What Is Directx 10.1

[delivi 0]

DirectX 10.1 is a revision of the DirectX 10 (DX10) graphics specification, due out soon with the Vista Service Pack 1. Only the Windows Vista systems with Service Pack 1 can use DirectX 10.1 and those without SP1 will use DirectX10.DirectX 10.1 adds specifications that were optional in DirectX 10, like 32-bit FP filtering.The next generation games based on DirectX10.1 will provide a new level of graphics quality. Currently, ATi has released graphics cards based on DirectX 10.1, but the games to utilize the features are yet to be built.Currently, the DirectX 10.1 is under Beta Testing along with Vista Service Pack 1 and it would be available in the early quarter of 2008. There are rumors that Microsoft is trying to make DirectX 10.1 compatible with XP.Gaming enthusiasts and freaks who've spent hundreds of dollars buying the top of the line graphics cards need not worry as the DirectX 10.1 games will function on DirectX 10 cards, but will not look as good as on a DirectX 10.1 card. None of the 8800s and 8600s that gamers have bought so far will DirectX 10.1 based games the way they should be run.Let?s wait and see until it is finally out!

[zamaliphe 0]

i dont know rely if nvidia will make it posible to upgrade only the driver to make it work with itas fare as i know i used to upgrade only the driver to get the lastest opengl suporthop that thay will do the same to dirctx 10 also i cant bay for new card

[rayzoredge 2]

Gaming enthusiasts and freaks who've spent hundreds of dollars buying the top of the line graphics cards need not worry as the DirectX 10.1 games will function on DirectX 10 cards, but will not look as good as on a DirectX 10.1 card. None of the 8800s and 8600s that gamers have bought so far will DirectX 10.1 based games the way they should be run.

That's crap if people will actually have to purchase new cards that support the full potential of Dx10.1. Personally, I'd be pissed myself if I bought an NVIDIA 8800GT (over $300), or even two of them like our SLI-enthusiasts, only to find out later that the next release of DirectX won't mean any changes BECAUSE of my hardware.

I don't see why they can't just do what they've been doing like with Dx7, Dx8, and Dx9, which were all supported without the need to purchase new hardware to exploit the upgrades.

[imbibe 0]

The answer lies in the Architectural changes to the Windows Vista OS.

[NelsonTR4N 0]

maybe DirectX 10.1 is an advanced version of DirectX 10 and Microsoft just wants to make more money off gamers.

[wwilliams 0]

That's crap if people will actually have to purchase new cards that support the full potential of Dx10.1. Personally, I'd be pissed myself if I bought an NVIDIA 8800GT (over $300), or even two of them like our SLI-enthusiasts, only to find out later that the next release of DirectX won't mean any changes BECAUSE of my hardware.
I don't see why they can't just do what they've been doing like with Dx7, Dx8, and Dx9, which were all supported without the need to purchase new hardware to exploit the upgrades.

i really dont thing you will need to buy a new card to take advantage of 10.1 if the card supports 10... it is the same version of directx just more like an update to it... now when 11 comes out might be a different story
Edited October 15, 2008 by wwilliams (see edit history)

[Forbez 0]

Honestly didn't know about DirectX 10.1 till I read this. Thanks for the heads up, I'm still using the primitive DirectX 9.x which is slightly disappointing for me as I have a 8800GT graphics card but I using XP operating system, so I can't upgrade to DirectX 10.x.Great addition to the "What is..." forum.

[daftpunk 0]

Direct3D 10.1 was announced by Microsoft shortly after the release of Direct3D 10. It's a minor update to the Direct3D 10 interface, adding features that had to be left out of the initial specification. The Direct3D 10.1 API is now included with the Windows Vista SP1, which is available since mid-March 2008.Direct3D 10.1 sets a few more image quality standards for graphics vendors, and gives developers more control over image quality. Features include bigger control over antialiasing (both multisampling and supersampling with per sample shading and application control over sample position) and more flexibilities to some of the existing features (cubemap arrays and independent blending modes). Direct3D 10.1 level hardware must support the following features: * Mandatory 32-bit floating point filtering. * Mandatory support for 4x anti-aliasing * Shader model 4.1Direct3D 10.1 runtime can run on Direct3D 10.0 hardware, unlike Direct3D 10 which strictly required Direct3D 10-class hardware and driver interfaces, but new features will be supported exclusively by new hardware.Though this was made mandatory only with Direct3D 10.1, all Direct3D 10 parts out there support at least 4x multisampling and 32-bit floating point filtering, so this is not a new feature per se, just a change in wording of the specification.The specification was finalized with the release of November 2007 DirectX SDK. Direct3D 10.1 will be backwards compatible with Direct3D 10.0 hardware, but the new features will not be available until 10.1 compliant hardware is released. The only available Direct3D 10.1 hardware as of June 2008 are the Radeon HD 3000 series and Radeon HD 4000 series from ATI and the upcoming Chrome 430/440GT GPUs from S3 Graphics. NVIDIA has not yet announced a hardware to fully support Direct3D 10.1, but has stated that they will support Direct3D 10.1 features that developers request on their existing hardware through extensions.

Edited October 16, 2008 by daftpunk (see edit history)