Computer Picture Frame Slide Show

Motherboard on bench 800 X 600 2,882 KB	Up and running 800 X 600 2,003 KB	Components velcroed to melamine board 800 X 600 2,156 KB	Cables neatened 800 X 600 2,227 KB
Frame being assembled with Mat 800 X 600 1,864 KB	Picture frame works 800 X 600 1,902 KB	Hanging on wall 800 X 600 2,159 KB	Closeup 800 X 600 1,524 KB

The motherboard was an EIPA Mini-ITX with a solid state power supply. I used the smallest available hard drive (20 gig), connected with a ribbon cable folded to minimize distance. To install the operating system, Windows XP, I hooked up a CD rom drive temporarily and disonnected it when finished. I also made use of a direct ethernet connection to transfer the photos. Once this was set up, subsequent access uses a USB wireless device, visible in the first photo, lower left.

Turning the computer on required a small pushbutton switch and an LED, visible in phtotos 1 and 2 above as the little wires on the lower right. While the computer was still on the bench, I temporarily used a regular ATX power supply, but this was replaced with a solid state mini-power supply that can be seen at the top left on photos 3 and 4. Photo 4 shows the components fastened with strips of velcro to a piece of melamine hardboard that I screwed to the back of the monitor using the screw holes meant for the display base. The solid state mini power supply is now connnected and sits over the hard drive. A single 12 volt power input has been soldered to the monitor and power supply so that the only external wire is the 12 volt wire wich runs behind the wallboard. It exits by the baseboard and connects to a brick power converter sitting on the floor behind a piece of furniture.

Photo 5 shows the frame being assembled: I carefully cut out a mat from a piece of melamine coated hardboard on my table saw and fitted it into grooves cut into the sides of the frame. The frame was made from a piece of baseboard molding trimmed down to about 4". I painted it with flat textured spray paint and after joining the corners with small finishing nails countersunk them, filled and touched up the paint. Photo 6 shows the monitor/computer inside the frame and working. The last two photos show the final product hanging on the wall running a perpetual slide show.

Power reaches the unit through a wire running behind the wall down to the baseboard where it can be run along unobtrusively to a brick power supply that sits out of sight under a couch. The device is connected to the network by a USB wireless thumb connector. The power switch is a tiny pushbutton protruding from the top of the frame. The motherboard, hard drive, fan and USB wireless consume between 2.0 and 2.74 amps. The monitor consumes 2 amps. The 5 amp brick runs a little hot but should handle the load.

The operating system is Windows XP, which has been set to log on automatically and start the slideshow software. I am still experimenting with slideshow software and remote control. I am currently using Windows remote desktop connection for the control and a cheap ($12.00) screensaver program for the slide show display. Parts and approximate cost are as follows: