[Novalug] OT: Digital Frames?

Jon LaBadie novalugml@jgcomp.com
Mon Dec 8 10:40:49 EST 2008


On Mon, Dec 08, 2008 at 08:51:44AM -0500, greg pryzby wrote:
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> Anyone have a digital pix frame? I think they would be a nice gift for
> the grandparents, but know nothing about them.
> 
> Anyone have one and LIKE it?
> 
> Needs to be easy to use. I figure I will load it and/or send memory
> cards to insert as chances are they won't update them.

I've had three, but will give no specific recommendations as 
the most recent was two years ago and they change rapidly.

The first held only a single photo.  The other two both
did "slideshows".  One had to be loaded via a usb cord,
the other took a CF card.

The one that took a CF card was nice as I could develop a
slideshow at home and update my mom's pix frame periodically.
That one also let me "adjust" the pics on the card, rotate,
crop, etc.  But it was worthless.  As soon as power was
lost, all changes were lost too.  Newer models may differ.
But I'd recommend you do all the adjustments on your
computer rather than in the frame.  Note too the frame's
resolution and match your cropping to it.  Otherwise the
frame may strech and distort the image.  The last one I
got had a wierd pixel size, something like 447x633 ??

I gave the two frames to my mom the first when she was
still living alone in her apartment and the second when
she was terminally ill in a nursing home.  A couple of
observations:

- They generate a great deal of initial interest, just
  as a photo album would.  Then they just sit on the shelf
  with other photos;  UNTIL someone new visits and sees
  the pix frame for the first time.

- The new observer situation was particularly nice in my
  mom's last months.  Visitors always had things to talk
  about and stay longer as they saw pics missed before.
  This included the medical staff who spent a lot of time
  talking about my mom's extensive travel shown on the
  slide show.

- It would be useful to be able to easily pause and easily
  select photos to view when talking about past experiences.

- Select photos based on the recipients interest and
  experiences, not yours.  My first collection included too
  many photos of my wife's family because I figured mom
  would like to see what is happening in my and their life.
  Wrong.  After the initial interest, these photos were just
  filler between what she wanted to see.

  Later I scanned photos from her and my father's experiences,
  travel, friends, events, etc.  These collections were more
  appreciated and talked about with bedside visitors.

- If you plan to update the slide show in the future, find out
  which current images are most precious to them and include
  those again.

HTH
Jon
-- 
Jon H. LaBadie                  jon@jgcomp.com
 JG Computing
 12027 Creekbend Drive		(703) 787-0884
 Reston, VA  20194		(703) 787-0922 (fax)



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