The Software
As I said before, every DIY frame is unique in its own way. Some use Windows, some are Macs and others use different distributions of Linux. I chose Ubuntu for its ease of installation and use. Its freeness is also fairly attractive.
The software I use spans a wide swath of packages used for different things. FlickrFrame downloads your best images from the best photo sharing site. GraphicsMagick wonderfully uses text, either from email or RSS feeds to embed text in images. Countless scripts and Crontab entries conduct the entire orchestra. Feh, a command-line driven image viewer is the front-end of the entire operation.
Now don’t fret! This all can be very simple. Frankly, all you really need to run your frame is a directory filled with your best images and faithful Feh. But the beauty of building a frame yourself is the doors opened for the hundreds of possibilities of willing your frame to do whatever your imagination conjures. Let’s start at the beginning, shall we?
FlickrFrame and Feh
Kelly McNiece at Burgerfaire was the jumping-off point for me to learn scripting and how to install Feh and FlickrFrame to get the whole rig going. Check out her site to get acquainted with the command line, installing the basic programs needed and setting up. Then, come back here!
