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Welcome to SoftSkies

SoftSkies is a music visualizer and screensaver that creates mood-enhancing animated cloudscapes, rich with color and motion. SoftSkies features professional color design, patent-pending cloud animation, dynamic image scenery and fine-grained visual control. SoftSkies is ideal for relaxation, music appreciation, and enhancing the ambiance of any social setting.


Quick Tips

Frequent questions are answered in the FAQ and troubleshooting sections.

When SoftSkies is running, right-click (or control-click) on the SoftSkies window. You can:
  • Launch the SoftSkies V-Bar (lets you enjoy SoftSkies from other applications)
  • Switch audio input sources
  • Display the SoftSkies hotkey list
  • Enter full screen mode
  • Take screen shots

To maximize frame rate:
  • Exit background tasks (virus scanners, file sharing, system monitoring)
  • Disable audio extensions (e.g, sound equalizers, audio filters, "DSPs")
  • Disable CPU energy-saving features
Installation
    VLC (v3)

    1. Quit VLC.
    2. Run the SoftSkies installer (leave VLC selected).
    3. Start VLC.
    4. Open VLC (or Tools) -> Preferences -> Audio (tab, Simple view).
    5. Set Visualization to SoftSkies, then press Save.
    6. Quit and reopen VLC, then play audio. SoftSkies runs in its own window, but closes for video. To also run it for video, open Preferences, set Show settings to All, select Audio -> Visualizations -> SoftSkies, and clear Only visualize audio-only inputs.

    • Run the SoftSkies installer again whenever you install, update or reinstall VLC. A VLC update removes the plug-in.
    • VLC's own Audio -> Visualizations submenu has a bug where it lists only the visualizers built into VLC. This means:
      • SoftSkies is not listed there until VLC is fixed; instead, select it via Preferences -> Audio as described above.
      • That menu shows Disable as checked even while SoftSkies is running, and can be ignored.
      • Choosing any entry in that menu replaces SoftSkies for the rest of the session. Quit and reopen VLC to return to your saved setting.


    Apple Music / iTunes

    1. Run the SoftSkies installer.
    2. Start Music (macOS) or iTunes (Windows).
    3. From the Window menu (View in iTunes), select Visualizer Settings -> SoftSkies.
    4. With audio playing, select Window -> Visualizer (View -> Show Visualizer in iTunes).


    Winamp

    1. Run the SoftSkies installer.
    2. Start Winamp.
    3. Press CTRL+K (or right click -> Visualization -> Select plug-in, select SoftSkies, and press the Start button)


    Windows Media Player

    1. Run the SoftSkies installer.
    2. Start Windows Media Player.
    3. Press the Now Playing tab (or enter any mode that displays the visualizer).
    4. If SoftSkies does not appear, ensure that it's selected (Options -> Plug-ins -> Visualization).
    5. Note: WMP only passes keystrokes to plugins while in fullscreen mode.


    J. River MEDIA CENTER

    1. Run the SoftSkies installer.
    2. Start J. River MEDIA CENTER and start playing a song.
    3. From the Player menu, select Display Options -> Display Plugin -> SoftSkies.
    4. Click on the Playing Now heading (upper-left).
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