Directx 9L for today's GPUs

[Zapata]

In respect of the Directx 9L standard, is there a good article on it somwehere on the web as I am wondering does it have many advanced features superior to Directx 9C and particularly if it does, will present generation Directx 9 Graphic Cards be able to [ 1 ] run it, and [ 2 ] give better graphics with Directx 9L?

Best and Warm Regards
Adrian Wainer

 

[Geo]

My understanding is there is very little difference. The main difference just being that it will run under Vista. At one time I seem to even recall it was asserted there was *no* functional difference. . . tho I'm thinking that was later modified to be "not much" difference.

 

[Arnold Beckenbauer]

My understanding is there is very little difference. The main difference just being that it will run under Vista. At one time I seem to even recall it was asserted there was *no* functional difference. . . tho I'm thinking that was later modified to be "not much" difference.

+ D3D9.Ex requires the new WDDM (D3D9.0c doesn't).
Isn't D3D9.Ex the easiest way to make a game (eg Halo 2 oder Alan Wake) Vista only?
Is DXVA 2.0 a part of D3D9.Ex?
Zapata: What about this article? Longhorn: Microsoft improves graphics by 55%
It's a little bit old, but there are some facts about D3D9.Ex.

 

[Zapata]

My appreciated Arnold for that weblink

http://people.sinclair.edu/thomasmartin/knights/
Hals und Beinbruch
Adrian Wainer

 

[JHoxley]

The "L" part of the name you're using refers to Longhorn - obviously this is no longer up-to-date .

DirectX for Windows Vista, aka D3D9Ex (from the interface names) is the more accurate these days.

There are quite a few differences but they're mostly in the underlying behaviour rather than outright new features to make your jaws drop...

WDDM obviously introduces cross-process and cross-device resource sharing, something that sort of exists in D3D9c as the "pSharedHandle" parameters in various functions that must be set to NULL. D3D9Ex allows for this parameter to be used and to take advantage of the new WDDM memory manager..

D3D9Ex should be easier to develop for as it also removes the much loved "lost device" scenario which is no longer required due to WDDM...

Check out the linked webpage for the gory details if you're interested. In summary, current generation hardware using a WDDM driver should be compatible with D3D9Ex applications - it doesn't require new hardware in the same way that D3D10 does. It is of course tied to Windows Vista and you won't see it on Windows XP.

hth
Jack