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How to display video background through transparent windows?

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16
adamskii_uk
324 posts
Joined April 2008
Topic Starter
adamskii_uk
In Windows XP, I'm using VLC player to play a video on my desktop background and I would like to have this video viewable through transparent windows, such as internet explorer, firefox, and other apps, etc. The problem is that I can only get the video to show through windows if I disable hardware acceleration such as DirectDraw & Direct3D, see the image below.

Although disabling these accelerations does work for viewing the video through transparent windows, some programs refuse to run without the hardware acceleration enabled, and also the laptop runs alot slower too without it. So is there any way I can view videos on my desktop through transparent windows whilst keeping all hardware acceleration enabled?

SPOILER
Mara
4,906 posts
Joined November 2009
Mara
It isn't quite clever to post this on OT. Just sayin'.
anonymous_old
0 posts
Here since the beginning
anonymous_old
Transparent Windows? Is than an OS X ripoff?
adamskii_uk
324 posts
Joined April 2008
Topic Starter
adamskii_uk

LunaticMara wrote:

It isn't quite clever to post this on OT. Just sayin'.
Why not, this has nothing to do with osu!??
Last edited by adamskii_uk , edited 2 times in total.
anonymous_old
0 posts
Here since the beginning
anonymous_old

adamskii_uk wrote:

LunaticMara wrote:

It isn't quite clever to post this on OT. Just sayin'.
Why not, this has nothing to do with osu!??
Then why are you posting on the osu! forums?
Mara
4,906 posts
Joined November 2009
Mara
l2forums, here is your place.
adamskii_uk
324 posts
Joined April 2008
Topic Starter
adamskii_uk

strager wrote:

Then why are you posting on the osu! forums?
Because I thought someone on here would actually help me, instead of wasting my time insulting me. After all, this is an off topic section, and off topic sections on forums are geneally used for discussing things not related to the main topics on the forum, such as osu!.

But, I guess I was mistaken. :roll:
Randy96
1,113 posts
Joined August 2009
Randy96
adamskii_uk
324 posts
Joined April 2008
Topic Starter
adamskii_uk
Ok, I admit I f**ked up. I just read the "ground rules" thread for the off-topic section. :roll:

In my defense, for many years I have posted these type of threads in the off topic sections on other forums (which I no longer visit), so I assumed it would be fine to post this thread in this section on the osu! forum. Also, I don't really post much in the general discussion or off-topic sections on here, most of my previous posts have been in the main osu! sections, so I was unaware this would be a problem. :)

I would still appreciate it if someone could help me with my problem though, and if not, then you can blast my thread to hell using the script in this thread. 8-)

viewtopic.php?f=52&t=38161
Pokebis
2,047 posts
Joined April 2008
Pokebis
To be the first post ontopic, I'd like to question the reason for doing this. I really don't see a point in doing this as it uses processing power and memory that doesn't need to be used.
My best suggestion would be to make a bind to enable/disable hardware acceleration whilst using certain programs. Otherwise I think you'd be better off asking a more tech-oriented forums or perhaps even the VLC forums.
/ontopic
adamskii_uk
324 posts
Joined April 2008
Topic Starter
adamskii_uk

Pokebis wrote:

To be the first post ontopic, I'd like to question the reason for doing this. I really don't see a point in doing this as it uses processing power and memory that doesn't need to be used.
My best suggestion would be to make a bind to enable/disable hardware acceleration whilst using certain programs. Otherwise I think you'd be better off asking a more tech-oriented forums or perhaps even the VLC forums.
/ontopic
My reason for wanting this is for reprogramming my subconscious mind with affirmations and images whilst I'm using the computer during the day, so that I can manifest things I want into reality by using the Law Of Attraction. I suck at visualising in my head since I have problems controlling it and the images are weak (not vivid images like some people have), so video images on a computer monitor are the best way for me to have positive images programmed into my subconscious mind whilst I perform activities on my laptop during the day.

But, like I said on my first post, I can only see the background video through windows if hardware accelerations are disabled, and this limits me to what programs I can run whilst the video is playing, and it also slows the computer down too much.
IppE
IppE
Make a folder of images and set desktop background to loop those endlessly? Would be far easier to do than a video imo.
anonymous_old
0 posts
Here since the beginning
anonymous_old

strager wrote:

Transparent Windows? Is than an OS X ripoff?
^ This was on-topic. What do you mean by "transparent windows"? There's no Aero on XP.
RemmyX25
osu! Alumni
3,087 posts
Here since the beginning
RemmyX25
brb moving topic so you lot can actually discuss
adamskii_uk
324 posts
Joined April 2008
Topic Starter
adamskii_uk

IppE602 wrote:

Make a folder of images and set desktop background to loop those endlessly? Would be far easier to do than a video imo.
Sounds like that could work. I will probably use that method instead. :) I would still like to know if it's possible to view video through transparent windows though, with all hardware acceleration enabled.

strager wrote:

What do you mean by "transparent windows"? There's no Aero on XP.
I have several programs that enable the ability to adjust the window transparency level for each individual window that's open on the desktop. However, none of these transparency window apps work with video, the video can only be viewed through a transparent window if all hardware accelerations are turned off prior to opening a video in a media player such as VLC and WMP.
IppE
IppE

adamskii_uk wrote:

I would still like to know if it's possible to view video through transparent windows though, with all hardware acceleration enabled.
Well it works for me on Win7 with MPC-HC. Dunno about some flimsy XP hacks though.
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