diff -Naur -wbBE -X ignore_list main-cvs/cfg-mplayer.h main-devel/cfg-mplayer.h
--- main-cvs/cfg-mplayer.h	2004-11-01 17:06:22.000000000 +0800
+++ main-devel/cfg-mplayer.h	2004-11-12 11:58:35.000000000 +0800
@@ -415,6 +415,7 @@
 	{"use-stdin", "-use-stdin has been renamed to -noconsolecontrols, use that instead.", CONF_TYPE_PRINT, 0, 0, 0, NULL},
 	{"noconsolecontrols", &noconsolecontrols, CONF_TYPE_FLAG, CONF_GLOBAL, 0, 1, NULL},
 	{"consolecontrols", &noconsolecontrols, CONF_TYPE_FLAG, CONF_GLOBAL, 0, 0, NULL},
+	{"daemon", &daemon_mode, CONF_TYPE_FLAG,CONF_GLOBAL , 0, 1, NULL},
 
 #define MAIN_CONF
 #include "cfg-common.h"
diff -Naur -wbBE -X ignore_list main-cvs/mplayer.c main-devel/mplayer.c
--- main-cvs/mplayer.c	2004-11-11 15:33:08.000000000 +0800
+++ main-devel/mplayer.c	2004-11-16 09:12:46.000000000 +0800
@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@
 #include "input/input.h"
 
 int slave_mode=0;
+int daemon_mode=0;
 int verbose=0;
 int identify=0;
 int quiet=0;
@@ -1220,7 +1221,10 @@
 }
 #endif
 
-    if(!filename){
+    // Daemon mode implies slave mode
+    if (daemon_mode) slave_mode = 1;
+
+    if(!filename && !daemon_mode){
       if(!use_gui){
 	// no file/vcd/dvd -> show HELP:
 	mp_msg(MSGT_CPLAYER, MSGL_INFO, help_text);
@@ -1449,6 +1453,79 @@
 #endif
 //---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
+// =================== Daemon mode idle loop (STOP state) ===================
+  if (daemon_mode)
+  {
+    current_module="daemon";
+
+    /* When there is no playtree iterator, daemon waits for input */
+    while (! playtree_iter)
+    {
+      mp_cmd_t* cmd;
+      while ((cmd = mp_input_get_cmd(0,0,0)) != NULL)
+      {
+	play_tree_t* entry = NULL;
+	switch (cmd->id)
+	{
+	  case MP_CMD_LOADFILE:
+	    /* Let filename be the sole entry in the playtree */
+	    entry = play_tree_new();
+	    play_tree_add_file(entry, cmd->args[0].v.s);
+	  break;
+
+	  case MP_CMD_LOADLIST:
+	    /* Parse playtree entries from play list */
+	    entry = parse_playlist_file(cmd->args[0].v.s);
+	    if (! entry)
+	      mp_msg(MSGT_CPLAYER,MSGL_ERR,MSGTR_PlaylistLoadUnable,cmd->args[0].v.s);
+	  break;
+
+	  case MP_CMD_SWITCH_RATIO:
+	    if (cmd->nargs == 0)
+	    {
+	      /* If no ratio is specified, auto detect from media */
+	      movie_aspect = -1.0;
+	    }
+	    else movie_aspect = cmd->args[0].v.f;
+	  break;
+
+	  case MP_CMD_QUIT:
+	    exit_player_with_rc(MSGTR_Exit_quit, (cmd->nargs > 0) ? cmd->args[0].v.i : 0);
+      	  break;
+        }
+
+	/* Insert new entry into playtree */
+	if (entry)
+	{
+	  /* Setup an empty playtree */
+	  if (playtree) play_tree_free_list(playtree->child, 1);
+	  else playtree = play_tree_new();
+
+	  if (playtree)
+	  {
+	    play_tree_set_child(playtree, entry);
+	    playtree_iter = play_tree_iter_new(playtree,mconfig);
+	  }
+	  else play_tree_free(entry, 1);
+	}
+
+	/* Obtain filename from new playtree iterator */
+	if (playtree_iter)
+	{
+	  if (play_tree_iter_step(playtree_iter, 0, 0)
+	    != PLAY_TREE_ITER_ENTRY)
+	  {
+	    play_tree_iter_free(playtree_iter);
+	    playtree_iter = NULL;
+	  }
+	  else filename = play_tree_iter_get_file(playtree_iter,1);
+	}
+      }
+      usec_sleep(20000);
+    }
+  }
+//---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
     if(filename) mp_msg(MSGT_CPLAYER,MSGL_INFO,MSGTR_Playing, filename);
 
 //==================== Open VOB-Sub ============================
@@ -4133,7 +4210,7 @@
   }	
 #endif
 
-if(use_gui || playtree_iter != NULL){
+if(daemon_mode || use_gui || playtree_iter != NULL){
 
   eof = 0;
   goto play_next_file;
diff -Naur -wbBE -X ignore_list main-cvs/DOCS/man/en/mplayer.1 main-devel/DOCS/man/en/mplayer.1
--- main-cvs/DOCS/man/en/mplayer.1	2004-11-18 09:33:34.000000000 +0800
+++ main-devel/DOCS/man/en/mplayer.1	2004-11-18 09:54:59.000000000 +0800
@@ -1940,6 +1940,16 @@
 Not supported by all video output drivers.
 .
 .TP
+.B \-daemon (also see \-slave)
+Switches on daemon mode, in which MPlayer behaves identically to \-slave mode
+when a movie is playing, but remains in an infinite loop when no movies are
+playing.  When no movies are playing, MPlayer responds only to the 'loadfile',
+ 'loadlist', 'switch_ratio' and 'quit' commands from stdin.
+.br
+.I NOTE:
+See \-slave mode for a description of its operation.
+.
+.TP
 .B \-dfbopts <value> (\-vo directfb only)
 Specify a parameter list for the directfb video output driver.
 .