Introduction to DirectShow


Microsoft® DirectShow is an extensible media architecture that delivers high-quality audio and video playback from the Internet or an intranet. DirectShow supports the most popular media types, including MPEG audio and video, AVI video, WAV audio, MIDI audio, and Apple® QuickTime® video. You can access the DirectShow-supported media types quickly and easily by using the ActiveMovie Control.

The DirectShow architecture defines how applications can control and process time-stamped multimedia data using modular components called filters connected in a configuration called a filter graph. A complete filter graph consists of a number of filters, assembled in a logical progression from the data source to the media renderer or renderers.

Applications assemble the filter graph and control how data moves through it by accessing the filter graph manager through programming interfaces, as shown in the following illustration.

Diagram of how information moves between DirectShow and an application

For example, the Microsoft MPEG filter graph uses the following filters.

Default filter graphs are configured for you when you install the DirectShow software on your computer. You can also install additional filters and create your own filter graphs. For more information about creating and managing filter graphs, see Filter Graph Manager and Filter Graphs in the DirectShow SDK documentation.

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