™ family of processor cores introduced today. Based on an innovative embedded microarchitecture, the MIPS32® 74K™ cores are the industry’s first fully synthesizable 32-bit processors to achieve operating frequencies greater than 1 GHz in TSMC 65nm GP process technology.

FS2 System Navigator tools provide best-in-class performance analysis and debug capabilities for 74K-based designs by giving customers full access to the debug features of MIPS® EJTAG, and allowing them to leverage the advanced out-of-order instruction processing, enhanced DSP capabilities and CorExtend™ user-defined instructions in the 74K cores. The probes are also backward-compatible to support the complete range of existing MIPS32 and MIPS64® processors.

"Our customer base already realizes tremendous time-to-market advantages from FS2’s System Navigator suite of trace and debug tools," said Jack Browne, vice president of marketing at MIPS Technologies. "FS2's announced support of our new 74K core family means that these customers can easily migrate to our high-performance cores with virtually no risk and all the benefits of high-quality, comprehensive system-level analysis."

Eclipse-based Navigator™ IDE Provides Powerful Debug Capability

The FS2 System Navigator probes feature a fully integrated, easy-to-use Navigator IDE debugger interface built on the successful open-source Eclipse IDE C development tools (CDT).  MIPS-optimized software includes the GDB debugger, C and C++ compilers and other software tools and utilities for all MIPS cores. These are all included in one software distribution package for Windows or Linux, making it faster than ever for MIPS software developers to be productive with their 74K core designs. This ensures a comprehensive software development environment with sophisticated features, ease-of-use, and minimal cost to the developer.

FS2’s System Navigator probe is available with USB 2.0 and 10/100 Ethernet (optional) PC interfaces. It connects to the target system using the standard EJTAG 14-pin connector.

FS2 System Navigator Tools Support System Debug and Optimization

FS2 tools support both homogeneous and heterogeneous multicore debug. A single System Navigator probe connected to a target design can communicate with any number of debug agents on the JTAG scan chain. Debug commands from the host PC are routed to the appropriate debug agent enabling a seamless transition for system level multicore debug.

System code can be quickly profiled using Zero Overhead PC Sampling. System Navigator tools are able to sample the contents of the PC register without affecting the real-time performance of the target system, allowing software engineers to quickly locate code hotspots. Profiling results can be viewed at the module, function or source line level.

Available Now

FS2 System Navigator tools for the MIPS32 74K core family are available now, providing a wide range of compact, feature-rich debug tools at affordable price points for developers of all MIPS-Based™ systems. Contact FS2 or visit http://www.fs2.com or http://www.mips.com for further information.

About First Silicon Solutions (FS2)

Founded in 1998, First Silicon Solutions (FS2) specializes in developing silicon IP and designing test and debug technologies based on OCI® (On-Chip Instrumentation). FS2 is a division of MIPS Technologies, Inc.

About MIPS Technologies

MIPS Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: MIPS) is a leading provider of industry-standard processor architectures and cores for digital consumer, networking, personal entertainment, communications and business applications. The company drives the broadest architectural alliance that delivers 32- and 64-bit embedded RISC solutions to the embedded market, and in combination with its licensees, offers the widest range of robust, scalable processors in standard, custom, semi-custom and application-specific products worldwide.  MIPS Technologies currently owns more than 400 patent properties (patents and applications) worldwide and licenses its intellectual property to today’s leading semiconductor companies, ASIC developers and system OEMs.

Today, MIPS-Based designs are integrated in millions of products around the world, including broadband devices from Linksys, digital cameras from Canon, DTVs and entertainment systems from Sony, DVD Recordable devices from Pioneer, digital set-top boxes from Motorola, network routers from Cisco and laser printers from Hewlett-Packard.  Founded in 1998, MIPS Technologies is based in Mountain View, California, with offices worldwide. For more information, please contact (650) 567-5000 or visit http://www.mips.com.