Winamp "desktop" mode?!

[Daeval]

Have you guys seen this?

 

 

If you can't tell, that would be a winamp visualization plugin running, complete with beat detection, as my otherwise normal desktop background.

 

I'd only ever messed with winamp's visualizations in full-screen mode, making the false presumption that they were only useful while not actually using the computer... I decided to futz around with them now that I got winamp 5.05 and discovered this. It looks like something out of a bad hacker movie. We're not quite to the point where macs can interface with alien attack ships, but this is a step in hollywood's direction.

 

To see it for yourself, hook up winamp with the Milkdrop plugin (included in 5.05), then configure the plugin to run in Desktop mode. Make sure to find the option that lets you see your icons. You might also want to set your start menu to auto-hide.

 

Sorry if this is old news, but I found it too spiffy to keep to myself.

[Agozer]

Yes, I know of this....although I haven't tried it, I assume it takes a fair bit of resources.

[random guy]

Heh, that's pretty cool, I didn't notice it either

[Daeval]

Yes, I know of this....although I haven't tried it, I assume it takes a fair bit of resources.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

I thought so too, but it hasn't been a big deal so far. Granted, I haven't done anything seriously intensive, and I have a decent system (P4 2.8, 512MB, GeForce 4 Ti4600). The worst I've done is openned photoshop with thunderbird and a few firefox windows running, while streaming 128K radio, talking on aim, and transferring files between partitions.

 

Processor usage jumps by about 15-25% and RAM by about 20MB, but you figure I'm making the plug-in run at 1280x1024 in true color mode, with anisotropic filtering (if that works in desktop mode - no way to tell, but the checkbox is marked) and those numbers aren't too bad. It seems pretty low-priority too, if there is a hiccup because I'm doing something funky, it's usually the vis that slows down rather than anything important.

 

Obviously, it's not going to be desireable if you're doing anything major, like video editing or something, but it's great for everyday stuff.

[Gryph]

Oooh, this is cool stuff. Damn this is trippy...I never use visualizations because they distracted me from work.

[NeuronMaster]

I like it

 

/me goes to download a TON of visualization plugins.

 

This is so cool. Thanks for the info Daeval

[BIGWORM]

I'm having a problem trying to get this desktop mode to work...could anyone tell meh exactly how to do it?

[NeuronMaster]

configure it, in the plugin selection menu.

 

or for just the command ALT + D

Edited October 12, 2004 by NeuronMaster

[Daeval]

I knew someone else would get a kick out of this..

[L.S.D]

I dun understand all this

[Jjangthekid]

this too high tech for my computer..