Getting Started with ADSP-BF70x Processors
ADSP-BF70x Processors
The ADSP-BF70x Blackfin processor series is a high-performance DSP family that delivers a class-leading 800 MMACS of processing power at less than 100mW. The cost-effective eight-member series includes up to 1MB of internal SRAM, eliminating external memory in many applications, while a second configuration features an optional DDR memory interface. Using the enhanced Blackfin+ core, the combination of performance, power efficiency, memory integration, security, and value allows designers to incorporate advanced 16- and 32-bit processing into a range of new use cases, including industrial imaging and building controls as well as portable and automotive audio. The ADSP-BF70x series offers designers unparalleled flexibility and functionality through an array of advanced connectivity options (including USB, SDIO, CAN, ePPI, SPORT, QuadSPI) while enabling bus-powered applications and extending the life of battery-powered devices.
You can learn more about our latest Blackfin processor family on our ADSP-BF70x series product page.
What is required in order to evaluate the ADSP-BF70x Processors?
CrossCore
Embedded Studio (CCES) is a world-class integrated development environment (IDE) for the Analog Devices Blackfin and SHARC processor families. This Eclipse
based, highly visual IDE enables seamless, intuitive code generation and debug support. A highly integrated IDE, CrossCore Embedded Studio is optimized for popular Micrium add-in components including real time operating systems (RTOS), USB and file system stacks. There is also integrated support for a TCP/IP stack. The IDE is combined with Analog Devices advanced optimizing compiler technology and supports standards such as ISO/IEC C and C++, MISRA-C, Embedded C and MCAPI, plus additional development features to get your product to market even sooner.
Further information can be found on the CCES product page and the Getting Started with CCES guide.
The ADSP-BF70x evaluation hardware provides a low cost hardware solution for users to evaluate the Analog Devices ADSP-BF70x processor family.
- The ADSP-BF707 EZ-KIT Lite all hardware necessary to immediately begin evaluation:
CE-approved power supply
ADZS-ICE-1000 emulator
USB A to micro B cable
USB micro A to A receptacle cable
Standoffs and screws
2GB SD card
Release Note
The ADSP-BF707 EZ-Board Design Database contains all of the electronic information required for the design, layout, fabrication and assembly of the ADSP-BF707 EZ-Board, and is available to download from the Product Downloads area.
The ADSP-BF707 Board Support Package is free to download and use, and does not require a separate license to be installed in CCES. It provides comprehensive software support for the ADSP-BF707 EZ-Board. Specifically, drivers, examples and code sketches are included for the following components:
- INA230 current-shunt and power monitor ADC driver
- INA3221 shunt and bus voltage monitor ADC driver
It also provides comprehensive examples which demonstrate the on-chip drivers and services.
NOTE: A fast functional simulator supporting ADSP-BF70x processors is also available as part of CCES, details of which can be found here.
How do I begin evaluating the ADSP-BF70x Processors?
- Download CrossCore Embedded Studio 2.7.0 and the ADSP-BF707 Board Support Package 1.0.1
- Install and License CrossCore Embedded Studio
When starting CCES for the first time, you will be prompted to install a license. Click ‘Yes’ to install a license and then, in the “Select License Type” window:
- to begin a 90 day evaluation of CCES, select ‘I do not have a serial number and would like to evaluate the product, and in the “Select license activation method’ window select ‘Install and activate a license on-line all in one step’. Upon clicking ‘Finish’, your evaluation license will be activated and your 90 day evaluation period will begin.
For further information on installing a license see the following FAQ:
How can I obtain and install evaluation and full licenses for CrossCore Embedded Studio?
- Purchase the ADSP-BF707 EZ-KIT Lite or EZ-Board
- Install the ADSP-BF707 EZ-Board Support Package.
- Connect the Evaluation Hardware and configure CrossCore Embedded Studio – see the EZ-KIT Lite Installation section in the ADSP-BF707 EZ-KIT Lite Evaluation System Manual
NOTE: A fast functional simulator supporting ADSP-BF70x processors is also available as part of CrossCore Embedded Studio. Simulation is supported for the following components:
- Instruction set and core machine state
- excludes pipeline, cache, and branch predictor
- Core event controller
- Internal and external memory spaces
- Utility ROM images in L2 ROM space
- Core timer
- Instruction set and core machine state
Addition system components and peripherals will be supported in the simulator in future releases. More information can be found here.
What other development tools and software available for the ADSP-BF70x Processors?
- Middleware
The following products, which support the ADSP-BF70x family of processors, are available:
- Algorithmic Software Modules
Free software modules for the ADSP-BF70x family include image processing applications software (such as video occupancy sensing, image processing toolbox, 2D graphics); video imaging codecs such as JPEG and H.264BP/MP; audio codecs including MP3 and ACC; and post processing software including asynchronous sample rate converters and multi-band graphic equalizers.
More information on Blackfin software modules can be found here.
- Emulators
The newly released low-cost ICE-1000 and high performance ICE-2000 in-circuit emulators support the ADSP-BF70x processor family. Working in tandem with the CrossCore Embedded Studio development environment, these emulators provide state-of-the-art support for all JTAG-compliant Analog Devices processors, which includes program trace, system trace and cross-trigger channel control via Coresight serial wire debug support.
Further information can be found in the Introducing the ICE-1000 and ICE-2000 FAQ.
- EZ-Extender Boards
EZ-Extender Boards enable developers to connect various peripherals from Analog Devices and from third parties to the expansion interface of the EZ-KIT Lite evaluation kits. The following EZ-Extender boards are available for the ADSP-BF70x EZ-Board:
Video Decoder EI3 Extender Board
Video Encoder EI3 Extender Board
A Board Support Package is available for each EZ-Extender board, which includes examples for all on-chip and off-chip drivers.
- Additional Hardware
The ADZS-BF707 Blackfin Low-power Imaging Platform (BLIP) evaluation hardware provides a low-cost hardware solution for evaluating vision platform targeting a vast array of real-time sensing applications.
The ADSP-BF706 EZ-Kit Lite mini evaluation hardware provides an ultra low-power, low-cost hardware solution for evaluating the ADSP-BF70x Blackfin+ processor family.
What other resources are available to help with my evaluation?
- FAQs and discussion threads in the ADSP-BF70x EngineerZone Community
- Documentation
ADSP-BF70x datasheet
ADSP-BF70x Hardware Reference Manual
- Examples and Sketches
The ADSP-BF70x EZ-Board Support Package and CCES include a number of code sketches and examples, a list of which can be found by going to CCES Help->Browse Examples. Code sketches are small code fragments, which can be generated with parameterized input provided by the user in CrossCore Embedded Studio. The resulting code can then be copied and pasted into a project.
The examples include Device Driver and System Services examples for a variety of peripherals and the Power-On Self Test demo, which tests the many peripherals of the ADSP-BF707 EZ-Board and is pre-programmed on the EZ-KIT during production.
A list of examples included in all Blackfin BSPs and middleware products can be found here.
- Online Training Modules
A number of training modules are available for CrossCore Embedded Studio:
- Introducing CrossCoreEmbedded Studio
- CrossCore Embedded Studio: Online Training Overview
- Navigating Through the CrossCore Embedded Studio IDE
- Creating, Configuring, and Building Projects
- Debugging on a Hardware Target with CCES
- Creating and Debugging a Boot Stream with CCES
- Migrating from VDK to μC/OS-III
- System Services and Device Drivers for CrossCore Embedded Studio
- System Services and Device Drivers: Migrating from VisualDSP++ to CrossCore Embedded Studio
- Introducing CrossCore
How do I contact technical support?
- Questions about the ADSP-BF70x processor architecture, peripherals, programming, applications and hardware design, can be posted to the ADSP-BF70x Processors community.
- Questions specific to evaluation hardware should be posted to the Hardware Tools community.
- Questions about CCES and Add-Ins should be posted in the CrossCore Embedded Studio and Add-Ins community.
- Email support is also available for these topics, here.