Tuesday, 27 February 2007

VirtualLogix, TI Introduce Development Platform for DaVinci Technology

VirtualLogix, the Real-Time Virtualisation company, and Texas Instruments, has said that Texas Instruments (TI) is shipping VirtualLogix Linux at no cost and royalty free as part of its new TMS320DM6437 Digital Video Development Platform (DVDP) for DaVinci technology. The DVDP includes VirtualLogix Linux and an evaluation version of its VLX for Digital Multimedia v2.0. VirtualLogix and TI customers using TMS320DM643x DSPs can now develop and ship Linux-based products using TI DSP. By including VirtualLogix’s VLX for Digital Multimedia v2.0 customers can evaluate the benefit of running both TI DSP/BIOS kernel and Linux simultaneously on a single DSP to create digital multimedia products faster and at a lower cost, the companies said in a joint statement.

“TI has worked closely with VirtualLogix to provide our customers with the ability to incorporate features into next-generation digital multimedia device design using Linux,” said Gerard Andrews, DSP marketing manager, Texas Instruments. "By incorporating VirtualLogix’s VLX software as part of the new DaVinci DM6437 Digital Video Development Platform, we provide our customers with a powerful solution to develop leading-edge products using Linux and our TI DSP/BIOS kernel on a single DSP.”

As digital video applications such as IP set-top boxes, videophones and IP netcams permeate the market; developers are looking to Linux to provide the rich functionality these products demand. By offering VirtualLogix’s Linux for TI’s DM643x DSPs based on DaVinci technology, developers can take advantage of Linux without giving up the real-time performance capabilities and broad ecosystem of TI’s DSP/BIOS kernel. The new DVDP offers a significant increase in software development options as well as the ability to ship products faster and at a lower cost, the companies said.

TI's TMS320DM6437 Digital Video Development Platform release is open for order entry from TI. It includes VirtualLogix Linux at no cost and is royalty free. Also included is an evaluation version of VLX for Digital Multimedia, version 2.0.

Customers ready to upgrade to the production version of VLX for Digital Multimedia should contact VirtualLogix, with pricing starting at USD 7,500 per development seat. VLX for Digital Multimedia also supports the TMS320DM643x, TMS320DM64x and TMS320C641x processors. Services and support for VirtualLogix Linux and VLX for Digital Multimedia are available separately from VirtualLogix.