DirectX 6.1 Released

Microsoft Corp. today announced shipment of version 6.1 of the Microsoft^® DirectX^® Software Development Kit (SDK), including the first public release of the widely heralded Microsoft DirectMusic™ API as well as native support for the Intel Pentium III processor family.

A mature and comprehensive set of system services in the Windows^® operating system, DirectX unlocks the power of Windows-equipped multimedia PCs by providing software developers with transparent access to a wide range of peripherals, including graphics cards, audio adapters and input devices. DirectX was introduced in 1995 and is now a recognized standard for multimedia application development.

"With DirectX 6.1, we continue in our commitment to deliver industry-leading technologies to Windows-based application developers and end users," said Kevin Bachus, product manager of DirectX at Microsoft. "The newest member of the DirectX family, DirectMusic, will radically change the way consumers and developers perceive music on the personal computer."

DirectMusic Transforms the Way Music Is Produced and Performed

DirectMusic, which was first provided to a select group of software developers last February, addresses the historical limitations of MIDI-based music playback on Windows by delivering superior timing services, support for the MIDI Manufacturers Association's Downloadable Sounds (DLS) standard for wavetable synthesis, and an integrated software synthesizer, which guarantees users consistent and high-quality playback on virtually any hardware configuration. DirectMusic also includes a DLS version of the industry-standard SoundCanvas General MIDI sound set, licensed from Roland Corp., enabling composers to become immediately productive with the technology and reverberation technology licensed from Waves Ltd., which delivers richer, more complex sound quality.

By lifting the traditional restrictions of MIDI playback on personal computers, DirectMusic paves the way for composers and developers to fully exploit the capabilities of MIDI. DirectMusic includes an innovative suite of high-level tools and technologies that enable composers to create music scores that respond to user actions. Using the supplied DirectMusic Producer composition tool, composers can create highly customized and interactive music palettes, directing how the music should change when played by a software application. For example, the intensity of a piece of music in a DirectMusic-equipped game might increase if the player is doing well, or might seamlessly integrate a character's "theme" into the score when the character appears on-screen.

"DirectMusic has the makings of the next generation of music composition and playback for the Windows-based PC. The possibilities are limitless," said Alexander Brandon, composer of soundtracks for many leading computer games, including 'Unreal,' 'Dark Vengeance' and 'Jazz Jackrabbit 2.' "Novice and hobbyist musicians have been waiting for this for a long time, and the advanced features give professionals a completely new playground for their musical ideas."

"DirectMusic and DLS are a wake-up call to the PC music industry: MIDI is back!" said Tom White, president of the MIDI Manufacturers Association. "DirectMusic makes PC-based music more interactive than ever. Thanks to its support for DLS, composers can finally create compelling, interactive soundtracks that play on millions of PC sound cards with complete accuracy. DirectMusic is probably the most significant step in the evolution of PC-based music tools since the introduction of MIDI."

DirectX Delivers Pentium III Performance Advantages Without Additional Coding

DirectX 6.1 also delivers integrated support in the Direct3D^® API for Intel's Pentium III processor. When Direct3D detects the presence of a Pentium III processor, it can transparently use the processor's specialized instructions for executing complex 3-D geometry functions. Such support provides developers with an automatic way to push the limits of their hardware, without having to do any additional coding, to create previously unattainable levels of graphical realism in real time on a personal computer.

"Intel is pleased to see this new DirectX 6.1 release with support for the upcoming Pentium III processor," said Jon Khazam, director of graphics marketing, Intel Corp. "Software developers now have a convenient way of accessing the powerful 3-D performance of all Intel processors. We have worked closely with Microsoft in the design and implementation of this latest release so that it takes advantage of the enhanced 3-D graphics capabilities of the Pentium III processor."

Availability

The DirectX 6.1 SDK is available for download for a limited time at http://www.microsoft.com/directx/download.asp and can be ordered on the Web at http://www.microsoft.com/directx/sdkcdorder.asp. The DirectX 6.1 SDK will also be made available as part of the Microsoft Platform SDK in an upcoming release of the Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN™) developer program. Consumers can upgrade to the latest version of DirectX by using the Windows Update feature in Windows 98 or by downloading a copy at http://www.microsoft.com/directx/download.asp.