System Software Extensions

[This is preliminary documentation and subject to change.]

The operating-system software that forms part of Broadcast Architecture is intentionally based on industry standards, as described in Sticking to Standard Technologies. These standards guarantee developers, manufacturers, and viewers a stable, well-supported platform that will gracefully evolve to support new technologies as they appear.

In some areas, extensions to these standard technologies have been required. These extensions include:

Microsoft also provides other types of system software extensions, such as a transport layer specifically designed for broadcast needs. Because such components all function as part of the Microsoft® Windows® 98 operating system, third-party programmers can easily write programs that take advantage of them.

Microsoft makes interfaces that support operating-system extensions available through the Microsoft® Platform Software Development Kit (SDK) and the Device-Driver Kit (DDK) for Windows 98. The Broadcast Architecture Programmer's Reference and the Broadcast Architecture DDK documentation cover these interfaces.