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New software and hardware development
system from Microsystem services
Microsystem Services have just announced a
new software and hardware development system
designed for use with most currently available 8 and
16-bit microprocessors. Known as the 9500 family,
has been developed by Millennium to provide an
unbundled, multi-user, multi-tasking universal
development system which can be assembled in
many different configurations.
Main members of the 9500 family are the 9508
Microsystem Emulator (for 8-bit processors), 9516
Microprocessor Emulator (for 16-bit processors),
9520 Microprocessor Software Development System
and the 9580/Host Software Development System.
The 9508, 9520 and host are available now, with the
other two members of the family becoming available
in the near future. The system can be configured for
use with all popular 8 and 16-bit microprocessors,
including the Z8000, 68000 and 8086.
The 9500 family employs Millennium’s
philosophy of stand-alone emulation by dividing the
system into software development, hardware
development and hardware/software debug
stations. Each member of the 9500 family can be
employed as a stand-alone unit or alternatively,
combined with any one or more of the others. In
addition, the multi-user, multitasking capability
enables other users on the system to perform
different tasks simultaneously.
The free-standing 9508 emulator provides the
user with an efficient means of developing
hardware, debugging software and integrating both
into a working system. It provides tull-speed
emulation of 8085A, Z80A, 6800, 6801, 6802, 6803,
8048, 8049, 8021, 8035 and 8039 microprocessors,
with additional microprocessor and microcomputer
types to be added later this year. To change from
one microprocessor type to another, the user simply
changes the emulator board and pod.
Since the 9508 stands alone, no demands are
placed on the system’s host computer except during
the uploading or downloading of programs. When
used with a 9520 software development system, the
CRT, used to control the 9508, also communicates
with the computer in a ‘straight-through’ mode. This
means that a complete hardware/software,
development/inegration station can be configured
using only one serial port.
The 9508 has the capacity for 16K of high-speed
static emulation memory, which is mappable into the
target system memory spaces on 1K boundaries.
Emulation memory can be mapped anywhere in the
address space of the microprocessor being
developed. Thus, the software can be developed
without having to completely build prototypes of the
it
Page Forty-Four
system hardware and, during system integration,
software can be integrated a module at a time in
emulation RAM prior to being moved to the target
system memory.
The 9508 provides the user with a very straight-
forward command set and includes a powerful in-
line assembler that enables the user to make
program
mnemonics.
patches using assembly language
A disassembler is also provided and can be
used both with memory dumps of program segments
and real-time trace displays. By viewing memory
and trace information in mnemonic form, the
designer can gain a quicker understanding of the
actual flow of operations in the program with results
easily compared to the planned program.
To simplify and speed development, the 9508
has four breakpoints. The first, a simple hardware
breakpoint works on instruction addresses. Two
complex hardware breakpoints which include
address bus, data bus, bus cycle status and up to
eight external logic signals in their equations are
available. The fourth is a register breakpoint, which
halts emulation if a specific combination of register
contents occurs.
A real-time trace is provided by the 9508 for
tracing address, data, control bus status, and up to
eight external logic signals.
The 9516 emulator is designed to support 16-bit
friendly
processors with an extremely user emulator
interface to ease the user's task. Eight-bit
cards from the 9508 may also be used in the 9516,
protecting user investments.
The 9520 Software Development System
supports two users and is optimised for the software
‘development tasks of text editing, assembly and
compilation.
Comprising
a single enclosure, with self
contained switching power supply, the 9520
includes dual double density floppy disc drives
(providing 1M byte of on-line storage), 64K bytes of
RAM memory, four serial ports (three R5232, one
high-speed RS422) and IEEE 488 parallel port. An
additional 48K of expansion memory is available on
a separate board to enhance its multi-tasking
capability.
Reliability is an important design factor in the
9520. To ensure proper system operation, it has a
built-in system confidence check that exercises the
system’s major modules during power-up. Go/no-go
indications are presented on LED displays for eight
functional parts of the system. Additional user
diagnostic programs are also provided with the
Leisure Play
—
August