| Microsoft DirectX 8.1 (C++) |
Microsoft DirectX Media Objects (DMOs) are a new way to write data-streaming components. In some respects, DMOs are similar to Microsoft DirectShow filters. Like a DirectShow filter, a DMO takes input data and uses it to produce output data. However, the application programming interfaces (APIs) for DMOs are much simpler than the corresponding APIs for DirectShow. As a result, DMOs are easier to create, easier to test, and easier to use.
DMOs are compatible with DirectShow, but applications can use DMOs without using DirectShow. Within a DirectShow application, DMOs are wrapped by a DirectShow filter called the DMO Wrapper filter. The distinction between filters and DMOs is transparent to the application, which does not need to use the DMO APIs. On the other hand, applications not based on DirectShow can use DMOs directly. Thus, by writing a DMO, you create a component that can be used in a wide range of applications. This article contains the following sections: