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You are here: MacNN Forums > Software - Troubleshooting and Discussion > Applications > OS X Screen Savers: where are the best?

OS X Screen Savers: where are the best?
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BoulderDash
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Oct 26, 2003, 01:13 AM
 
Hey hey,
I just hooked up my 36" Wega to the TV output of my Radeon 7000 Mac Edition graphics card (which sits in a G3 in my utility room 65 feet away). In any case, it's great to have the Screen Savers playing while I'm not watching anything or listening to music. So, does anyone have a website or individual suggestions of where to get some great stuff to showcase on my TV? Aside from the installed 10.3 Screen Savers (which are admittedly fine), I've only found this to be engaging:

Marine Aquarium v.2.0


"Red Pill" seemed like it was going to be a real winner, but with people complaining about Memory Leaks and Kernel Panics on VersionTracker.com I'd rather not try it.

Thanks in advance,
BD
     
Ricky
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Oct 26, 2003, 02:10 AM
 
I've been running Red Pill for what seems like forever now, and I haven't had any sort of problem. I think a lot of times the people who post stuff at VT don't know what they're talking about most of the time. Your mileage may vary of course.
     
Wet Jimmy
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Oct 26, 2003, 03:11 AM
 
Check out the Fluid screensaver. You'll find it on Version Tracker. Very nifty.
     
ryaxnb
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Oct 26, 2003, 03:15 AM
 
iLike Flying Icons modeled after the original Aqua Icons in 10.0, it's also much more customizable and seems to work fine in 10.3. It's donationware but the only donation reminder is in "donation" tab of prefs.
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Judge_Fire
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Oct 26, 2003, 04:40 AM
 
AbstractMotion remains my favorite. It's undistractive and leaves cpu cycles for other apps. But it's not flashy or anything, just simple and nice.

J
     
Sage
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Oct 26, 2003, 12:35 PM
 
I use SolarWinds - Quick download, and absolutely beautiful, especially if you use the "Undertow" configuration. Yum.
     
phillryu
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Oct 26, 2003, 01:25 PM
 
Marine Aquarium is good, so is RedPill, SnowSaver and Plasma Tunnel. Search for those at macupdate.

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Judge_Fire
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Oct 26, 2003, 02:48 PM
 
     
Landos Mustache
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Oct 26, 2003, 03:08 PM
 
God, anything but a Martix screensaver. How to turn your Mac into a geeky PC.

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Adam Betts
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Oct 26, 2003, 03:16 PM
 
Originally posted by Judge_Fire:
Oh, and here's a great idea
Ideas like this make me feel like I want to be a programmer

I would love a screensaver like that. It would be so perfect for display computer at Apple Store
     
Adam Betts
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Oct 27, 2003, 03:34 AM
 
Three screensavers that I usually use is:

Marine Aquarium
AbstractMotion
Time Ballz
     
BoulderDash  (op)
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Oct 27, 2003, 09:04 AM
 
Thanks fellas... good stuff here!

BD
     
Diggory Laycock
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Oct 27, 2003, 10:24 AM
 
     
The_Equivocator
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Oct 27, 2003, 04:40 PM
 
Shame on all of you. I can't believe no one has mentioned IGS Twisted, hands-down the best OS X screensaver ever.


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phillryu
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Oct 27, 2003, 05:05 PM
 
AbstractMotion is amazing, thanks guys!

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ae86_16v
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Dec 31, 2003, 07:50 PM
 
The new Red Pill is pretty bad ass.
     
CharlesS
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Dec 31, 2003, 08:27 PM
 
I like Helios myself.

But there are a lot of great screen savers you can find by doing a search for "screen saver" or "saver" on VersionTracker.

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cybergoober
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Dec 31, 2003, 09:56 PM
 
I really like ifs, available here
     
Oneota
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Jan 1, 2004, 01:07 AM
 
Originally posted by CharlesS:
I like Helios myself.

But there are a lot of great screen savers you can find by doing a search for "screen saver" or "saver" on VersionTracker.
Hmm...none of the savers on that page are working on my PB (using Radeon 9600 Mobility, 10.3.2).

I'm thinkin' they're in need of an update.
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wataru
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Jan 1, 2004, 01:57 AM
 
Originally posted by Oneota:
Hmm...none of the savers on that page are working on my PB (using Radeon 9600 Mobility, 10.3.2).

I'm thinkin' they're in need of an update.
I downloaded about five of them and they all work on my iBook (Radeon 7500 Mobility).
     
KP*
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Jan 2, 2004, 05:24 PM
 
I use Marine Aquarium also. The publishers have also come out with a Goldfish Aquarium, but it's not available for Mac yet, and there is a Freshwater Aquarium in development which I'm especially looking forward to.

Funny thing about Marine Aquarium: I think it looks better on my Al15" than on my 23" Cinema Display, because the resolution on the Aquarium image is not as high as the 23" so it gets pixelated and fake-looking. It still looks cool, but it's just gorgeous on the AlBook.
     
darrick
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Jan 2, 2004, 06:18 PM
 
there's a long list at desktoppers:

screensavers at desktoppers
     
dole
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Jan 2, 2004, 07:18 PM
 
I like the electric sheep screensaver.
     
starman
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Feb 23, 2004, 05:04 PM
 
Fracture used to be cool until they started charging for it. Now it's crippleware.

Sorry, but screensavers are something passive. Why would anyone pay money for it?

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joconnor
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Sep 3, 2004, 04:58 AM
 
Written by the company that did Marine Aquarium (versions 1 & 2) for Mac OS X, http://www.lifeglobe.com Goldfish Aquarium for Mac OS X. It is available at a reduced price while it is in final beta.
     
Randman
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Sep 3, 2004, 05:17 AM
 
Here's another vote for Fluid. Best yet. Plasma Tunnel is good but it gets old quickly.

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ism
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Sep 3, 2004, 07:46 AM
 
Originally posted by Diggory Laycock:
I like :

FluffyCubes
So soothing. Had it on that for over a year now.
     
Logic
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Sep 3, 2004, 08:29 AM
 
I use Adam Betts flag screensavers.

Linky

Great work Adam


ps. Any chance of you creating one with the Swedish flag?

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Rev-O
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Sep 3, 2004, 08:40 AM
 
I run fluid on an iBook and on a G5. It's cool. As an added bonus, the first time someone sees it they'll say "What's wrong with your TV!"

Also run Solarwinds on a G3 iMac. Very cool as well.

Must agree that redpill is geekware.
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angelmb
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Sep 3, 2004, 08:43 AM
 
Originally posted by Logic:
I use Adam Betts flag screensavers.

Linky

Great work Adam
Ditto, if you could do a Nintendo one...
     
BZ
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Sep 3, 2004, 10:48 AM
 
http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/24340

Linky.

BZ

Originally posted by joconnor:
Written by the company that did Marine Aquarium (versions 1 & 2) for Mac OS X, http://www.lifeglobe.com Goldfish Aquarium for Mac OS X. It is available at a reduced price while it is in final beta.
     
Millennium
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Sep 3, 2004, 01:38 PM
 
Yeah, it's old-school (one of the first OSX screensavers, actually) but what can I say...

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fiesta cat
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Sep 3, 2004, 08:51 PM
 
Originally posted by BoulderDash:
Thanks fellas... good stuff here!

BD
Understand you can run all of those as your desktop background. Yes, it could eat up some cycles, but if you've got a fast machine, it's always a "wow" thing with people, when your setting there scanning a photo for somebody or showing them something, and they realize your desktop is not only moving, but fish are swimming back and forth on it
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Randman
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Sep 5, 2004, 01:31 PM
 
Originally posted by fiesta cat:
Understand you can run all of those as your desktop background. Yes, it could eat up some cycles, but if you've got a fast machine, it's always a "wow" thing with people, when your setting there scanning a photo for somebody or showing them something, and they realize your desktop is not only moving, but fish are swimming back and forth on it
Is that an option for the app, or third-party?

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angelmb
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Sep 5, 2004, 02:51 PM
 
I found that the 'IGS Twisted' saver is kinda 'Stoner View' identical to my default saver on the SGI. So fun that I also have the Mac OS X 'Flurry' saver running on the Octane2.
     
macmend
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May 15, 2006, 06:25 AM
 
I wondered as I searched the net for "10 best Mac screensavers" whether this thread was worth reviving. There are a plethora of screen savers out there, which one do you use, which ones do a secure job, do another job as well and so on.

I use these: Words, T20C Voyage, and the RSS visualiser that is built in.
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jbleisure
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May 17, 2006, 01:47 PM
 
I haven't read the whole thread so apologies if this has been listed but tis screen saver is just the best by far. 3D MAtrix screen saver.

http://www.uselesscreations.com

You'll find in in the menu bar on the left under screen savers for MAc OSX

IT IS SUPERB
     
Person Man
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May 17, 2006, 01:53 PM
 
Originally Posted by macmend
I wondered as I searched the net for "10 best Mac screensavers" whether this thread was worth reviving. There are a plethora of screen savers out there, which one do you use, which ones do a secure job, do another job as well and so on.

I use these: Words, T20C Voyage, and the RSS visualiser that is built in.
Thanks for reviving an 18-month old thread!
     
macmend
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Jun 6, 2006, 08:03 AM
 
Person Man, So I should have created a new thread? The thread was still there to search for, why is that? I was looking for a screen saver to use across our company, that allowed some originality, and couldn't find anywhere where these things were recommended. OK not as important as how long does it take to render xxxx, or my mac wont start up, but I was just looking for some info.

I am sorry you appear to be upset by someone reopening an 18th month old post, why not just ask the admins to delete it...you see if you google "best osx screensavers" this thread comes top!? So if you have a good screensaver or want to suggest one, this is the best place to put it.
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CharlesS
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Jun 6, 2006, 01:11 PM
 
Well, part of the problem is that due to Rosetta not supporting PowerPC-based plug-ins for universal apps (like the screen saver), most of the screen savers from the first part of the thread are not going to be useful to anyone with a new Mac.

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Gee4orce
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Jun 7, 2006, 05:05 AM
 
There is a site out there somewhere with a whole load of Quartz Composer savers - if you don't know, Quartz Composer is a developer tool (ie. it gets installed when you install the Developer Tools with Mac OS X) that lets you visually program graphical sequences, including screensavers. It's one of the hidden gems of Mac OS X !
     
olePigeon
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Jun 7, 2006, 02:17 PM
 
TriVectus Warp and Planets.

The Planets one is one of my favorites. It makes a random solar system with little planets, comets, asteroids, asteroid fields. You can even make it so there are huge disasters like nuclear wars on the planet, giant asteroids coliding and blowing up a planet, meteor storms, even a tiny alien ship that'll fly by and nuke some planet.

It's cool.

OT: Forgot to mention it's OpenGL.
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Briareus
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Jun 7, 2006, 11:34 PM
 
Originally Posted by Gee4orce
There is a site out there somewhere with a whole load of Quartz Composer savers
Here's one of them: I rotate a few of this genius' quartz composer samples as screensavers. Just drop them in the screensavers folder.
     
Adam Betts
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Jun 8, 2006, 11:48 PM
 
Literally hundreds of Linux/Unix screensavers

XScreenSaver
http://www.jwz.org/xscreensaver/

Screenshots
http://www.jwz.org/xscreensaver/screenshots/

I like XAnalogTV, Zoom, Phosphor, Crackberg and Apple ][
     
   
 
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