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digital photo frame as low cost, full color display? — Parallax Forums

digital photo frame as low cost, full color display?

RaymanRayman Posts: 14,793
edited 2007-11-30 05:50 in Propeller 1
I'm comtemplating hooking into the SD card reader of a photo frame with the propeller and updating bitmaps while having the photo frame in continous slide show mode...

I think this will give a low cost, "true color" display (albiet slow).

Anybody think this will (or won't) work?

Comments

  • Mike GreenMike Green Posts: 23,101
    edited 2007-11-13 23:42
    Well, you're picking up a challenge.

    1) There are two SD card I/O standards.· One is SPI and the other I think is nibble oriented.

    ··· You'll have to figure out which one (if not both) the picture frame uses.

    2) Once you get this basic sector I/O figured out and working, you'll have to emulate a

    ··· FAT file system with specific file names.

    3) Most cameras these days store their pictures in JPEG format.· You'll have to figure out

    ··· how to do this or find an alternative format that the picture frame will accept.
  • RaymanRayman Posts: 14,793
    edited 2007-11-14 00:03
    Mike,

    I was thinking about just letting the frame do a slow slideshow and writing to the SD card in between it's reads...

    But, you're right that the cheap ones just read JPEG. That's the real killer...

    Ray
  • RaymanRayman Posts: 14,793
    edited 2007-11-14 15:07
    Here's one for $67 that shows .bmp files...

    http://www.buy.com/prod/coby-electronics-dp562-5-6-tft-lcd-digital-photo-frame/q/loc/111/203532138.html

    I may have to try this...
  • Oldbitcollector (Jeff)Oldbitcollector (Jeff) Posts: 8,091
    edited 2007-11-14 15:45
    Whoa! You get a Propeller running this and suddenly you have a portable, programmable MP3 player....
    Add a text driver and keyboard and you've got.... [noparse][[/noparse]OBC faints at the possibility of a sub-$100 laptop based on the Prop.]

    A year and half since I discovered this little chip and it still amazes me... Go Rayman!

    OBC

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    Buttons . . . check. Dials . . . check. Switches . . . check. Little colored lights . . . check.

    — Calvin, of 'Calvin and Hobbes.
  • RaymanRayman Posts: 14,793
    edited 2007-11-14 16:32
    I was just reading how people have hacked the PSOne to make their own digital photo frame. Apparently, you can get a PSOne used for ~$30 and the display is basically an NTSC monitor...
  • Ken PetersonKen Peterson Posts: 806
    edited 2007-11-15 01:29
    Where does one hide the box?

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    The more I know, the more I know I don't know.· Is this what they call Wisdom?
  • RaymanRayman Posts: 14,793
    edited 2007-11-15 12:35
    Here's the PSOne photo frame:

    http://www.instructables.com/id/EV3JKA71QJEP287IKA/

    Possibly adapted for Prop...

    More here:

    http://www.bit-tech.net/modding/2004/07/07/psone_lcd/1

    looks like you can get either VGA or NTSC connections...

    Post Edited (Rayman) : 11/15/2007 2:24:32 PM GMT
  • rjo_rjo_ Posts: 1,825
    edited 2007-11-15 16:28
    Rayman,

    A great stocking stuffer, with plenty of room left over for candy... I'll take one, if you include pictures of your rail gun[noparse]:)[/noparse]

    Always listen to Oldbitcollector... he is never wrong.
    (There seems to be a growing list of such people around here[noparse]:)[/noparse]

    Rich
    ILMP
  • RaymanRayman Posts: 14,793
    edited 2007-11-15 16:50
    This is better:
    http://www.funnypolynomial.com/misc/creative/juicebox.html

    I just got a juicebox for $4 (Ok, $10 with shipping). If the file format is as simple as this page says, should be no problem to dynamically create images for it...
  • RaymanRayman Posts: 14,793
    edited 2007-11-15 16:53
    Here's old info on our railgun:
    http://www.emlsymposium.org/13th_papers/docs/EML109T.pdf
  • rjo_rjo_ Posts: 1,825
    edited 2007-11-15 17:19
    Oops
  • rjo_rjo_ Posts: 1,825
    edited 2007-11-15 17:21
    It looks like my concept of a stocking stuffer will have be rescaled to work right.
    You are going to need one huge stocking.
  • rjo_rjo_ Posts: 1,825
    edited 2007-11-15 17:27
    While you are at it. I'm tired of putting my food into my stupid microwave oven and ending up with cold spots. The world could use a Propeller-based imaging microwave oven.
  • RaymanRayman Posts: 14,793
    edited 2007-11-29 15:57
    Just ordered some Coby (because they display .bmp images) photo-frames today! I'm reasonably certain that I can dynamically generate pictures using the Prop based on what I have now with the Juicebox. Not only that, but I think the photoframe can power the Prop... We'll see!
  • HarleyHarley Posts: 997
    edited 2007-11-29 16:39
    Rayman said...

    Just ordered some Coby (because they display .bmp images) photo-frames today! I'm reasonably certain that I can dynamically generate pictures using the Prop based on what I have now with the Juicebox. Not only that, but I think the photoframe can power the Prop... We'll see!

    Been keeping my eyes on photo-frames for some time now. My only 'complaint' is that the frame is about twice as wide/high as the actual LCD display. I'd like one with minimal 'excess'.

    But think the i/f is wrong for i/f'ing to prop, same as JuiceBox is. I blocked out the JB and it appears it would be difficult for a Prop to directly drive the display. I'd like to post text-like TV_text or VGA displays. Any hope for such a configuration??

    As I'm presently involved with a lengthy project, I've just been watching; no time to hack and don't want to yet spend the bucks on something that will add to my 'junk box'.

    So will be watching for your effort with photo frames.

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    Harley Shanko
  • SawmillerSawmiller Posts: 276
    edited 2007-11-29 21:18
    just a thought, wouldnt one of those cheap portable dvd players screens work ? it already has the input for a rca jack...

    i have one that i think the dvd is toast... if i get time i will hook it up.

    dan
  • JoJo Posts: 55
    edited 2007-11-29 22:49
    Yep, those portable DVD players work nicely: right size display, right cost.
    I have a cheap Accurian 7" DVD player that came with 2 screens. The second screen has an RCA input (+ phono inputs, etc) and I use the propeller to drive it directly.
    About $130 for the whole package from RadioShack and you get a DVD player too smile.gif

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    Jo
  • rjo_rjo_ Posts: 1,825
    edited 2007-11-30 05:44
    Rayman,

    How about a video card for my Prop? I couldn't do this, but I'll bet you could. Take a look at the new card for the Hydra... seems like if you trimmed a piece here and added a piece there, we could all send you money[noparse]:)[/noparse]

    Rich
  • rjo_rjo_ Posts: 1,825
    edited 2007-11-30 05:46
    Video in...please!
  • rjo_rjo_ Posts: 1,825
    edited 2007-11-30 05:50
    Beau just posted the protocol you need to implement on the card side... we are in a race, here.
    See the LunarX thread.
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