gcc suited for DSP architectures?

[Oliver Wahlen]

Hello everybody,
in a research project we have developed a processor description
environment from which several processor related tools can be generated
(retargetted).
The architectural focus is on signal processors and not on general
purpose architectures.
What is still missing is a way to generate a compiler or at least
compiler components for DSPs.

I am thinking of using the gcc environment for this but I am not sure if
gcc is suited for DSP architectures.
What I am interested in is for example in how far VLIW architectures can
be addressed by gcc and how softwarepipelining, conditional execution,
SIMD instructions special purpose units (like MAC or FIR units) and so
on are supported.

Knowing that IA64 has similarities with current DSPs I wonder how gcc is
approaching this upcomming architecture.
Maybe one can use this development for DSP backends, too?

I also would appreciate suggestions for other compiler environments that
are better suited for my plans.

Greetings,
Oliver Wahlen