Development of MOST automotive infotainment systems simplified

K2L has introduced version 4.2.0 of its MOST PCI Tool Kit, which further eases the simulation of MOST technology-based automotive infotainment systems and devices for rapid prototyping, verification and test. This new version features significant enhancements, including support for MOST150 coax (cPHY) and the addition of the MOST Stream software tool with an intuitive graphical user interface (GUI) that speeds the setup of synchronous and isochronous streaming connections. These streaming connections transmit audio and video data with unprecedented convenience, using MOST networking technology, says the company. "The MOST PCI Tool Kit gives developers of automotive streaming devices easy access to the MOST bus, for audio and video data transmission and reception," said Matthias Karcher, K2L's senior manager. "Using our intuitive new graphical user interface, known as the MOST Stream, setting up synchronous and isochronous streaming connections over MOST networks is a matter of a few mouse clicks, and can be done without programming a single line of code." With MOST Stream, received audio and video data can instantly be played back over connected speakers and a GUI-integrated, open-source multimedia cross-platform VLC player, or stored on the hard drive. Support for multi-channel, 7.1 surround sound with control/configuration bytes was also added. Additionally, the VLC player can be directly used for the immediate playback of Digital Transmission Content Protection (DTCP)-free, isochronous video data with a length of up to 196 bytes per frame and PCR timing. In addition to the widely used plastic optical fibre (POF) physical layer for MOST150, the MOST PCI Toolkit now also supports development with the corresponding low-cost electrical physical layer (i.e., MOST150 coax). The MOST Technology Driver Stack loaded on all MOST PCI Tool Kit boards was updated to the version 2.0.3.8. The MOST PCI Tool Kit can help in different phases of development for a MOST technology-based device. MOST technology-based streaming devices can be replaced with the MOST PCI Tool Kit, early in the design cycle, reducing the required prototyping efforts to a minimum. When device tests are ready to be conducted, the capabilities of the MOST PCI Tool Kit offer additional value as every device under test (DUT) needs a communication partner for stimulation. Additional features of the MOST PCI Tool Kit include access to real-time streaming transfers, packet data transport and control message services for MOST networks, and the ability to operate as a master or slave node in a MOST network for further versatility and cost-effectiveness. For customer-specific applications, the kit also offers an easy-to-use Application Programming Interface (API).