Generate Code Up to 60% Faster and 20% Smaller With TASKING Toolset for StarCore DSPs; Altium Releases v1.2 of Its TASKING Software Development Toolset for StarCore DSPs.

Business Editors and High Tech Writers

SYDNEY, Australia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 21, 2002

Altium Limited (ASX: ALU), a leading developer of Windows-based electronic design and development software, today announced the release of v1.2 of the TASKING Software Development Toolset for StarCore(TM) DSPs, a highly efficient set of embedded software development tools for the StarCore(TM) family of Digital Signal Processor (DSP) cores. In the second version of this toolset since its release in July this year, Altium has succeeded in significantly improving the already impressive ability of the toolset to deliver fast and compact code.

Tests on industry standard audio/GSM codec suites (G723/G729/EFR) show that the compiler in v1.2 of the toolset delivers an increase in execution speed between 25% and 60%, while reducing the code size by 5% when compared to v1.1. By making use of a wide variety of optimizations in the new compiler, code size reductions between 10% and 20% are attainable, while maintaining a speed increase of up to 30%.

Dr. Brian Deitrich, Software Tools Planning Manager for StarCore, LLC said, "We at StarCore, LLC are very pleased to see Altium's commitment to the StarCore DSP technology, as well as their ongoing investment in the toolset. The improvements in code size and application speed that they have achieved in this release are impressive."

Jeroen Verheijen, Altium's Product Manager for the TASKING toolset for StarCore DSPs said, "The performance gains realized in v1.2 are of great benefit to our customers. They can now add powerful new functionality to StarCore DSP applications because higher performance can be achieved thanks to a more efficient use of memory space."

Altium believes that this increased efficiency places the TASKING toolset well ahead of the competition in this increasingly popular DSP architecture. "StarCore, LLC's business model of licensing the StarCore DSP cores and peripherals to many OEMs and semiconductor companies alike is intended to proliferate the StarCore technology and, we believe, will increase the demand for TASKING tools as well," said Verheijen.

The new toolset is based on Altium's next-generation Viper compiler technology and benefits from ongoing developments in optimization technologies and features such as the new MISRA C enhanced code checking facility, now capable of verifying code against 117 out of 127 MISRA C rules. As with Altium's first release, v1.2 is compliant with the StarCore Application Binary Interface (ABI) and with International Standards Organization (ISO) C'99. The toolset supports all StarCore DSP devices, including the new MSC8102 from Motorola.

The TASKING toolset for StarCore DSPs is another state-of-the-art design tool from Altium that breaks down the barriers to innovation and allows developers to develop highly efficient code for the StarCore DSP architecture and complete range of StarCore DSP-based devices.

Pricing and availability

The TASKING Software Development Toolset for StarCore DSPs is a complete, integrated toolset consisting of the TASKING EDE, C/C++/EC++ compiler, assembler, linker / locator and CrossView Pro EOnCE / simulator debugger.

Version 1.2 is available for PC/Windows and SUN/Solaris platforms and is priced from US$5,390 for the complete C/C++/EC++ compiler and debugger toolset.

For more product information, visit www.tasking.com or contact your local Altium Sales and Support Center (contact details at www.tasking.com/company/contact.html).

About Altium Limited

Altium Limited (ASX: ALU), trading as Protel International Limited (ASX: PRI) prior to August 6, 2001, is a leading global developer and supplier of desktop Electronic Design Automation (EDA) and embedded software design tools for the Microsoft Windows environment.

Since the company's foundation in 1985 and its release of the world's first Microsoft Windows-based EDA tool in 1991, Altium has continued to apply the most advanced software design methods to provide powerful, easy-to-use and affordable design software to engineers and electronics designers worldwide.

Altium's current product brands include Protel, nVisage, P-CAD, TASKING, Accolade, CircuitMaker and CAMtastic!. These products offer tailored solutions covering a range of hardware and software design processes.

Altium is headquartered in Sydney, Australia, and operates a number of sales and support offices in Australia, the United States, Japan and Europe, as well as maintaining a large reseller network in all other major markets. More information about the Company and its products and services may be obtained from our website at www.altium.com.

Altium, Protel DXP, DXP, Design Explorer, nVisage, P-CAD, TASKING, Accolade, CircuitMaker, CAMtastic!, Situs and Topological Autorouting and their respective logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of Altium Limited or its subsidiaries. All other registered or unregistered trademarks referenced herein are the property of their respective owners, and no trademark rights to the same are claimed.