[MPlayer-users] Startup Questions

[Ashok Thirumurthi]

Folks,

A few points weren't clear from my tests (I did try) or the docs (they can't 
say everything).  I'm new at this.


DURATIONS:

- When I run mplayer.exe filename, a still image flashes by.  Do I have to 
construct a movie using MEncoder to set it's duration?  If so, can I encode 
from memory?
- Can I adjust the duration of stills (and the last frame of movies) to 
synchronize a -playlist with an -audiofile?  If so, how can I calculate the 
duration of the audiofile and playlist movies?
- Can I get an event when each item in a playlist has completed?  Alternately, 
can I get information back from mplayer to find out the remaining duration of 
a frame in a playlist?


ADDING FRAMES:

- If I start with -idle, can I send 'l' to load a file when it is available?  
Can I use -slave and stdin with -wid?
- Can I supply a memory buffer rather than a file for stills? 


AUDIO:

- Is there a way to get multi-channel audio using a playlist and an -audiofile?
- Will the start of an -audiofile be synchronized to the start of the playlist 
even if the playlist has large files?
- Can I fade out audio when a movie ends?


PLAYLIST:

- Can I implement my own toolbar for the playlist?  For instance, I could 
specify a -wid to embed MPlayer in my frame window.  In that case, do I get 
mouse and keyboard input if I run with -slave? 
- Can I implement transitions (i.e. cross-fade) between stills in a playlist?  
Can I extract poster frames and ending frames from movies to construct 
transitions?
- Is there a command line equivalent to FrameStep?


SUBTITLES:

- How do I add sub-titles to media?  Can subtitles be added to stills (by 
encoding as a movie perhaps)?  Are multi-line sub-titles supported?  Do any of 
the sub-title formats include IPTC properties like the title and caption ?  
How about filename, date, size, focal length, and shutter speed?
- Do any sub-title formats allow a multi-line box in the lower right?  Will be 
black border around -fs movies be used for subtitles?  Do any of the sub-title 
formats include IPTC properties?  How about filename, date, and capture data 
like shutter speed?

Any startup advice would be appreciated.  The speeds are blinding.  The range 
of media formats and operating systems is a godsend,

- Ashok Thirumurthi