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Digital Frame for Prop peripherals — Parallax Forums

Digital Frame for Prop peripherals

prof_brainoprof_braino Posts: 4,313
edited 2010-10-04 05:50 in Propeller 1
Has anybody tried using a digital picture frame to provide peripheral resources for a prop?

I found a 7" 800x480 on sale for $29. It is strapped down on the operating table awaiting dissection. It has SD slot, audio, 512MB ram (EEPROM?), and runs on 12volts. I would use it mostly to display 14 lines of 100 characters using 8x12 font, and save source code on the SD card.

Ideally, I would only use a couple prop I/O lines to hijack the digital frames resources.

Any ideas on a hack for this?
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Comments

  • Cluso99Cluso99 Posts: 18,069
    edited 2010-09-28 04:51
    Unfortunately there are many variations on digital photoframes. There was a discussion perhaps a year ago about some tiny 1.5" keychain photoframes and I bought a 2" version. IIRC it was jazzed who disected one and got it working.
  • AleAle Posts: 2,363
    edited 2010-09-28 04:54
    I bought one 7" 480x234 some 1 year ago. The display was driven by 3 analog RGB signals !. Utterly complicated :(. For 29 there is not much that can go wrong, it makes a nice gift for your wife/gf in the case you cannot hack it ;-)
  • localrogerlocalroger Posts: 3,452
    edited 2010-09-28 05:56
    Ale, that sounds like your photo frame might use the same display signals as the Philips PET 702 DVD players I picked up hoping to hack. I worked out the timing pretty well but haven't had time to figure out how to get the prop to duplicate the signals.
  • AleAle Posts: 2,363
    edited 2010-09-28 06:20
    localroger:

    I gave up on it, and gave it to my gf as a present :).
    I picked up a 480x272 4.3" (similar to rayman's) and a 800x600 8" really nice display I still have to connect to something :). Both digital.
  • jazzedjazzed Posts: 11,803
    edited 2010-09-28 09:11
    If you don't mind big ugly hacks it might work. The main concern would be whether or not the LCD has a Propeller friendly interface. The 8 or 16 bit Intel or Motorola and SPI SD interfaces are hackable. Lots of LCDs use 24+ pins though.

    Dissect it and get part numbers from the LCD devices & the micro. Without that key data, even a big ugly hack is not possible.
  • vettezr1vettezr1 Posts: 77
    edited 2010-09-28 19:23
    Guys/Jazz isn't there a way to get a simple ntsc interface on these units I bought a few 7 inchers and was hoping to just use them as composite?
    it would be nice to be able to use the assests like the SD slots but I guess in the meantime its better then nothing?
  • jazzedjazzed Posts: 11,803
    edited 2010-09-28 20:51
    My favorite small NTSC monitor is a DVD player with composite input.

    The photo-frames probably use direct access LCDs to improve picture quality.
    There are NTSC compliant modes on many LCDs, but I don't know much about it.
  • prof_brainoprof_braino Posts: 4,313
    edited 2010-09-29 04:39
    Thanks for all the replies.

    This is the one I have:

    http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0346228

    I will chop it open (no screws) this weekend.

    Goal is to use as much of it intact and as - is, and use the fewest I/O pins to take control. I plan to use it as a text editor display for standalone Forth system. I'll try to post parts and / or pictures
  • vettezr1vettezr1 Posts: 77
    edited 2010-09-29 07:35
    Prof thats a good price I might order one or two,, This one looks exactly like one I already have but I am not 100% sure I am going to crack mine open tonight ,, can I ask you how are you going to try and interface yours to the prop??? As I said I was hoping for ntsc but if there is a better way to be able to use the SD ports I would like to try that if you want I can post some pics of mine taken apart let me know I look forward to seeing this thanks for the thread I think its going to be very interesting
  • jazzedjazzed Posts: 11,803
    edited 2010-09-29 08:07
    @vettezr1, don't you think it would be best to wait and see if someone has a clue that hacking this is possible? Still, at $30 if things don't work out, you're not losing much. I don't have time or motivation. Are you a Corvette owner?
  • prof_brainoprof_braino Posts: 4,313
    edited 2010-09-29 18:23
    vettezr1 wrote: »
    .... I am not 100% sure ... crack mine open tonight ,, can I ask you how are you going to try and interface yours to the prop??? .... ntsc... SD ports... post some pics of mine taken apart let me know ...going to be very interesting

    I am going to use 1 I/O line to seize full control of the micro in the frame, if that doesn't work I will get more aggressive. Ideally I would trick the micro into doing what I want instead of what it's original programmer intended, without butchering it too badly, but butchering is always a fun option.

    As jazzed said, it is best to wait for someone with a clue, but I grow impatient and THIS digital frame is already doomed...

    Please post pix, comparing notes will be helpful.
  • prof_brainoprof_braino Posts: 4,313
    edited 2010-10-01 04:44
    Subject reports increasing feelings of anxiety
    kt600a20100930-230205.jpg
    1600 x 1200 - 225K
    kt600a20100930-230220.jpg
    1600 x 1200 - 171K
  • prof_brainoprof_braino Posts: 4,313
    edited 2010-10-01 04:46
    A 5-1 tool did most of the job
    kt600a20100930-230740.jpg
    1600 x 1200 - 221K
  • prof_brainoprof_braino Posts: 4,313
    edited 2010-10-01 04:48
    This is the only part in here aside from the LCD, a couple diode looking things and a bunch of surface mount resistors
    CHEERTEK
    CT952B
    828GH30988MGACL
    kt600a20100930-232343.jpg
    1600 x 1200 - 342K
  • AleAle Posts: 2,363
    edited 2010-10-01 05:12
    But... how many lines go to the display ? does it look like digital ? or is it analog ? (btw the tool set looks just right ! :), especially that hammer-looking thingy :lol: )
  • Heater.Heater. Posts: 21,230
    edited 2010-10-01 05:21
    Wouldn't it be spooky if you opened the thing up and inside you found......a propeller?
  • AleAle Posts: 2,363
    edited 2010-10-01 05:49
    That would mean that the job is already done for us ! awesome !. I mean A morpheus board could do it after all...
  • Toby SeckshundToby Seckshund Posts: 2,027
    edited 2010-10-01 06:47
    I bought one for HER last Christmas, SHE doesn't use it at all....

    .... it's doomed too ! (800x600 Tesco £27)

    I have some 10" composite/VGA monitors at work that WILL be scrapped soon. Mostly the back light flories have gone so the only work required will be how to place some white LEDs in the correct places.
  • Bill HenningBill Henning Posts: 6,445
    edited 2010-10-01 09:33
    I found the data sheet for the previous version of the chip... complete with schematics :)

    And an interesting link:

    http://www.weikeng.com.cn/english/support/2008/0603/article_38.html
    prof_braino wrote: »
    This is the only part in here aside from the LCD, a couple diode looking things and a bunch of surface mount resistors
    CHEERTEK
    CT952B
    828GH30988MGACL
    pdf
    pdf
    CT952A.pdf
    244K
  • vettezr1vettezr1 Posts: 77
    edited 2010-10-01 09:40
    Jazz its me mikediv my old account still does not work, yes I have one of the original ZR1 corvettes a 1992 with the LT5 engine I also have a 1969 and a 1967 big block I have always had one since 18 If I only knew what I know now I would have kept them all I had an all orignal L-88 they that car today would be worth around 500K I traded a GTO and a Hemi engine for it ,, it had a bad motor but still like they say hind sight is 20-20 I am not to worried if they cant be hacked I will just hang them on my office wall I have tons of pictures that I could entertain myself with lol
  • AleAle Posts: 2,363
    edited 2010-10-01 12:53
    Analog LCD....
  • prof_brainoprof_braino Posts: 4,313
    edited 2010-10-01 19:41
    Ale wrote: »
    But... how many lines go to the display

    I don't know, I didn't bother to count them yet, and the advert doesn't say. This this the CHEAPEST one, so docs are sketchy.

    BUT I found a super HiRes 16:9 image of a character from final fantasy (a pixie or something) and it fit perfectly. I don't know what that tells us, but still feel no remorse dismembering it.
  • prof_brainoprof_braino Posts: 4,313
    edited 2010-10-01 19:53
    Bill Henning wrote: »
    I found the data sheet for the previous version of the chip... complete with schematics :)

    And an interesting link:

    http://www.weikeng.com.cn/english/support/2008/0603/article_38.html

    HEY! This is really useful! Thanks Bill! The unit DOES have a SD/MX card reader slot, and can hold 14 images in internal memory.

    I would want to go in thru the host and modify the internal code to make more text-display suitable.

    My first idea was to take four prop I/O lines and listen to the SD card slot. The frame automatically reads images off the SD every 5 seconds or so. When the frame stops reading, I would have the prop re-write the image. At refresh, the frame would display the new image.

    If I were to change one 8x12 pixel block of text, could replace it with a character typed from the keyboard. I could use the image file as the screen buffer. It would be a bit slow, but it might work for a starter. Any comments on that?
  • prof_brainoprof_braino Posts: 4,313
    edited 2010-10-01 20:09
    Bill Henning wrote: »
    I found the data sheet for the previous version of the chip... complete with schematics

    This looks like a single chip has all the resources to operate as user interface hardware. If the board and LCD can be had for $30....
    I wonder if they would let hobbyist in on the programming parameter for the internals?

    Anybody Chinese out there that can ask them? I bet they'd sell a lot to hobbyist builders...
  • prof_brainoprof_braino Posts: 4,313
    edited 2010-10-01 20:31
    Ale wrote: »
    Analog LCD....

    Is this bad?

    If the CT952B continues to do the work of displaying the image, and the prop does the job of placing characters on the image, is this a feasible solution?
  • TubularTubular Posts: 4,726
    edited 2010-10-01 21:13
    prof_braino wrote: »
    My first idea was to take four prop I/O lines and listen to the SD card slot. The frame automatically reads images off the SD every 5 seconds or so. When the frame stops reading, I would have the prop re-write the image. At refresh, the frame would display the new image.

    If I were to change one 8x12 pixel block of text, could replace it with a character typed from the keyboard. I could use the image file as the screen buffer. It would be a bit slow, but it might work for a starter. Any comments on that?

    Yep I have a Toshiba Journe photo frame (7" 800x600) and Sparkfun SD breakout, and am planning on doing exactly that. It will have three bitmap files on the SD card of slightly different length, that way the Prop can track which image is being read (by its read time), thereby "detecting" whether the user has pressed the forward or backward arrow, and respond accordingly
  • AleAle Posts: 2,363
    edited 2010-10-01 22:58
    Do you have an oscilloscope ? then look at the datasheet and check all the display signals... you will realize what I meant. From what I saw on other panel the signal changes polarity for every fram or group of horizontal lines, and so on. Really not that straight-forward.
  • Bill HenningBill Henning Posts: 6,445
    edited 2010-10-02 07:46
    Glad to help :)
    prof_braino wrote: »
    HEY! This is really useful! Thanks Bill! The unit DOES have a SD/MX card reader slot, and can hold 14 images in internal memory.

    I would want to go in thru the host and modify the internal code to make more text-display suitable.

    My first idea was to take four prop I/O lines and listen to the SD card slot. The frame automatically reads images off the SD every 5 seconds or so. When the frame stops reading, I would have the prop re-write the image. At refresh, the frame would display the new image.

    If I were to change one 8x12 pixel block of text, could replace it with a character typed from the keyboard. I could use the image file as the screen buffer. It would be a bit slow, but it might work for a starter. Any comments on that?
  • prof_brainoprof_braino Posts: 4,313
    edited 2010-10-02 09:34
    Ale wrote: »
    oscilloscope ? datasheet
    check all the display signals... you will realize what I meant.
    signal changes polarity for every frame

    I just got a Philips PM3264 (possibly 1978) and sprayed contact cleaner on the scratch knobs, and now it can display a calibration square wave. But I haven't read anything on USING an oscilloscope yet. Probably going to be part of this exercise now.

    Anyway, I was planning to leave DISPLAY of the image to the CT952B, and BUILD the image using the prop. I figure the stock parts do their job just fine, I just have to control what its looking at....
  • HarleyHarley Posts: 997
    edited 2010-10-02 09:39
    Several years back I too got a 7" photo frame, thinking I could hack it to display video. Too complicated with its micro handling everything inside.

    Ending up not spending a few bucks. Found a really nice Sony 8" DVD player with video IN. Works like a charm. Should for almost $100. Swivel LCD. Maybe used the DVD player once, but it has been my debug means (except for PASM; use PASD for that) ever since. Use different color headings for each Prop's variables (only two Props max so far).

    It would be nice if a photo frame had a video input, guys. Doubt that critter exists though.
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