Difference between revisions of "DIY Digital Picture Frame"
From Makers Local 256
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# Have displaylink adapter plugged into dockstar, and screen plugged into adapter. | # Have displaylink adapter plugged into dockstar, and screen plugged into adapter. | ||
# Confirmed that udlfb driver was working with linux kernel (got the green screen when plugging in displaylink adapter) | # Confirmed that udlfb driver was working with linux kernel (got the green screen when plugging in displaylink adapter) | ||
+ | # SSH into the dockstar | ||
# Installed X windowing server | # Installed X windowing server | ||
# Installed feh (image display program) | # Installed feh (image display program) | ||
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## Added line to .xsession to start the feh program. | ## Added line to .xsession to start the feh program. | ||
##* (<b>TODO:</b> add example feh line here) | ##* (<b>TODO:</b> add example feh line here) | ||
+ | |||
+ | === (Optional) Using dockstar as a terminal === | ||
+ | This project is meant to be a picture frame, which should be fairly hands off once running. | ||
+ | But if you wanted to use the dockstar as a terminal, you would have to make the following modifications. | ||
+ | # Plug in a mouse and keyboard | ||
+ | # ssh into the box | ||
+ | # If not already installed, apt-get install fluxbox | ||
+ | # pkill the feh process | ||
+ | # change /.xsession to run fluxbox or another lightweight windowing manager | ||
+ | # run the "startx" command | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
=== Future Plans === | === Future Plans === |
Revision as of 11:35, 23 February 2012
Creator: |
Contents
[hide]Overview
See DIY_Digital_Picture_Frame/Old for previous attempt utilizing a laptop.
Digital picture frame using an embedded system. Utilizing a dockstar and a displaylink USB-to-VGA Adapter.
Amazingly big thanks to brimstone. This project mostly consisted of me asking how this could be done, and learning while brimstone typed his magic.
Steps
Displaying Local Files
- Get dockstar running debian squeeze with an 8gb thumb drive.
- Have displaylink adapter plugged into dockstar, and screen plugged into adapter.
- Confirmed that udlfb driver was working with linux kernel (got the green screen when plugging in displaylink adapter)
- SSH into the dockstar
- Installed X windowing server
- Installed feh (image display program)
- Edit /etc/rc.local so that on reboot it will run "startx" to start the x server
- Create directory to store images in
- .xsession:
- Put .xsession in the root directory ( / )
- Edit .xsession so that it won't go into powersave mode and turn off the screen
- (TODO: add dpms line here)
- Added line to .xsession to start the feh program.
- (TODO: add example feh line here)
(Optional) Using dockstar as a terminal
This project is meant to be a picture frame, which should be fairly hands off once running. But if you wanted to use the dockstar as a terminal, you would have to make the following modifications.
- Plug in a mouse and keyboard
- ssh into the box
- If not already installed, apt-get install fluxbox
- pkill the feh process
- change /.xsession to run fluxbox or another lightweight windowing manager
- run the "startx" command
Future Plans
- Add wireless. Brimstone mentioned he had success with Dlink DWA-125.
- Pull Images from a samba share
- Pull Images from a gmail account
- Pull Images from a facebook album
- Pull Images from flickrfs
At this point, on boot, feh should start cycling through pictures on the local memory
Resources
Physical
- Old Dell LCD Screen
- USB-to-VGA Adapter
- Dockstar
- 8Gb Thumb Drive
- Hama brand wireless 802.11b usb stick
References
Tips from Makers
- brimstone says a displaylink adapter is ideal
- use lsmod to determine if SiS module is loaded when plugging in the adapter I have
- recommends installing xinit and xdm on the dockstar
- and then something lightweight like fluxbox or lxde
- ramgarden says to try this for adding to photostream dynamically:
- http://spoon.cx/~larcher/2009/01/06/flickr-screensaver-for-linux/
- Then you can email new photos to the flickr account for this photo frame using the special email address unique to each account.
- Then run the podget every 5 - 10 minutes or so to get the latest pictures from the flickr account.
- There might be a better way since podget will download every picture but OK if the file location is pointing somewhere with plenty of space.