VST, VSTi, DX AND DXi plugins

[juicyray]

Hi ive been using these pluggins and i dont seem to know the difference between VST, VSTi, DX AND DXi plugins, just for my curiosities sake can, someone please explain the differences?

ive tried to goggle it, and cant find good definitions and i also tried reading tutorials and i cant seem to find a good definition.

thanks guys

[Splunkle]

The only difference between DX and VST is the way they talk to the host program. For example, Sytrus is a Fruity native plugin, but if you don't have fruity you can use it in another host as either a DXi or a VSTi.

A VST is an effect, whereas a VSTi is an instrument. Same deal for DX, I think.

You should also note that a VSTi will often simply be called a VST. You use Fruity, which uses VST, VSTi, DX, DXi, Rewire, and probably a whole load of other things as well so don't worry about it too much.

[OverCoat]

DX uses DirectX, and VST was developed by Steinberg with... something else. Don't really know.

[klm09]

VST's are programmed using the Steinberg VST API (application programming interface). Basically, it's like a set of rules that define how certain parts of a VST have to be programmed for it to be compatible with the VST standard, and therefore with VST hosts. But the plug ins themselves are programmed in a programming language, such as C++; the VST API itself only defines certain things, it's not the tool in itself with which you make the VSTs. VSTs can be programmed in basically any (advanced) programming language AFAIK. I'm aware of plug ins programmed with C/++ and Delphi, at least.

DX plug ins on the other hand have no specific API for the plug ins, you just use the DirectX API, or more specifically the audio portions of it. Again, you program the plug ins in a programming language such as C++ and use the DirectX API as the set of rules to which it has to conform to.

It's kind of like diesel and gasoline engines. They both basically do the same thing, but have different design paradigms. Both DX and VST plug ins basically do the same thing, they just use different standards as defined by their respective API's to accomplish that.

[analoq]

not that any of this API talk is useful to the original poster but..

DX plug ins on the other hand have no specific API for the plug ins, you just use the DirectX API, or more specifically the audio portions of it.

yes and no.

DX effects are DirectShow Filters (.ax files).. these are implemented with a multipurpose DS API (audio and video)

instruments however use the DXi API developed by Cakewalk, which extends the DirectShow API with polymorphic methods and suchs for MIDI/automation data.

[klm09]

not that any of this API talk is useful to the original poster but..

DX plug ins on the other hand have no specific API for the plug ins, you just use the DirectX API, or more specifically the audio portions of it.

yes and no.

DX effects are DirectShow Filters (.ax files).. these are implemented with a multipurpose DS API (audio and video)

instruments however use the DXi API developed by Cakewalk, which extends the DirectShow API with polymorphic methods and suchs for MIDI/automation data.

Yeah, my post is probably much more nitty gritty than necessary, I just figured I'd explain it as in depth as I know. Also, the bit about DX stuff not having an API, well, I'm not nearly as familiar with DX plug ins so I probably should've just not said anything about those.