Are Viewsonic digital photo frames good for families & elderly users?
Viewsonic digital photo frames are one of the cheapest brands on the market. Their price is right at the entry-level to the digital frame market – something that’s reflected by the features & performance offered by these frames. Viewsonic digital photo frames are designed to be basic, not to compete with top frames like the Pix-Star.
A small 8-inch display with an 800×600 resolution panel gives you the bare minimum. While some photos might appear slightly pixelated, the 800×600 panel is better than many other super-cheap digital frames. It’s still not ideal, though better than what you’d expect at this price point. Another redeeming aspect of these frames is the 4:3 aspect ratio. Only a handful of the best digital photo frames like the Pix-Star use a 4:3 aspect ratio. Since our smartphones mostly take pictures in 4:3, the photos will display using the full screen – no cropping, distortion, or black pillar bars.
Aside from the decent display, Viewsonic digital photo frames don’t have much else to offer. They don’t have Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connectivity, meaning you can only load photos to the frame by USB/SD card (which is very common among most cheap digital frames). It also means that there is no way to remotely control these cheaper frames. Remote control features usually work through a combination of Wi-Fi & cloud connectivity, along with a second interface through a web browser or mobile app.
Viewsonic digital frames don’t come with access to a mobile app or web interface. You need to load all the desired photos to a USB/SD card, then insert that card or drive directly into the frame. The connected USB/SD card cannot be removed and needs to stay inserted at all times. It’s worth noting that these frames only support JPG images. You should also avoid using USB/SD cards that are larger than 8GB.
The lack of Wi-Fi & cloud functionality means that Viewsonic digital photo frames aren’t a good choice for families & elderly users. The menus are known to be tricky & slow to navigate. You don’t have much control over slideshows and can’t control the play order of how your photos are displayed. Video & audio are not supported and there’s no way to remotely control the frame (a big reason why these frames aren’t elderly-friendly).
Are Viewsonic digital photo frames better than the Pix-Star?
We very seldom recommend buying cheap digital photo frames like the Viewsonic. Their lack of essential modern features like Wi-Fi, remote control functionality, sufficient internal storage, video & audio support, and cloud storage make them a hard-to-justify choice. Poor slideshow features and limited control over their playback leave little to be desired with Viewsonic’s digital photo frames.
On the other hand, Pix-Star’s digital frames are one of the best on the market. They offer extensive Wi-Fi & cloud features & functions. These features cater to families & elderly users more effortlessly, making sharing and viewing your favorite photos effortless. Pix-Star’s digital photo frames can send/receive photos, videos, and audio messages from anywhere in the world. They can be sent via the mobile app, web interface, email, and USB/SD card.
Pix-Star’s digital photo frames offer free-for-life cloud storage and the ability to be remotely controlled from anywhere in the world. You can use the web dashboard to take control of & manage up to 25 connected Pix-Star frames. Settings can be adjusted, slideshows can be started, and both local & cloud storage can be effortlessly managed.
Pix-Star frames can be mounted on the wall or rested on flat surfaces – in both landscape and portrait modes. Their large 10 or 15-inch display is bright and offers broad viewing angles. They can be easily seen from across the room and offer both video & audio support. Pix-Star’s frames come with remote controls that make them elderly-friendly and easy to manage. The interface is smooth, menus are shallow, and the mobile app/web dashboard is simple & fluid.
In summary, while Pix-Star’s digital photo frames are more expensive, they’re simple and efficient. You can manage all the frames in the family and automate much of the photo-sharing process (with Pix-Star’s web album feature) via the web dashboard. They’re one of the best digital photo frames for families & users that aren’t very tech-savvy. You’ll find they quickly become an important & enabling feature of your home – helping you share precious moments & memories with the people you care about the most!
Can Viewsonic digital photo frames connect to Wi-Fi?
Viewsonic digital photo frames are offline frames. They don’t have any Wi-Fi or cloud connectivity, functions, or features. This is very common for such cheap digital frames. You’ll usually find that most upper mid & top digital photo frames offer some form of Wi-Fi connectivity. If you want a digital photo frame with Wi-Fi, look more toward the premium end of the market with frames like the Pix-Star. They’re more versatile and offer performance & features to cater effortlessly to modern families & homes.
How many photos & videos can Viewsonic digital photo frames hold?
The Viewsonic digital photo frame doesn’t have any internal storage and cannot accept USB drives. The only way to load photos to the frame is by SD card. Make sure that the card isn’t larger than 8GB and is compatible with the Viewsonic digital frame. It’s recommended that each photo loaded to the SD card is no larger than 50KB – meaning you may need to scale their resolution down to match the frame’s native 800×600 resolution.
Where to put Viewsonic digital photo frames in the home?
Viewsonic digital photo frames cannot be wall-mounted as they don’t have any standard VESA mount or dedicated hanging holes. You can only rest these frames on a flat surface like a mantelpiece, shelf, or table. They don’t take up a lot of space due to their small display size. It’s worth noting that these digital photo frames don’t have very bright displays, large screens, broad viewing angles, and far viewing distances. They will be a decent match for a small living room where you’d be facing the frame straight on (and not from too far away). Avoid putting these frames in large & well-lit rooms, kitchens, or bathrooms.
