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[marko]

So, yesterday, I spent some considerable amount of time messing about with themes, and here's where I'm at so far...

• The images in the "Video" folder, or any other top level, root item, that contains items on a secondary roller, don't work. Folders that match each secondary level roller item name need to be created and the images placed inside them.
• Video files as backgrounds.
  • I had quite limited success here. The offered "Smoke" example refused to play for me. I note that the video file is a .mov file.
  • .mpg files played, but they opened in a separate "Direct Movie" window.
  • If there are multiple image files in the theme root, MC will pick one at random giving some variation each time the user lands back at the home screen. If I use multiple video files, MC plays them one after the other and then stops. There's no looping at all, and subsequent returns to the home screen result in no background at all, just a black screen.
  • .wmv files are the only ones that work correctly as backgrounds, so long as there is only one of them.
  
  
  A while back, probably when themes were first introduced, someone dropped the tip that windows 'dreamscene' video files were a good source of video background files due to the fact that they are mostly designed to be looped. I've found some OK-ish examples, but nothing that's made me go "WOW". Is anyone using a video background with WOW factor, or know of a good (free) source of such files that doesn't involve the likes of rapidshare download links?
  
  Matt,
  is it to be expected that only wmv files behave in the expected manner for me?
  
  -marko

[Matt]

• The images in the "Video" folder, or any other top level, root item, that contains items on a secondary roller, don't work. Folders that match each secondary level roller item name need to be created and the images placed inside them.

This is just a bug in the current build, due to the reorganization of Theater View's layout.

I think it might be better to use the media type of the files in the view to pick a theme folder instead of the string path (which is not too meaningful now) of the view.

• Video files as backgrounds.
  • I had quite limited success here. The offered "Smoke" example refused to play for me. I note that the video file is a .mov file.
  • .mpg files played, but they opened in a separate "Direct Movie" window.
  • If there are multiple image files in the theme root, MC will pick one at random giving some variation each time the user lands back at the home screen. If I use multiple video files, MC plays them one after the other and then stops. There's no looping at all, and subsequent returns to the home screen result in no background at all, just a black screen.
  • .wmv files are the only ones that work correctly as backgrounds, so long as there is only one of them.

Video support will depend on the Directshow filters installed.  We may be able to use the new automatic graph building system here once it's ready in a few weeks.

I think video backgrounds are neat, but they're too large (100+ MB) for JRiver to use as part of the stock Theater View skins.

[marko]

I think it might be better to use the media type of the files in the view to pick a theme folder instead of the string path (which is not too meaningful now) of the view.

I'm not so sure about this. I quite like that Movies, Television, Music Video and Home Video can all have their own backdrops, or are you talking about keying off the [media subtype] field? I'm not so keen on that either as I don't currently use it as I don't like the fact that we can't use our own values in there.

I think video backgrounds are neat, but they're too large (100+ MB) for JRiver to use as part of the stock Theater View skins.

I got my hands on 3 or 4 ok-ish clips here that are between 3 and 10 Mb each, they look fine at 1920 x 1200 and loop quite nicely. They don't have WOW factor though, so my search continues. Any thoughts regarding future handling of multiple video files in the theme folder? Also, if enough people get interested, we could perhaps have a whole accessories section devoted to theater view themes.

-marko

[Daydream]

Also, if enough people get interested, we could perhaps have a whole accessories section devoted to theater view themes.

That would be a good idea if we get more options to work with, considering that right now themes mean dropping files in folders. It's a collection of backgrounds not exactly themes. Tinting the elements of the interface, transparency control, effects (fade, slide direction, etc) - that is a theme.

Also on the video backgrounds. It should be made clear that we'd need specially made videos, like the waving light strips on a PS3, not any video. Otherwise we just got a new definition for "distraction".

[Moe]

I've been playing around with video backgrounds as well.

Here are two cool ones that I've found.

The Playstation 3 wave I converted the black version to a wmv and you can download it here

A similar waves video that I found on Youtube that I converted to a wmv which you can get here I also converted this video to black and white which you can get here

If anyone finds any other videos on YouTube that they would like converted to a wmv let me know and I will do my best to convert them for you.  

I am having a problem though.  I have two computers that run MC, my main desktop computer and my HTPC.  Video backgrounds work just fine on my main desktop computer but I cannot get video to work as a background on my HTPC at all.  The videos play just fine on the HTPC inside of MC they just don't work as a background in theater view, I just get a black screen.

Can anyone help me getting video backgrounds to work on my HTPC?  I am at a loss as to why they play on one of my computers but not the other.  Both computers have CCCP installed.

[rick.ca]

Here are two cool ones that I've found.

Nice. Thanks.

[HTPC4ME]

I've used these for years...all can be compressed And look great, just read the comments before downloading
1. http://dream.wincustomize.com/

2. http://www.dvdmenubacks.com/dvd_menu_background_gallery.cfm

3. http://www.revostock.com/SearchResult-Empty.html?text=&st=AND&ID=&catID=&cat1[]=224&cat1[]=225&cat1[]=425&cat1[]=426&cat1[]=528&cat1[]=169&cat1[]=&cat1[]=&SearchResultPagerOrder=u.%60Downloads%60+DESC&SearchResultPagerQty=40&google=on&a_aid=68588

4. http://www.dropdrop.com/

tons more available out there. do searches for HD dreams, After effects templates, HD backdrops.
 Hope this helps some.

[marko]

I felt that the three default images, shall we say, provided room for expansion. I spent too long trying to find suitable candidates online, so in the end, gave up and took some of my own...





These are actual images, resized for the forum. I uploaded some Theater View screen dumps to pix01.

There are 66 images at the moment, cropped to 1920 x 1080, zipped up at 11.4 Mb.
Let me know if you would like a copy of the file and I'll get one to you.

-marko