Digital Picture Frame
Digital picture frames are relatively simple devices, but most commercial models are rather feature-deficient (and overpriced). With a little time and effort, it's possible to convert an old laptop into a very nice custom frame.
Contents
Overview
I'm not going to provide detailed instructions here because the process will differ for each frame. Briefly, the procedure for building a custom digital picture frame involves the following:
- Procure a laptop with suitable characteristics (screen size, cost, wireless, etc.)
- Install the necessary software.
- Disassemble the laptop, removing all unnecessary components.
- Cram the rest into a picture frame.
In this case, I started with an HP/Compaq NC4010. I wanted the frame to do a lot more than show photos—specifically, I also wanted it to display weather, news, and mail/calendar information. So the "necessary software" in this case was Linux and a bunch of bash and python scripts that I wrote.
Construction
Once the software is verified and working, simply disassemble the laptop, discarding any unnecessary components (e.g. the plastic shell) so that the machine can be mounted within a picture frame. This requires some patience, but is relatively straightforward.
The dissected HP/Compaq NC4010 laptop.
The remainder of construction simply involves mounting the laptop within a frame. I had one custom made to the dimensions I needed and assembled the components inside using foam board for structural support.
Result
The finished frame loops through an animated slideshow which displays weather, calendar, mail, news, and of course, photos. Here are some snapshots and a (low-quality) video of the final product.
The finished picture frame displaying a daily news story.
The finished picture frame displaying upcoming calendar events.
It can also show inbox status (not pictured).
The finished picture frame displaying one of the day's interesting photos.
The finished picture frame displaying the current weather and forecast.
If you're thinking about doing something like this yourself, be sure to check out Werner Heuser's excellent compilations of sites referencing laptop disassembly and digital picture frame construction: