What are Bluetooth digital picture frames and how do they work?
Bluetooth digital picture frames aren’t something you’re going to come across very often. They’re rare and hard to find, mainly due to how outdated the technology is. You might be thinking about Bluetooth functionality in terms of what you’re used to seeing on your smartphone. Even then, it’s slow and outdated when compared with other technologies like Wi-Fi sharing, NFC, etc.
It’s no different for digital picture frames. Premium frames like the Pix-Star make extensive use of Wi-Fi connectivity to let you send & receive photos from multiple different sources. These can include emailing photos to your frames, sending media via mobile apps, linking photo albums from your computer, syncing photos from social media, and so on.
Most of the top digital picture frames are heavily reliant on Wi-Fi for most of their advanced functionality. This includes firmware updates and lays the foundation for features like the ability to remotely control your frames to start slideshows & adjust settings from anywhere in the world. Almost none of these features are available with Bluetooth digital picture frames. You missing out on the core functionality of what makes digital picture frames relevant for 2021 and beyond.
Bluetooth digital picture frames would require you to be in the same room as the receiving frame. You also have to consider that Bluetooth is significantly slower than Wi-Fi and USB/SD cards when it comes to transferring speeds. There’s also the loss of quality and compression when sending videos – so you’ll find the restrictions on video length to be even stricter.
Most cheap or offline digital picture frames can receive photos by USB/SD card. Transfer speeds are going to be significantly faster than by Bluetooth – and you have plug-and-play features that let you start slideshows without needing to copy the content of the USB/SD card to the frame’s internal storage first.
In summary, unless you’re dead-set on getting a Bluetooth digital picture frame, your money is much better spent elsewhere. You’ll get much better value for money with premium digital frames like the Pix-Star as they have extensive offline use with tons of Wi-Fi-enabled features (but more on that below). Even cheap or mid-range digital photo frames that don’t have Wi-Fi connectivity are going to be a better choice than Bluetooth digital picture frames.
Are Pix-Star frames Bluetooth digital picture frames?
Pix-Star’s digital photo frames are some of the top frames for the money. Their value is due in part to their robust feature sets and smooth user interfaces. You get extensive Wi-Fi functionality and can send photos to several Pix-Star frames at the same time – from anywhere in the world. Pix-Star’s frames are versatile for both families & elderly users, all without sacrificing anything for the individual user.
Whether you want to use Pix-Star’s digital frames offline or while huddling around them with the whole family, they have what it takes to cater to modern needs.
You can send & receive photos in just a couple of seconds, no matter where you are in the world. It’s the perfect way for families to stay connected effortlessly. The Pix-Star Snap mobile app is one of the most capable mobile apps for digital frames (and isn’t locked behind a paywall). You can send up to 250 photos to multiple digital frames at the same time. All you need is their email address and have them added to the app – it’s quick and simple.
On top of all the above, Pix-Star’s web dashboard lets you link photo albums from social media and photo-sharing sites directly to your Pix-Star frames. It’s efficient and much of the process can be automated – just what you want for elderly users and large families. Additionally, you can use the web dashboard to control & manage up to 25 connected Pix-Star frames. These connected frames can be remotely controlled and their settings can be changed from anywhere in the world. You can even start & manage slideshows, adjust the display brightness, manage cloud & local storage, and much more.
Pix-Star’s digital photo frames don’t use Bluetooth – mainly because this would be a limiting factor. Through the combination of the mobile app & web dashboard, along with cloud storage & extensive Wi-Fi connectivity, Bluetooth isn’t necessary.
How to send photos to digital picture frames by Bluetooth?
The only way to send photos to Bluetooth digital picture frames is directly from your phone via Bluetooth. You need to be within the frame’s range or the photos won’t send. In most cases, you won’t be able to send videos or audio files. In the case that you can, they’re likely to take a very long time to upload – and are prone to several sending failures.
Can Bluetooth digital picture frames act as remote displays?
Bluetooth digital picture frames aren’t like smart TVs. They don’t have any screencast or screen-sharing functionalities that would let you use them as a remote display. Most smart TVs let you cast a screen by connecting to the same Wi-Fi network as a TV. In some cases, you also have to turn on the device location too. None of these features are available on Bluetooth digital picture frames.
The only way to use these frames is to load photos to them via Bluetooth or by USB/SD card (if that’s a supported feature). You can then view the received photos in slideshows. It’s also worth noting that you can’t project the display of a Bluetooth digital frame to an external display like a TV, laptop, or external monitor.
Can I use TVs as Bluetooth digital picture frames?
You could use a TV as a Bluetooth digital picture frame by casting your screen to the TV. This is usually only possible with smart TVs and can be rather expensive when compared with the lower cost of Bluetooth digital frames. It’s also worth noting that you have to use a casting device that supports the technology. Most modern photos & laptops support screen sharing and screencasting – through the aspect ratios won’t always match up (especially when casting from a smartphone). This means that your TV may have black pillar bars around the image if the aspect ratios don’t match perfectly.
