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Using a Digital Picture frame for a display — Parallax Forums

Using a Digital Picture frame for a display

grasshoppergrasshopper Posts: 438
edited 2009-01-21 15:41 in Propeller 1
Any one got any ideas on how a guy could use a digital picture frame as a display? It has a USB port that I can send data to from the Propeller. Problem is that I am not sure how to send data that looks like a jpeg, or bitmap. I bet if I could send data out as one of these file types it would work.

Comments

  • StefanL38StefanL38 Posts: 2,292
    edited 2008-12-29 22:03
    Hello Grashopper,

    jpegs are compressed by a more or less complex algorithm. If you would like to update this picture in realtime this will go over the capabilities of the propeller
    Bitmaps need a lot of memory.

    So if you search for a cheap display take one of these portable DVD-players or small portable TVs with a videocomposite-input.

    The propellerboard has an USB-plug which interfaces to a PC by building a VIRTUAL COM-PORT (RS232-com-port) This could be used ONLY for transfering RS232 data
    NOT for pure USB-data like USB-sticks or something like that. Therefore you could use a Vinculum-USB-adapter. But then I think it's much easier to take a TV-screen
    or VGA-monitor right from the shelf

    best regards

    Stefan
  • HarleyHarley Posts: 997
    edited 2008-12-29 22:20
    I too hoped to use a digital photo frame as a monitor. But upon working with it realized that wasn't an easy task. Not had time to approach it; present project first.

    After my 5" CRT died, I found a Sony DVD player with a Video In port which I now use. Nice unit and can display in color, if desired. Attached photo of it shows the headings of my two Props in different colors. A LCD mode switch displays either in 4:3 or 16:9 format; nice and readable in 'wide screen'.

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    Harley Shanko
    MVC-008S.JPG
    640 x 480 - 29K
  • RaymanRayman Posts: 14,826
    edited 2008-12-30 01:11
    I did it with a Juicebox thing, that was essentially a digital photo frame... But, it wasn't easy... Basically, I shared the sdcard between the Prop and the display. Put the photo frame in auto mode and had the Prop monitor the display's SD card usage and update in between reads. I bought a real photo frame that can read BMP files to do a better job, but never got around to trying it out...

    A portable DVD or something with video in is definitely an easier and probably better way to go...
  • Oldbitcollector (Jeff)Oldbitcollector (Jeff) Posts: 8,091
    edited 2008-12-30 01:19
    I've wishfully examined over a hundred different photoframes looking for an AV-IN jack.
    No dice! Hit Ebay for a portable DVD player with a broken mech. Make sure it has AV-IN (most do)
    and you'll have a cheap/portable AV screen for your prop. Last one cost me $11 shipped.

    OBC

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    New to the Propeller?

    Check out: Protoboard Introduction , Propeller Cookbook 1.4 & Software Index
    Updates to the Cookbook are now posted to: Propeller.warrantyvoid.us
    Got an SD card connected? - PropDOS

    Post Edited (Oldbitcollector) : 1/21/2009 3:23:10 PM GMT
  • mikedivmikediv Posts: 825
    edited 2008-12-30 01:23
    I dont know what ones you guys are trying to use but walmart has one they call it 10-1/2 inch picture frame the video portion is really not that big but its pretty big compared to the 7 in ones, the cost before X-mas was $149.00 it has all the memory card slots and usb , but I took it apart and was able to connect composite video to it, but after I got that working I was in Sams and bought a really nice backup camera system for my truck it comes with a 7 in monitor very nice and almost as big as the picture frame for·only $70 dollars ·it has no memory slots but already comes with composite video if anyone in interested I can post some picutres
    the nice thing for both is they run off 12 volts the backup display is really nice and portable and the colors look nice
    I hooked the hydra up to them to play games nice monitors

    ·
  • Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) Posts: 23,514
    edited 2008-12-30 01:26
    Rayman,

    Very clever, your "dual-port" SD card! I like it!

    -Phil
  • AleAle Posts: 2,363
    edited 2009-01-17 18:31
    I just bought a 7" photo frame. It has a 480x234 pixel TFT with LED backlight (Model JOBO PDJL007).

    It has several ICs:

    Sunplus Multi Media SPMF-2800 processor (No data on the Sunplus site :-(
    A MC34063 to control the backlight.
    A 16 MB SDRAM CT51V641601
    Another 8 pin SOIC (a bit wider than a SOIC) called ?D80VS1G
    Another SOIC-8 called 3414E

    One 5 pin SOT-23 ic.

    And a dislay marked: B15GN8B100517 in a sticker. The flat cable says something like H430A35

    Well, that was a waste of money :-( (59 &#8364[noparse];)[/noparse]

    I do not have here the Oscilloscope and I do not think is safe to connect the logic analyzer directly to the TFT pins due to the possibility that is has some high voltage (the la supportas only from -6 to +6). Tomorrow I'll see if I go to the uni and have a better look at it.
  • AleAle Posts: 2,363
    edited 2009-01-18 15:18
    Well, if anyone is interested, I found quite a bit about the display in this photo frame. It is a TFT with RGB inputs.

    This datasheet: http://www.gblcd.com/datacenter/hannstar/HSD070I651.pdf is of a very similar TFT but with CCFL backlight, mine is LED.

    The display corresponds to what it is described in the datasheet, same maker.

    Most signals are 5 V based, even analog ones. The oddity of these kind of displays in the necessity of generating both odd and even frames with alternating polarity for the signals. Once 5V means maximum brightness, next frame it means minimum. Obviously this was thought for using this kind of display with NTSC composite signals, well with split RGB. Still utterly complicated without too much sense (for me).
    Note: In the circuit I have, the pixel clock signals are sinusoidal and not square.
  • hippyhippy Posts: 1,981
    edited 2009-01-18 21:09
    There are a number of articles on t'web about people hacking smaller keyring LCD's, going so far as to replace the firmware within the controlling micro. Not sure how scalable that is, and it really comes down to finding the right frame to use.

    Of course, once you've got the firmware hacked, no need to use USB or any prior protocols, replace with a serial link and a simple terminal / pixel map driver, just set the pixels on-chip and watch the display light up.

    One example : spritesmods.com/?art=picframe

    Unfortunately, "that's fine, but where do I find the exact same frame" ? Unless a ubiquitous over the counter product suitable for hacking by one and all can be found any effort in that direction is going to be rather a niche market and solo effort at best.
  • Dr_AculaDr_Acula Posts: 5,484
    edited 2009-01-19 02:11
    I saw these at a shop only yesterday and thought the same thing. Agree it looks complicated. They are not all that cheap either - second hand vga lcd monitors at my local computer store are cheaper than new digital frames.

    The DVD players are plummetting in price. Maybe you could get a dual screen one and nick one screen for a propeller and put the DVD + the other screen in the santa stocking for the kids and pass it off to the missus as a gift purchase rather than wasted money on that 'darned electronics' hobby?!

    The RCA input seems standard. Broken ones don't seem to be on local ebay and international shipping adds to the cost so the new package still is $100. But they were $399 only 18 months ago. It makes sense to tap into something that is mass produced for a screen and this could well be the answer over the next 6 months. I'm sticking with a freebie vga crt for the moment but watching developments very closely re these 7-9 inch lcds. They are already much cheaper per character than 16x2 and 20x4 LCD displays. As a general statement I think it would be wise to put both TV and VGA on any board based on the propeller.

    Post Edited (Dr_Acula (James Moxham)) : 1/19/2009 2:16:31 AM GMT
  • AleAle Posts: 2,363
    edited 2009-01-19 06:41
    And I bought one of the cheapest!, may be that was the problem. I was hoping for a digital inputs TFT. It seems most 480x234 displays are like that one. 800x480 seems to be a digital inputs LCD, but the resolution is just too big. Well, it made a good gift for my gf (after I put it together again) [noparse]:D[/noparse]
  • RizThomasRizThomas Posts: 24
    edited 2009-01-21 07:08
    I was at a electronics recycling place and came across a broken portable DVD player (Daytek). The laser mechanism is all broken but the LCD screen is operational, complete with rechargeable battery and power supply..and got it for $10.
    I am now building a bigger version of OBC's portable propeller system. The nice thing about this is that somehow there is a empty cylindrical compartment at the back (where the Screen swivels). This was probably meant for a lithium battery. Well, the best part is that this is were I am going to move the PS2, vga, serial , and other connectors instead of mounting them in the Proto board. This will allow me to install the proto board and still be able to close the player. The power supply is 9V - perfect for the propeller's requirements. It also has all the AV inputs that I need to interface the protoboard. This will give me the option to connect my Hummer DTV (C64-8bit clone -- see PETSCII.com ) and use this broken DVD player as a monitor.

    Thanks to OBC for all the ideas...
  • Oldbitcollector (Jeff)Oldbitcollector (Jeff) Posts: 8,091
    edited 2009-01-21 15:23
    That's gonna be an awesome portable propeller! Keep up posted with the progress! (and take pics!)
    I've got one that's been begging to be done for months and simply haven't gotten around to it.
    (Need to win the lottery so I can do Propeller stuff 24-7. tongue.gif )

    OBC

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    New to the Propeller?

    Check out: Protoboard Introduction , Propeller Cookbook 1.4 & Software Index
    Updates to the Cookbook are now posted to: Propeller.warrantyvoid.us
    Got an SD card connected? - PropDOS
  • BaggersBaggers Posts: 3,019
    edited 2009-01-21 15:41
    Oldbitcollector said...
    (Need to win the lottery so I can do Propeller stuff 24-7. tongue.gif )
    Ain't that the truth yeah.gif

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    http://www.propgfx.co.uk/forum/·home of the PropGFX Lite

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