How Do Digital Photo Frames Work?
In the early 21st century, most people use digital cameras and view photos on their computer, phone or print them out at home. However, there are still quite a few people who prefer a printed photo to frame and hang on the wall. This is fine if one photo is enough, but what about the times you send 15 to 25 photo prints of your baby’s first birthday to your parents who live across the country and like to keep an album to view at leisure and show all their friends at places where a computer is not available? The digital photo frame offers another level of photo viewing that is suitable for everyone.
Another scenario involves your own photos. You just took a skiing trip to Squaw Valley, or spent a romantic weekend on Barbados. One photo doesn’t begin to bring home the thrill and excitement of your vacation. Here’s where a digital photo frame comes in handy.
Imagine a conventional looking frame on your mantle that displays a photo of you windsurfing, three minutes later there you are surrounded by colorful tropical fish and three minutes later, there is the sunset that everyone said was the best of the year, so far. How is this possible? A digital photo frame is the answer.
What is a Digital Picture Frame ?
A digital picture frame is a device on which you can download photos, and they will be displayed like a slideshow. The number of photos it holds and the quality of the picture depends on the features of that particular frame. It looks like a conventional picture frame and can be hung on a wall or stood on a shelf, coffee or side table or mantel. All digital frames display JPEG images, and some will display BMP and TIFF images.
Functionality of a Digital Picture Frame
With a digital camera, you take all photos you want and delete the ones that aren’t good or are of the floor. Rather than printing several sets to send to friends and family, you just post them on a dedicated website or email them all to everybody. You may be wondering how do digital photo frames work? They come in several sizes and look like conventional picture frames. They can be landscape or portrait orientation and contain a specified amount of built-in memory or have a memory card that allows you to increase the storage capacity. The photos loaded into the frame are then played like a slideshow. They make a great gift, especially for people who rarely or never use a digital camera or a computer.
You load the frame with a selection of photos and give it as a gift. All they need to do is turn it on and enjoy. The possibilities are endless. You can scan baby pictures, birthday pictures, and graduation and wedding photos and create a lifetime show. You parents can have a slideshow that spans their or your life. They are also a welcome addition to a funeral service where the highlights of the deceased’s life are easy for everyone to see.
And that’s not all. Many models of digital photo frames have built-in speakers to play recorded messages or background music. If it can play music, why not video? Since most digital cameras can take the one-year-old blowing out his or her first candle, why not post this to the frame too?
Some models need to be connected to software on a computer to create the slideshows and playback speed as well as transition patterns. The advanced models have these controls right on the frame. So, what’s the point? Basically you can have it all. You can set up a frame as a gift with the photos your family and friends who live far away will enjoy. More advanced models will automatically orient the photo to show right side up, select the best image possible no matter what resolution is selected and act as your alarm clock with time, date, photos and music.
Factors to Consider before Selecting a Digital Frame
Before selecting the size you want, select the place it will be. Digital photo frames can be small enough at 1.5 inch to add to your keychain or up to 32 inches measured on the diagonal. The key chain size will fit in a purse, but not in the pocket of your jeans. The next is a 2.8 inch frame to keep in a purse or briefcase for showing off your grandchildren or latest summer home. The 3.5 inch model looks great on a side table or nightstand and the photos can be color coordinated to fit the décor.
Frames of 5.7 inch and seven inches are the most popular, but the 12, 19 or 32 inch frame looks great on the wall.
There is also a business use for these frames. If you have a waiting room, you may want to design a slideshow to relax patients, inspire sales or whatever. The frame will have a specified amount of internal memory and a USB port. You can download photos directly from your camera or from your computer. If your parents have a frame but no computer, when you visit them just bring a USB flash drive with the latest updates of your life and download it on their frame.
The technology inside the frame is a central processing unit (CPU) like the one in handheld games. It mainly downloads photos. The frame has ROM memory to store the operating system (OS) and Flash memory where the photos and software are. It has a modem, which is used to connect to the Internet and download photos. The liquid crystal display (LCD) display monitor, controls, which vary according to manufacturer and model and operating system.
In Summary
Your question, how do digital photo frames work , has been answered. Here are a few more points. The frames come in a large variety of colors and styles including wood, plastic and metal to match any interior. You can use the frame as a storage place for photos. Some models have rechargeable batteries, so you can take it to your bridge game or on the golf course.
