In this guide, we break down the Skylight digital picture frame to show you what’s on offer. You’ll learn how it compares with top digital frames like the Pix-Star, and if it’s worth spending your money on. We’ll discuss topics like recurring subscription fees, cloud storage, video support, and much more. Let’s get started!
How does the Skylight digital picture frame compare with the Pix-Star?
Both the Skylight frame and the Pix-Star are top-ranking digital frames. Being at the top of the digital photo frame market, they offer features like Wi-Fi connectivity, high-resolution displays, mobile apps, and more. There are a few key differences that set these two frames apart. Here’s a great head-to-head comparison of Skylight and Pix-Star.
Pix-Star’s frames offer free-for-life & unlimited cloud storage. Unlike the Skylight frame, this feature doesn’t come at any extra cost to you. Cloud storage and related features are easily managed through the web interface. On the other hand, Skylight frames require you to purchase the recurring Skylight plus subscription fee to gain access to cloud backups. Even then, the related features and base offering isn’t nearly as versatile and capable as what you’d get for free on the Pix-Star.
The next key difference is with video playback support and the use of the mobile app. Without the Skylight Plus subscription, you can’t send or play videos on a Skylight frame. Pix-Star’s frames let you play video clips of up to 2-minutes (more than most premium frames) and lets you send them through the mobile app. The Pix-Star Snap mobile app can be used for free and doesn’t require account creation or signing up.
Pix-Star’s frames use a 4:3 aspect ratio, which is arguably the most versatile on the digital photo frame market. It naturally matches the aspect ratio of photos taken on most smartphones and point-and-shoot cameras. This means that photos don’t need to be cropped, distorted, or boxed in by black pillar bars when displayed on your screen.
By contrast, Skylight frames use a 16:9 aspect ratio. Photos usually have to be zoomed, cropped, or boxed in as they don’t naturally match the screen’s aspect ratio. This is especially true with photos send from your phone or camera. You’d need to manually edit and crop every photo before sending it to make sure the aspect ratio matches and the full screen is used.
Pix-Star’s enhanced feature set, free & unlimited cloud storage, and fully unlocked mobile app give the Pix-Star frame an edge right out of the gate. When you factor in ease of use, the Pix-Star web interface, features like controlling connected frames remotely, versatile slideshows, and much more, the gap is widened even further.
What is the Skylight Plus digital picture frame subscription fee?
The Skylight Plus subscription plan is a recurring annually paid fee that’s required to unlock features like cloud backups for your photos, use of the mobile app, sending and playing videos on the frame, and use of the web interface. Unfortunately, these features are offered in greater depth and with more versatility for free on digital frames like the Pix-Star.
Given that other top frames offer these features and more without charging a recurring fee, it’s hard to justify choosing the Skylight frame. Its price point is almost identical to the Pix-Star’s before factoring in the recurring and hidden fees.
The Skylight Plus subscription fee locks both the mobile app and the web interface behind a paywall. These are essential features that are required to stay competitive with other top frames like the Pix-Star.
Without the Skylight Plus plan active, these digital frames struggle to compete with even some mid-range frames. You don’t get great value for money and the subscription plan is essential compulsory if you want to get competitive functionality from this frame.
Does the Skylight digital picture frame have a mobile app?
Skylight digital picture frames come with a mobile app, but you need to pay the additional annually recurring subscription fee to unlock its full use. This is in quite stark contrast with apps like the Pix-Star Snap that let you send multiple photos (up to 250) to multiple frames at the same time. Not only this, but Pix-Star’s mobile app doesn’t require you to create an account or sign up to use for sending photos, videos, and audio messages to your loved ones.
The Skylight app isn’t the most user-friendly and can be quite tricky for elderly users to get the hang of. The need for an active subscription and having to create accounts and sign in for every using member makes this cumbersome and tricky to use for big families and anyone that’s not tech-savvy.
Can the Skylight digital picture frame play video and audio?
Skylight’s digital photo frames can play videos once the Skylight Plus subscription plan has been purchased. Without this plan active, you cannot send videos using the mobile app, and cannot view them on the frame.
There are still some limits on the length of videos that are supported by the Skylight frame – even with the subscription plan active. It’s also worth noting that other top digital photo frames like the Pix-Star offer video playback and sending via the mobile app for free. No recurring fees or hidden costs.
Does the Skylight digital picture frame offer cloud storage & features?
Once again, Skylight digital photo frames offer cloud backups if you purchase the Skylight Plus subscription fee. Even with this plan active, you still don’t get great versatility from cloud storage. Pix-Star’s web interface is more intuitive and flexible when it comes to managing the frame’s local and cloud storage.
For example, Pix-Star offers free-for-life and unlimited cloud storage without charging any additional recurring or hidden fees. This is also a case with a handful of other top frames, which impacts the value for money when compared with other popular brands like the Pix-Star.
