Cheap 'n Easy Digital Picture Frame

Step 1 The basics

After reading in a forum about someone who used a Sony PSOne LCD screen and a SanDisk Digital Photo Viewer in order to make a digital picture frame, I just had to try it. He said it was easy, and indeed it was.

The SanDisk Digital Photo Viewer is basically a little black box with 4 slots on the front to accept different types of memory cards from digital cameras. You stick in the memory card, hook up the composite video(or s-video) to the tv, and turn it on. The device automatically plays a slideshow of your pictures, and you don't have to do a thing. This makes it really really useful for this project.

The particular screen I used was a 5" Zenith lcd screen made to attach to the GameCube for people who enjoy playing high graphics videogames on small screens : ) The internals are identical to the Sony PSOne screen or the Zenith Xbox or Zenith PlayStation 2 screens of the same size. If you see any of these on eBay for less than $40, grab 'em!! Considering that suggested retail value is over $100, that's a bargain. I've seen used ones for as low as $25(+S&H). Granted there are other screens that you can use, and by all means go for it. The basic concept is that in order to keep things simple, the screen needs to be large enough to enjoy viewing pictures on and already accepts composite video. It's that easy.

Comments

[agnivohneb]

 I want to do a similar project using a LCD Monitor, and i DON'T want to hook my computer up to it. I seen this project and want to know... Where can I get the SanDisk Digital Photo Viewer and dose it have a VGA out on it?

[DrThousand]

. The problem I have is finding a cheap enuf & large enuf LCD. How do I know if the device I find will take NTSC composite video? I want to make a monitor for a C64, to use for programming the C64 to control the LEDs on next year's 5' Star of Bethlehem at our church. (I hope it's considered in good taste)

[Grey_Wolfe]

In the case of our friend here, he bought lcd brands that are designed to accept composite video. You could purchase any one of the screens he suggested, or one for a PS One, and they would all work just fine. You comment makes me want to pull my C64/128 out of the bowels of storage and start playing with it again. :)

[swcrazy]

Hi everyone, I am new to the group and had a question. Is it possible to use an used LCD from a laptop for this project? Or how about a used LCD tv from a minivan? thanks.

[iprefermuffins]

From what I understand, laptop LCDs usually have a proprietary digital connection to the panel, so I doubt you'd have much luck with one.

[killerjackalope]

well if the lcd tv has composite input then yes cos the viewer is for tvs anyway