WPF / C#: async load/buffer next movie clip

Question

I need a main 'home' video (full screen HD) running in a loop, and then at some point (say the user presses a key) another short movie plays (one of twelve selected at random), and then back to the home movie loop.

I'm using the mediaElement in WPF from my C# code - Is there a way to load the next movie into memory so that it's ready to play instantly? It currently takes about a second or so...

(I'm actually using two media elements with the triggered movie on top - I was doing a cross fade but have taken that out now until I can buffer the next clip. Not sure if this is the best way of doing this, any ideas? Many Thanks.

Answer 1

I figured out a way in case anyone is interested.

You can just specify a bunch of mediaElements on top of each other (can have different z index but not essential). Then did

video.Opacity = 0.0;
video.Play();
video.Pause();

for all of them, then when you want to play one you just set the opacity to 1 and play it and it'll play instantly.

Don't know if that's the best way, but works well. Now going to implement a cross fade to finish up. Happy days.