Handheld Digital Photo Frame

There are lots of really great open source and DIY solutions for wall-mounted digital photo frames, most running MagicMirror² on Raspbery Pis. However we wanted something that, in addition to a default passive slideshow mode, allowed the user to pick up the screen and swipe through the photos. For this interaction to feel simple and natural, the screen would also need to charge wirelessly. We pieced together a solution from off-the-shelf hardware and software for $143.

Feature	Solution
Affordable handheld touch screen	Amazon Fire HD 8 Tablet unlocked & rooted, running LineageOS
Digital photo frame software with passive and interactive modes	Fotoo via Open GApps
Photos updated via GMail and Google Drive	Gmail2GDrive
Wireless charging	DIY wireless charging stand

Materials / Costs

Amazon Fire HD 8 Tablet (2018, 8th Generation)* ($57)	Micro-USB Qi Charger Receiver ($11)	3-Coil Qi Wireless Charger Transmitter ($18)	Tablet Stand ($16)	E6000 Adhesive ($9)	Adhesive Felt (Black) ($7)	Square Dowels (Black) ($10)	Fotoo - Digital Photo Frame Photo Slideshow Player ($15)

*IMPORTANT: Must be 8th Generation (2018) model. Either 16GB or 32GB is okay.

Set Up the Backend

1. Sign up for a new, dedicated Google Account. Something like xxxx.family.photo.frame@gmail.com is probably available. (Google enables a bunch of tracking and advertising by default. Find Privacy Settings to turn these off.)
2. Create a folder in Google Drive named "Digital Photo Frame"
3. Follow the Setup instructions for Gmail2GDrive with the following modifications/details:
   1. On Step 5, use this Config.gs. By default, this configuration downloads photos sent from any email address. If you wish to restrict this to specific email addresses, replace line 25 with a version of line 23 or 24. (This is more secure, but probably not a real threat.)
   2. Before Step 7, email a photo to your new xxxx.family.photo.frame@gmail.com address. To manually run Gmail2Gdrive(), click Code.gs and then ▷ Run. Grant all permissions requested. If everything works, your photo will now be in Google Drive in your Digital Photo Frame folder.
   3. For Step 8, click ⏰ Triggers, then + Add Trigger. Use these options:
      • Gmail2GDrive (Choose which function to run)
      • Head (Choose which deployment should run)
      • Time-driven (Select event source)
      • Minutes timer (Select type of time based trigger)
      • Every 10 minutes (Select minute interval)

Unlock the Tablet

1. Turn off and fully charge the tablet.

2. Take the back plastic off the tablet.

   

3. Follow these instructions by xyz` to root the tablet, with the following modifications:

   1. After Step 10, you may get this error: fastboot: error unknown target "recovery" The solution is to run this command: fastboot reboot emergency
   2. At Step 12, you'll also want to download two more files: LineageOS 18.1 unofficial build by Kaijones23 and Open GApps ARM 11.0 Pico. Push them like the other files: adb push [filename].zip /sdcard
   3. After Step 20, reboot into recovery again. (Hold down the power button, select "Restart", then hold the volume down button as the tablet restarts.)
   4. Select "Wipe", then "Advanced Wipe", and select System, Data, and Cache. Swipe to wipe.
   5. Go back and select "Install", then select the Lineage OS ZIP file. Swipe to wipe.
   6. Go back and do the same to install the Open GApps ZIP file. Swipe to wipe.
   7. Select "Reboot System".
   8. Done! Reassemble the tablet.

Set Up Tablet Apps

1. Log in to your WiFi network
2. Set up Google Apps with your new xxxx.family.photo.frame@gmail.com account
3. Launch the Google Play Store and install:
   • Fotoo ($0 demo, $15 in-app purchase for full features)
   • Google Drive (Optional. Allows you to organize photos directly from the device.)
4. Launch Fotoo
   1. Select Google Drive and link your xxxx.family.photo.frame@gmail.com account. Select My Files and check the box next to Digital Photo Frame. Select Complete.
   2. Open Settings, turn on Launch On Boot, and enable "draw system overlay" permission for Fotoo when requested
   3. Other recommended settings:
      • Display Effect: Scale to Fit Center
      • Transition Effect: Cross Fade
      • Photo Order: Random (preference given to recent photos)

Kioskify the Tablet

1. Go to Settings > Apps & Notifications > See All 19 Apps. Select each of the following apps and press Disable. (You may have to select Force Stop first.)
   • Android Auto
   • Browser
   • Calculator
   • Calendar
   • Clock
   • Contacts
   • Music
   • Recorder
2. In Settings > Display
   • Select Brightness Level and increase it to 100%
   • Under Advanced > Rotation settings, turn on Auto-Rotate Screen and make sure only 0 and 270 degrees are checked under Rotation Mode
   • Select Advanced > Screen Saver > When to Start, and select Never
   • Under Advanced > Lock Screen > Notifications on Lock Screen, select Don't Show Notifications At All
   • Under Advanced > turn Tap to Sleep off
3. In Settings > About Tablet
   • Tap Build Number 7 times to unlock Developer Mode
4. In Settings > System > Status Bar
   • Select System Icons and turn off everything but WiFi and Battery
   • Turn off Auto Brightness
5. In Settings > System > Advanced > Developer Options
   • Turn on "Stay Awake"
   • Turn off "Automatic System Updates"
6. On the Home Screen, remove all apps except Fotoo and Google Drive by dragging them to the top of the screen. Move Fotoo and Google Drive to the dock (or your preferred location).
7. Long press on an empty part of the Home Screen. A menu will pop up. Select Home Settings.
   • Turn off Allow Edit
   • Select Hidden & Protected Apps and hide everything. (You can still access Fotoo and Google Drive from the dock.)
   • Turn off Show Icon Labels on Desktop
8. Launch Fotoo and lock the screen.

Install Wireless Charging

1. Unsolder the charging pad from the board and resolder it so the charging pad is on the front of the stand and the board is on the back. Tape in place.

   

2. Plug the wireless receiver into the tablet's USB port and tape it to the back of the tablet. Power the wireless transmitter and test that it charges the tablet when seated in the stand. Wireless charging can be finnicky, so try many different positions and see how forgiving they are. Test for days.

   

3. When you're satisfied with charging performance, glue everything!

   

4. Cut out a piece of paper to prototype how you'll cut your felt.

   

5. When you're satisfied with the coverage, cut your felt and glue it on!

   

6. Acquire two small, square dowels. We found it easier to pull a couple off these tiny easels.

   

7. The dowels help guide the tablet onto the stand so the wireless transmitter and receiver align properly. Glue them to the back of the tablet. Some felt padding may also help even out the bulge of the wireless receiver. Finish the back by gluing on a layer of felt.

   

8. Enjoy!

   

*project by Jason Eppink and Jenna Eppink