| Microsoft DirectX 8.1 (C++) |
Microsoft has specified the format for storage of digital video (DV) data in AVI files. Conforming to this specification will ensure that the AVI files authored in this format will be compatible with future versions of the Microsoft® DirectShow® digital video architecture for the Microsoft® Windows® platform.
This article provides background information to understand the format of Audio-Video Interleaved (AVI) files containing DV audio and video data, or information for programmers who use DV-AVI files on other platforms. Applications that read or write AVI files should use the Async File Source filter with the AVI Splitter filter and the AVI Mux filter with the File Writer filter and their associated interfaces provided in the DirectShow architecture, rather than developing the routines to perform these services. These filters simplify the programming requirements for accessing these files.
This article also describes the format of AVI files containing DV data. Specific FOURCCs (four-character codes) for interleaved DV data streams and DV compressor/decompressor stream handlers are defined. The stream format structure for DV data is defined. Specifications for two methods of storing DV data in the AVI file format are specified.
It is assumed that the reader is familiar with the DV data format. (This format is defined in the Specification of Consumer-use Digital VCRs, also called the Blue Book).
This article contains the following sections.
For more information about resource interchange file format (RIFF) files, see the Windows Software Development Kit (SDK) Multimedia Programmer's Guide and Multimedia Programmer's Reference.
For more information about AVI files, see Chapter 6 of the Microsoft Video for Windows Development Kit version 1.1 Programmer's Guide and version 1.02 of the OpenDML AVI File Format Extensions published by the OpenDML AVI M-JPEG File Format Subcommittee, February 28, 1996.
For more information on compressors and decompressors, see the Video Compression and Decompression Drivers section of the Windows DDK Documentation in the MSDN Library.