DreamScene and DeskScapes Released

Windows Vista Ultimate users are getting a preview release of Windows DreamScene today, with an animated Aurora background included. Any WMV or MPEG2 file can be used as a background, though there are some limitations. I expect that the community will rally and create some great looking content around this idea very soon.

One note ... MPEG2 files tend to perform better than WMV files, due to CPU requirements. However, unlike what is being spread by Stardock, it's not a pure performance bonus, as you're trading CPU time for GPU time. If you're using a laptop, expect to see lower battery life and more heat generated when using DreamScene.

Also released today is the companion to DreamScene ... Stardock's DeskScapes product. Basically a wrapper around a DreamScene MPEG2 file, these can be scripted to transition between videos based on the time of day or other critera, and can even support true 3D content. There is no dynamic content available yet, but this is also a product I can see the community rallying behind.

DeskScapes is free, and if you install it, be sure to get the Nebula theme. All that moves on this background are the stars pulsating; it's very subtle and soothing. I'd like to see more DeskScapes like this one, and not the incredibly busy ones I can anticipate seeing in the next few weeks.