Microchip releases new in-circuit emulator with powerful programming and debugging capabilities

     Embedded engineers need easy-to-use and powerful simulation hardware if they want to perform a complete analysis of a project for rapid development. Microchip Technology Inc. today announced the next-generation in-circuit emulation, debugging and programming development tool MPLAB ICE 4. This new tool is available for Microchip PICÒ and AVRÒ microcontrollers (MCUs), dsPICÒ digital signal controllers (DSCs), and SAM microcontrollers and microprocessors (MPUs).

     The MPLAB ICE 4 In-Circuit Emulator is Microchip's fastest and most feature-rich emulation and programming tool for its MCUs and MPUs. The new tools rely on the powerful, easy-to-use graphical user interface of the MPLAB X Integrated Development Environment (IDE) for debugging and programming. The MPLAB ICE 4 in-circuit emulator provides a flexible development experience, including advanced debugging features for writing energy-efficient code, as well as features needed to reduce debugging time.

     "Engineers can expand their development capabilities with this powerful all-in-one system, offering new possibilities and applications through enhanced hardware and wireless connectivity options," said Rodger Richey, senior director of Microchip's development systems business unit. With power monitoring capabilities, embedded design engineers can optimize both hardware and software for a comprehensive energy-efficient design.”

     The MPLAB ICE 4 in-circuit emulator system uses SuperSpeed USB 3.0 or Hi-Speed USB 2.0 for connectivity, with an option to use Ethernet or Wi-FiÒ wireless connectivity for added flexibility and ease of use.

     The system offers Ethernet or Wi-Fi connectivity for seamless wireless programming and debugging. The Ethernet connection provides remote debugging for remote monitoring applications. Additionally, Wi-Fi connectivity is great for providing isolation from environmental conditions, such as high-voltage motor control applications or floating systems without ground loops.

     The powerful hardware of MPLAB ICE 4 is integrated with MPLAB X's ability to set up CI/CD via Ethernet, which greatly improves the efficiency of the whole system. Designers can use the CI/CD wizard in the latest version of MPLAB X IDE v6.00 to set up Jenkins and Docker.

     It is also equipped with a power debug feature that monitors power consumption versus code using MPLAB Data Visualizer. Additionally, embedded engineers can extract more information from their code by using two independent current-sensing channels with different resolutions to measure and optimize the power consumption of their designs.

     Engineers can reduce development time by taking advantage of the advanced features of the MPLAB ICE 4 in-circuit emulator, which supports many widely used instruments and instruction trace functions. The ICE 4's multiple debug and programming interfaces and target connection options using adapter boards further help reduce development time.

     The MPLAB ICE 4 in-circuit emulator debugs and programs all Microchip MCUs, DSCs and MPUs, simplifying the design process for developers when migrating from one Microchip MCU or MPU to another. With the latest hardware, comprehensive device support, features, reliability and seamless integration with the latest version of MPLAB X IDE v6.00, it provides a complete development system. In addition to Microchip's proprietary free software, MPLAB X IDE for embedded applications, the company offers developers a full suite of free optimizing compilers, professional-grade compiler licenses, functional safety licenses, and code coverage licenses .