Image Placeholder — SEGGER J-Trace PRO Cortex-M Hardware
The J-Trace PRO Cortex-M is SEGGER's specialised streaming trace probe designed specifically for ARM Cortex-M microcontrollers. Unlike traditional trace solutions limited by internal buffer sizes, this probe enables unlimited real-time instruction tracing through SuperSpeed USB 3.0 and Gigabit Ethernet interfaces.
Where It Fits
Why It Matters
| Feature | Why It's Important | What You Gain |
|---|
| Streaming Trace | No buffer limitations | Capture months of trace data continuously |
| Live Analysis | Real-time insights | Debug whilst target runs at full speed |
| ETM Support | Complete instruction visibility | See every executed instruction with timing |
Includes free Ozone debugger licence and J-Flash programming software. Compatible with all major IDEs including IAR, Keil µVision, and GCC toolchains.
Wiring Quick-Start
| Host | Direction | Through | Device | Notes |
|---|
| USB 3.0 Port | → | USB Cable | J-Trace USB Port | SuperSpeed for streaming |
| Ethernet Port | → | Cat5/6 Cable | J-Trace LAN Port | Alternative connection |
| J-Trace Target | → | 20-pin Ribbon | MCU Debug Header | JTAG/SWD signals |
| J-Trace Trace | → | 0.05" Connector | MCU Trace Pins | ETM trace data |
Code Snippet
// Cortex-M4 ETM trace setup example #define ETM_BASE 0xE0041000 #define TPIU_BASE 0xE0040000
void setup_trace(void) {
// Enable trace clock
CoreDebug->DEMCR |= CoreDebug_DEMCR_TRCENA_Msk;
Data format:
text
// Configure ETM for instruction trace
ETM->CR = 0x00000D1E; // Enable ETM
ETM->TRIGGER = 0x406F; // Trigger events
// Setup TPIU for external trace
TPIU->SPPR = 0x00000002; // NRZ protocol
TPIU->ACPR = 0x0000000F; // Trace clock prescaler
}
- key_feature_2_tooltip: {"type":"root","children":[{"type":"paragraph","children":[{"type":"text","value":"Continuous trace without buffer size limitations via USB 3.0 or Ethernet"}]}]}
- key_feature_3_tooltip: {"type":"root","children":[{"type":"paragraph","children":[{"type":"text","value":"Track which code paths execute for regulatory compliance"}]}]}
- key_feature_4_tooltip: {"type":"root","children":[{"type":"paragraph","children":[{"type":"text","value":"Store trace data locally when streaming temporarily unavailable"}]}]}
- key_feature_5_tooltip: {"type":"root","children":[{"type":"paragraph","children":[{"type":"text","value":"Fastest-in-class programming speeds for development efficiency"}]}]}
- key_feature_6_tooltip: {"type":"root","children":[{"type":"paragraph","children":[{"type":"text","value":"Flexible connectivity options including remote debugging capability"}]}]}
- key_feature_7_tooltip: {"type":"root","children":[{"type":"paragraph","children":[{"type":"text","value":"Complete debugging environment with trace visualisation tools"}]}]}
- key_feature_8_tooltip: {"type":"root","children":[{"type":"paragraph","children":[{"type":"text","value":"Supports M0/M0+/M1/M3/M4/M7/M23/M33/M52/M55/M85 architectures"}]}]}
- 1569446: What ARM Cortex-M cores does the J-Trace PRO Cortex-M support?***SIMP***The probe supports all ARM Cortex-M variants including M0, M0+, M1, M3, M4, M7, M23, M33, M52, M55, and M85 cores. It works with any Cortex-M microcontroller that provides ETM trace output pins.
- 1569447: How does streaming trace differ from traditional trace buffers?***SIMP***Traditional trace probes capture limited data in internal buffers (typically 4-32MB). Streaming trace continuously transfers data to the host PC via USB 3.0 or Ethernet, enabling unlimited capture periods without data loss.
- 1569448: Can I use the J-Trace PRO Cortex-M with my existing IDE?***SIMP***Yes, it integrates with all major development environments including IAR Embedded Workbench, Keil µVision, Eclipse-based IDEs, and GCC toolchains. The included Ozone debugger works independently of any IDE.
- 1569449: What's the difference between this and the regular J-Trace PRO?***SIMP***The Cortex-M model is optimised specifically for Cortex-M cores and costs less than the universal J-Trace PRO. The universal model additionally supports Cortex-A, Cortex-R, and RISC-V architectures.
- 1569450: Do I need special target hardware modifications for trace?***SIMP***Your target must expose the ETM trace pins (typically TRACECLK and TRACEDATA[3:0]) on a connector. Many development boards include these signals on debug headers. No target code modifications are required.
- 1569451: How fast is the flash programming compared to standard J-Link?***SIMP***The J-Trace PRO achieves up to 4MB/s download speeds, significantly faster than standard debug probes. This reduces development iteration time when loading large applications or frequent code updates.
- 1569452: Can I debug remotely over Ethernet?***SIMP***Yes, the integrated Gigabit Ethernet interface enables remote debugging across networks. This is particularly useful for accessing targets in test environments or when the development PC cannot be physically connected.
- 1569453: What trace analysis features does the included Ozone debugger provide?***SIMP***Ozone offers live code profiling (execution timing and hotspot analysis), live code coverage (instruction-level coverage tracking), and historical trace browsing with source code correlation.
- 1569455: Is the J-Trace PRO Cortex-M compatible with multi-core systems?***SIMP***This model focuses on single Cortex-M core tracing. For multi-core ARM systems or mixed architectures, consider the <a href="">