Wait, How do I Turn on DreamScene Again?
So you installed Windows DreamScene through Windows Update, but where did it go? You can't find it in the start menu anywhere, and it's not in Program Files… Turns out that just installing it doesn't always mean that it's enabled.
If you encounter the same problem I did, you'll have to also turn it on through the Windows Features menu. We'll run through the entire installation just to be safe.
Installing in Windows Update
Open up Windows Update through the start menu, and you should see "There are Windows Ultimate Extras available for download", so click on the "View available Extras" link.
Check all the updates (I already installed it before I remembered to screenshot it), and then click on the Install button.
Enabling DreamScene Component
Again, this step may not be required for you, but it was for me. Open up control panel and click the Programs link.
Then click on "Turn Windows features on or off"
Now you should see Windows Ultimate Extras and then Windows DreamScene in the list. Check the box, and then click OK.
It'll tell you the features are being configured…
And then it will prompt you to reboot. Make sure you reboot at this step.
Choosing a DreamScene Wallpaper
Right-click on the Desktop and choose Personalize, and then choose Desktop Background. You'll notice that the drop-down menu contains a number of new items for video files, including one for "Windows DreamScene Content", which contains all of the new videos in the additional components pack.
You'll also notice there are more options for how you can position both pictures and videos.
Now you've got moving pictures for your wallpaper. You can't see it through the screenshot, but it's animated… and useless…
If you want to pause the wallpaper, perhaps because you or somebody next to you is now having a seizure, just right-click on the desktop and choose Pause DreamScene.
This has to be one of the most useless features ever added to Windows. It spikes the CPU in my beefy laptop at a solid 15%.
Windows DreamScene is only available for people using Vista Ultimate, but don't worry, you aren't missing much.
My ATI x800 can't run DreamScene in dual-monitor mode. You need a newer/better card for that. I can't even run it on one screen only, I'd have to completely disable one monitor. A shame, really. This is one of the reasons I bought Ultimate, even if it is a wasteful toy.
It runs in dual-monitor mode for me… but the annoying thing is that I couldn't figure out how to make it actually span the monitors, it just displays the same thing on both screens.
It was supposed to be something that could run in the background and be more performant because it was integrated into the OS… but I think you'd really need one hefty system to not notice the performance hit.
I get "Windows DreamScene cannot run because the total desktop size exceeds the primary video adapter's maximum texture size".
I'd be happy to have it only one one monitor, as long as my 2nd monitor still worked.
It looks really great…and stardock have brought out a few extras for it too…provided you download their software…which i doubt you do!
When you play a game the desktop gets set to the colour black as default…rather annoying
runs fine on my comp. For 2 hours. Then some error message pops and I get a black background. Vista as usual.
"If you want to pause the wallpaper, perhaps because you or somebody next to you is now having a seizure"
That made me laugh. Brightened up my morning
Uh, this has been available in windows since 98se, I believe. I am currently running windows XP on my laptop with an "active desktop" wallpaper featuring a website with active content. I simply made a small HTML document with an embedded flash application that I got from http://abowman.com/google-modules/tree-frog/.
Oh, and my laptop doesn't go above 2% CPU when running this particular app, and it's interactive!
I solved my dual monitor problem via Stardock's dynamic .dream content. Runs at any resolution on any number of monitors with much lower CPU usage than mpg or wmv files. But they aren't free (mine was $10)
MafiaMan,
Yeah, it's been available in a form since 98SE in the Active Desktop setting, you're right. However Active Desktop only allowed animated .gifs, DreamScene allows videos and suchlike.
Give us a tutorial in how NOT to install this heap of crap. I installed it thinking it to be image editing software (don't ask, I should have done my research) and then next thing I know I'm bombarded with crap.
Animated wallpapers? Aren't those called…oh yeah, "screensavers"? Seriously, though, who thought that would be a good idea?
Minstral,
Didn;t you htink it is wierd you had to activate it in the desktop preferences? even if you insalled it you have to turn it on there
For those people saying it has a performance hit:
DreamScene pauses the video when you switch to a full-screen application. The video stops if the desktop isn't visible.
unfortunately animated dreamscene works only if you have Windows Vista Ultimate! no use for because my comp. is Vista home premium…