Homemade Digital Picture Frame

Step 2 The Brains of the Operation

Now for the stuff that makes it go.....

I used a fanless Mini ITX motherboard that I purchased from Logic Supply as well as a power supply board and plug in, also a Hard Drive Converter is needed to allow a 2.5 laptop hard drive to be connected to the motherboards IDE
I used an old 20 Gig laptop hard drive that I had laying around.

-Mount the Power Supplies: I used a combination of double sided sticky velcro tape, plastic wire ties, and wire tie mounts ( you know the ones with the sticky tape on the back)

Try to mount the power supplies closer to the top of the picture frame, as they will generate some heat.

-Junction Box: I used a metal project box from the local electronics store as the junction box.

I drilled 3 holes in it, and then cut the 3 prong ends off of the power supplies and ran them into the junction box. In the one remaining hole, I ran one end of an extension cord that I cut in half, and merreted all the wires together. ( This is so all the components will be run off of one power cord...)

***Super Heavy Danger Alert***
If you dont know how to hook up AC power, have someone that does, do it for you! Also, Im quit sure that my junction box is ummm... not up to "code". Don't do it this way (lawsuit averted!)

-Start Button: Drill a hole in the top of the wooden frame, near the back, and mount a momentary normaly open push button. (also from the electronics store) This will be used to start the system, and will be connected to the "start" pins of the motherboard.

You will need a 2 pin female square connector on the other end, (steal one from and old computer)

Dont mount the hard drive yet if you are going to install the OS and software outside of the picture frame, like I did.