[TUTORIAL] How to get HIGH QUALITY wallpaper on your Touch HD!

Rozenthal · Apr 2, 2009

Rozenthal's guide on how to get high-quality wallpaper image on your Touch HD.

There have been many topics dealing with this issue, and I figured it was time someone made a guide with correct and precise instructions.

To complete this guide you will need to have at least moderate knowledge of Photoshop or similar advanced graphic software. You will also need your PC and some additional software.

However, I can confirm that the results are "as advertised" - full quality wallpaper image, without any visible image degradation.

Please note that I take no responsibility if you mess up something. I suggest you make backup folder with Manila files that need to be edited, so you can always go back to default if something isn't working. Also note that this guide deals with Manila2 (the new Manila from latest Topaz / Rhodium ROM's). The old Manila1 may be using different file names.

If all this seems too complicated, a simple way to improve image quality on your Touch HD is to use 512x512 pixel PNG wallpaper! Do not use 480x800! Use 512x512 and you will see it will be sharper and much better looking. Not perfect, but still better!

KukurikU · Apr 2, 2009

my head hurts!!! do you have an example to download and try?

maybe you can use this:

Bimme · Apr 2, 2009

and what if u select an 696x480 pixel pic as background? will it still be compressed that much ?

Rozenthal · Apr 2, 2009

You can imagine how much MY head hurt when I was trying to figure out all this... It wasn't easy, seriously

Also, if you use 480x696 the image will still be downsampled to 512 in height, compressed and then stretched to 480x696.

You have to remember that image CAN NOT be larger then 512x512 for TF3D to use it.

Rozenthal · Apr 2, 2009

I will not be a gold-fish here, so please don't request me to make your own custom wallpapers. I spend a lot of time trying to figure it all out, and now I'm sharing my knowledge with other people, so they can learn it too - and have it all much easier then myself

But, here's an example of my own custom wallpaper.

Manila files are inside ZIP. Backup your old Manila files before copying these ones into Windows folder!

Overwrite old files, restart TF3D and set the wallpaper to display default wallpaper image.

Rozenthal · Apr 2, 2009

One more example...

They're both dark and simple, but I prefer them that way

They work 100% and they don't cause problems reading the SMS / Email / Today text.

mainsail · Apr 2, 2009

You are in the true, Rozenthal.. best backgrounds are Black. I always use black themes like the example posted. Great, great tutorial! It´s a bit hard for me (and english too) but i´ll try to follow your instructions. Thanks a lot!

Frank

Rozenthal · Apr 2, 2009

I know it's not simple... I warned you

But, it might get a lot simpler soon, because author of CFC GUI (Chainfire) has been working on a solution that would automatically slice wallpaper bitmaps into appropriate Manila files.

That would mean you would not have to know anything about Photoshop, you would not have to create 4 separate PNG files or anything similar. It would all be done by CFC GUI "automagically" - as Chainfire likes to say it

But, until that happens, this is the only way

Sir.B · Apr 2, 2009

great write up

i actually spent a whole day figuring this out myself, then i find this awesomeness

a great contribution to our community

thanks

zuz242 · Apr 2, 2009

arrgh, can´t quote ´cause the tut is a big image.. clever

well, nice tut but it is not working for me. i´m on panoshas black pearl 2.2 and replacing the manila files (used yours) just screws up my background.
So i guess my t3d version must be different ("New Manila v 3.1 panosha with landscape ").

PapaDocta · Apr 2, 2009

it would be cool if you post for the old manila too ..

deepinside88 · Apr 2, 2009

Thank you! You made my life much better.

Rozenthal · Apr 3, 2009

zuz242 said:
arrgh, can´t quote ´cause the tut is a big image.. clever

well, nice tut but it is not working for me. i´m on panoshas black pearl 2.2 and replacing the manila files (used yours) just screws up my background.
So i guess my t3d version must be different ("New Manila v 3.1 panosha with landscape ").

This simply means that in your ROM these files are named differently.

The needed files are inside your Windows folder, so to figure out which ones are they, you'd have to copy ALL Manila files to your PC and use CFC GUI to check them and see what are the new file names. You won't have a hard time finding them, since there's not many images that are 512x512 / 512x256 pixels big.

The rest of the process is same as described.

Same thing goes for old Manila. The only difference with old Manila is that I'm not sure there are dedicated images for Landscape mode. Most likely there are only images for portrait, but as I said - I'm not sure. Someone with old Manila would have to check this out.

Pandemoniumone · Apr 3, 2009

Rozenthal said:
I know it's not simple... I warned you

But, it might get a lot simpler soon, because author of CFC GUI (Chainfire) has been working on a solution that would automatically slice wallpaper bitmaps into appropriate Manila files.

That would mean you would not have to know anything about Photoshop, you would not have to create 4 separate PNG files or anything similar. It would all be done by CFC GUI "automagically" - as Chainfire likes to say it

But, until that happens, this is the only way

This is a much needed thread, thank you for starting it! I'm afraid it is a little to late for me though as I'm using Dutty's v2.6 xtreme rom with the new manila. It would be awesome if Chainfire makes his tool compatible with the new manila. I would definitely send a donation his way for the CFC GUI tool so I can finely "automagically" have a beautiful personal wallpaper!

Any idea when his new tool will be available?

digimaz · Apr 3, 2009

Is it possible for those which have tried this and confirmed that it worked successfully to post their work up here too? So others that like the same background can enjoy them as wel.

KukurikU · Apr 3, 2009

after copying in my windows directory the files that rozenthal was so generous to share (after making a back-up

) i can confirm that the gray tiles looks fine in my all tabs. i can not say that now i have a high resolution back ground because the image is gray and the tiles are very, very small. just kiddin'

....the tiles are only a few pixels so it is easy to see that YES, i have a high resolution image in all my back grounds. i guess the same image without being killed, sliced and being revived should look awful.
there is a small bug: if u are looking closely you can notice that my lower band (Bottom Curtain) is transparent and the background image is not "stretching" to the that part of my screen. this is certanly not rozenthal's fault, this is because me tweaking the mannila. i don't think that covering that part of the screen should be a problem.
now go back and release the finger keyboard 2.1 rozenthal!

enough playing!

banzaip · Apr 3, 2009

I use your tuto, and all tab is OK, except for home tab, I have a white background !!!

I use dutty 2.6, and analog + flip clock from Max TF3D Theme Maker on home !

Borbosch · Apr 3, 2009

Hi there!

I was so happy while reading your Tutorial, because i allways searched for a solution for the blurry Backgrounds in TF3D. I tried all the steps but my result looks like the attached Screenshot. You will recognize a small grey line where the two parts of the background come together.
Is this a other Manilla part which overlays the Background? Because the files should be OK, i checked twice that no pixelline is missing.

Any Ideas?

(the pngs that i used for the manilla files are in the Zip-File)

Rozenthal · Apr 3, 2009

Borbosch said:
Hi there!

I was so happy while reading your Tutorial, because i allways searched for a solution for the blurry Backgrounds in TF3D. I tried all the steps but my result looks like the attached Screenshot. You will recognize a small grey line where the two parts of the background come together.
Is this a other Manilla part which overlays the Background? Because the files should be OK, i checked twice that no pixelline is missing.

Any Ideas?

(the pngs that i used for the manilla files are in the Zip-File)

Hello Borbosch,

the issue you describe is the last thing we have yet to figure out. Chainfire is working on solving this. If it makes you feel any better, I had the same issue on some of my wallpapers as well.

I assumed it was aligning issue, but yesterday night Chainfire said it was not problem in bitmap aligning but rather something else. I have a feeling it might have something to do with compression, but we'll know soon enough, and hopefully provide a solution.

Rozenthal · Apr 3, 2009

banzaip said:
I use your tuto, and all tab is OK, except for home tab, I have a white background !!!

I use dutty 2.6, and analog + flip clock from Max TF3D Theme Maker on home !

Did you revert the wallpaper to default in Settings tab > Wallpaper?

[TUTORIAL] How to get HIGH QUALITY wallpaper on your Touch HD!

Retired Recognized Developer

Senior Member

Attachments

Senior Member

Retired Recognized Developer

Retired Recognized Developer

Attachments

Retired Recognized Developer

Attachments

Senior Member

Attachments

Retired Recognized Developer

Senior Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Retired Recognized Developer

Senior Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Senior Member

Member

Attachments

Retired Recognized Developer

Retired Recognized Developer

Similar threads