Description of DirectX Support on MMX Processors

• Microsoft Windows 95
• Microsoft Windows 98
• Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 4.0, 4.01 for Windows 95

SUMMARY

This article describes how DirectX components use the Multimedia Extension (MMX) features of Intel-compatible processors.

MORE INFORMATION

DirectX components are used by multimedia programs. Many hardware drivers are written to take advantage of DirectX. DirectX uses MMX capabilities, if available, when a multimedia program requires a DirectX capability that the hardware cannot support. For example, if a display adapter cannot support 3D hardware acceleration and a multimedia program requires enhanced 3D (Direct3D) capability, MMX provides that capability instead.

DirectX is a suite of components that accelerate multimedia program features. DirectX includes the following components:

• DirectDraw provides direct access to video memory and low-level display capabilities to enhance 2D performance.



• Direct3D provides direct access to 3D capabilities on display adapters that support this feature.



• DirectSound provides direct access to low-level audio capabilities for sound cards.



• DirectPlay provides direct access to network connections for multiplayer games and network-based multimedia programs.



• DirectInput provides direct access to peripheral devices, such as joysticks, game pads, mice, and keyboards.



• DirectShow provides enhanced performance for multimedia files, such as ActiveMovie files, using DirectDraw and DirectSound.



• DirectAnimation provides enhanced performance for Dynamic Hypertext Markup Language (DHTML) scripts using DirectShow and other low-level DirectX components.

Additional query words: 4.00

Keywords          : win95 msiew95 win98 
Version           : WINDOWS:4.0,4.01,95
Platform          : WINDOWS 
Issue type        : kbinfo 

Last Reviewed: April 14, 1999