DIGITAL PHOTO FRAMES

[manhattan]

Hi.

Has anyone considered utilising digital photo frames as monitors? Clearly if this was possible, it would be for small instrument displays, not outside views!! I don't know anything about these things, and I apologise if I am just wasting time here!
They are cheap, and come in handy sizes.

Cheers.

TONY, Plymouth UK

[Jan737]

Hi Tony,
Do they have a VGA or S-video connector?

If yes then it must be possible to use them

Best regards

Jan Geurtsen

[Goldmember]

I don't think they have a standard connector for vga so you'll have to take out the bare panel and see if it has a standard industrial connection. This is mostly a flat cable and it goes from the video hardware to the panel. In a normal monitor this hardware has the vga or hdmi connector, in the photo frame it will get its data from a little program that rotates the photos.

You could take apart an old 'big' flatscreen monitor that has the same resolution as the photo frame. Then see if you can change the 17", 18" panel or whatever that monitor has for the one from the photo frame by connecting it to the flat cable that comes from video hardware. It worked for me by swapping an 18" with a 15,6" from a notebook.

[DeadlyDad]

Actually, there are lots of digital picture frame hacks (http://www.google.ca/search?q="digital+picture+OR+photo+frame"+hack) out there. Cellphone display hacks (http://colonelk.freeshell.org/s-a60/) are also popular.

Some links that you might find helpful:

http://spritesmods.com/?art=picframe
http://ssl.bulix.org/projects/lcd4linux/wiki/Features
http://hackaday.com/?s=Digital+Picture+Frame
http://www.waitingforfriday.com/index.php?title=Reverse_Engineering_a_1.5_inch_Photoframe
http://www.sparkfun.com/products/569
http://www.4dsystems.com.au/index.php
http://rossum.posterous.com/
http://rossum.posterous.com/screen-play-lots-of-other-screens-for-microco
http://www.module.ro/
http://www.jjs.at/software/pspdisp.html
http://www.recontech.co.uk/index.php/projects/series-1-a-lq043t3dx02-display-driver-board/45-series-1-update-assembly-and-testing

[Cessna172sim]

Hi,

We are using digital Photo frame (plug n play USB) in our sim for avionics:
http://www.lentosimulaattori.1g.fi/kuvat/GA+Avionics+panel+project/Project+3+-+Spring+2010/

http://www.lentosimulaattori.1g.fi/kuvat/GA+Avionics+panel+project/Project+4+-+Autumn+2011+%28backlighted+front+panel%29/kuva9.JPG

Works really well in FS2004 with undocked, cropped GNS Waas avionics software.

[manhattan]

We are using digital Photo frame (plug n play USB) in our sim for avionics:
http://www.lentosimulaattori.1g.fi/kuvat/GA+Avionics+panel+project/Project+3+-+Spring+2010/

http://www.lentosimulaattori.1g.fi/kuvat/GA+Avionics+panel+project/Project+4+-+Autumn+2011+%28backlighted+front+panel%29/kuva9.JPG

Works really well in FS2004 with undocked, cropped GNS Waas avionics software.

Hi Vectro.

Your idea is fantastic, and perfect for flightsim!
I am not too technical, but I have a digital photo frame that in normal use, requires a memory stick (with photo's on it) plugged into a standard usb socket on the back. Is this the sort that you are using? If it is, can you explain to me how it is connected to the computer? I presume that a peice of hardware needs to be connected between the frame and the graphics card? Alternatively, is there another way to send graphics to the frame?

If this is feasable, can you tell me which frame(s) you are using? There are a large numer on the list.

Here's hoping I can use this idea.

Thanks.

TONY.

[manhattan]

I don't think they have a standard connector for vga so you'll have to take out the bare panel and see if it has a standard industrial connection. This is mostly a flat cable and it goes from the video hardware to the panel. In a normal monitor this hardware has the vga or hdmi connector, in the photo frame it will get its data from a little program that rotates the photos.

You could take apart an old 'big' flatscreen monitor that has the same resolution as the photo frame. Then see if you can change the 17", 18" panel or whatever that monitor has for the one from the photo frame by connecting it to the flat cable that comes from video hardware. It worked for me by swapping an 18" with a 15,6" from a notebook.

Thanks Arjen.

I am ripping apart a monitor to have a look see! I am also looking at the possibility of using digital photo frames (see Vectro).

From you photo, you look as though you have just done the best landing EVER!!

TONY

[Cessna172sim]

Hi Vectro.

Your idea is fantastic, and perfect for flightsim!
I am not too technical, but I have a digital photo frame that in normal use, requires a memory stick (with photo's on it) plugged into a standard usb socket on the back. Is this the sort that you are using? If it is, can you explain to me how it is connected to the computer? I presume that a peice of hardware needs to be connected between the frame and the graphics card? Alternatively, is there another way to send graphics to the frame?

If this is feasable, can you tell me which frame(s) you are using? There are a large numer on the list.

Here's hoping I can use this idea.

Thanks.

TONY.
Hi,
The display is Samsung SyncMaster U70 - 7" Photo Frame. It's 100% USB and plug n play. In Windows it appears as a new display so you can undock any windows in FS9 or FSX and drag them to the screen. That's it. We use Open Cockpits electronics to control the push buttons and rotary encoders. The software is Reality XP GNS Waas:
http://www.reality-xp.com/flightsim/gns530/index.html

The most importantly, in Samsung it is possible to tilt the picture sideways so it fits perfectly in the original aviation rack width. You don't have to connect the display in the display adapter card. It get's its power and picture via USB.

BR,
OP

[Goldmember]

I just found a plug & play 7" USB monitor:

Krämer 7 inch USB TFT V700

€ 119 at Conrad Electronics

Maybe this is far easier. A little more expensive than a photo frame but ready to use.

[Goldmember]

From you photo, you look as though you have just done the best landing EVER!!



Actually that was at 1000ft in a soar plane :cool:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCe3ZSaDCtQ

[DeadlyDad]

One thing that you can do with the small ones is to use them as buttons by slipping a regular push button in between the screen itself and the circuit board. If you want to change the image for a number of frames at once, link all of the forward/backward buttons on the frame to a single set.