(OUT OF STOCK) Kodak Smart Picture Frame back at Computer Geeks for $99.00

[sygyzy]

For those who want to hack it, you do realize that this is the non-networked version right? I assume you want to change it so it knows how to dial up to your ISP, then connect to your ftp (how would you enter the IP?), then know what to download? That seems pretty challenging to me. Who knows if the RJ11 port is actually linked to a modem still? It would seem sily that the non networked version would still include the hardware modem inside.

I think the biggest challenge is finding a program that will INSERT EXIF data. I tried PhotoStudio (recommened earlier) and all it does is corrupt my pictures.

 

[Rally1]

I bet it is just disabled. I dont think they did any redesign. All the menus are still there, and all the buttons, and the jack.

I think once Storyboard went down, they couldn't exactly sell any more "network enabled" ones! They just rebadged them as non-network. I could be wrong.

 

[Homerboy]

/me covers his head..
right on the Kodak page. Ugh.
Thanks... it's been a LONG day at work.

 

[bob92]

<< I bet it is just disabled. I dont think they did any redesign. All the menus are still there, and all the buttons, and the jack.

I think once Storyboard went down, they couldn't exactly sell any more "network enabled" ones! They just rebadged them as non-network. I could be wrong. >>



I think so too. They probably just changed the software to disable the modem.

 

[bob92]

<< For those who want to hack it, you do realize that this is the non-networked version right? I assume you want to change it so it knows how to dial up to your ISP, then connect to your ftp (how would you enter the IP?), then know what to download? That seems pretty challenging to me. Who knows if the RJ11 port is actually linked to a modem still? It would seem sily that the non networked version would still include the hardware modem inside.

I think the biggest challenge is finding a program that will INSERT EXIF data. I tried PhotoStudio (recommened earlier) and all it does is corrupt my pictures. >>



Funny, it works fine for me (obviously, since I'm the one who recommended it ). I'm just using it to add thumbnails, though--I'm not messing with any other EXIF data.

 

[sygyzy]

I'd appreciate it if you could highlight the steps. I tried doing it and saving and it'll just crash and give me all these jpeg header errors. Say you have bob.jpg. You open it, then what?

 

[bob92]

<< I'd appreciate it if you could highlight the steps. I tried doing it and saving and it'll just crash and give me all these jpeg header errors. Say you have bob.jpg. You open it, then what? >>



1) Open the image in Photo Studio

2) Image -> Thumbnail ->Create Inline...

3) On the Scale tab, select:
Scale Mode: Exact Dimensions
Filter: Box
Dimensions: 108 x 81 (pixels).

4) On the Format tab, select Marker Sections.

5) On the Marker Sections tab, only EXIF should be checked.

6) Click on OK. A new Thumbnail tab should appear.

7) Save the file.

You should now be able to see a thumbnail when you load the pic into the frame. Note that I've only tried this with 640x480 JPEGs--I don't know if it works with other sizes (although it seems like it should). You can also do this to an entire directory full of images at once using the "Browse" menu.

 

[Rally1]

also for the doubters, the front of the manual says:



<< "Note: this product is network-capable. However, this configuration does not support networking features at this time" >>

 

[sygyzy]

<<
1) Open the image in Photo Studio

2) Image -> Thumbnail ->Create Inline...

3) On the Scale tab, select:
Scale Mode: Exact Dimensions
Filter: Box
Dimensions: 108 x 81 (pixels).

4) On the Format tab, select Marker Sections.

5) On the Marker Sections tab, only EXIF should be checked.

6) Click on OK. A new Thumbnail tab should appear.

7) Save the file.

You should now be able to see a thumbnail when you load the pic into the frame. Note that I've only tried this with 640x480 JPEGs--I don't know if it works with other sizes (although it seems like it should). You can also do this to an entire directory full of images at once using the "Browse" menu. >>



Woohoo it works, can you tell us why you chose 108x81?

 

[bob92]

<<

Woohoo it works, can you tell us why you chose 108x81? >>



Trial and error--bigger than that and the image gets cropped, smaller and it doesn't cover the whole thumbnail area.

 

[bob92]

<< Pictures displayed from an inserted COMPACTFLASH Card default to the 20-second rate (or more, depending on resolution) regardless of the Slide Show Rate you've set for pictures stored on the Frame. >>



For the record, my frame is displaying at the specified slide show rate even for images on the CF card (In fact, I don't have any images loaded into the memory at all).

 

[cureless]

Got 2, I hope they work with Mr. Flash

cl

 

[cureless]

Does anybody know if The GIMP handles the EXIF stuff?

cl

 

[bob92]

<< Got 2, I hope they work with Mr. Flash

cl >>



That's what I'm using.

 

[sygyzy]

It's not that it defaults to 20 seconds, it's because it reads the CF at 0.01X. Yes you heard me. I copied four files over and it took literally 10 mins or more. All my coworkers were growing annoyed. So when you run a slideshow and it runs out of the internal memory pictures, it has to slowly read it from the CF.

 

[ww4397]

I just picked up 2 also.

But now since my "frames" use CF, my digi-cam uses SM and my Nike/Rio uses MMC, I also picked up one of these (http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduct.asp?submit=manufactory&catalog=69&manufactory=1378&DEPA=1) Mr. Flash 5-in-1 USB reader/writers for $25 plus $5 shipping from Newegg.

 

[Wallyangler]

Does anyone have a problem with the frame shutting itself off after about 10 minutes? I turned off all the auto features but seems like a power problem in that I have to reset the time everytime it is turned on. Only one of the two frames I bought does this. Also, the pictures look alot better if you take off the anti-glare screen. I bought a piece of clear plexiglass to replace it.

 

[Oakind]

Got my frame today, Its really nice. Way better picture than the Kensington. Great post! Thanks.

 

[ww4397]

For the sake of comparison, check out this digital picture frame at Target for $499! Seems to be about 500% overpriced.

http://www.target.com/common/catalog/product.jhtml?prodid=41339&navAction=jump&navCount=1

 

[olouie]

yep $500 seems about 500% overpriced, but hey if you are happy with that and dont know about the lower priced and similar quality ones then do look around... cauase it will only make you unhappy hehe

 

[sygyzy]

They do look very nice though. Not saying our Kodak's don't but you get the idea.

 

[bob92]

<< It's not that it defaults to 20 seconds, it's because it reads the CF at 0.01X. Yes you heard me. I copied four files over and it took literally 10 mins or more. All my coworkers were growing annoyed. So when you run a slideshow and it runs out of the internal memory pictures, it has to slowly read it from the CF. >>



I think you have a defective frame and/or CF card--I copied 20 pics to the memory and it took less than a minute. I can also shuffle through the images on the card (using the arrow buttons on top) and it only takes a few seconds to move from one to the next.

Or maybe the images on your card are just really big--if they're at a resolution higher than 640x480, the frame has to downsample them to that resolution when adding them to memory. I imagine that could take a lot of time for large images or ones that don't fit the 4:3 aspect ratio. I converted all my images to 640x480 before putting them on the flash card, so transfers are fast and the slide show timer works correctly (I have tried it at several different settings).

 

[bob92]

<< For the sake of comparison, check out this digital picture frame at Target for $499! Seems to be about 500% overpriced.

<a href="http://www.target.com/common/catalog/product.jhtml?prodid=41339&navAction=jump&navCount=1">http://www.target.com/common/catalog/product.jhtml?prodid=41339&navAction=jump&navCount=1</A> >>



The outer frames are attractive, but the screen is smaller than the Kodak's, and it looks like you have to use a serial cable to transfer the images. Yuck!

 

[winryan]

There is no 15 percent restocking fee if you just refuse shipping. Once you accept the package, then you have a problem, but if you don't ur golden.

ry

 

[sygyzy]

<<

I think you have a defective frame and/or CF card--I copied 20 pics to the memory and it took less than a minute. I can also shuffle through the images on the card (using the arrow buttons on top) and it only takes a few seconds to move from one to the next.

Or maybe the images on your card are just really big--if they're at a resolution higher than 640x480, the frame has to downsample them to that resolution when adding them to memory. I imagine that could take a lot of time for large images or ones that don't fit the 4:3 aspect ratio. I converted all my images to 640x480 before putting them on the flash card, so transfers are fast and the slide show timer works correctly (I have tried it at several different settings). >>



I borrowed a coworkers from his Elph. I am betting his images were 1024 or 1280. That explains it!