Rendered content included with Dreamscene (such as an animated realization of the Windows Aurora background) was produced by Stardock, while photographic content was provided by the Discovery Channel . Third-party video content in MPEG or WMV format may also be used. In addition, AVI files can be played by altering the file extension. Additionally, in partnership with Dell, Microsoft released a separate Dreamscene alongside its Product Red version of the Ultimate edition of Windows Vista.
One of the purported advantages of Dreamscene over previous methods of desktop animation is that it makes use of the GPU for display instead of the CPU, leaving the latter free to perform user tasks. To what extent this is achieved is not specified. When a full-screen program is run, such as a game or any window that is maximized, the video will automatically stop since the video will not be seen; this means it uses less GPU and CPU. The video can also be stopped manually. Content encoders need to strive for a balance between compression and file size; decompression requires the CPU, but larger files take up more memory and may cause the disk to be accessed more frequently. Running a video in the background would have a significant impact on the battery life of mobile computers, whether or not it were rendered by the GPU, so Dreamscene may display a static background when a computer is running on batteries.
The software relies heavily on the Desktop Window Manager (or DWM, part of Windows Aero). In Windows 7, Dreamscene was replaced by a "Desktop Slideshow" feature which produces slideshow background wallpapers, but does not support videos. However, it can still be enabled via third-party tools. In Windows 8, 10 and 11, Dreamscene was removed entirely, and has not returned to newer versions of Windows (7, 8, 10).
How to use Windows Dreamscene?
To use Windows Dreamscene, you need to have a Windows Vista Ultimate edition with Service Pack 1 or later installed. You also need to have a graphics card that supports DirectX 9 and has at least 128 MB of video memory. You can check your system requirements by clicking on Start > Control Panel > System and Maintenance > System.
If you meet the requirements, you can download Windows Dreamscene from the Windows Update website or from the [Windows Ultimate Extras] webpage. After downloading and installing the utility, you can access it by right-clicking on your desktop and selecting Personalize > Desktop Background. You will see a new option called Windows Dreamscene Content under Picture Location. You can choose from several pre-installed videos and animations, or browse for your own files in MPEG or WMV format. You can also adjust the sound settings and the pause behavior from the same window.
To change or stop the video wallpaper, you can right-click on your desktop and select Pause Dreamscene or Next Desktop Background. You can also use keyboard shortcuts: Ctrl+Shift+F12 to pause or resume Dreamscene, and Ctrl+Shift+F11 to switch to the next background.
What are some alternatives to Windows Dreamscene?
If you do not have a Windows Vista Ultimate edition, or if you want to use other formats or features for your animated desktop wallpapers, you may want to try some alternatives to Windows Dreamscene. Here are some examples:
Stardock DeskScapes: This is a chargeable add-on for Windows Dreamscene, created by the same company that produced some of the content for Dreamscene. This software allows the implementation of dynamic wallpapers (".dream" files). They have released a new version (3.5), which makes the program compatible with non-Ultimate editions of Vista and newer versions of Windows (7, 8, 10).
Wallpaper Engine: This is a chargeable software that replaces the desktop background with a wide selection of default and user made animated backgrounds. while also providing a complete tool set for user generated wallpapers.
XPScene, Screen2Dream, WPTimer: These are freeware tools created by TOMYO that allow you to run your Dreamscene videos on Windows XP, or use them as screensavers or timers. You can download them from the [tools] section of dreamscene.org.
There are also other websites that offer free or paid video loops and animations that you can use as your desktop wallpaper, such as [dreamscene.org], [dreamsceneseven.com], [dreamscapes.co.uk], and [videowallpaper.net]. However, you may need to use third-party software to enable them on your system.
Conclusion
Windows Dreamscene is a feature that allows you to use videos and animations as your desktop wallpaper, making your desktop more lively and dynamic. It is available for Windows Vista Ultimate edition, but can also be enabled on other versions of Windows with third-party tools. However, it may have some drawbacks, such as high system requirements, battery consumption, and limited format support. Therefore, you may want to consider some alternatives to Windows Dreamscene, such as Stardock DeskScapes, Wallpaper Engine, or XPScene.
We hope this article has helped you understand what Windows Dreamscene is, how to use it, and what alternatives are available. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to leave them below.
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