Windows DreamScene (also Motion Desktop) is a nice extra feature that plays high definition video content or movie as desktop background with animated wallpaper instead of static graphic (video demo). Unfortunately, Microsoft only offers the feature to Windows Vista Ultimate users for free download. But it’s not impossible for Windows Vista Home Premium, Home Basic, Business, Enterprise and Starter edition users, and for those Windows XP user who do not want to upgrade to Windows Vista to set a video as animated desktop wallpaper. Here is a trick to use an alternative method to create DreamScene wallpaper effect in non-supported Windows.
To set and play a video as wallpaper in Windows XP, Windows Vista Home Premium, Home Basic, Business, Enterprise and Starter edition:
1. Download and install VLC media player for Windows
2. Run VLC Media Player, go to Settings -> Preferences, expand Interface and click on wxWidgets. In the bottom right corner of “wxWidgets interface module” window, click on “Advanced options” to show advanced settings. Then uncheck the Taskbar check box in order to remove VLC Player title from the taskbar while the program is running. Check Systray icon if you want to enable Systray (system tray or notification area) icon instead.
3. Next, expand Video -> Output Modules and then select Direct X. In bottom right corner of DirectX Video Output window, check the Advanced Options check box in order to see all the settings available.
4. Check and tick the “Enable wallpaper mode” check box.
5. Then, select Playlist and then check or tick the Repeat current item checkbox.
6. Press “Save” button when done.
7. Open and play any video that you would like to set as motion wallpaper in VLC Media Player.
8. If the video hasn’t yet been set as desktop background, right click on the video and click on “Wallpaper”.
9. The video or movie will be set as if it’s DreamScene motion desktop background wallpaper.
If you do not configure VLC Player to repeatedly play current media in loop, you can still do so after playing the video. Simply click on View then select Playlist. Highlight the video media content that is playing and click on Repeat One or Repeat All button as shown below to loop the video for non-stop video wallpaper.
Looping the animated wallpaper
Note that the video must be encoded in a video format supported by VLC Player such as MPEG, AVI, MP4, WMV, FLV (Flash Video) and etc. Else you will need to convert the video clip to the supported format.
Check Enable Wallpaper Mode. Now when you right click on your videos, you should be able to see a Wallpaper option.
Video Looping:
Settings > Preferences > Playlist >Repeat All
For removing VLC from the taskbar
Settings > Preferences -> Interface -> Main Interface -> wxWidgets and uncheck Taskbar and enable Systray icon.
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