MLT Features

Framework

• Small, clean API with minimal dependencies (POSIX and C99)
• Modular design for the addition of new components
• Simple integration with other multimedia libraries and applications
• Supports the authoring and manipulation (ala DOM) of time-based media including playlists, multiple tracks, filters, and transitions
• Serialization and deserialization of authored projects
• Doxygen-based API Documentation
• High-level language bindings for C++, C#, Java, Lua, Perl, PHP, Python, Ruby, and TCL
• Multi-core and GPU processing
• Cross-platform: Linux, BSD, Mac OS X (MacPorts), Windows (MinGW)
• Licensed under the LGPLv2.1

Modules

• Integration with many libraries for multimedia including
  • FFmpeg for audio/video decoding and encoding
  • swfdec Flash decoder
  • WebVfx for HTML5-based graphics/animation generation
  • GTK+ and Qt for image loading and text rendering
  • LADSPA audio plugins
  • SoX audio effects
  • libsamplerate audio resampler
  • JACK audio routing
  • frei0r video plugins
  • SDL for desktop audio/video output
• Supports nearly all audio and video formats and codecs that FFmpeg does for both input and encoding - many with frame-accurate seeking
• Supports image sequences in any format that GDK and QImage supports including SVG and others with alpha channels
• Comprehensive and optimized suite of video and audio effects including image scaling, alpha-compositing, deinterlacing, masking, motion-tracking, audio mixing, audio gain, and wipe transitions - in addition to services provided through the above libraries
• A selection of output targets/profiles including HD
• An XML authoring schema designed to leverage the full capabilities of the system
• YAML-based metadata and schema for documentation of modules, their services, and parameters
• Live IP streaming output via FFmpeg
• HD SDI with embedded audio and HDMI input and output is available for Linux using Blackmagick Design cards and the MLT open source "decklink" module. Also, SDI output supports keying (alpha composite MLT output over live SDI input).
• HD SDI output with embedded audio is available for Linux using DVEO VidPort cards and MLT fully open source "sdi" module.
• SD PAL SDI output with embedded audio is available for Linux using DVEO SDI Master hardware and MLT module now freely available with the MLT source code.
• Licensed under the GPLv2 or LGPLv2.1 (configurable at build time, not all modules available under LGPL)

Protocol

• Comprehensive client/server protocol and API for playout scheduling
• MVCP, based upon work in dv1394d and designed based upon SGI MVCP

Applications

• A playout server with a well defined protocol
• Sample applications that demonstrate the client/server API
• A command line video editor and media player
• See the Kdenlive and Flowblade non-linear video editors for a good demonstration of the capabilities of MLT!