diff --git a/CMakeLists.txt b/CMakeLists.txt
index cd7a74bf7..3e9736675 100644
--- a/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -14,14 +14,23 @@ include(GNUInstallDirs)
 ###################### USER-SELECTABLE OPTIONS ###########################
 option(DFSG_BUILD "DFSG build (no non-free media/code)" OFF)
 option(USE_DOXYGEN "Build HTML cross reference with doxygen" OFF)
-option(USE_FFMPEG "Disable FFmpeg image/video support" ON)
 option(USE_NETWORK "Allow cargo to use the network" OFF)
 option(USE_PANDOC "Build man pages and HTML reference with pandoc" ON)
 option(USE_PYTHON "Build Python wrappers" ON)
 option(USE_QRCODEGEN "Disable libqrcodegen QR code support" ON)
 option(USE_RUST "Build Rust wrappers (experimental)" OFF)
 option(USE_TESTS "Build doctest unit tests" ON)
+set(USE_MULTIMEDIA "ffmpeg" CACHE STRING "Multimedia engine, one of 'ffmpeg', 'oiio', or 'none'")
+set_property(CACHE USE_MULTIMEDIA PROPERTY STRINGS ffmpeg oiio none)
+message(STATUS "Requested multimedia engine: ${USE_MULTIMEDIA}")
 ############## END (additional) USER-SELECTABLE OPTIONS ##################
+set(USE_FFMPEG OFF)
+set(USE_OIIO OFF)
+if(${USE_MULTIMEDIA} STREQUAL "ffmpeg")
+  set(USE_FFMPEG ON)
+elseif(${USE_MULTIMEDIA} STREQUAL "oiio")
+  set(USE_OIIO ON)
+endif()
 
 find_package(PkgConfig REQUIRED)
 find_package(Threads REQUIRED)
@@ -113,29 +122,33 @@ target_link_libraries(notcurses
   PRIVATE
     "${AVCODEC_LIBRARIES}"
     "${AVFORMAT_LIBRARIES}"
-    "${AVUTIL_LIBRARIES}"
     "${SWSCALE_LIBRARIES}"
+  PUBLIC
+    "${AVUTIL_LIBRARIES}"
 )
 target_link_libraries(notcurses-static
   PRIVATE
     "${AVCODEC_STATIC_LIBRARIES}"
     "${AVFORMAT_STATIC_LIBRARIES}"
-    "${AVUTIL_STATIC_LIBRARIES}"
     "${SWSCALE_STATIC_LIBRARIES}"
+  PUBLIC
+    "${AVUTIL_STATIC_LIBRARIES}"
 )
 target_link_directories(notcurses
-  PUBLIC
+  PRIVATE
     "${AVCODEC_LIBRARY_DIRS}"
     "${AVFORMAT_LIBRARY_DIRS}"
-    "${AVUTIL_LIBRARY_DIRS}"
     "${SWSCALE_LIBRARY_DIRS}"
+  PUBLIC
+    "${AVUTIL_LIBRARY_DIRS}"
 )
 target_link_directories(notcurses-static
-  PUBLIC
+  PRIVATE
     "${AVCODEC_STATIC_LIBRARY_DIRS}"
     "${AVFORMAT_STATIC_LIBRARY_DIRS}"
-    "${AVUTIL_STATIC_LIBRARY_DIRS}"
     "${SWSCALE_STATIC_LIBRARY_DIRS}"
+  PUBLIC
+    "${AVUTIL_STATIC_LIBRARY_DIRS}"
 )
 endif()
 
@@ -277,17 +290,17 @@ target_compile_definitions(notcurses++-static
 file(GLOB NOTCURSES_HEADERS
   CONFIGURE_DEPENDS
   LIST_DIRECTORIES false
-  ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/include/notcurses/*.h)
+  ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/include/notcurses/*.h)
 
 file(GLOB NCPP_HEADERS
   CONFIGURE_DEPENDS
   LIST_DIRECTORIES false
-  ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/include/ncpp/*.hh)
+  ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/include/ncpp/*.hh)
 
 file(GLOB NCPP_INTERNAL_HEADERS
   CONFIGURE_DEPENDS
   LIST_DIRECTORIES false
-  ${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/include/ncpp/internal/*.hh)
+  ${PROJECT_SOURCE_DIR}/include/ncpp/internal/*.hh)
 
 install(FILES ${NOTCURSES_HEADERS} DESTINATION ${CMAKE_INSTALL_INCLUDEDIR}/notcurses)
 install(FILES ${NCPP_HEADERS} DESTINATION ${CMAKE_INSTALL_INCLUDEDIR}/ncpp)
@@ -388,11 +401,11 @@ if(USE_PANDOC)
     endforeach()
     foreach(m ${MANSOURCE3})
       get_filename_component(me ${m} NAME_WLE)
-      set(MANPAGES3 ${MANPAGES3} ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/${me})
+      LIST(APPEND MANPAGES3 ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/${me})
     endforeach()
     foreach(m ${MANSOURCE1})
       get_filename_component(me ${m} NAME_WLE)
-      set(MANPAGES1 ${MANPAGES1} ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/${me})
+      LIST(APPEND MANPAGES1 ${CMAKE_CURRENT_BINARY_DIR}/${me})
     endforeach()
   endif()
 endif()
diff --git a/src/lib/libav.c b/src/lib/libav.c
index 515526d8d..2302417ca 100644
--- a/src/lib/libav.c
+++ b/src/lib/libav.c
@@ -553,8 +553,8 @@ int ncvisual_init(int loglevel){
   // FIXME could also use av_log_set_callback() and capture the message...
   return 0;
 }
-#else
-// built without ffmpeg
+#else // built without ffmpeg
+#ifndef USE_OIIO // built without ffmpeg or oiio
 bool notcurses_canopen(const notcurses* nc __attribute__ ((unused))){
   return false;
 }
@@ -612,5 +612,5 @@ int ncvisual_init(int loglevel){
   (void)loglevel;
   return 0; // allow success here
 }
-
+#endif
 #endif
diff --git a/src/lib/oiio.cpp b/src/lib/oiio.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6486d211e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lib/oiio.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+#include "internal.h"
+
+#ifdef USE_OIIO
+bool notcurses_canopen(const notcurses* nc __attribute__ ((unused))){
+  return false;
+}
+
+struct AVFrame* ncvisual_decode(ncvisual* nc, int* averr){
+  (void)nc;
+  (void)averr;
+  return NULL;
+}
+
+int ncvisual_render(const ncvisual* ncv, int begy, int begx, int leny, int lenx){
+  (void)ncv;
+  (void)begy;
+  (void)begx;
+  (void)leny;
+  (void)lenx;
+  return -1;
+}
+
+int ncvisual_stream(struct notcurses* nc, struct ncvisual* ncv, int* averr,
+                    float timespec, streamcb streamer, void* curry){
+  (void)nc;
+  (void)ncv;
+  (void)averr;
+  (void)timespec;
+  (void)streamer;
+  (void)curry;
+  return -1;
+}
+
+ncvisual* ncplane_visual_open(ncplane* nc, const char* filename, int* averr){
+  (void)nc;
+  (void)filename;
+  (void)averr;
+  return NULL;
+}
+
+ncvisual* ncvisual_open_plane(notcurses* nc, const char* filename,
+                              int* averr, int y, int x, ncscale_e style){
+  (void)nc;
+  (void)filename;
+  (void)averr;
+  (void)y;
+  (void)x;
+  (void)style;
+  return NULL;
+}
+
+char* ncvisual_subtitle(const ncvisual* ncv){
+  (void)ncv;
+  return NULL;
+}
+
+int ncvisual_init(int loglevel){
+  (void)loglevel;
+  return 0; // allow success here
+}
+#endif
diff --git a/tests/visual.cpp b/tests/visual.cpp
index 8defcaed1..13f5e331e 100644
--- a/tests/visual.cpp
+++ b/tests/visual.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 #include "main.h"
-#ifdef USE_FFMPEG
+#ifdef USE_MULTIMEDIA
 #include <libavutil/pixdesc.h>
 #include <libavutil/avconfig.h>
 #include <libavcodec/avcodec.h>
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ TEST_CASE("Multimedia") {
   ncplane* ncp_ = notcurses_stdplane(nc_);
   REQUIRE(ncp_);
 
-#ifndef USE_FFMPEG
+#ifndef USE_MULTIMEDIA
   SUBCASE("LibavDisabled"){
     REQUIRE(!notcurses_canopen(nc_));
   }
diff --git a/tools/version.h.in b/tools/version.h.in
index 9165cc963..377690eab 100644
--- a/tools/version.h.in
+++ b/tools/version.h.in
@@ -2,6 +2,11 @@
 #define notcurses_VERSION_MINOR "@notcurses_VERSION_MINOR@"
 #define notcurses_VERSION_PATCH "@notcurses_VERSION_PATCH@"
 #cmakedefine DFSG_BUILD
-#cmakedefine USE_FFMPEG
 #cmakedefine USE_QRCODEGEN
+// exclusive with USE_OIIO
+#cmakedefine USE_FFMPEG
+// exclusive with USE_FFMPEG
+#cmakedefine USE_OIIO
+// set if either USE_FFMPEG || USE_OIIO
+#cmakedefine USE_MULTIMEDIA
 #define NOTCURSES_SHARE "@CMAKE_INSTALL_FULL_DATADIR@/notcurses"