Change Cosmos Screensaver from 16:10 to 16:9 Aspect Ratio
If you're a Linux user then you've probably installed and played around screensavers before. Even though screensavers are not as popular as they use to be, a lot of people still use them for the sense of nostalgia.
Computers and TVs use to use CRT (Cathode-Ray Tube) monitors that would develop "burn-in" if an image remained in the same place on the screen for a long period of time. This "burn-in" would create discolored areas on your screen that wouldn't go away. This was a huge problem on old phosphor-based displays. LCD screens used today are less likely to get "burn-in" compared to their predecessors; however, they still can get "burn-in" despite the old myth. CRT "burn-in" is usually permanent while "burn-in" on an LCD screen can usually be reversed.
Most people today have modern displays that have power-saving features. These features can dim or turn off your screen after a certain amount of inactivity on your machine. This will save electricity and battery power on your laptop. You can even turn off your machine at a certain time each day to save power consumption. These power-saving features have replaced the use of screensavers. It is no longer necessary to install a screensaver unless you like them.
Most people today have modern displays that have power-saving features. These features can dim or turn off your screen after a certain amount of inactivity on your machine. This will save electricity and battery power on your laptop. You can even turn off your machine at a certain time each day to save power consumption. These power-saving features have replaced the use of screensavers. It is no longer necessary to install a screensaver unless you like them.
I've created a section called How-To Enable Screensavers that explain how to use and install additional screensavers on your Linux system. My favorite screensaver is called Cosmos; however, it was created for 16:10 aspect ratio screens instead of the 16:9 which is now the most common aspect ratios for HD TVs and computer monitors. Using a 16:10 aspect ratio screensaver on a 16:9 screen creates black bars on the left and right side of each image within the screensaver. I located the nine space images in the /usr/share/backgrounds/cosmos/ folder and resized them to fill the entire screen.
Here are the original files in the Cosmos folder:
/usr/share/backgrounds/cosmos/background-1.xml
/usr/share/backgrounds/cosmos/blue-marble-west.jpg
/usr/share/backgrounds/cosmos/cloud.jpg
/usr/share/backgrounds/cosmos/comet.jpg
/usr/share/backgrounds/cosmos/earth-horizon.jpg
/usr/share/backgrounds/cosmos/galaxy-ngc3370.jpg
/usr/share/backgrounds/cosmos/helix-nebula.jpg
/usr/share/backgrounds/cosmos/jupiter.jpg
/usr/share/backgrounds/cosmos/sombrero.jpg
/usr/share/backgrounds/cosmos/whirlpool.jpg
/usr/share/backgrounds/cosmos/background-1.xml
/usr/share/backgrounds/cosmos/blue-marble-west.jpg
/usr/share/backgrounds/cosmos/cloud.jpg
/usr/share/backgrounds/cosmos/comet.jpg
/usr/share/backgrounds/cosmos/earth-horizon.jpg
/usr/share/backgrounds/cosmos/galaxy-ngc3370.jpg
/usr/share/backgrounds/cosmos/helix-nebula.jpg
/usr/share/backgrounds/cosmos/jupiter.jpg
/usr/share/backgrounds/cosmos/sombrero.jpg
/usr/share/backgrounds/cosmos/whirlpool.jpg
I resized each image to 1920x1080 which is 16:9 aspect ratio. I also renamed each image file and added more space images into the folder.
Below is a list of typical computer screen/video resolutions and aspect ratios.
I uploaded my new Cosmos screensaver in my DropBox account.
- Desktop Monitor: Cosmos - 1920x1080 (16:9)
- Laptop Monitor: Cosmos - 1366x768 (16:9)
- Original: Cosmos - 2560x1600 & 1280x800 (16:10)
Download one of the cosmos.tar.gz files from my DropBox and then locate the file and right-click it and select the Extract Here command to uncompress the file.
You should now see a new cosmos folder in the same directory.
Now open a new Caja File Manager window and navigate back to the File System or the hard drive icon and locate and double-click on the usr folder to open it.
Then locate and double-click on the share folder to open it.
Next, locate and right-click on the backgrounds folder. Click on the Open as Administrator command when the menu appears.
Enter your administrator password and press the Enter or Return key within the Authenticate dialog box.
You will now be logged into the backgrounds folder as a superuser, so be careful what you do. Locate and click on the cosmos folder to select it and then press the Delete button on your keyboard to remove the folder.
Go back to the cosmos folder that you extracted earlier and right-click the folder and select the Cut command.
Now go back into the backgrounds (as superuser) folder and right-click in a blank area and select the Paste command when the menu appears.
You should see a new cosmos folder in the current backgrounds folder.
You should have a new set of space images in your cosmos folder. These images will also be 16:9 ratio to fill your 16:9 ratio HD screen.
Now go into your Screensaver Preferences dialog box and select the Cosmos screensaver and make sure the Activate screensaver when computer is idle is checked and you have the desire amount of wait time on the Regard the computer as idle after: section.
The preview window use the old 16:10 aspect ratio, so it won't look exatactly the same as the images on your screen when the screensaver is active.