DirectShow support in future Windows versions

Question

Hi,<o:p></o:p>

I was browsing through the MSDN information and I’ve read that Media Foundation is the successor for DirectShow. <o:p></o:p>

My question is: How long is DirectShow still supported?

I know that all current Windows versions support it, but are there plans to completely switch to MF?<o:p></o:p>

Thanks for the help and best regards,<o:p></o:p>

Alin<o:p></o:p>

Answer 1

Microsoft hasn't killed its predecessor yet. VFW was considered dead in the last century. I still see people using VFW in new projects from time to time.

---

---

Visual C++ MVP

Answer 2

Dear Mr. Sheng Jiang,<o:p></o:p>

Thank you for your answer. I am still a little bit confused.<o:p></o:p>

I wounder what has the VFW format to do with DirectShow? Is it not supported in MF? And my initial question: are the plans to switch completely to MF and not use DS at all for audio and video playback?<o:p></o:p>

 

Thank you. Best Regards.<o:p></o:p>

Alin<o:p></o:p>

Answer 3

VFW is a technology invented for windows 3.x that was succeeded by Active Movie, later renamed to DirectShow. Driver support for VFW was replaced by WDM around 2000. Microsoft called it "ancient" in 2002, and part ways with it in Office 2003. However Windows still support VFW today via a VfW-to-WDM Mapper, except on the ARM edition. 

The Windows team is pretty cryptic on future plans. But Microsoft won't do business suicide. I don't see DShow being abandoned by webcam driver producers (Microsoft is trying to push USB Video Class  and Windows 8 RT could accelerate a shift, however) and codec developers, a forced move to MF is unrealistic at this point. 

---

---

Visual C++ MVP