Advances in Display and Composition Architecture for Longhorn

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Advances in Display and Composition Architecture
for Longhorn

• Kam VedBrat
• Lead Program Manager
• Windows Client Platform Team
• kamv _at_ microsoft.com
• Microsoft Corporation

Greg Schechter Architect Windows Client Platform
Team gregsc _at_ microsoft.com Microsoft Corporation
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Session Outline

• Windows Desktop Graphics Strategy
• Windows codenamed Longhorn and Avalon
• Desktop Composition and Avalon Graphics
• Graphics Tiering Requirements
• Desktop Features and Graphics Tiers
• Longhorn Graphics Requirements

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Windows Desktop Graphics Strategy

• We see a great deal of innovation coming in the
  graphics hardware space in 2006 and for many
  years to come
• Windows Client Graphics Strategy
• Increase overall stability of the desktop with
  LDDM
• Bring the benefits of Desktop Composition to as
  many new PC customers as possible.
• The Windows experience will be refreshed on a
  more regular basis with respect to graphics
• Avalon developer platform designed for modern
  graphics hardware

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Avalon Platform

• Demonstration

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Desktop Experience Built on Avalon

• Avalon powers the desktop experience and provides
  the next generation platform for Windows client
  applications and content
• Part of WinFX, along with Indigo and WinFS
• Hardware accelerated using Direct3D
• Printing and remoting pipelines evolve to match
  new rendering model
• Consistent programming model for user interface,
  graphics, media, and documents

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Desktop Composition

• The 10,000 View
• Window content is rendered to an off-screen
  buffer and composed to a back buffer which is
  then presented to the display
• Enables improvements in
• Quality High-Fidelity Desktop
• Productivity and Usability
• Style Visual Pop
• Composition is more demanding on the hardware

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Avalon Graphics

• Rendering of Avalon 2D primitives, text, imaging,
  and 3D goes through the Direct3D pipeline
• On Longhorn, GDI and GDI content drawn in
  software and redirected when composition is
  running
• Avalon content introduces new usage patterns for
  the 3D pipeline
• Frequent texture changes
• Large number of smaller primitives
• Intermediate surfaces

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Desktop Composition in Detail

• Win32 Applications render using GDI software
  rendering to a bitmap surface
• Avalon DX apps render to DX Shared surface on
  Present()
• Redirection stencils out window borders to be
  rendered separately in DWM process
• Input handling for DWM and applications done by
  User32
• Rendering w/Avalon Graphics
• Handles client area updates and processing
  asynchronously from the DWM
• Owns composition loop, asynchronously from DWM
  thread

DWM Application
Window Frame rendering, Animations, DPI scaling,
UxTheme
Avalon Graphics
GDI
D3D
User32
LDDM
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Avalon Graphics
Visual/Element Tree
Tree Traversal
2D
Property Animation
3D
Texture Surface
Composition
Composition (milcore/d3d)
Text
Processing Queue
Imaging
CompositionNode
RenderData
Video
AudioSink
MediaFoundation
Audio
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Composition Benefits Quality
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Composition Benefits Quality
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Resolution IndependenceOpportunity and Problem

• 150ppi laptops are here now
• 15.4 screen Under 1,500
• 2.5x pixel density vs. 96ppi
• 204ppi monitors are here (4.5x todays typical
  96ppi)
• 3840x2400 22 diagonal
• Applications are typically written using
  pixel-oriented units
• That leads to problems
• The Longhorn desktop corrects for some of this

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Resolution Independence withLonghorn Avalon

• High DPI Scaling
• The Longhorn desktop will provide automatic
  scaling of legacy applications for high
  resolution monitors
• This is possible due to redirection architecture
• Display IHVs
• Please be sure to correctly implement EDID to
  provide Windows with accurate information on
  monitor dimensions
• Do so by putting the correct information into all
  fields of the EDID structure
• Avalon applications work in device independent
  pixels
• Measures of 1/96th of an inch
• Thus, a drawing on a 204ppi monitor will be the
  same physical size as on a 96ppi monitor
• But it will be much more detailed and crisp
• Solves the issue at the source, the API apps
  written in terms of physical units

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Composition Benefits Productivity

• Enables new scenarios on High DPI high
  resolution displays
• Applications that are not DPI-aware are scaled on
  High DPI displays for improved usability
• End-user option for managing screen real-estate
  with many windows open
• Tools for managing large numbers of windows
• Window Selection
• Clutter Removal

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Composition Benefits DWM Quality Productivity

• Demonstration

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Graphics Tiering

• Allows tailored experiences focused on segments
  of the HW landscape
• Windows scales across the breadth of the market
• One-size fits all would leave hardware behind
• Customer Segments
• Value and Mainstream Graphics
• Baseline Upgrades Deployments

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Desktop Experiences and Graphics Tiers
Graphics Hardware
Value Mainstream

• Deliver Quality Improvements,Productivity
  Enhancements,and Visual Pop
• Express
• LDDM/DX9
• Composition-based DPI Scaling
• Glass
• Glass effect in window frames
• 3D Transition Animation Effects

Baseline
To Go
Classic

• Broad HardwareCompatibility
• Looks like Longhorn
• No Composition
• No Effects
• XPDDM or LDDM

• Deployment
• Windows 2000 look
• XPDDM or LDDM

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Longhorn Graphics HW Requirements

• Graphics hardware requirements are similar to
  what we presented at WinHEC in May 2004
• Primary driver in graphics performance
  requirements is desktop composition (Premium)

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Multi-Display and High DPI

• As display resolution increases, so does the
  amount of video memory and bandwidth required for
  Desktop Composition
• High DPI
• Multi-display
• Example Dual Monitor at 1600x1200 resolution
• Desktop flip chain takes 31MB by itself
• Application windows will take even more memory

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Integrated Graphics

• LDDM and Performance are key prerequisites, not
  physical architecture
• Clarifying how integrated graphics perform with
  Desktop Composition is a high priority for
  Microsoft
• Minimal early testing on integrated platforms for
  desktops
• Continued engagement is required for mobile
  platforms as they become available

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Mobile PC Graphics Trends

• Aero-capable hardware is appearing in laptops
  today
• Some, but not all mobile devices in 06 will be
  Aero-capable

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Configuring the Desktop Experience

• Manufacturers
• Pre-configure the experience and set of end-user
  options available
• System analysis tools to aid in designing
  specific configurations
• End Users
• Chose between options made available by system
  provider
• Built-in hardware analysis functionality
• Plug Play scenarios
• Upgrade scenarios
• Group Policy for IT Professionals

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Summary
Classic
To Go
Aero

• Style
• Drop Shadows
• Dynamic Highlights
• Glass
• Animations

Consumer Upgrades,Ultra-Mobile,Ultra-Low-Cost
Corporate Upgrades Deployments
Mainstream High-end Graphics

• Productivity
• DPI Scaling
• 3D Window Management
• Window Thumbnail Previews

Windows 2000Look
Looks like Longhorn

• Quality
• Tear-Free Desktop

Classic Window Manager
Avalon Desktop Composition
XPDM or LDDM
LDDM
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Call to Action

• Stable, Fast LDDM drivers are a pre-requisite for
  a great Aero experience on Longhorn
• Tune your device drivers for DWM and Avalon
  workloads
• Having proper EDID information is very important
  for DPI scaling

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Community Resources

• Windows Hardware Driver Central (WHDC)
• www.microsoft.com/whdc/default.mspx
• Technical Communities
• www.microsoft.com/communities/products/default.msp
  x
• Non-Microsoft Community Sites
• www.microsoft.com/communities/related/default.mspx
  
• Microsoft Public Newsgroups
• www.microsoft.com/communities/newsgroups
• Technical Chats and Webcasts
• www.microsoft.com/communities/chats/default.mspx
• www.microsoft.com/webcasts
• Microsoft Blogs
• www.microsoft.com/communities/blogs