melt

melt [options] [mlt_playlist]

-verbose
    Increase verbosity (can be specified multiple times).

-profile
    Sets the MLT profile to use (e.g., atsc_1080i_60, dv_pal).


    Specifies the MLT XML playlist file.

-consumer
    Specifies the consumer to use (e.g., avformat, sdl).

-query
    Query the service for options or information. 'formats' is a useful argument.

-attach =
    Attach a property to a service.

-realtime
    Enable real-time processing (use caution).

-progress
    Output progress information.

melt is a command-line tool for multimedia manipulation. It's part of the MLT (Media Lovin' Toolkit) framework, which provides a comprehensive set of tools for audio and video processing. melt is essentially a composition engine: it can combine multiple audio and video tracks, apply effects, create transitions, and output the resulting project to various formats. It's often used for automated video editing, batch processing, and creating complex visual effects from the command line. melt supports a wide range of audio and video codecs and containers through its use of MLT and FFmpeg.

melt relies heavily on MLT and FFmpeg. Installation and configuration of these dependencies can be complex. Understanding MLT XML playlist syntax is crucial for effective use.

Example 1: Play a video file:
melt video.mp4 -consumer avformat:out.mp4

Example 2: Use a complex MLT XML:
melt project.mlt -consumer avformat:output.mov

melt was developed as part of the Media Lovin' Toolkit (MLT) project, created by Dan Dennedy. MLT emerged in the early 2000s as a flexible and open-source multimedia framework. melt has been continuously developed and improved over the years, becoming a powerful tool for command-line video editing. Its primary strength lies in its ability to integrate with various multimedia libraries and codecs, enabling a wide range of input and output formats. It has found usage in professional broadcast systems.
The version available will vary by distribution.

ffmpeg(1), mlt(7)