Microsoft releases DreamScene for Vista Ultimate users

Hot on the heels of the SP1 limited release, Microsoft has now announced the availability of Windows DreamScene for Vista Ultimate users. If you'll recall, we caught a glimpse of what an in-motion desktop looked like earlier this year, and while we're sure some will get more fired up (ahem) over this than others, it makes for good eye candy if you've nothing better to do with system resources. Additionally, it was noted that users will have access to a number of animated desktops in conjunction with Stardock, and those itching for even more Ultimate Extras can apparently look for more details to come their way later this year.

[Thanks, Daniel O.]

[Paul @ Sep 25th 2007 3:37PM]

What a waste. Vista runs slow as it is already, and letting this run will kill performance. And what's the point of having the wallaper like that? It's not like people sit there watching the wallpaper all day....

[wixostrix @ Sep 25th 2007 3:57PM]

well it works fine for me. i barely see any performance difference while its running.

[Rususeruru @ Sep 25th 2007 4:01PM]

I'm going to break the mold *GASPS* but I've actually seen a performance increase since I've installed Vista. I'll agree that DreamScene is a waste but still...

[HaX80r @ Sep 25th 2007 4:10PM]

Hm, the BASH shell is working fine for me. I'll stick with this. Who needs animated desktops when you have barrel distortion and phosphor burn?

[Andir3.0 @ Sep 25th 2007 6:54PM]

But with Active Desktop, couldn't you just put an animated GIF on your desktop and make it just as annoying?

[rothgar @ Sep 26th 2007 1:56AM]

And yet if this were apple's idea it would be AMAZING!!!

[Tom @ Sep 26th 2007 5:28AM]

Hasn't DreamScene been out since Vista launched? I remember using it back in May, at least.

[scott @ Sep 25th 2007 3:38PM]

hmmm, it would be cool to have som seemless looping matrix code on your desktop, but then again there are quite a few apps taht will do the same thing. zMatrix for example.

One th whole, this doesnt look too useful

[scott @ Sep 25th 2007 3:39PM]

ouch, sorry for the spelling folks...

[ryan @ Sep 26th 2007 1:27AM]

on the hole, I would say preparation H is the most useful.

[TwhiT @ Sep 25th 2007 3:44PM]

isn't this what drempels does already? =/

[jason @ Sep 26th 2007 2:00PM]

yeah, i was thinking the same thing, and i had dremples back on my old win98 computer

[Raaj @ Sep 25th 2007 3:46PM]

Dreamscene has been available for quite sometime now . How is this a big deal news item now? I have even installed Dreamscene on my Vista Ultimate Laptop with the famous "Iguaza Waterfall" background for a couple of months now. Dreamscene was available as part of the "Ultimate Extras".

[Darkest Daze @ Sep 25th 2007 3:50PM]

I was about to say the same thing.I've had DreamScene on my computer for months now. It was released in an update quite some time ago.

[wixostrix @ Sep 25th 2007 3:57PM]

the one that was out all ready was a beta.

[sr @ Sep 25th 2007 4:01PM]

Yeah it's nothing new.

[PK @ Sep 25th 2007 4:50PM]

The reason it's news is because MS has been getting a lot of flak recently for not releasing a final version of *any* of the "Vista Ultimate Extras" that they had heavily-advertised as Vista Ultimate differentiators when Vista was released. Some of the Extras had been in beta for months and MS promised to release final versions of them all by the end of summer. Since Friday was the official end of summer, some Vista Ultimate users have been raising hell at not getting some of the value they were promised with their expensive OS version.

What the Engadget post doesn't mention is that MS released the final version of DreamScene today but again delayed release of their other Extras (19 language packs) until the end of October. I expect to see more displeasure if they delay the release again and fail to provide the "cutting-edge programs, innovative services, and unique publications" that the Extras are supposed to embody.

You can read more here:

http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9038859&source=NLT_PM&nlid=8

[BigDaddy @ Sep 25th 2007 3:51PM]

This isn't new. It's been out for months. You could download it as an Ultimate Extra.

[Paul @ Sep 25th 2007 3:55PM]

Even if it has been out for a while, I do not have Vista Ultimate installed and this is the first I am hearing about it. So I am glad Engadget posted it.

Mayhaps all the people bitching about it being 'months' old should have submitted it months ago?

[x_25 @ Sep 25th 2007 3:56PM]

I have had an animated desktop for several years on my XP machine. Its called an animated gif. Also, you can set a video as your background using VLC media player.

[Tristan King @ Sep 25th 2007 7:26PM]

was about to say the same thing

[Christian @ Sep 25th 2007 3:58PM]

You know I'm hoping they'd release stuff that would be for minor tweaking the pc's performance.

I guess sugar coating is nice too /sarcasm

Well I do hope more comes in so we get our money's worth for that ultimate version.

[Geoff @ Sep 25th 2007 4:24PM]

The performance and compatibility updates that came out last month didn't work for you?

[eh @ Sep 25th 2007 3:58PM]

The dreamscene that has been out for awhile now was a beta, this is probably the final version (took them long enough, my god).

It works surprisingly well, some movie files take up more resources than others, but if you have a gaming quality computer then you wont experience any slowdown while using the web and basic applications. Might as well use all that extra power for something, when you want to free up resources you can just right click the desktop and tell it to pause which uses around the same as a regular jpeg wallpaper.

[brian @ Sep 25th 2007 4:17PM]

Most PCs these days would better spend their time in power save mode than running needless tasks that waste cpu cycles. Wasted cycles = more electricity used + more heat.

[Kip Granson @ Sep 25th 2007 4:20PM]

actually, as soon as you kick off a game or anything that goes full screen, it disables itself. it's kinda cool, my kids like it, but after a while it got on my nerves.

[John @ Sep 25th 2007 4:02PM]

Hmmm.. less eye candy Microsoft, more stability.

[jtc970 @ Sep 25th 2007 4:12PM]

You still using windows 98?
XP is stable, and Vista is rock solid stable.
I may be the only one who has absolutely no problems with Vista, but I rather believe there are those that claim instability because they listen to Mac users and never used it themselves.

[Derry Quinn @ Sep 25th 2007 5:05PM]

I second that. People complained about XP when it came out.

[Tristan King @ Sep 25th 2007 7:31PM]

Ive been using vista for the last few months and the experience has been horrible, graphics drivers that crash, 30 billion security pop-ups. And what about not being able to copy files easily till about a month ago. I agree, less flash more bang!

[John @ Sep 25th 2007 11:39PM]

Oh, graphics drivers that crash. I wasn't aware Microsoft wrote them. Or that they were responsible for personally coming over and turning off the UAC that has been so publicized and had the instructions about how to disable it posted everywhere as well.

[sean.boots @ Sep 26th 2007 12:14AM]

Windows 2000 for the win!

(Seriously.)

[Nick @ Sep 25th 2007 4:04PM]

Yeah I've been able to do this for quite some time now too. Its called Linux.

[Simon @ Sep 25th 2007 4:09PM]

Ok cool, now how do i get dreamscene to work on vista home premium?

[bobeotm @ Sep 25th 2007 4:22PM]

Google it, I have been using Dreamscene on Vista Home Premium for about a month or two now. The steps you have to go though seem daunting at first, but arent that bad. It works like a charm, and is better than those other video wallpaper apps that end up hiding your icons.

I am currently using it, it hasn't slowed down my system at all, but i guess thats a case by case issue.

This page has a few PS3 XMB inspired dreamscene videos.
http://mpan3.homeip.net/page?dreamscene

[fLUx @ Sep 25th 2007 4:24PM]

You can't, this is an ULTIMATE extra...

[bobeotm @ Sep 25th 2007 5:24PM]

Yes... you can, with a patch that is pretty widely available. All it takes is a google search. Dreamscene is a feature basically already inside of any Aero capable version of vista, its just made unavailable to all but Ultimate, to act as some sort of perk. Some perk.

But yeah you can, but I'm not going to link to it, I dont want the banhammer.

[billmao @ Sep 25th 2007 5:42PM]

just be caseful because the patch only works with 32bit-vistas

[WhinyWhineWhine @ Sep 25th 2007 4:12PM]

This is non-news. How much is Microsoft paying you to be a cheerleader, Engadget? All you've been doing is praising MS one story after another. Talk about biased! I guess MS does no wrong. BLah Blah Blah I guess I should start reading a more reputable blog, Gizmodo here I come.

Hey MS fanboys (ALEX), see how stupid this comes off? Asses.

[Javi0084 @ Sep 25th 2007 4:27PM]

And please don't come back.

[SweetSauce @ Sep 25th 2007 4:29PM]

...bye!

[Derry Quinn @ Sep 25th 2007 5:07PM]

Fuck off! When was the last M$ Story? When was the last Apple Story? Ah! THESE STORIES ARE COVERED FOR A REASON!!!!!(This one is an exception)

[insertAlias @ Sep 25th 2007 5:13PM]

Obviously the sarcasm went right over some people's heads...

@Whiny
maybe you should use [sarcasm][/sarcasm] tags...there are a lot of idiots out there

[Drew @ Sep 25th 2007 4:17PM]

Wow, can Engadget catch a break. Everyone gets on them for being Apple Fanboys, now they're being accused of being Microsoft fan boys. It's called tech news people. Even if it might not be the most recent news, I didn't know about DreamScene so thank you Engadget.

[Jugomugo @ Sep 25th 2007 4:21PM]

lol. I did this back in the 90's with the Geiss screensaver/desktop. Yawn.

[Tom @ Sep 26th 2007 5:28AM]

Wow. Let us all revel in your awesomeness.

[michael @ Sep 25th 2007 4:22PM]

For those who don't see it as 'useful', remember, this is just a fun extra.

It's not like a solid-built must need feature. It's just for fun. Hence the name, Ultimate Extras.

Just thought I shared that bit, considering some people think it's just only a waste.

[Ben H @ Sep 25th 2007 4:27PM]

Bahahah. How long do you think WhinyWhineWhine has been holding that one in. Ahh, preteen angst at its finest.

[Simon @ Sep 25th 2007 5:11PM]

If you say preteen on the internet, people come and find you.

[Felipe Jesus @ Sep 25th 2007 4:29PM]

For all those that said this was avalible months ago, your thinking of the BETA version of Dreamscene. This is the FINAL version.