SPOX-LINK
for TMS320C3x, TMS3204x, TMS320C5x
by Spectron Microsystems

Software Overview

SPOX-LINK is one of several portable components of the SPOX family of products that provide a 
complete development environment for DSP application developers. SPOX-LINK bridges the DSP to other 
environments. This software "bridge" consists of both a DSP- and host-resident application 
programming interface  and software modules which provide for communication from the DSP to a host 
computer. SPOX-LINK provides high level services which are identical for a wide range of host and 
DSP platforms. SPOX-LINK requires a SPOX-BSP (board support package) to provide low-level 
communication between a particular host system and a particular DSP board. With SPOX-LINK, host 
computer resources such as disk files, terminal displays, windows, network connections, etc., all 
become streams that can be accessed by applications running on the DSP. SPOX-LINK connects SPOX-KNL 
to the DOS, VxWorks, and UNIX operating systems.
See also SPOX-KNL, SPOX-MP, SPOX-MATH, and SPOX-DBUG for information on related DSP software 
development tools from Spectron.

Features and Benefits

•	Efficient PC/DSP communication interface
•	Asynchronous host file streaming for DSP applications
•	C standard I/O library for DSP applications
•	Support for Alternate File Systems

Processor and System Specifications

Host-Resident Software Configurations:
	•	SPOX-LINK applications for DOS are generated on a PC using version 8.00 of the Microsoft C/C++ 
compiler which accompanies Microsoft Visual C/C++ version 1.5. The PC development system must be 
compatible with the 80x86 processors and contain the following configuration as a minimum: DOS 
version 3.3 (or higher), 640K memory, 1.2-MB floppy disk, 10MB-hard disk.
	•	SPOX-LINK applications for VxWorks are generated on a Sun-4 using the GNU tools supplied with 
VxWorks. The VxWorks configuration must include VxWorks 5.1 (or later) with network support.
	•	SPOX Link applications for SunOS are generated on a Sun-4 running SunOS 4.1.3.
DSP-Resident Module Configurations:
	•	For the target DSP, SPOX programs are generated using version 4.6 of the C compiler, assembler, 
and linker available from Texas Instruments.
	•	Devices supported:  TMS320C3x, TMS320C4x, TMS320C5x

Availability

•	Software
		SPOX-LINK Run-Time Support Library is available for the TMS320C3x, TMS320C4x, and TMS320C5x 
processors.
•	Documentation
		SPOX-LINK Programming Guide 
•	Warranty
		90-day warranty against defects in manufacturing. Maintenance agreements available separately 
from Spectron.
•	License
		One developer license and one run-time license for PC compatible computer or Sun workstation. 
Additional host license also available.

Company Background and Contact Information

Spectron Microsystems, founded in 1987, is the leading provider of DSP system software and DSP 
integration services to multimedia, commercial embedded and military embedded customers.  Based in 
Santa Barbara, California, the company was the first independent software vendor to manufacture and 
sell products for programmable 32- and 16-bit Digital Signal Processing chips.  From the 
introduction of SPOX in 1988 to the present, Spectron has maintained its leadership through 
on-going R&D efforts in support of the latest DSP silicon, DSP hardware and DSP applications. In 
1995, Spectron Microsystems became a wholly owned business unit of Dialogic Corporation, 
Parsipanny, New Jersey.
Contact:	Spectron Microsystems
		 315 Bollay Drive
		 Santa Barbara, CA  93117  USA
		 (805) 968-5100
		 Fax:  (805) 968-9770
	 www:  http://www.spectron.com

		 European Marketing Center:
		 Spectron Microsystems
		 Merrion Business Centre
		 20 Upper Merrion Street
		 Dublin 2, Ireland
		 +353 1 676 1291
		 Fax: +353 1 676 2125