Digital Picture Frame Numero Dos!

This is the second digital picture frame that I've made (see Cheap 'n Easy Digital Picture Frame). I made this as a wedding present for a very good friend of mine, and I think it turned out very well. Granted the cost of digital picture frames have come down significantly in the past year alone, but that wouldn't be handmade, customized, or particularly interesting to read on Instructables.com, now would it?

Step 1: The Parts

I think that this model of digital picture frame will be easier for others to follow than my first digital picture frame. I learned a lot making my first one and it showed when making this one. Please look at my other Instructable "Cheap 'n Easy Digital Picture Frame" for pictures of the wiring since all I have are "finished" pictures of this new one.

So, here is the "parts" list:

*Shadow Box for $12 from Hobby Lobby (needs to be about 1 1/2" thick to house the guts)
*Sony 5" PSOne LCD screen off of eBay for around $40 (make sure to get the power adapter that comes with it too because you'll need the...)
*Sony PSOne LCD power adapter (or any power adapter rated from 7.2v to 9v that provides 1 amp of current or more)
*SanDisk Digital Photo Viewer (about $12 from eBay if I remember correctly)

- The second picture seen below is from my first digital picture frame's Instructable page. The picture viewer takes many types of memory cards and automatically plays a slideshow on your tv via composite video or S-video. We'll be using composite for simplicity's sake.

*Matting cut to your frame's dimensions
*Power switch
*Power jack from the Sony PSOne LCD screen
*Soldering iron, solder, flux, wires, etc. (if you don't have these and don't know how to use them, check out all the great tutorials found on this site and all over the internet. Google is your friend; the purpose of this Instructable is not to teach you how to solder or the basics of the basics of electronics.)
*Something to cover the back with, such as the original back to the shadow box or a large piece of plastic or wood or something. More on this in the construction step.

Comments

[ewilhelm]

Digital picture frames are a really popular gift project here on Instructables, and lots of people are searching for digital picture frame how-to's. So, in addition to this great project, check out this guide to some of the best digital picture frames we have:
Instructables Digital Picture Frame How-to Building Guide

[jeffreyf]

You should add this to this month's contest!

[j626no]

but this isnt really recycled materials...it is nice nonetheless. but the contest ur speaking of, thats not the camera/squirt one is it? thank you very much. im almost done my first instructable and i am interested in entering it into the popsci contest, so please just let me know if this is the right place or not.thanks

[jeffreyf]

It depends if the PS1screen is new or not. I thought it was salvaged from an old PS1, which would make it recycled. It looks like it's new on closer inspection. I'd say an argument could be made that it's still re-purposed, but it's borderline.

[jeffreyf]

Regardless, btw, it's a great Instructable.

[joedog86]

The screen was bought from a used game store if that helps : ) Besides, aside from the frame these were all supplies I had on hand. I make portable Super Nintendo's and such as a hobby, so at any point in time I have two or three LCD screens and extra plastic laying around. Go to the benheck.com forums and look for me if you don't believe me! Honestly though, I'm not really concerned about the contest. I actually already won a project of the month award for my first picture frame and got a way cool pocket knife (which I use all the time by the way). Thank you for the compliments, guys.

[jeffreyf]

You're welcome. And I certainly believe you. You should upload a portable Super-Nintendo Instructable! That's certainly reused parts, and a cool project too.

[joedog86]

Hmm, well I am planning on making a new SNES portable over spring break... Would anyone like to see a "how to" via Instructables? I'm warning you though - I'd be plugging the benheck.com forums a lot (I'm a pretty regular member there - it's my fave). Here's a link to my "finished" thread for my first SNESp. Would anyone like to see an Instructable over how I build another one? If I take a whole lotta pics then it shouldn't be too hard to do a write up.

[Da_Fudge]

hell yeah!

[whatsisface]

Yeah! Do it!

[jeffreyf]

I can't speak for anyone else, but I certainly would. Plugging the benheck forums is just fine, as long as you plug us there in return :) Your SNES portable is pretty damn awesome. I think it would be quite popular here.

[joedog86]

"Plugging the benheck forums is just fine, as long as you plug us there in return :)"

I'm way ahead of you man. Thank you very much for the compliment! That was a very fast response by the way.

[jeffreyf]

We're customer focused here at Instructables!

[joedog86]

Hey, don't blame me for trying to get free stuff. I'd settle for a sticker!

[joedog86]

I will do that, thank you!

[Aeshir]

Yar matey.

[joedog86]

I didn't know we had pirates here...

[Aeshir]

We do! We do! Arrrrr! *covers eyes with hand*

[sthomas2216]

You are pretty good at making these picture frames!!  Nice work!

[egreen767]

I think I'm going to make this out of one of our old portable DVD players. That has a 7.5 inch screen so that would be kinda cool.

[Mexicalex]

Awesome. Could I use an old laptop screen?

[jongscx]

That's a common idea that gets tossed around, "using an LCD from a dead laptop for [(blank)"... The main problem is that while you have the LCD, you still need the LCD driver, the thing that decodes the video signal into something the LCD hardware can understand. Unfortunately, that was toasted along with the rest of the laptop. IF, on the other hand, you have an old (not dead... yet) laptop, you can use the whole thing as a picture frame. Easiest way is to somehow have the laptop guts hidden behind the screen, and put that in a decorative frame... so basically, you have a wall-mounted computer. (there was an I-ble about that a while back, can't remember who but if you search it, it should pop up quick)

[HTF]

I love this instructable very easy! but, i made all the connections and turn it on and i got the screen disturbance, i know i need to go get a lower volt power adapter. but when i went to put a memory card in, it keeps coming up card error. does anyone know what that could be. i bought it brand new off ebay. thanks

[joedog86]

I get card error with memory stick sometimes. I haven't had any problems with SD cards or compact flash, though. What type are you using?

[joedog86]

With this particular setup, you'd need something that will take either composite video or s-video.

[picoegallo]

As a school project, I need to build one of these frames; could you tell me what microprocessor is running in your design? Thank you very much. sincerely, picoegallo

[joedog86]

Microprocessor? I don't know, and I gave the picture frame away so I couldn't tell you. It's whatever is in the picture viewer thing.

[hdloader]

Now I have something to do with all of my PSOne LCD's. You're awesome OP.