How do digital photo frames with motion sensors work?
Digital photo frames with motion sensors use a sensor fitted to the front of the frame to wake it up when movement is detected within its effective range. This effective range can vary depending on the quality of the frame, the size of the room, and whether the frame is mounted on the wall or rested on a flat surface (as this influences the direction it faces).
Make sure to keep digital photo frames with motion sensors out of direct sunlight to ensure the sensor works correctly. Additionally, keep these frames away from any overly hot or humid locations, as moisture on the sensor could reduce its effectiveness. As long as you keep your digital frame out of the bathroom and possibly a small kitchen, you won’t need to worry about any of these issues.
Some digital frames like the Pix-Star let you remotely control the motion sensor and auto-on/off sensor. This isn’t a universally offered feature – though it is an extremely helpful one. You can set your grandparents’ frames to wake up when they walk into the room – and go to sleep during the nighttime hours.
We almost always recommend getting a digital photo frame with a motion sensor. They’re much easier to use and save you a lot of frustration having to teach elderly users how to wake and use the frame. When combined with a robust remote control feature, web album support (importing photos from social media & photo-sharing sites), a mobile app & web interface, and a great 4:3 display (and the ability to wall-mount), digital photo frames with motion sensors have everything it takes to cater to the needs of the modern home & family!
Do Pix-Star digital photo frames have motion sensors?
Pix-Star’s digital photo frames have a motion sensor that automatically wakes the frame up when movement is detected within its effective range. On top of that, Pix-Star’s frames have an auto-on/off schedule that turns the frame on or off at specific times of the day.
Pix-Star is unique in that you can remotely control both the motion sensor’s functionality and the auto-on/off schedule. This is done through the “My frame configuration” section once you’ve logged into your frame’s web dashboard. Here you can adjust most of the frame’s settings, start slideshows, change slideshow sources, and much more.
Multi-frame control groups let you adjust the settings for all of your Pix-Star frames easily from a single user account. Here you can set a motion sensor for all your frames to the desired settings. It’s great for families and elderly users as you can ensure they don’t miss any important photos, videos, or audio messages.
Can digital photo frames with motion sensors work without Wi-Fi?
Not all digital photo frames with motion sensors can work without Wi-Fi. For example, Aura frames need to be connected to Wi-Fi at all times to sync and view photos each day. On the other hand, Pix-Star frames offer extensive offline functionality. You can start slideshows, browse local storage, adjust most of the frame’s settings, change slideshow sources, and much more.
Pix-Star’s frames save all incoming media (including web albums linked from your computer or social media; excluding USB/SD cards) automatically to the frame’s internal storage. This means that once sent or synced to your Pix-Star frames, all of your photos and videos are available to view offline.
You still need to reconnect to Wi-Fi to sync new web albums, download pending photos, and receive any media through any method other than a USB/SD card – as is the case with all digital frames. For offline use, USB/SD card support and 8GB of internal storage are must-have features. Ensure that USB/SD cards aren’t by their maximum storage capacity and that a plug-and-play feature is supported (whereby you can play slideshows directly off inserted USB/SD cards).
Can digital photo frames with motion sensors be remotely controlled?
Pix-Star’s digital photo frame with motion sensors can be remotely controlled and managed from anywhere in the world. This feature isn’t commonly offered – and is seldom done as effectively as Pix-Star offers. You can use the Pix-Star web dashboard to take control of up to 25 connected Pix-Star frames to change their settings, start slideshows, manage local & cloud storage, update their firmware, change slideshow sources, and more.
Remote control functionality is a feature that’s mostly exclusive to the premium end of the market. It’s an essential and massively underrated feature for families and elderly users. You can make sure that all the frames in the family show all the right pictures and videos at the perfect time – all without the recipient having to lift a finger to get it done.
Pix-Star’s frames can be set to wake up when someone enters the motion sensor’s range. There’s also a setting that lets you remotely adjust the frame’s auto-on/off schedule – ensuring the frame is awake when everyone is home. It’s also worth noting that very few other premium frames let you remotely control the motion sensor or on/off schedule.
Do digital photo frames with motion sensors use touchscreens?
Most digital photo frames with motion sensors don’t use touchscreens. Touchscreens aren’t very common in the digital frame world and there are a couple of key reasons for this trend. First of all, touchscreen panels larger than 8-inches are significantly more expensive than smaller panels. This means that larger digital frames like the Pix-Star 10-inch frame would be a lot more expensive if they used a touchscreen.
Secondly, touchscreen digital frames often have fewer features and less versatility. This is due to the higher cost of the touch display using up more of the frame’s “budget” than is necessary. The result is that some features like Wi-Fi, cloud storage, video playback, and more, are sacrificed to make room for the touch display.
Finally, touchscreens are less durable. They’re prone to scratching and taking damage from small knocks and falls. If the frame uses a matte finish display, the oil from your skin can be nearly impossible to clean off effectively. If you’ve spent any time reading through reviews of many touchscreen digital frames, you’ll see a clear pattern – the display is usually the first part of the frame to stop working in the long run.
