Introduction: Play Youtube Playlist As ScreenSaver (Windows 7)

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Hi Guys.

For my PC at my office I was searching to find out a way to play a cool play list on youtube as a screen saver. I somehow found a quite nice solution and I want to share it here.

What you need?

Step 1: Install the Softwares

VLC player:

I guess everybody can download and install the VLC Player from their website. No special setting is required for our purpose. So set everything as you like in the installation process. Just remember the location of the installation on your PC.

Screen Launcher:

You can download it from here. (I am not sure downloading from Softpedia is legal. Your Responsibility) The installation process is written in their original website. It is quite easy.

  • download it
  • unzip it somewhere
  • right click on "Screen Launcher.scr" and click on "Install" and Run

This will add another option in your screen saver settings: Right click on desktop -> Personalise-> Screen Saver

In the screen savers you will have "Screen Launcher" Option.

Step 2: Set Up the Screen Saver

The Screen Launcher runs whatever software as you like as screen saver. It can runs a power point slides, videos etc. but we want to run a Youtube playlist online. (without download)

We need a batch file to run the videos from Youtube through the VLC player. VLC player have some guides how to use it by command lines. Lets create the batch file.

Open the Notepad

First we should refer it to the address where the VLC player is installed. For me it is on "C:\Program Files (x86)\VideoLAN\VLC" So write the following line at your notepad as first command:

cd C:\Program Files (x86)\VideoLAN\VLC

Now you need to have a link of a cool Youtube playlist. for example this: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQ0AOxfgptx... It seems that all playlist links include the term "?list=" in the URl address.

Now we have to force the VLC player to run this online. So copy the following command as the second command to your notepad file:

vlc --fullscreen --no-audio "https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQ0AOxfgptxQ9XMA-zP7XhAh0Xr6a5lOo"

Of course you can change the link as you like. If you need audio in your screensaver, you can remove "--no-audio".

Now you need to save it as a batch file somewhere. File-> save as choose whatever name but with ".bat" at the end. for example here I choose "screenSaver.bat". In future if you would like to change the playlist, just right click on the batch file and click on Edit. change the link and save it.To test the batch file if it is working, simply double click on it. If it is not working, maybe the address of the VLC is wrong or the address of the playlist. Now we have the batch file. We have to run it as screen saver.

Go to your screen saver settings by right clicking on desktop -> Personalise -> Screen Saver. Choose "Screen Launcher" on screen saver options. Click on apply. Click on "Settings...". Click on Browse and address it to the batch file we have created it. Click on OK. And Set up the other screen saver options like the wait time and ...

And We are done.

Enjoy it.

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