Virtex FPGA series configuration and readback

This application note is offered as complementary text to the configuration section of the Virtex Data Sheet. It is strongly recommended that the Virtex Data Sheets be reviewed prior to reading this note. Virtex FPGAs offer a broader range of configuration and readback capabilities than previous generations of Xilinx FPGAs. This note first provides a comparison of how Virtex configuration is different from previous Xilinx FPGAs, followed by a complete description of the configuration process and flow. Each of the configuration modes are outlined and discussed in detail, concluding with a complete description of data stream formats, and readback functions and operations.