D-2, D-4, D-1@Professional digital video tape recorders. These video formats also include PCM digital audio tracks. The D-1 records video by separate color components, while the D-2 digitally records composite video.@D-Verb@Digidesign Product. A software plug-in for TDM-equipped Pro Tools systems. Provides high-quality , 24-bit reverberation processing. Each of the seven preset types of reverb "processors" utilizes one DSP chip on a DSP Farm card (Hall, Church, Room 1, Room 2, Ambience, Non-Linear).@D/A Converter@Same as DAC (Digital to Analog Converter). See definition.@DA-88, DA-38@An 8-channel modular digital multitrack (MDM) recorder manufactured by Tascam. It records audio at a sampling rate of 48 or 44.1 KHz, 16-bit resolution, using a 8 millimeter "Hi-8" video tape as the storage medium. It incorporates a proprietary TDIF interface for multi-track digital audio transfers between machines. Tascam calls their system DTRS (Digital Tape Recording System). Sony Corporation manufactures another DTRS-compatible unit, the PCM-800, which incorporates additional features such as balanced XLR inputs/outputs and SMPTE timecode, into the base unit. (Tascam's DA-88 offers an optional SY-88 card for SMPTE synchronization.) The DA-38 is a less full-featured version compatible with the same tape format.@DAC, Digital-to-Analog Converter@A device that converts a stream of digital information representing audio data into an analog signal, comprised of voltages varying over time. DACs form part of the output stage of all digital recorders, samplers, etc. See also Anti-Imaging Filter, ADC.@DAE@Digidesign Audio Engine. A Digidesign operating system extension for realtime digital audio processing on the Macintosh. The DAE is an application, automatically opened in the "background" when the user starts the Pro Tools program. The DAE mediates access between audio programs and hardware, in much the same way as the Macintosh operating system mediates between programs, or the Apple MIDI Manager facilitates access to the serial ports for MIDI.@DAE PowerMix@Digidesign term. PowerMix is an operating system Extension introduced by Digidesign in 1995, which, operates in conjunction with the DAE Extension (Digidesign Audio Engine, see definition) and the Pro Tools program. DAE PowerMix enables the Pro Tools program to utilize the internal audio capabilities of PowerMac computers, without the need for additional audio hardware (2 channels of recording, and up to 16-voice playback with 100Mhz or greater clock speeds, 2-band EQ per track).@Daisy Chain@Describes a way of connecting hardware devices, from one to another in a linear series, (for example, connecting the Output of each component to the Input of the next). Especially used to describe how hard disks, CD-ROMs, removable disks, and tape subsystems, etc. can be connected together with SCSI cables extending from a SCSI port on a computer or sampler. Also describes how MIDI devices might be connected from a master controller or MIDI interface, MIDI OUT-IN-THRU-IN-THRU, etc.@Damping@Reduction of the effective transmission, and hence the amplitude, of a wave due to inertia. In the context of sound waves, damping especially refers to the attenuation of high frequencies in a reverberant space, as higher frequencies require more energy for transmission through the air. Digital reverbs feature an adjustable Damping parameter to simulate this effect. See also Damping Factor, a characteristic of power amplifiers, which refers to the amp's ability to overcome the natural inertia of attached loudspeakers; especially important at low frequencies.@Damping Factor@Indicates an amplifier's ability to effectively control the excursion of a loudspeaker's voice coil, in particular for low frequencies. It is the ratio of the load impedance (the loudspeaker) to the amplifier's output impedance. A Damping Factor specification by itself is meaningless unless referenced to a given frequency (the resistance of a circuit varies as a function of frequency). Since the major characteristic influenced by Damping Factor is efficient bass response, this reference frequency should be relatively low, 400 Hz being common. See Impedance.@Dark@Subjective term for a relatively smaller proportion of high frequency components in a sound; the opposite of Bright (see definition). A Reverberation effect which reflects a lesser proportion of high frequency input signal, or a room which absorbs more high frequencies, would be considered darker.@DARS@Digital Audio Reference Signal. A standard supported by AES; a digital audio clock reference with no audio ("digital black"). Its use is similar to that of House Sync (Black Burst) in video applications, as it supplies a common hardware timing reference for various digital audio devices. The internal Sample Clocks of all devices in a facility are synchronized to this common, external reference. See Sample Clock, House Sync.@DASH@Digital Audio Stationary Head. A high-end, professional multitrack digital audio tape recording format developed by Sony. Some other manufacturers, including Studer and Tascam, manufacture compatible machines. Various models use 1/4" or 1/2" reel-to-reel tape of a specialized type, for 2, 4, 8, 16, 24, or 48 tracks of digital audio at 48KHz or 44.1 KHz Sampling Rate, with 16-bit or 20-bit Resolution.@DAT I/O@Hardware peripheral for the original Sound Tools (I) system, a half-rack unit which provides AES/EBU and S/PDIF digital connections for DATs, etc. Discontinued since the introduction of Sound Tools II, which incorporates analog and digital I/O into a single rackmounted interface.@DAT, R-DAT@Digital Audio Tape. An industry-standard format introduced in 1987 for digital recording on magnetic tape. The DAT tape is a small, specialized cassette with 1/8" (3.81mm) tape, which for digital audio provides 16-bit, linear, PCM digital recording at a Sample Rate of 32, 44.1 or 48 KHz; includes subcoding for track IDs. DATs use a mechanism with helical-scan rotary heads (similar to a video recorder), so the format was originally known as R-DAT, this term is now seldom used. "DDS" DAT mechanisms and tapes are also used for data recording, particularly for SCSI backup drives on personal computers. See also PCM, DDS.@DATa@Digidesign software product, which permits using a digital connection to an ordinary audio DAT (S/PDIF or AES/EBU) for backup of individual audio files in AIFF or Sound Designer format, mono or stereo - without having to purchase a dedicated backup subsystem. Entire folders of audio files can also be backed up in a single session as a Batch. Sent free to registered users by Digidesign.@Data@A representation of facts, concepts or instructions in a formalized, quantitative manner, suitable for communication, interpretation or processing. Digital data is data of any kind which has been codified as a series of binary numerical values, communicated and/or stored by means of electronic signals. (In other words, a natural phenomenon such as a sound wave does NOT become data simply through the process of being transduced into an electronic signal by a microphone. However, when an analog-to-digital converter generates a series of binary numbers representing periodic measurements made of this incoming voltage, the result of the process is an entirely different electronic signal, modulated in a prescribed way to convey digital data describing this series of numerical values.) See Digital, ADC, Transducer.@Data Tub@A software object on the Cool School Interactus CD-ROM series, by Cool Breeze Systems. When you are viewing text within the Cool School modules, or the Glossary, clicking on the Data Tub places the current text into the tub, from which it can be printed later. Keep in mind that when you Quit Cool School Interactive, the plug is pulled out of the Data Tub; you will be asked if you wish to print its contents before leaving.@Daughterboard@Computing term. A smaller printed circuit board which gets mounted onto a larger card. Daughterboards may be installed onto the computer's motherboard, or "piggybacked" onto another card which is installed in an expansion slot.@DAV@Apple Macintosh term. An expansion slot incorporated into AV Macintosh models, and also the PowerMac 7500 and 8500, which provides direct access to the DSP hardware; some audio-video cards designed for this slot can improve performance in general, for handling of audio and video files by certain Macintosh programs, for instance in the QuickTime environment. Hardware-based video compresion and decompression boards can also be installed in the DAV slot.@DAW, Digital Audio Workstation@A computer-based system for recording, editing, and manipulating digital audio. A DAW may either be based on a personal computer with appropriate hardware and software, or a dedicated hardware unit with a proprietary operating system.@dB, Decibel@Standard unit of measure used to logarithmically express relative differences in power levels, or the relative loudness (sound pressure level, SPL) of sounds. In electronics, a decibel describes a proportional difference in power level, it is equal to 10 times the common decimal logarithm of the ratio between two signal powers. One decibel is equal to one-tenth (1/10) of a Bel (unit of measure created in 1928 by researchers at Bell Labs, it was named for Alexander Graham Bell). Development of a logarithmic range of values was necessary, due to the great range between the softest audible sound, and the loudest sound level tolerated by human hearing, a difference in sound pressure level of approximately five million to one. To the listener, a difference of 6 dB sounds twice as loud. If the actual power or voltage level of one signal is twice that of another, the difference expressed in decibels is only 3 dB. It must be TEN times greater to achieve a power difference of 20 dB. (NOW you know why a 100-watt power amplifier isn't twice as loud as a 50-watt amp!)@DB-25@A 25-pin, "D" shaped connector common on personal computers. This is the type of connector used for the SCSI port on most Macintosh computers (except PowerBooks, which use the 30-pin HDI-30 connector). The Tascam DA-88 and Fostex RD-8 modular digital multitracks (MDMs) also use this type of connector for attaching audio snake cables that break out into balanced lines at +4dBm. Also known as a 25-pin D subminiature, or ISO 2110 connector.@dBm@Electrical term. Describes an electrical power level, referenced to 1 milliwatt, so that 0 dBm is equal to 1 milliwatt. (The "m" stands for milliwatt.) Originally the dBm unit was used to express the power dissipated in telephone applications at 600-ohm (600ý) impedances, but it does not necessarily have to be referenced to any particular impedance. The dBm unit is commonly used to specify nominal signal levels in professional audio components; for example +4dBm (1.228V at 600ý) registers as 0 dB on the level meters of these devices. See Decibel.@dBu@A means of describing voltage. 0 dBu = 0.775 volts, at any impedance. One milliwatt (mW) of power is dissipated if 0.775 volts is applied to a 600-ohm load. Therefore, at a load impedance of 600 ohms, 0 dBu = 0 dBm. The most commonly used voltage measurement unit in the audio industry. (The "u" stands for "unloaded". Formerly, this unit was sometimes referred to as dBv, a term which is no longer used, to avoid potential confusion with dBV.) See Decibel.@dBV@A means of describing voltage. 0 dBV equals 1 volt RMS, at any impedance (the "V" stands for "Volt"). Commonly used in specifications for consumer equipment, where -10 dBV high-impedance, unbalanced inputs/outputs are common. A nominal level of -10dBV is equivalent to 0.316 volts. See Decibel, dBm.@dBv@Synonymous with dBu. This term is rarely used, due to potential confusion with dBV. See dBu, dBV.@dbx Noise Reduction@A two-ended, companding noise reduction developed by dbx Corp. ("Two-ended" means that for proper audio reproduction of the input signal, the processor must be active both during recording, "encoding", and playback, "decoding".) In dbx, the whole audio spectrum is companded at a 2:1:2 ratio; a high-frequency emphasis is also applied during recording and removed during playback. dbx has frequently been used by manufacturers to reduce the audibility of tape hiss on multitrack analog recorders, achieving reduction of the noise floor by up to 30dB. Type I is commonly used on full-frequency bandwidth devices such as open reel analog tape recorders, while Type II is incorporated into some cassette decks and other audio devices with more restricted frequency ranges. See also Compander, Dolby Noise Reduction.@DC Offset@A signal level error during the process of audio recording, usually caused by improper grounding of the input components. The registration of all signal levels is displaced in the positive direction, as the result of an undesired DC voltage entering the input stage of the recorder. DC Offset causes two principal inconveniences: First, monitoring levels are unreliable, as all positive excursions of the waveform from the actual zero point are increased by the corresponding DC offset amount. Also, DC Offset makes it impossible for the recording process to take advantage of the full dynamic range of the system. For DAWs in particular, visual editing of waveforms with a DC offset is made more difficult, as the actual zero crossings (center point of the original waveform) appear above the zero line onscreen. High-end digital systems such as the Digidesign's 888 I/O incorporate servomechanisms, devices which automatically eliminate any DC offset at the analog inputs.@DCA, Digitally Controlled Amplifier@An amplifier circuit whose output gain can be continuously varied, in response to a digital control signal. Used to generate amplitude envelopes in many modern synthesizers. The modern equivalent to the "VCA" used in early, voltage-controlled "analog" synthesizers.@DCC@Digital Compact Cassette, a digital audio tape recording format developed by Philips. Uses PASC (Precision Adaptive Subband Coding) data compression to permit recording 16-bit compressed digital audio on 1/8-inch-wide magnetic tape at 1-7/8 inches per second. One of the advantages of DCC players/recorders is their ability to also play back standard analog cassettes.@DCO, Digitally Controlled Oscillator@An oscillator circuit whose frequency can be varied by a digital signal. Many modern digital synthesizers use this sound generating component, whose analog synthesis predecessor was the VCO.@DDL@Digital Delay Line. A digital audio processor for Delay effects, see definition.@DDP Tape@An 8mm Exabyte or DAT tape to which data representing Red Book audio CD information (digital audio and subcoding information) has been written, according to formatting conventions described in the Disk Description Protocol, an ANSI standard primarily authored by Doug Carlson. DDP tapes can be submitted as the duplication master at some CD manufacturing facilities. Tapes are very high-capacity, copyable, and reusable for subsequent jobs, thereby offering some economic advantages over CD-R masters, etc. 8mm Exabyte tapes permit cutting glass masters at 2.6x real time. See also Glass Master, Red Book, Compact Disc, PQ Code.@DDS-1, DDS-DC, DDS-2@Digital Data Storage. One of three types of SCSI-based tape storage and retrieval systems for computer data, which use DAT tapes and transports. DDS-1 is the basic type, providing 2Gb of data capacity on a 90-meter tape. DDS-DC increases data capacity to 4Gb through non-destructive, hardware-based data compression. DDS-2 further increases capacity to 8Gb, using 120-meter tapes and hardware-based data compression. DAT tapes for data storage must meet the Digital Data Standard (also DDS); they are essentially the same as DAT tapes for audio, but must be manufactured to produce less than one error per 360,000 flux transitions; this is five times more rigorous than the IEC60A standard for audio DAT tapes.@De-Esser, De-Essing@A feature of some compressors (see definition). Equalization is added to the side-chain input which triggers the compressor's detection circuitry, to achieve a type of frequency-selective compression optimized for reduction of excessive sibilance (the "S", "sh", and "ch" sounds) on vocal recordings. Peaks of signal level at these sibilant frequencies (in a frequency band typically between 6kHz and 8kHz, which is routed to the compressor's side-chain input) will cause the compressor to sharply reduce the signal's level for the brief duration of those peaks (i.e., very rapid attack and release times are used). Through the use of a de-esser, high frequencies in general can be boosted for a track, without inordinately bringing out these problematic, sibilant sounds. The Center Frequency of the peaking filter used on a de-esser's sidechain input can usually be modified by the user, in order to achieve the optimim effect on a particular band of sibilant frequencies that is causing problems in the mix.@De-Frag, Defragment@The process of Disk Optimization, where discontiguous disk allocation of individual files, or fragmented distribution of files and free space on a disk volume, is corrected in order to improve access speed and consolidate free space on the disk. See also Fragmentation, Disk Optimization.@Decay@The gradual diminishing of a sound after the original onset (attack) of the signal. Second stage in the standard ADSR envelope, the Decay value is the time it takes the envelope to go from the Attack to the Sustain level. See ADSR.@Delay@A signal processor that stores and then reproduces an input signal at a later interval; the length of which can be controlled by the user. Can be used to simulate natural echoes, or the sound of early reflections from surfaces at a distance from the sound source. Very short delay times (under about 20 milliseconds on percussion, or under 40 ms on strings and similar sounds) are generally not perceived as separate repetitions of the direct signal, but instead create a "doubling" effect. In particular, delays under 15 milliseconds can produce comb-filtering effects in the original sound, through phase cancellation. If the length of a delay in this range is continuously modulated as it is mixed with the direct signal (e.g. with an LFO), Chorus or Flange effects are created, with characteristic phasing sweeps through the harmonic spectrum of the original sound. See also Comb Filtering, Chorus, Flanging.@Desktop@Apple Macintosh term. (1) What you see on your Macintosh screen when not within a given program; the field of color with windows and icons of folders, documents and disks on it, the menu bar, and the Trash can. A general view of the entire system, or, as Apple puts it, your computing workspace. ALSO, (2) within many file dialogs (Open, Save, etc.) in Macintosh programs, there is a "Desktop" button, which allows you to jump directly to the top of the hierarchy of disks and folders, viewing all currently mounted disk volumes. AND, (3) there is an invisible "Desktop" file on each Macintosh disk, a sort of directory which stores the most recent locations and sizes of windows, icons, etc. The Desktop file can itself become fragmented, causing windows to open and close slowly. If you hold down the Command and Option keys during system startup, a dialog will permit you to REBUILD the Desktop, which reconstructs this file by copying it to a group of contiguous sectors on the hard disk.@Destructive, Non-Destructive@Destructive editing or processing alters the recording or storage medium, in such a way as to make it impossible to subsequently recover the material in its original form. For instance, editing an audio master tape by cutting it with a razor blade. Non-destructive editing or processing does not alter the original material. A non-destructive hard disk editing system such as Pro Tools or Sound Designer doesn't lose the original audio, no matter how many edited versions of the piece are assembled. Non-destructive recording permits recording many successive takes without changing tracks, as each take is being saved to disk. Optionally, in the Destructive recording mode of Pro Tools, each successive take eliminates the previous one in that track, just like a tape recorder. This option may be used at times to conserve disk space.@Detection@A user-specified parameter of dynamics processors, such as compressors, expanders and noise gates. As implemented in the Digidesign environment, the Detection method can usually be switched between Peak and Average. Peak looks at the amplitude value of individual samples and responds immediately to each peak, while Average analyzes the average energy of the signal over several milliseconds, in a manner more similar to how the human ear responds to dynamic changes.@Detent@On knobs or sliders, a detent is a point of slight physical resistance in the travel of the control (also known as a "click stop"). For instance, panning controls often feature a center detent, and volume faders on some mixers feature a detent at the point corresponding to Unity Gain.@Detune@A relatively small amount of pitch-shifting (less than a semitone), often used to add a richer texture and, when panned differently from the direct signal, added spaciousness to a sound Detune is also used by some manufacturers to refer to the fine tuning parameter on their synthesizers and samplers.@Dialog Box@Apple Macintosh term. A window which appears on the screen, prompting the user to choose between several alternatives, possibly providing other information. Examples are the File Save dialog which appears the first time a document is saved to disk, allowing the user to type in a file name, and specify a folder and disk location, or the Print Dialog where the user specifies the number of pages to be printed, etc. Dialog boxes are usually exited via "OK" or "Cancel" buttons. See also Alert Box, similar to a Dialog Box, but limited to communicating messages from the system; the only possible response to an Alert Box message is to press the "OK" button.@Differential Input@Audio term. A type of input, found in certain transformers and amplifiers, which responds to the difference between two out-of-phase signals; it completely rejects any two signals which are exactly in phase. Differential inputs are a key element in the design of "balanced" line connections. In a "balanced" line, the polarity of one of the signal carrying conductors is reversed (i.e., a 180¾ phase inversion). Since any induced hum and noise from the environment will be introduced equally into both conductors, these in-phase signals (a.k.a. "common-mode" signals) will be cancelled out by the differential input. See also Balanced Line.@DigiComm@Digidesign term. Configuration file created by the Pro Tools software if Sound Designer II was also being used on the same system. See also DigiSetup.@Digidesign Intelligent Noise Reduction, DINR@Software plug-in originally introduced for Sound Designer II users, and then updated for for TDM-equipped Pro Tools systems. DINR has two modes, Broadband Noise Reduction (hiss, etc.), and Hum Removal (AC, motor noise, etc. with specific frequencies, especially at harmonic intervals). Can reduce tape hiss or hum without compromising high frequencies or producing excessive artifacts. The user designates a short noise-only portion of audio, used to build a model of the noise profile, DINR intelligently separates that out from the desirable signal, either destructively, or in real time during playback. Useful for mastering from analog sources, reissues of older recordings, live film sound, concert recordings. Abbreviated DINR, pronounced "dinner".@DigiSetup@Digidesign term. A configuration file created by Pro Tools; updated each time the operator makes changes in Preferences and Hardware Setup menu options. Stores settings for the kind of audio interface used on the Pro Tools system, the selection of digital or analog inputs for audio channels, current sample rate, synchronization source, etc. Each time the computer system is restarted, and the DigiSystem Init is activated, parameters are read from the DigiSetup file. If a DigiSetup file is not found, the Pro Tools software will create a new one, using default settings. (When experiencing serious problems with your Digidesign hardware/software, especially after changing your hardware configuration, it may be worth a try to THROW AWAY the DigiSetup file - it will be re-created the next time you open Pro Tools.)@DigiSystem Init@An Extension installed in the Macintosh operating system to facilitate the operation of many Digidesign products. It mediates communication between the programs, the computer and specific Digidesign hardware. The DigiSystem Init can be updated independently of the other program versions being used, and it is advisable to always use the very latest version recommended for your hardware by Digidesign.@Digital@Computer technology where information is captured, represented and manipulated as a series of numbers (usually binary). Digital audio recording periodically registers the voltage level of the incoming signal and stores it numerically. This permits editing and manipulation of the sound data, in ways which would be impossible with electromechanical (analog) recording processes. The quality of a digital audio recording especially depends on Sample Rate, Bit-Depth (the number of bits per audio sample), as well as numerous other hardware design considerations. See also Data, Quantization, Quantization Error, Sampling.@Digital Black@A digital audio signal, where the amplitude of all the audio samples contained therein is zero (in other words, silence!). Can be useful as a timing reference, and is also often used in testing of digital audio equipment. Many CD duplication houses request that you include 15 to 90 seconds of Digital Black at the beginning and end of any DAT tape submitted as a master for duplication. (Helpful Hint: it's also a good idea to tell them exactly what make/model of DAT was used to record the tape, and provide a recorded 1 kHz tone at 0 dB. Strangely enough, metering levels and headroom vary from one DAT model to another.) See also DARS, Word Sync.@Digital Performer@Mark of the Unicorn product. A more sophisticated version of the popular Mac-based MIDI sequencer, Performer. Digital Performer supports recording and editing of disk-based audio tracks from within the MIDI sequencing environment. Features MOTU's own MAS plug-in architecture, and also supports ASIO hardware drivers.@DigiTest@Digidesign software product, included with Pro Tools systems. A diagnostic tool, used to confirm that Digidesign cards installed in the computer are operating properly. A Test All button is also included, which displays an "X" over any cards that don't appear to be communicating properly, and may be improperly connected or defective.@Digitize@Computing, audio term. To transform an incoming signal (audio, video, an image on a scanner, etc.) from its analog form to binary code (digital data). Related terms: Sampling, Quantization, Digital.@DIMM@Dual Inline Memory Module. A relatively recent type of 64-bit, 168-pin RAM module for computers, used on newer models of PowerMacs. (Such as the 7200, 7500, 8500 and 9500; in contrast, the previous models 6100, 7100 and 8100 used 72-pin SIMM modules.) DIMMs offer higher data capacities for their size than the more common SIMM module. See also SIMM, RAM.@DIN@Abbreviation for the Deutsche Institut fur Normung, a German standards organization which defined a set of connector configurations in the early 1960s. The standard MIDI connector is a 5-pin DIN. Pin 4 carries a +5 volt current, Pin 5 carries the MIDI data, Pin 2 is a ground. Pins 1 & 3 are not used, and therefore are not connected. The 8-pin connector used for serial connections in the Macintosh environment is known as a DIN-8.@Diode@A semiconductor device that passes current in one direction at a time only. Light-Emitting Diodes (LED) are semiconductor devices commonly used to display characters on electronic equipment.@DIP Switch@Abbreviation for Dual In-line Package. A compact switch designed for mounting on circuit boards. Groups of DIP switches are often used on computer cards and other electronic gear as a means of changing hardware interrrupt settings, IDs, etc.@Direct Box, Direct Injection Box, D.I.@A device which reduces the high-impedance signal of an electric instrument or amplifier to low-impedance microphone level, and isolates potential ground loops through either onboard transformers or an internal preamplifier. Provides ease of use and impedance-matched connection to the Mic Preamps in a studio mixing console. Direct boxes also convert unbalanced inputs to balanced lines. There are two types, Transformer (stepdown - a more economical design, but associated with a certain loss of transient response), and Active, which is transformerless, and also isolates the signal electrically. Also known as a Direct Injection (D.I.) box.@Direct Time Lock, DTLe@An early MIDI synchronization system developed by software manufacturer Mark of the Unicorn, a now-obsolete predecessor of MTC, MIDI TimeCode. See also MTC.@Director@Software product, by Macromedia. A multimedia assembly and animation environment for interactive application development on Macintosh and Windows computers. Can incorporate digitized sound, MIDI and QuickTime movies. The Cool School Interactus CD-ROM series was in part developed using Macromedia Director. Lingo, Director's programming language, controls the user's interactive navigation within applications, and also handles the playback of AIFF audio files from disk.@DirectX@For DAW users, it's most important to understand the DirectX is a plug-in format used by many audio recording/editing programs. If your program supports only DirectX (as opposed to VST, AudioSuite, TDM, etc.), it is important to confirm that the plug-ins you want are available for DirectX.
More specifically, DirectX is an application program interface (API) developed by Microsoft for the Windows 95 (and 98) operating system. Using a Driver Development Kit (DDK), programmers (and audio plug-in developers!) can create drivers that control display, I/O devices, audio, etc. DirectX forms part of an overall "object-oriented" development strategy by Microsoft; the intention being to facilitate access to routines or drivers in the operating system itself. Some peripherals with DirectX drivers (for example, a graphics card, or an audio card with onboard DSP) can assume the processing for certain functions, which frees the main CPU for other tasks.
DirectX consists of five components: DirectDraw (image functions in general), Direct3D, DirectSound, DirectPlay, and DirectInput (communication with I/O devices).@
