How are Nix digital photo frames different from Nixplay?
Nix digital photo frames fall under the Nixplay brand. In terms of similarities, Nix’s frames look quite similar to Nixplay’s frames. They use longer 16:9 displays that are quite tall when compared with many other top digital frames like the Pix-Star. They also have similar color schemes and aesthetics to Nixplay’s premium frames – so they don’t stand out too much.
Nix digital photo frames are Nixplay’s non-Wi-Fi digital frames. They run off of a combination of limited internal storage and USB/SD card support. The key difference here is that these frames don’t connect to the Nixplay cloud – they are completely offline. These frames don’t have any Wi-Fi-related features and no cloud storage. Nixplay’s frames are reliant on Wi-Fi and the cloud to access and view your saved photos. While some Nixplay frames have USB/SD card support, not all of their Wi-Fi models offer this feature.
It’s also worth noting that Nixplay frames come with an option annual recurring subscription fee that’s used to unlock features like the use of the mobile app, video playback & support, expanding cloud storage, and more. This subscription fee isn’t applied or necessary with the Nix digital photo frame as it doesn’t have any Wi-Fi or cloud capabilities. It’s a very simple frame that is a little cheaper than Nixplay frames. Here’s our Pix-Star vs Nixplay guide to help you find the best frame for you!
Are Nix digital photo frames worth it for families?
Nix digital photo frames might be great choices for individual users that don’t have Wi-Fi access – but they’re not ideal for families. The lack of Wi-Fi and cloud capabilities means that Nix’s frames can’t compete effectively against top family-focused frames like the Pix-Star.
You need to manually insert a USB/SD card into the frame to view photos. This makes photo sharing for families quite a challenge if they live far apart or don’t see each other too often. No Wi-Fi also means you can’t remotely control Nix frames from anywhere in the world. This isn’t ideal for elderly users and can lead to many frustrating phone calls trying to fix issues.
We always recommend getting a Wi-Fi & cloud-capable digital photo frame for families. Their needs are drastically different from individual users. Sharing is centrally important and arguably the most important feature of Wi-Fi digital frames. You need to be able to receive photos from anywhere and at any time.
It’s also worth noting that some other top digital frames can link & sync photo albums directly from social media, photo-sharing, and online storage platforms to your frame. This lets you share photos automatically simply by loading them to one album that’s linked to all the frames in the family. This type of functionality is beyond what Nix’s frames are capable of. Here’s a quick read on why digital frames can breathe new life into how you connect with your family!
Are Nix digital photo frames better than Pix-Star frames?
Pix-Star’s digital photo frames are arguably the most versatile and capable frame in 2021. They have extensive Wi-Fi capabilities, free-for-life cloud storage, video & audio support, a mobile app & web dashboard, and much more. To top this all off, Pix-Star’s frames offer all this without charging any extra recurring or hidden fees – unlike Nixplay’s frames.
Nix digital photo frames use a 16:9 aspect ratio on its frame. This means that most photos send from smartphones (4:3) and cameras (3:2) don’t match the aspect ratio of the frame. You have to manually edit and crop them before sending if you want to avoid unsightly black pillar bars surrounding each photo. It breaks immersion and offers a sub-par viewing experience. We usually advise you to avoid 16:9 displays for this very reason.
Pix-Star’s frames can receive photos from anywhere in the world and at any time. You can send pics through the Pix-Star Snap mobile app, via the web dashboard, USB/SD card, email, and more. This is perfect for families as sharing your favorite photos with everyone in the family takes just a couple of short moments.
Pix-Star’s Wi-Fi capabilities enable features like web radio & music, weather forecasts, cloud backups, and the ability to remotely control & manage up to 25 connected Pix-Star frames. This feature lets you change settings, start & manage slideshows, adjust local & cloud storage, and more – from anywhere in the world. It’s the perfect feature for big families and those with elderly users that want to get involved but aren’t very tech-savvy.
Pix-Star’s robust feature set and versatile performance give it an excellent edge over most other premium frames. These are one of the few premium frames that specifically cater to elderly users and families through easy menus and simple-to-grasp interfaces. They’re great as gifts and fit into your home & family life comfortably. They’re far more capable than Nix digital photo frames and offer great value for money by comparison.
How to send photos to Nix digital photo frames?
The only way to send photos to Nix digital photo frames is by USB/SD card. Load the photos (in a supported format) and/or short videos to a compatible USB/SD card (avoid cards and USBs bigger than 32GB). Insert the USB/SD card into the frame’s port and give it a second to register and run. You can then play slideshows directly off the USB/SD card on the frame’s display. Note that you don’t have much control over the play order and frequency of these slideshows.
While Nix claims that their frame is the only digital frame that can play photos and videos in the same slideshow, this is incorrect. Other top frames such as the Pix-Star can also be set to play videos in slideshows. They take this a step further by letting set the videos to play muted or with sound. The Pix-Star frame can be connected to external speakers or headphones via the USB connection or the 3.5mm audio jack port.
Can Nix digital photo frames play videos?
Nix digital photo frames can play short video clips. The only supported format is MPEG-4. Any other format won’t be accepted or read by the Nix frame. Videos can only be loaded and viewed on the frame by USB/SD card. Make sure they aren’t too long or the frame might reject them. Almost all digital photo frames have limits on either video size, format, and/or video length. Test it out with a short 15-30-second video clip before trying larger clips in the same format.
