Using a Kindle as a daily photo calendar

rhetorical · 04-08-2018, 06:12 PM

I have been thinking about purchasing a Kindle (probably a Kindle 4) to use in a photo frame project. I was hoping someone could offer advice on a good starting approach.

The project concept:
Use a library of photos as a daily image calendar. Take a photo from a directory, and overlay it with text for today's date, and a short message (eg Good morning). Change the photo every day.

My initial thought was to do this with a Raspberry Pi as a VNC server, and leave it running with a photo slideshow, but this sounds terribly inefficient.

My next idea is to use the Pi to do the image processing (scrape the web for cool photos, apply an overlay, save it as a single picture), and pass that to the Kindle. What would be the best way to display this picture? Does the Kindle support FTP in addition to SSH over USB? If so, it should be simple to set up a cron job to pass a new photo to a screensaver program every 24 hours, unless I'm missing something.

I am reasonably proficient with Python and Linux development (bash scripting, C).

encol · 04-08-2018, 06:46 PM

Take a look at this

knc1 · 04-08-2018, 07:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rhetorical

- - - - -
If so, it should be simple to set up a cron job to pass a new photo to a screensaver program every 24 hours, unless I'm missing something.
- - - - -

cron is a computer program.
so you have to have a computer running but the Kindle goes to sleep.
I.E: No cpu running, no cron (nor ssh nor ...)
See the link posted in the reply above.

lucasmpr · 04-09-2018, 01:06 AM

Take a look at weblaunch.

It can do what you want. You'll just make an HTML page and load fullscreen.
Every day you make an ajax request for the new image. Or you can setup a start stop the application every day and load the new image....

rhetorical · 04-10-2018, 11:49 AM

That repository was more or less exactly what I was looking for, thank you very much. My next question would be can I do this with the 7th generation Paper White? Looking at the jailbreak thread I would think yes, but I want to make sure.

Also when I make the image, should I grayscale it first, or export just the colored image to the Kindle? Does the built in system process for displaying graphics grayscale, or would it be displayed in monochrome?

Again, thank you for the help and sorry if I'm asking questions that frequently appear.

knc1 · 04-10-2018, 12:58 PM

Any of the touchscreen devices running the 5.x series of firmware.
(Plus the K4)

Look for all the image details you need in the screensavers thread/project.

Just pay for the help you receive by answering those questions of other people which you can.

04-08-2018, 06:12 PM	#1
rhetorical Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2018 Device: none	Using a Kindle as a daily photo calendar I have been thinking about purchasing a Kindle (probably a Kindle 4) to use in a photo frame project. I was hoping someone could offer advice on a good starting approach. The project concept: Use a library of photos as a daily image calendar. Take a photo from a directory, and overlay it with text for today's date, and a short message (eg Good morning). Change the photo every day. My initial thought was to do this with a Raspberry Pi as a VNC server, and leave it running with a photo slideshow, but this sounds terribly inefficient. My next idea is to use the Pi to do the image processing (scrape the web for cool photos, apply an overlay, save it as a single picture), and pass that to the Kindle. What would be the best way to display this picture? Does the Kindle support FTP in addition to SSH over USB? If so, it should be simple to set up a cron job to pass a new photo to a screensaver program every 24 hours, unless I'm missing something. I am reasonably proficient with Python and Linux development (bash scripting, C).

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04-08-2018, 06:46 PM	#2
encol Evangelist Posts: 415 Karma: 750442 Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Italy Device: Kindle PW3 5.8.5.0.1	Take a look at this

04-09-2018, 01:06 AM	#4
lucasmpr Enthusiast Posts: 45 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2017 Device: Kindle	Take a look at weblaunch. It can do what you want. You'll just make an HTML page and load fullscreen. Every day you make an ajax request for the new image. Or you can setup a start stop the application every day and load the new image....

04-10-2018, 11:49 AM	#5
rhetorical Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2018 Device: none	That repository was more or less exactly what I was looking for, thank you very much. My next question would be can I do this with the 7th generation Paper White? Looking at the jailbreak thread I would think yes, but I want to make sure. Also when I make the image, should I grayscale it first, or export just the colored image to the Kindle? Does the built in system process for displaying graphics grayscale, or would it be displayed in monochrome? Again, thank you for the help and sorry if I'm asking questions that frequently appear.

04-10-2018, 12:58 PM	#6
knc1 Going Viral Posts: 17,212 Karma: 18210809 Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Central Texas Device: No K1, PW2, KV, KOA	Any of the touchscreen devices running the 5.x series of firmware. (Plus the K4) Look for all the image details you need in the screensavers thread/project. Just pay for the help you receive by answering those questions of other people which you can.

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