Linux DSP Tools or CCS-IDE?

Linux DSP Tools or CCS-IDE?

[naga rajan]

Hi all,

        Currently i am working with OMAP5912 starter kit. In the DSP
application development, there are two options provided one with Linux DSP
Tools and another with CCS-IDE with emulator. Is there any feature-wise
difference between these two tools?. How many of you have preferred CCS-IDE
instead of Linux DSP Tools? Which one is better for the application
development?. Please help me in this regard.

Thanks in advance,
B.Nagarajan,
SANDS INSTRUMENTATION.

Re: Linux DSP Tools or CCS-IDE?

[Matthew Percival]

G'Day,

>         Currently i am working with OMAP5912 starter kit. In the DSP
> application development, there are two options provided one with Linux DSP
> Tools and another with CCS-IDE with emulator. Is there any feature-wise
> difference between these two tools?. How many of you have preferred CCS-IDE
> instead of Linux DSP Tools? Which one is better for the application
> development?. Please help me in this regard.

	They are effectively the same thing: CCS is a front end for the same
tools that you get with the Linux DSP Tools.  It just comes down to what
kind of environment you are more familiar with.  Linux users are
traditionally more comfortable with IDE, so will tend to prefer CCS,
whilst GNU/Linux users are typically more comfortable with using the
shell, and as such will prefer to use the Linux DSP Tools in the way
they normally code.  If you have no preference either way, CCS would
probably be the easiest to learn with.

	-- Matthew

RE: Linux DSP Tools or CCS-IDE?

[Hunter, Jon]

Hi All,


> >         Currently i am working with OMAP5912 starter kit. In the DSP
> > application development, there are two options provided one with
Linux
> DSP
> > Tools and another with CCS-IDE with emulator. Is there any
feature-wise
> > difference between these two tools?. How many of you have preferred
CCS-
> IDE
> > instead of Linux DSP Tools? Which one is better for the application
> > development?. Please help me in this regard.
> 
> 	They are effectively the same thing: CCS is a front end for the
same
> tools that you get with the Linux DSP Tools.  It just comes down to
what
> kind of environment you are more familiar with.  Linux users are
> traditionally more comfortable with IDE, so will tend to prefer CCS,
> whilst GNU/Linux users are typically more comfortable with using the
> shell, and as such will prefer to use the Linux DSP Tools in the way
> they normally code.  If you have no preference either way, CCS would
> probably be the easiest to learn with.
> 

With regard to building DSP applications, Matthew is correct with CCS
being GUI based front end and the DSP Linux tools having a shell
interface. However, CCS does offer additional features for debugging
that aren't available with the DSP Linux tools. For example, if you
purchase a JTAG emulator you can use CCS to download code to the DSP and
debug it on the h/w. Even if you do not have an emulator CCS does
provide a simulator for the C55x DSP core and you can use this to test
algorithms etc. However, the simulator does not have the ability to
simulate all the h/w features of the device. 

Although JTAG emulators can be expensive (starting around ~$1300) they
can be quite useful as you can use them to view memory, CPU registers
and peripheral registers. So this can help reduce debug time. 

With the CCS simulator, you can still view the CPU registers and memory,
but peripheral features are not supported as different C55x based DSPs
differ in peripheral mix. 

If you would like to try CCS then you can always download a 120 day free
trial version from the following link:
http://focus.ti.com/dsp/docs/dspsupportaut.tsp?sectionId=3&tabId=416&fam
ilyId=44&toolTypeId=30

Please note that CCS is only available for windows. However, you can
still invoke the compiler from an ms-dos prompt.  

Regards,
Jon