CAMBRIDGE, UK, July 18, 2002, Crossware (www.crossware.com), a leading embedded software tools developer, has introduced a starter kit for the Atmel range of flash microcontrollers.

The kit includes an evaluation board fitted with an Atmel T89C51RD2 microcontroller, a header cable that allows it to function as an in-circuit debugger, and a 4k byte version of Crossware’s 8051 Development Suite. A serial cable and mains power supply are also included.

The starter kit provides professional developers, educational establishments and hobbyists alike with all the ingredients required to get started with 8051 programming and development on a PC. Working within Crossware’s seamlessly integrated easy-to-use environment, developers can build, simulate and debug embedded C and assembler programs quickly and intuitively.

Crossware’s 8051 Development Suite includes a serial port debug monitor specifically tailored to take advantage of the byte reprogrammability of the Atmel T89C51RD2. This can be immediately compiled and downloaded to the evaluation board to provide instant and advanced source level debugging.

The debug monitor can also be rapidly modified using Crossware’s point-and-click Code Creation Wizards. These allow the programmer to adjust clock characteristics and baud rate and to select the timer which will drive the UART. No calculations are required and not a single line of code needs to be written.

The evaluation board can be used stand-alone to develop advanced embedded programs. L.E.Ds display the activity of all port pins and an IDC connector allows that board to be connected to other application boards or systems.

Alternatively, the header cable provided allows the evaluation board to be connected to the 40 pin socket of another target system in place of the micro-controller on that board. In this way, the T89C51RD2 on the evaluation board takes over control of the target system and functions as a sophisticated in-circuit debugger.