Raspberry Pi Project: Media Panel

So, this Raspberry Pi Project article description should be easy enough to do for an intermediate maker with computer knowledge.  A beginner could do it with some effort to learn some electronics, or can make it easier if the hardware is changed up a bit.

I think its important to offer a reminder that, while a Raspberry Pi is not as powerful as a new computer, nevertheless it IS a fully capable computer.  With that in mind, what this project requires is easy enough for a Pi to handle.  If you compare what a Pi can do, based on age of a computer, it would be as capable a computer as something you would have used in the early 2000s, while being the size of a cell phone.

So with that knowledge, it really is easy enough to understand the scope of what can be done with a Raspberry Pi.  As this Raspberry Pi Project shows, a very versatile media panel can be made with a Raspberry Pi for well under $200.

This project is from instructable user andyjagoe, who apparently has quite a history in technology.  For all intents and purposes, this 9 step Raspberry Pi Media Panel project is really just a Digital Picture frame, although it could be much, much more.

My guess is, the picture with the Panel displayed above, is in the creator's home, and as such, he had the following criteria for the build:

• Low cost: a full blown computing device and screen for between $100 and $200 all in
• Attractive: meaning my wife finds it aesthetically acceptable for the living room
• Light: no more than a few pounds
• Thin: no more than an inch thick, including frame
• Quick: can be built in a few hours or less
• Simple: requiring mainly assembly, versus construction or manufacturing

I would say that he hit all the marks on this.

From a non-geek point of view, probably the hardest part will be replicating what the user did for video.

He picked up a new LCD screen and with a controller card and some patch cables, he was able to make a nice, clean picture frame like system.

While it could seem daunting, it's not that difficult to do.  Still, it is important to note that a Raspberry Pi has an HDMI out.  So if you want to just get a new LCD computer screen, or have one that could be used for this purpose, with possibly an HDMI to RGB adapter, then you can save yourself some of the technical challenges.  Just pin the Pi to the back of the monitor when it's all done, and you're good to go.  Of course with that option, you have an additional power cable to deal with, but that might be worth the saving of hair pulling.

For the geek, probably the hardest part of putting this together will be making and assembling the frame.

Sure, most geeks want to believe they can figure anything out.  And sometimes that's true.  Yet a harsh reality might be, the end result isn't quite the picture we had in our mind.  And keep in mind, the creator of this instructable wanted the frame to be appealing to the eye.  So he actually measured for what he needed and bought a professional pane that he assembled around the LCD screen.

So as you see in the last picture, that is the running Media Panel, attached to the user's fridge, using magnet mounts.  With a wireless controller, except for not being a touch screen, this is almost the equivalent of a tablet.

For those of you who are intrepid enough to try this, enjoy making this project.