NXP is aiming at both professionals and amateurs with a sub-$30 tool chain, including hardware, for its ARM Cortex-M0 LPC1100 microcontrollers.
Dubbed LPCXpresso, it includes an Eclipse-based IDE (integrated development environment), JTAG/SWD debug probe, and target boards.
"Designed for simplicity and ease of use, LPCXpresso gives designers a quick and easy way to work with the LPC1100, enabling anyone to develop with Cortex-M0," said Geoff Lees, v-p and general manager for microcontrollers at NXP. "It also offers an easy migration path to our ARM7, ARM9 and Cortex families."
Code Red provided the IDE, which includes a GCC compiler, C libraries for the M0, and features such as syntax highlighting, code folding, and click-through links to definitions.
"The IDE features several LPC-specific enhancements and is simplified for 8/16bit users with our proprietary interface which employs a single perspective view, enabling a seamless interconnect between code development and debugging", said NXP.
Users can evaluate either the LPC1100 or the Cortex-M3-based LPC1300 with the included target board - which shares a footprint with a recently announced on-line prototyping tool.
"For rapid proof-of-concepts, users can explore application features with a range of off-the-shelf footprint-compatible baseboards from Embedded Artists," claimed the firm.
The debug probe is a joint development by NXP, Code Red and Embedded Artists, and can be disconnected from the target and used directly with the customer's own design using it's 10pin header.
The tool chain supports "the current LPC1100 and LPC1300 families and all planned LPC1700 derivatives up to 128kbyte. Code Red supports low-cost upgrade options for 256 and 512kbyte", said NXP. "The fully featured Red Suite package by Code Red will support run-time execution trace and OS wizards for fast FreeRTOS configuration; in addition, Red Probe provides even higher debug performance."