Currently, totem displays a black box if you disable visualizations. It can
prove to be annoying for two reasons:

- the xine backend creates some artifacts (just open the totem volume slider and
close it, you will see the image still printed on the black area)
- it wastes space on my mom's screen when she just wants to randomly try songs
in a folder

Other information:
What could be done is deactivate that space on two conditions:
- visualizations are disabled
- the sidebar is deactivated

Please look at this screenshot :
http://img292.imageshack.us/my.php?image=screenshottotemmovieplayer0nf.png

OR, the sidebar could take its place (second screenshot).
http://img491.imageshack.us/my.php?image=screenshottotemmockup2ej.png