diff --git a/include/notcurses.h b/include/notcurses.h
index 89a6742fa..c1b5b96eb 100644
--- a/include/notcurses.h
+++ b/include/notcurses.h
@@ -428,10 +428,14 @@ ncplane_rounded_box_cells(struct ncplane* n, cell* ul, cell* ur, cell* ll,
 }
 
 // multimedia functionality
+struct AVFrame;
 API struct ncvisual* notcurses_visual_open(struct notcurses* nc,
                                            const char* filename);
+
 API void ncvisual_destroy(struct ncvisual* ncv);
 
+API struct AVFrame* ncvisual_decode(struct ncvisual* nc);
+
 #undef API
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
diff --git a/src/lib/libav.c b/src/lib/libav.c
index b6021e850..2f824df38 100644
--- a/src/lib/libav.c
+++ b/src/lib/libav.c
@@ -31,10 +31,31 @@ void ncvisual_destroy(ncvisual* ncv){
   }
 }
 
+AVFrame* ncvisual_decode(struct ncvisual* nc){
+  int ret = avcodec_send_packet(nc->codecctx, nc->packet);
+  if(ret < 0){
+    fprintf(stderr, "Error processing AVPacket (%s)\n", av_err2str(ret));
+    return NULL;
+  }
+  do{
+    ret = avcodec_receive_frame(nc->codecctx, nc->frame);
+    if(ret == AVERROR(EAGAIN) || ret == AVERROR_EOF){
+      // FIXME can we still use nc->frame?
+      return NULL;
+    }else if(ret < 0){
+      fprintf(stderr, "Error decoding AVPacket (%s)\n", av_err2str(ret));
+      return NULL;
+    }
+    fprintf(stderr, "Got frame %05d\n", nc->codecctx->frame_number);
+  }while(ret > 0);
+  return NULL; // FIXME
+}
+
 ncvisual* notcurses_visual_open(struct notcurses* nc __attribute__ ((unused)),
                                 const char* filename){
   ncvisual* ncv = ncvisual_create();
   if(ncv == NULL){
+    fprintf(stderr, "Couldn't create %s (%s)\n", filename, strerror(errno));
     return NULL;
   }
   int ret = avformat_open_input(&ncv->fmtctx, filename, NULL, NULL);
diff --git a/src/view/main.cpp b/src/view/main.cpp
index 425199a92..03d9611b3 100644
--- a/src/view/main.cpp
+++ b/src/view/main.cpp
@@ -1,18 +1,45 @@
 #include <cstdlib>
 #include <libgen.h>
 #include <iostream>
+#include "notcurses.h"
 
-void usage(std::ostream& o, char* argv0, int exitcode){
-  o << "usage: " << basename(argv0) << " files" << '\n';
+static void usage(std::ostream& os, const char* name, int exitcode)
+  __attribute__ ((noreturn));
+
+void usage(std::ostream& o, const char* name, int exitcode){
+  o << "usage: " << name << " files" << '\n';
   exit(exitcode);
 }
 
+int ncview(struct ncvisual* ncv, const notcurses_options* opts){
+  ncvisual_decode(ncv);
+  auto nc = notcurses_init(opts);
+  if(nc == nullptr){
+    return -1;
+  }
+  ncvisual_destroy(ncv);
+  return notcurses_stop(nc);
+}
+
 int main(int argc, char** argv){
   if(argc == 1){
     usage(std::cerr, argv[0], EXIT_FAILURE);
   }
+  notcurses_options opts{};
+  opts.outfp = stdout;
+  bool success = true;
   for(int i = 1 ; i < argc ; ++i){
-    std::cout << "file: " << argv[i] << std::endl;
+    auto ncv = notcurses_visual_open(nullptr, argv[i]);
+    if(ncv == nullptr){
+      success = false;
+      continue;
+    }
+    if(ncview(ncv, &opts)){
+      success = false;
+    }
+  }
+  if(!success){
+    return EXIT_FAILURE;
   }
   return EXIT_SUCCESS;
 }