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DirectShow
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<p>DirectShow (sometimes abbreviated as DS or DShow), codename Quartz, is a <a href="/facts/Multimedia_framework/wHBUDlkL">multimedia framework</a> and <a href="/facts/Application_programming_interface/GMlN4vUr">API</a> produced by <a href="/facts/Microsoft/nGIDDXdx">Microsoft</a> for <a href="/facts/Software_developer/WGTS1Jv9">software developers</a> to perform various operations with media files or streams. It is the replacement for Microsoft's earlier <a href="/facts/Video_for_Windows/SN0D0W3C">Video for Windows</a> technology. Based on the <a href="/facts/Microsoft_Windows/bwhAhuSL">Microsoft Windows</a> <a href="/facts/Component_Object_Model/2DtIAufW">Component Object Model</a> (COM) framework, DirectShow provides a common interface for media across various <a href="/facts/Programming_language/cWTYbgWa">programming languages</a>, and is an extensible, <a href="/facts/Filter_(software)/PKwFrEfI">filter</a>-based framework that can render or record media files on demand at the request of the user or developer. The DirectShow development tools and documentation were originally distributed as part of the <a href="/facts/DirectX/jyy75wVN">DirectX</a> <a href="/facts/Software_development_kit/2Hkk6Hbs">SDK</a>. Currently, they are distributed as part of the <a href="/facts/Windows_SDK/8otR4u2w">Windows SDK</a> (formerly known as the Platform SDK). </p><p>Microsoft plans to completely replace DirectShow gradually with <a href="/facts/Media_Foundation/KNcV7zX0">Media Foundation</a> in future Windows versions. One reason cited by Microsoft is to provide "much more robust support for content protection systems" (see <a href="/facts/Digital_rights_management/4AF8JmDt">digital rights management</a>). Microsoft's Becky Weiss confirmed in 2006 that "you'll notice that working with the Media Foundation requires you to work at a slightly lower level than working with DirectShow would have. And there are still DirectShow features that aren't (yet) in Media Foundation". As described in the Media Foundation article, <a href="/facts/Windows_Vista/IASEUCTB">Windows Vista</a> and <a href="/facts/Windows_7/tldLdbnX">Windows 7</a> applications use Media Foundation instead of DirectShow for several media related tasks. </p>