struct media_write_info {
  uint32    flags;
  int32     used_data_size;
  bigtime_t start_time;
  bigtime_t time_to_write;
  void * file_format_data;
  size_t file_format_data_size;
  int8   pad[??];

  media_write_info();
}

class BMediaWriter
{
public:
  BMediaWriter();
  // start with a file or other destination
  BMediaWriter(const entry_ref * ref, 
               const media_file_format * mfi, int32 flags = 0);
  BMediaWriter(BPositionIO * destination, 
               const media_file_format * mfi, int32 flags = 0);

  // start with a file format specification
  BMediaWriter(const media_file_format * outputFormat);
  BMediaWriter(const media_file_format_info * info);
  virtual ~BMediaWriter(void);
  status_t InitCheck() const;

  status_t SetDestination(const entry_ref * ref, int32 flags = 0);
  status_t SetDestination(BPositionIO * destination, int32 flags = 0);

  status_t SetTo(const media_file_format * outputFormat);
  status_t SetTo(const media_file_format_info * info);
  status_t SetOutputFormat(const media_file_format * outputFormat,
                           media_file_format_info * info);
  // for direct transcoding
  status_t SetInputFormat(media_file_format * inputFormat);
  status_t SetSource(const entry_ref * ref, int32 flags = 0);
  status_t SetSource(BPositionIO * destination, int32 flags = 0);

  status_t Write(void * buffer, int64 * count, 
                   media_write_info * outInfo);

  status_t GetWriterInfo(media_file_format_info * outInfo) const;

  // convenience methods, call to SetParameterValue
  inline status_t SetCopyright(const char * data, int32 length = -1) {
    if (length == -1) length=strlen(data);
    return SetParameterValue(B_COPYRIGHT,©right,length);
  }

  // provides B_TRACK_COUNT, and B_DURATION
  // see also BMediaFile::GetParameterValue
  virtual status_t GetParameterValue(int32 id, const void * value, 
                                     size_t * size) = 0;
  // additional configuration parameters
  // see also BMediaFile::SetParameterValue
  virtual status_t SetParameterValue(int32 id, const void * value,
                                     size_t size);
  // the writer may return a BParameterWeb for browsing
  // or configuring the file format's parameters. returns
  // NULL if the writer doesn't support this.
  // see also BMediaFile::Web
  virtual BParameterWeb * Web(void);

  ...

protected:
  virtual status_t GetNextChunk(const void ** chunkData,
                                size_t * chunkLength,
                                media_header * header) = 0;  

private:
  // unimplemented
  BMediaWriter(const BMediaWriter &);
  BMediaWriter & operator=(const BMediaWriter &);

  static status_t write_chunk(void *classptr, const void * chunkData, 
                             size_t * chunkLen, media_write_info * info);
  void ReleaseEncoder();

  BAddonManager * fWritersManager;
  BWriter * fWriter;
  int32 fWriterID;
  bool fFormatValid;
  bool fWriterStarted;
  status_t fInitStatus;

  // gobble gobble
  uint32 _reservedBMediaWriter_[32];

  virtual status_t _ReservedBMediaWriter_0(int 32 arg, ...);
  virtual status_t _ReservedBMediaWriter_1(int 32 arg, ...);
  // ....
}