Windows DreamScene - Animated Wallpaper for an Ultimate Extra

Totally cool desktop customization

from WinCustomize Forums

As Microsoft just announced, one of the first Ultimate Extras (extra features users of Windows Vista Ultimate can download) is a new animated wallpaper feature called "Windows DreamScene".

Windows DreamScene at a glance:

  • A Windows Vista Ultimate Extra
  • Run High-Definition Video as a Wallppaer
  • Uses .MPEG/.WMV as content

So what exactly is Windows DreamScene? And what are the extensions and enhancements coming out for it?

Windows DreamScene is an animated wallpaper technology developed by Microsoft that plays high-definition video content as your wallpaper. The key ability of it is that it can do so without using significant amounts of CPU (basically the decoding of the video is the only real CPU use involved).  The animation itself is run through the hardware accelerated DWM.

Software developer Stardock, makers of popular desktop enhancement utilities such as WindowBlinds, DesktopX, ObjectDock, etc. worked with Microsoft on the creation of content and has developed a number of tools to extend the feature set of Windows DreamScene. 

On the content side, Stardock Design created a number of 3D animated content for Microsoft including the default animated Aurora. Microsoft is holding back on releasing all the content they have until Spring 2007.  Stardock also added support for animated wallpapers on its popular WinCustomize.com community site at Dream.WinCustomize.com.

With regards to the additonal tools and enhancements Stardock has released two of them.

The first enhancement is a new program called DeskScapes.  DeskScapes extends DreamScenes to support dynamic content (i.e. videos are pre-rendered).  With dynamic content, you could have your wallpaper change based on weather, time of day, or news.  Or you could just have some cool Direct3D "stuff" that runs (like one of those fish aquariums running as your wallpaper). 

Stardock DeskScapes at a glance:

  • Extends Windows DreamScene to support Dynamic/Live content
  • Adds support for the .Dream format
  • Displays author info/URL in the desktop background dialog
  • Supports triggers (change videos based on time, weather, etc.)
  • Is only available for Windows Vista Ultimate Users
  • Is free

The other key feature of DeskScapes is that it introduces the .DREAM format. This allows artists to protect their artwork.  The .DREAM format supports triggers (changing what is playing based on specific triggers) and it allows creators to insert their author info and a link to their website which we think is crucial to encourage artists to spend the time to create good animated wallpapers.

The other tool Stardock is working on is tentatively called Dream Maker. What it does is make it easy for authors to create .Dream files.  Its goal will be to help make it as easy as possible to create your own animated wallpapers.

To learn more about Windows Vista Ultimate, go to www.windowsultimate.com. To download content to personalize your Windows Vista experience, visit www.wincustomize.com.

Get More Dreams (animated wallpapers): Dream.WinCustomize.Com

Screenshots:


(1) Dyanmic content uses virtually no CPU, it's all on the video card. (2) DreamScene in action. (3) .Dream Files support author info.

 

634,696 views 75 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I want this!  Nowwww!

(Brad, you gotta give us your cell number next time you're at a keynote so we can phone you and listen for the ringer )
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Very Nice! One of teh more fun reasons to Upgrade to Vista Ultimate.
Elemental: Reforged
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I have a question... why are the taskbars (and inherently the window borders) different between screens 2 and 3?
Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top
why are the taskbars (and inherently the window borders) different between screens 2 and 3?


Stardock's Windowblinds?
Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Looks like another good reason to plan on upgrading to Vista. I especially like the new Web site name, Dream.WinCustomize.com, sounds like a real feather in the WinCustomize cap.    
Reply #6 from WinCustomize Forums Top
dream.wc.com looks great too
Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Whoa! Is there more special features?
Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Okay, here's a FAQ for ya...

Due to DreamScene being a Windows Ultimate kind of thing, how do content authors preview this on other versions of Vista?

We all know that they (MS) want these things to be available only to Ultimate users. But there are always aspiring artists and content creator from all versions of Windows. What keeps these things exclusive and how will authors preview their work on their machines?
Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top

Unfortunately, they'll need Windows Ultimate presently.

Incidentally, DeskScapes will be part of Object Desktop.

Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I've been saying this should be in Windows for years! It's great that they've finally put it in. One question though: How does it handle resizing to different resolutions - is it smooth, or will things looked jagged and pixelly?
Reply #11 from WinCustomize Forums Top

I especially like the new Web site name, Dream.WinCustomize.com, sounds like a real feather in the WinCustomize cap.

Yes, it is....

It's 'little' things such as this feature that means 'skinning' is alive and well...and destined for a bright future....

Reply #12 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Availability? Does/Can it work with a DVD you might be playing in the player? Or your TV tuner? I'd love to watch movies this way while I work.

This is just a commercialized version of the desktop video background seen in vlc and intervideo's dvd software, etc. The Milkdrop plug-in can do this with its visualizations in WinAmp and it's pretty friggin amazing to have all your transparent windowblinds and desktop x gadgets working over live animation - animating to the beat/tones of the music you are playing and listening to. Very cool.

For video, having a TV show or movie playing in the background of a second monitor while you work is just one of the uses beyond the "moving wallpaper" aspect of this.

The use of the native display code in Vista to make this low impact is what would be/is revolutionary. I look forward to seeing video of this in action, with windows drags and drops, etc. Three still screenshots are all but a waste of time/bandwidth given this feature, haha.

While MS may want this as an Ultimate Extra, I see no reason this won't work on any Vista incarnation with the Aero interface enabled.

I'm glad it appears to be part of Object Desktop as I intend to do a LOT with this feature in a number of ways. I've been working through the desktop background layering issues in XP for years now as an end-user.

Thanks Stardock for commercializing this amazing feature so I can count on it in my day to day productivity/life.
Reply #13 from WinCustomize Forums Top
a link with video

http://windowsultimate.com/blogs/extras/archive/2007/01/07/windows-dreamscene.aspx


notes mpeg support, so DVD playback should work, even though it may or may not handle this directly. Brad? Do we have to transfer the DVD to the local hard drive or can anything played in Windows Media Player on Vista work "through" this?
Reply #14 from WinCustomize Forums Top
When will DeskScapes be available- I can't wait!!!!!!!!
Reply #15 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Looks like the current Ultimate Extras come out January 30, but maybe Object Desktop people will see it sooner than that for beta testing, yes/no?
Reply #16 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Can't help but notice that "Blissful" is shown in the third shot, but as a sunrise or sunset. Is that going to be one of the dynamic DeskScapes? Because that would be HOT.

As I understand DeskScapes, basically all you're doing is using some sort of XML feed or service to determine when to swap out video. So if you do it based on time, perhaps you're reading the time in the system, but for the weather, maybe you're reading it from the weather gadget or something.

That said, how does DeskScape handle the switch? Is there a noticeable "pop" as the new video loads? How do you handle transitions from one video to the next? God, I have so many questions!
Reply #17 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Excalpius: Deskscapes will require Windows Vista Ultimate.
Reply #18 from WinCustomize Forums Top

SuperRob:  Deskscapes does not just do video or video with triggers.  We can also render true live 3d content on the desktop.  The first screenshot is an example of that.  If for example you wanted a spinning teapot on your desktop, we can do that.  We can even mix video & 3D content together.

The big advantage of rendered content is it can use very little cpu and scale to all resolutions well.  Right now I have a simple 3d animation going with 2 intersecting circles.  Total cpu usage : near 0%

In terms of switching between videos, that does depend on how quickly the file can be accessed on the hard drive.  Though we could cross fade videos in, or preload if it becomes a problem.  You do not get a black flash or anything like that!

Reply #19 from WinCustomize Forums Top
This is my question. I love what dreamscene is going to be and I am by far a fan of stardock. But as of late WC has been slow. What will this new site do to the bandwidth? Will WC/Stardock be able to handle it?

Also will dreamscene turn into desktopgadgets.com or is this something that will be promoted?
Reply #20 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Also will dreamscene turn into desktopgadgets.com or is this something that will be promoted?


Ouch!
Reply #21 from JoeUser Forums Top
Wow, this is the greatest thing I have seen yet. I look forward to a background of a thunderstorm with moving clouds, lightning and maybe even some rain. Like something out of rain forest.

This would be very relaxing for a person, like me, who uses thunder storm sounds to sleep with. Wow, now I want Vista more than ever. I just hope something is done about the DRM issue I have heard so much about in Vista.
Reply #22 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I love the idea of tying into a clock/time zone weather thing. Another idea would be to connect a webcam to it, so if someone has a feed from say Venice Beach you could have that running in the background instead of just a lil window in the corner.

And the Milkdrop guys should tie their WinAmp plugin to this ASAP!!!
Reply #23 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Yea this just makes me want Vista Ultimate even more. When is it coming out i want it so badly
Reply #24 from WinCustomize Forums Top

But as of late WC has been slow.

Interestingly...au contraire....the past day or two have been the FASTEST I have seen....[and I've been here a 'while']...

Reply #25 from JoeUser Forums Top
'Is Free'

How is it free if it's only available to Ultimate users? If you don't have Ultimate and just the lower end version of Vista and you want this feature, you have to pay to upgrade, right? You have to pay more for Ultimate right off the top, don't you?

I think the feature is cool, but MS is just shaking us down. Like with XP Plus when they had Plus! and then Media Plus!. Why couldn't they just have put them together? Why not make this new feature available on all Vista versions, and why so many versions of Vista to begin with? I feel like I am at a car dealership and they are trying to sell me the dang undercoating and telling me if I want this really cool new feature, I HAVE to pay and get the undercoating as well.