FPGA Programmer Circuit

[prakhars]

I wanted to know that , just like a Microcontroller can we have a Programmer circuit for an FPGA.
I am new to FPGA and right now I am working on Spartan Starter Kit to program FPGA.

Just In case of Microcontroller, we purchase it and using a programmer circuit we burn hex file to it and then we use it in our circuit. So is this possible to have similar process in case of FPGA. Like we get FPGA ic from market and using some programmer circuit (W/o any kit like Spartan) we burn bit file to it and then simply put FPGA into our circuit ??????

May be I am wrong, but I never saw a small circuit of FPGA instead always seen people working on spartan kit.

Thanx In Advance

 

[ads-ee]

As you don't specify which Spartan device (there is more than one family).

Spartan 3 Configuration Guide
Spartan 6 Configuration Guide

These documents tell you what you need to know about configuring Spartan 3 & 6 parts. I'm not going to bother adding links for Spartan, and Spartan 2 guides. You'll have to look those up for yourself if you need either of them.

 

[prakhars]

Means it is possible to get our FPGA programmed on a programmer and then Plug it into a PCB designed for it.

Actually I am talking in a general sense, and not confined to a particular FPGA.

So as we have PRogrammer circuit for 8051 and AVR microcontrollers, can we have similar one for FPGAs???

 

[ads-ee]

Only Microsemi(Actel) with their flash based and anti-fuse devices (there are a few SRAM based FPGAs that have built in configuration flash), that are designed from the ground up as instant on pre-programmable (prior to installing on a PCB) devices.

In general the rest of the FPGA vendors don't have devices that you can pre-program off board, as their configuration is SRAM based and requires a continuous source of power or the configuration is lost.

 

[FvM]

Means it is possible to get our FPGA programmed on a programmer and then Plug it into a PCB designed for it.

Means you didn't read the linked documents or basic datasheets thoroughly. They clarify that the configuration bitstream is read from an external memory device or send from a microscessor during power-up. The majority of FPGAs has no built-in configuration memory, with the exception of a few devices like Altera MAX II - MAX 10 series, Xilinx Spartan-3AN, Actel flash based FPGAs,

 

[prakhars]

I just want to make Hardware that doesn't include Development board.