Vista: Using .mkv Video As Wallpaper?

Jimmy

Apr 15 2009, 01:14 AM

Hello I'm desparately trying to find some software that can display .mkv video files (H.264 codec, audio is not required) as a wallpaper for windows vista.

I've run into dreamscene briefly before but it seems they would need converting for use with it. I was hoping there is something that can do this with one or preferably more than one file and rotate around some full-length video files? The computer should be more than up to the task of HD plastered to the wallpaper!

Does anyone know of something that may do the job? Cheers

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truefusion

Apr 15 2009, 01:20 AM

QUOTE (Jimmy @ Apr 14 2009, 09:14 PM)

Does anyone know of something that may do the job?

I do not know of any software for that, but interestingly enough, the video wallpaper concept is something i am planning on introducing for my desktop environment for the X window system. I would be interested in knowing how having such a wallpaper would affect the performance of the computer and general processing.

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rpgsearcherz

Apr 15 2009, 01:54 AM

QUOTE (truefusion @ Apr 14 2009, 08:20 PM)

I do not know of any software for that, but interestingly enough, the video wallpaper concept is something i am planning on introducing for my desktop environment for the X window system. I would be interested in knowing how having such a wallpaper would affect the performance of the computer and general processing.

First of all, what is this "X window system?"

And second of all, I think it would have a pretty strong effect on the PC, unless it's a small file. If it was like movies or something it would have to be rendered, stored in the ram, etc. which I know for sure kills processing(on low CPU/RAM) PC's. If people have more high-end systems they will not have any issues.

And Jimmy said HD...So even small files may have issues.

I personally have 2 GB ram, Vista, 3.0 ghz dual core, so if there was any way I could test it for you let me know and I'll let you know how it runs for me.

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Haricotcur

Apr 15 2009, 01:57 AM

In VLC player there is feature called Directx Wallpaper. You can find that in Video > Directx Wallpaper. Note that the wallper movie is only temporary. If you refresh the desktop it will vanish. BTW why do you need to set it as wallpaper? Is it for viewing purpose or something else? As per my experience the computer doesn't lag while playing movie on desktop.

QUOTE

I was hoping there is something that can do this with one or preferably more than one file and rotate around some full-length video files?

What do you mean by rotating movies? Something like 3d desktop?

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rpgsearcherz

Apr 15 2009, 02:02 AM

QUOTE (Haricotcur @ Apr 14 2009, 08:57 PM)

In VLC player there is feature called Directx Wallpaper. You can find that in Video > Directx Wallpaper. Note that the wallper movie is only temporary. If you refresh the desktop it will vanish. BTW why do you need to set it as wallpaper? Is it for viewing purpose or something else? As per my experience the computer doesn't lag while playing movie on desktop.

What do you mean by rotating movies? Something like 3d desktop?

To clarify, I think he means rotating as in automatically changing. The first movie ends and the next starts(or using media controls to go forward and backwards between movies/songs/etc.)

And about using VLC, I'm pretty sure he means a more permanent solution. To where when you start your PC it resumes movies from where it left on and things like that.

As for the uses...I'm not sure. Probably just for fun. Because if it was to actually watch, it'd be better to do overlay videos with high transparency. I've done that a few times with VLC while I was surfing the internet. It's confusing but...Different.

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cyber_electrons

Apr 15 2009, 04:02 AM

There is something that I found which may work:

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/355411/how_t...ideo_wallpaper/

You have to set it as a web object on desktop in XP. Looking forward to try it but I thihnk it has a good chance of success.

There are also some software that you can try here:

http://www.freedownloadscenter.com/Best/video-wallpaper.html

I haven't tried it out yet so I have no experimental information.

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truefusion

Apr 15 2009, 04:56 AM

QUOTE (rpgsearcherz @ Apr 14 2009, 09:54 PM)

First of all, what is this "X window system?"

X window system

QUOTE (rpgsearcherz @ Apr 14 2009, 09:54 PM)

And second of all, I think it would have a pretty strong effect on the PC, unless it's a small file. If it was like movies or something it would have to be rendered, stored in the ram, etc. which I know for sure kills processing(on low CPU/RAM) PC's. If people have more high-end systems they will not have any issues.

And Jimmy said HD...So even small files may have issues.

Vista being known as a resource hog, it would be interesting to see how a video wallpaper would impact its performance. I know that you can set an HTML page that contains an object playing a video as the wallpaper, so if WMP can play MKV files and if one has WMP as the plug-in on the web page, then the topic starter should be set. But having something like that running in the background as a web page, at least in Vista, is bound to show its weight on the system—which i would be interested in seeing.

Of course, my desktop environment won't be wasting as much RAM as Vista's desktop environment, and the method used to display a desktop wallpaper is, at least i would think, different than Windows. I can easily switch from image to movie mode with this method. Currently, without any wallpaper, my desktop environment uses 4mbs, that is, when fully loaded and have just finished logging in. So, even on slower systems it may not be so bad.

QUOTE (rpgsearcherz @ Apr 14 2009, 09:54 PM)

I personally have 2 GB ram, Vista, 3.0 ghz dual core, so if there was any way I could test it for you let me know and I'll let you know how it runs for me.

My current system has 4gigs of RAM, 2.6ghz 64-bit dual core, and a slightly overclocked 8600 GT gfx card, so if i were to experience any performance issues with having a video play on the desktop, it may have to be due to a memory leak or something unintended perhaps. But unless you're running Linux or MacOS with X, then you would not be able to test out my desktop environment.

QUOTE (rpgsearcherz @ Apr 14 2009, 10:02 PM)

To where when you start your PC it resumes movies from where it left on and things like that.

Interesting feature. Noted.

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Jimmy

Apr 15 2009, 12:18 PM

QUOTE (truefusion @ Apr 15 2009, 05:56 AM)

But having something like that running in the background as a web page, at least in Vista, is bound to show its weight on the system—which i would be interested in seeing.

I have to say that is quite a good idea Truefusion! WMP does play the .mkv files so that could well be a starting point! Although yes I guess that would cause a hit to the system, for the following reason:

I think one way to safely avoid all the performance hit issues is to "Pause" the background when some windows are opened up, and resume it again only when the background is visible! This would also mean you don't miss anything! Also I reckon that if you were to simply discard audio processing, the hit would be lower.

rpgsearcherz yes I guess you could say the end result is just for fun, and hopefully the path to it is interesting and fun also! To clarify by rotating movies as you guessed I mean moving to the next .mkv once the previous video has got to the end. For example, rotating between files in a folder :-)

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