Because DirectX accesses a computer's hardware through software drivers, hardware developers can create special DirectX drivers that ensure that you get the most out of advances in hardware technology-now and in the future. All rights reserved. Terms of Use. At the heart of the DirectShow services is a modular system of pluggable components called filters, arranged in a configuration called a filter graph. A component called the filter graph manager oversees the connection of these filters and controls the stream's data flow.
Applications control the filter graph's activities by communicating with the filter graph manager.
You can do this indirectly by using the ActiveMovie Control, or directly by calling COM interface methods. The SDK also enables you to create your own filters using the DirectShow class library. The DirectShow SDK is based on several other Microsoft services and supports at least one other Microsoft service. The amount you must know about an underlying or supported technology depends on what you are doing. But you don't need to understand COM programming to use the ActiveMovie Control.