4

I want to watch an exciting announcement while I do other things on my desktop. So, I'd like to have the video play:

  • in a small window
  • hovering over other windows as I move them around ("always on top")
  • (ideally) allow click-throughs
  • (ideally) be semi-transparent

Is this possible with Totem / VLC / anything else?

1
  • 1
    VLC has an option always on top but about transparency I am not sure. For transparency you can use ccsm `opacity Brightness & Saturation’ Plugin.
    – g_p
    Feb 20, 2014 at 11:01

4 Answers 4

4

Download and install youtube-dl,enable the 'Always on top' plugin in totem, also hide the controls using 'Show Controls' under the 'View' menu, then run:

youtube-dl http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGG_GHYzSLs
totem 'Town Hall Hangout-gGG_GHYzSLs.mp4'

Or, with VLC

youtube-dl http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGG_GHYzSLs
vlc --video-on-top --qt-minimal-view 'Town Hall Hangout-gGG_GHYzSLs.mp4

You can also do the transparency in compizconfig-settings-manager: Look for 'Opacity, Brightness, and Saturation' settings

There is also apparently a Ghost plugin that used to be available to enable click-through, but I think on recent versions of Ubuntu some things like that have been removed - see here.

2
  • The 'always-on-top` plugin works in totem here (Ubuntu 13.10 - mostly unmodified).... updated with VLC options.
    – Wilf
    Feb 20, 2014 at 19:23
  • 1
    Looks like that is so... Try it - VLC works better anyway as you can use the 'Minimum View' to hide the controls & stuff.
    – Wilf
    Feb 20, 2014 at 19:31
4

In mplayer, you can simply toggle the stay-on-top option with T while playing. I'm not sure if transparency is possible, except for OSD messages or subtitles.

1

Ah, easier than I thought... in VLC, open the "Movies" menu and tick "Always on top".

In Movies (Totem), enable the "Always on top" plugin, and it will kick in once the movie starts playing.

This satisfied my minimum requirements (happy to hear more! :)

1
  1. Right click on 'Title bar' at totem player.

  2. Click on 'Always on Top'.

Done

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .