Does the Pix-Star 15-inch digital frame charge monthly fees?
The Pix-Star 15-inch digital frame does not charge monthly fees to unlock any features, functions, or add-ons. Pix-Star’s frames are completely free to use, including access to the mobile app, web interface, and multi-frame control groups.
Several popular digital frames including the Nixplay and Skylight frames are subscription-based. You have to pay a monthly, quarterly, or annual fee to unlock features including cloud storage, access to the mobile app & web interface, remote configuration, custom playlists, video playback, and more.
We don’t recommend buying digital frames with monthly fees as they rarely offer any sufficiently unique features. In the end, you get far worse value for money, fewer features, and another subscription-based service (adding to the ever-growing list).
Pix-Star’s frames are exceptional as they effortlessly take on subscription-based frames like Nixplay and Skylight. Pix-Star offers more features for a very similar upfront cost – but no recurring fees.
For example, with Pix-Star, you get free-for-life cloud storage, full access to the Pix-Star Snap mobile app and web interface, multi-frame control groups (with up to 25 Pix-Star frames), remote configuration, web album support (importing photo albums direct from social media), playback support for 2-minute video clips, and much more.
Almost all of these features are locked behind Nixplay’s and Skylight’s “Plus” subscription paywall – making Pix-Star are far more versatile digital frame with incredible value for money!
Do Pix-Star 15-inch digital frames offer cloud storage?
Pix-Star 15-inch digital frames offer free-for-life cloud storage for each frame you purchase. This cloud storage can be set to automatically back up all incoming photos as they’re received.
It’s important to note that Pix-Star’s frames are not cloud-based – which is a huge benefit. It means that you get internal storage on your Pix-Star frame, USB/SD card support, and can access/view all of your photos and videos without Wi-Fi. Pix-Star allows you to manage your frame’s cloud storage remotely via the web interface.
Some competing digital frames like Aura and Skylight are cloud-only. They don’t have internal storage space or support USB/SD cards. You can’t view or access your photos without Wi-Fi. If the server goes offline or your frame drops its connection, you won’t have access to any of your pictures.
Additionally, some competing digital frames like Nixplay and Skylight charge recurring monthly fees to unlock (or expand) cloud storage. Pix-Star offers free-for-life cloud storage without charging you a cent extra.
Can I remotely update the Pix-Star 15-inch digital frame?
You can remotely configure and update the Pix-Star 15-inch digital frame via each frame’s web dashboard. You gain access to the web dashboard when registering your new Pix-Star digital frame for the first time. Learn how to set up a digital frame here for step-by-step instructions.
Pix-Star’s web dashboard lets you remotely manage and control up to 25 Pix-Star frames from one user account. It’s ideal for families and elderly users as you can start slideshows, manage cloud storage, adjust settings, change the motion sensor’s functionality, and much more.
Currently, Pix-Star only supports remote configuration via the web dashboard. At the time of this writing, Pix-Star is adding the remote configuration feature to the Pix-Star Snap mobile app – making it arguably the best digital frame on the market for families and elderly users.
Can Pix-Star 15-inch digital frames mount on the wall?
Pix-Star 15-inch digital frames can mount on the wall thanks to supporting using a standard VESA mount and coming with built-in hanging holes. The VESA mount provides a sturdy, secure, and robust wall mount. It’s the better choice if you have a particular place on the wall in mind.
Pix-Star’s dedicated hanging holes let you quickly hang the frame on the wall. It’s ideal if you move the frame around the house (e.g., if you occasionally bring it into your bedroom). This method isn’t as permanent as the standard VESA mount but also isn’t quite as robust or sturdy.
Pix-Star’s 15-inch digital frame can mount on the wall in both landscape and portrait orientations. This is supported by the frame’s software; whereby you can rotate entire slideshows and/or individual pictures depending on the situation.
Mounting Pix-Star’s 15-inch digital frames on the wall is an excellent idea for large and well-lit rooms like living rooms, dining areas, big kitchens, and master bedrooms. You can control the frame via the handheld remote, the remote configuration feature, and more.
Note that Pix-Star’s frames have a motion sensor and auto-on/off feature. The motion sensor is great for wall-mounted digital frames as it wakes the frame up when somebody walks into its range. It also turns off the display when motion hasn’t been detected for a pre-set period.
Does my Pix-Star 15-inch digital frame have a mobile app?
Each Pix-Star 15-inch digital frame comes with access to the Pix-Star Snap mobile app – arguably the most capable and versatile digital frame mobile app on the market. Unlike competing frames like Skylight and Nixplay, Pix-Star doesn’t lock access to their mobile app behind a subscription paywall.
With the Pix-Star Snap mobile app, you can send up to 250 photos to several Pix-Star frames at the same time. These incoming photos can be set to automatically display in the current slideshow. They’re also backed up to the cloud and saved to the frame’s internal storage as they’re received.
Pix-Star Snap lets you send 2-minute video clips and audio recordings directly to any of your Pix-Star frames from anywhere in the world. You can select these video clips from your phone’s gallery.
Remote configuration is coming soon to the Pix-Star Snap mobile app. Here you can manage and control any of your Pix-Star frames to adjust their settings, start slideshows, manage cloud storage, and much more.
We highly recommend buying a digital frame with a great, easy-to-use, and elderly-friendly mobile app. We recommend avoiding digital frames that charge recurring fees for access to their mobile app. We also suggest avoiding digital frames that use 3rd party mobile apps (e.g., the Frameo mobile app is used by several new – and often unreliable – Chinese or generic brands).
