Make Your Own Digital Photo Frame

Now it is time to build the rest of the frame which will enclose the circuit boards and panel. Here again, a carpenter would be required to drill holes and gaps for the IR receivers, USB connector, power switch and power connector. Make sure that the frame has a few ventilation holes to let out any heat generated. This will keep the internal components cool so that they last longer. We have used wooden strips to hold the panel in place as well.

Step 12: Enclosing the back panel

Finally, enclose the frame around the plywood circuit base and either nail it permanently or use thin screws to allow you to open and maintain it once in a while.

Step 13: Final connections

Finally solder all the final connections. This will include the power connector, power switch, USB connectors and any other input/output connectors that you may have added in to build your picture frame. Make sure all exposed connectors are covered using electrical tape to avoid any hazards, especially where the mains power enters the casing.

Step 14: Important touches

Make a bit of space for both, the DVD player and the TV tuner's IR sensors. These sensors should be placed facing the front of the frame as the unit will be completely remote operated. In our case, there are two IR sensors involved—one from the DVD player to control the playback and the other from the TV tuner box to control the inputs—the DVD player, VGA input or TV. The IR sensors were originally mounted on circuit boards and so we de-soldered them and connected longer wires to reach the front panel.

Step 15: The grand finale

Once all of the above is finalized, it is time to finally add the LCD monitor and make the necessary VGA and power connections. Place the panel on the frame and carefully attach it using either screws or spacers.

Step 16: Time to show off!

This is the absolute final stage of the picture frame—decorating it. We have used moulded wooden strips for the borders, but this is entirely up to you now. We wanted to hide the LCD panel’s frame and front controls completely. You can use plastic strips or anything else as per your tastes and desires. You can even use ribbons, paper, spraypaint, glitter, lacquer, etc for a final finish. Finally, use varnish or spray-on laquer to give it a finished look. After all is complete, you can customize it with rubber or plastic stands to have a tabletop version, fashion a wall mount, or have both.

Once the project is complete, the final product will be able to play movies, photo slideshows, music and even cable TV. The project can be customized further to also accommodate playback from a computer by adding a VGA input connector, enabling you to use the panel as a computer display and stream photos and video from the Internet. The USB connection can be customized further to accommodate an SD card reader... or if you're really feeling adventurous, you can stuff an old laptop's motherboard and components in there!