### Four Character Codes (FOURCC)

DirectDraw utilizes a special set of codes that are four characters in length. These codes, called four character codes or FOURCCs, are stored in file headers of files containing multimedia data such as bitmap images, sound, or video. FOURCCs describe the software technology that was used to produce multimedia data. By implication, they also describe the format of the data itself.

DirectDraw applications use FOURCCs for image color and format conversion. If an application calls the IDirectDrawSurface3::GetPixelFormat method to request the pixel format of a surface whose format is not RGB, the dwFourCC member of the DDPIXELFORMAT structure identifies the FOURCC when the method returns. For more information, see Converting Color and Format.

In addition, the biCompression member of the BITMAPINFOHEADER structure can be set to a FOURCC to indicate the codec used to compress or decompress an image.

FOURCCs are registered with Microsoft by the vendors of the respective multimedia software technologies. Some common FOURCCs appear in the list below.

FOURCC | Company | Technology Name
AUR2 | AuraVision Corporation | AuraVision Aura 2: YUV 422
AURA | AuraVision Corporation | AuraVision Aura 1: YUV 411
CHAM | Winnov, Inc. | MM_WINNOV_CAVIARA_CHAMPAGNE
CVID | Supermac | Cinepak by Supermac
CYUV | Creative Labs, Inc | Creative Labs YUV
FVF1 | Iterated Systems, Inc. | Fractal Video Frame
IF09 | Intel Corporation | Intel Intermediate YUV9
IV31 | Intel Corporation | Indeo 3.1
JPEG | Microsoft Corporation | Still Image JPEG DIB
MJPG | Microsoft Corporation | Motion JPEG Dib Format
MRLE | Microsoft Corporation | Run Length Encoding
MSVC | Microsoft Corporation | Video 1
PHMO | IBM Corporation | Photomotion
RT21 | Intel Corporation | Indeo 2.1
ULTI | IBM Corporation | Ultimotion
V422 | Vitec Multimedia | 24 bit YUV 4:2:2
V655 | Vitec Multimedia | 16 bit YUV 4:2:2
VDCT | Vitec Multimedia | Video Maker Pro DIB
VIDS | Vitec Multimedia | YUV 4:2:2 CCIR 601 for V422
YU92 | Intel Corporation | YUV
YUV8 | Winnov, Inc. | MM_WINNOV_CAVIAR_YUV8
YUV9 | Intel Corporation | YUV9
YUYV | Canopus, Co., Ltd. | BI_YUYV, Canopus
ZPEG | Metheus | Video Zipper