Homemade Digital Picture Frame

This Instructable will show you how I built a large Digital Picture Frame, that will blow away anything you can buy at the store!

My Frame uses a 15 inch LCD monitor, that I had laying around the house, but theres no reason you couldn't use a larger one.

This is how I built it, use it as a guide to come up with your own Super Duper Picture Frame!

Step 1 The Monitor and Frame

-The Monitor-

As I said in the intro, I just happened to have a 15 inch LCD monitor I wasn't using, that was perfect for this project, laying around.

IMPORTANT: Make sure the monitor you use has NO buttons on the front of it.
This is so that, when mounted to the wood picture frame, the buttons wont be pressed against the back of the glass

IMPORTANT: Make sure the monitor has a flat frame on its front side
This is so that it will sit flush when mounted up against the glass of the wooden picture frame.

- To prep the monitor for mounting you will need to remove the bottom mount, and the plastic back cover. (I would guess that this would void the warranty of a new LCD)

-The Frame-

I had the wooden picture frame made at a local framing shop. It's a "shadow box" style frame without a back and has hanging brackets added.
You will have to measure the dimensions of the LCD's Viewable area and get them to cut the matting of the picture frame so that only the LCD's screen is visible.

-Mounting the LCD-

I had some tin lying around, which I used to fabricate the mounting brackets (using a Dremel Rotary Tool). To attach the brackets to the LCD, I used the screws and holes that originally held the LCD's plastic back piece on, and then used wood screws to attach the brackets to the picture frame.

Take your time and make sure that the LCD is square and true (look at the front...not the back!) and then tighten down all the screws.

Comments

[Tapmaster]

I would like to make this frame. Can you please send me your Slide show program at [e-mail]? Thanks

[dwffy]

I like this project and am going to make it up. Could you let me have the Slide show please.

[JROdden]

Great work! Does the Mini ITX board need both the ATX and the P4 power attached to boot? I can't get mine to boot with just the ATX (normal) plug.

[idogis1]

There are some pretty cheep touch screen kits out there. I'm imagining hanging this thing in up in your kitchen or, even cooler, embedding it in your counter and reading the news, weather, email, or schedule while eating your Wheaties.

[Kasm279]

Better have it waterproof for that! An LCD with a very good viewing range would be needed too...

[Cybergeek004]

Can you please tell me what slideshow program you used?

[blindangel]

I love you intructable
------I just wish i had more stuff "laying around" like you do
I'll try this thanks --------------------o.O

[beaujones]

I thought your instructible was great . . . i'm doing this for my mom for her birthday  . . . do you still have the slideshow program laying around.

[Byte2010]

ditto - slideshow would be great.

and, what material is encasing the monitor inside the frame?

byte

[henyobarker]

Hi Could I please Have A Copy Of Your Slidehow Program Email me '[e-mail]' thanks loads p.s yours is like the coolest laptop picture frame I have seen on instructbles And I like how you used windows for it Thanks, Henry

[shostakovich]

GOOD JOB.... THANKS..... how many about heat?

[msgrosso]

Very nice, could you tell me what the power supply is that you used for the motherboard? And how did you wire it to the 20 pin connector? Thanks!

[markp1989]

looks nice, im planing on making something similar soon,however im just gona mounting the monitor in the frame, the computer is to big to put in the frame, I plan on using it to run linux, with a full screen conky, to display news weather, calendar, download stats etc.

[martymunch]

This is a nice build with great instruction. I think I might try that jukebox idea. THANKS!

[trialex]

Excellent work. Result looks great. That's one powerful picture viewer!

[sardines454]

Very nice job. Unfortunately I just bought one for my Grandma and don't really have the funds to buy the parts. I don't have them lying around either. If I did I would make one. That said, good job.