Alternate uses for digital photo frame?
November 2, 2010 7:52 PM   Subscribe

(Lifehack filter) What can I do with a digital photo frame besides display photos?

I was given a 8" Kodak Easyshare SV811 photo frame. It does not come enabled with wifi, but it will display images and videos and play mp3s.

Firstly, can I hack it to connect to wifi? My google-fu failed me on that front.

Barring that, what can you do with a multimedia photo frame besides displaying cheesy baby slideshows to the musical stylings of Kenny G? I'm having trouble coming up with creative ideas that don't overlap with the functions of a TV, laptop or ipod.

Everybody in my family already has one of these things, so regifting is out.
posted by shopefowler to Computers & Internet (19 answers total) 31 users marked this as a favorite
 
I'd put this image on it, and then run the first 10 seconds of Gary Numan's "Call Out the Dogs" (with the Blade Runner sample) on an obnoxious loop. But I'm a nerd.
posted by vorfeed at 7:59 PM on November 2, 2010 [2 favorites]


Upload videos of deep sea/coral reef exploration and use it as a virtual aquarium.
posted by amyms at 8:05 PM on November 2, 2010


I would use it to memorize stuff: flashcards that never stop!
posted by SMPA at 8:08 PM on November 2, 2010 [5 favorites]


Flash cards for language learning? Flash word with pronunciation, and play in a loop?
posted by typewriter at 8:08 PM on November 2, 2010 [3 favorites]


Awesome train video
posted by Confess, Fletch at 8:08 PM on November 2, 2010 [6 favorites]


jinx!
posted by typewriter at 8:09 PM on November 2, 2010


I post photos of 'inside cupboards' and other places in my home so that guests can see where things are, and also where they go when they're done with the item. It helps them help themselves, (and me) without me nagging. We have a lot of houseguests with a new baby, and I need people to step up and not need me because I'm recovering from surgery.
posted by carolekorea at 8:13 PM on November 2, 2010 [1 favorite]


How quickly can it cycle through pictures? You could put stop-motion animation frames in it, and run it quickly enough that it displays the animation.
posted by alms at 8:16 PM on November 2, 2010


Frames from a comic could be pretty neat.
posted by shesaysgo at 9:01 PM on November 2, 2010 [1 favorite]


Since it's a gizmo you're not too terribly worried about spilling things on, use it as a recipe book.
posted by nita at 9:09 PM on November 2, 2010 [2 favorites]


I've seen someone use it in their business. A local pack and ship place has one that cycles through different graphics detailing the services they offer. It's on the wall right behind the cash register.
posted by wwartorff at 9:27 PM on November 2, 2010


Recipes is a great idea, esp. if you use scans from Cooks Illustrated or a classic cookbook. Some more:

- puzzles or brain teasers
- trivia and facts you want to memorize
- art you like
- instruction videos (the thing that comes to mind is makeup tutorials from youtube but maybe like, guitar playing or cooking videos?)
- comic strips or graphic novels
- maps
- bus/train schedules or routes
- poems you like
- phone numbers and addresses you look up frequently
- stills / lobby cards from movies you like
- lists of your goals for the rest of the year, or visual representations of them
- To-do lists or other reminders
- Something to trick burglars with...like it says it's calling the cops but all the time. heh.
- Fill it with photos of scans of all your instruction manuals in the house and throw the paper ones away.
- put photos of your Tamagotchi in various states of care and enjoy losing the worry of keeping it alive.
posted by SassHat at 9:59 PM on November 2, 2010 [2 favorites]


It would be a great place for some fractals.
posted by kate blank at 10:02 PM on November 2, 2010 [1 favorite]


Motivational posters.
posted by Joe Chip at 1:03 AM on November 3, 2010


Best answer: Take two photos, one of you doing something photogenic, like sitting by a fireplace reading a book. Then take another (almost identical) in which you're peering over the book, leering at whoever is looking at the photoframe... then make about 20 copies of the first image (so that the image rotation favours it and will only occasionally show the 'leering' image... then put the photoframe in your guest room (or whenever you have people stay) and insist that it stay on all night.
posted by elroyel1327 at 1:48 AM on November 3, 2010 [15 favorites]


This thread has almost convinced me to buy a digital picture frame!

Here are my suggestions:

____ANDY WARHOL'S EAT___
Full video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XoQcGAczNTE
It's 40 minutes of a guy eating, and is sort of a big deal in art history (http://www.warholstars.org/filmch/Eat.html).

___UN CHIEN ANDALOU__
Only 16 minutes. A much earlier film (also silent), Un Chien Andalou featured the best (first?) special effects possible, most notably the slitting of an eyeball and ants crawling out of someone's hands. It is silent, and pretty cool.
http://www.zappinternet.com/video/danPvuMpaX/Un-chien-Andalou
posted by jander03 at 7:23 AM on November 3, 2010


One text panel that says "Breathe In," one text panel that says "Breathe Out." Set to 3 second rotation.
posted by 256 at 8:25 AM on November 3, 2010 [1 favorite]


Response by poster: Thanks guys! I love all the suggestions. Will probably use several.
posted by shopefowler at 8:25 AM on November 3, 2010


make images that change color subtly, and use it as a glowy nightlight. Make it into a fake iPad.
posted by theora55 at 8:53 AM on November 3, 2010


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