September 28, 2004 - SofTec Microsystems unveils the PK-HC08QY4 Starter Kit, an entry level tool which lets you get started with the Freescale MC68HC08 family of low-cost, high-performance microcontrollers. The PK-HC08QY4 Starter Kit has been designed for the evaluation of the MC68HC908QY4 microcontroller and the debugging of small user applications. The PK-HC08QY4 Starter Kit takes advantage of the Metrowerks' CodeWarrior Integrated Development Environment (which groups an Editor, Assembler, C Compiler and Debugger) and the Freescale's MON08 interface, which allows the download of the user application into the microcontroller FLASH memory.

Together with CodeWarrior, PK-HC08QY4 provides you with everything you need to write, compile, download, in-circuit emulate and debug user code. Full-speed program execution allows you to perform hardware and software testing in real time. PK-HC08QY4 is connected to the host PC through a USB port. A prototyping area allows you to wire your own small application.

The Starter Kits offer you the following benefits:

• Real-time code execution;
• MON08 In-circuit debugging/programming;
• Demo area with push-buttons, potentiometer and user LEDs;
• Prototyping area;
• USB connection to the PC;
• Metrowerks CodeWarrior IDE with editor, assembler, C compiler and debugger.

The HC08's integrated MON08 interface allows you to update the content of FLASH program memory when the chip is already plugged on the application board. PK-HC08QY4 features a USB-to-MON08 circuitry which allows the host PC to communicate to the microcontroller through a standard USB cable.

The PK-HC08QY4 Starter Kit will be available to order soon at an end-user price of $49.