DEMULTIPLEXER APPLICATION PROGRAM INTERFACE

FIELD: physics; computer engineering. ^ SUBSTANCE: present invention pertains to processing multimedia data in a computing environment. On the data carrier, there are commands executed by the computer, providing for an interface for communication with the demultiplexer component, dividing the multiplexed multimedia stream into elementary streams. The interface contains commands for initiating the demultiplexer component and its configuration. There is dynamic installation of a descriptor of active presentation with regard to the demultiplexer component. The new input multiplexed stream is transmitted in form of input samples into the demultiplexer component. The above mentioned active presentation is extracted, in accordance with the active presentation descriptor of at least, one elementary stream, and then transmitted in form of output samples. The samples currently in the input and output queues are cleared. ^ EFFECT: enabling a user to consistently use data of a multiplexed stream, for example DV, for generating elementary stream data, including audio and video (compressed and uncompressed), and provision for use of demultiplexers as independent components. ^ 21 cl, 7 dwg