#RASPBERRY PI MAGIC MIRROR DIY HOW TO#
#RASPBERRY PI MAGIC MIRROR DIY INSTALL#
#RASPBERRY PI MAGIC MIRROR DIY UPDATE#
#RASPBERRY PI MAGIC MIRROR DIY PLUS#
#RASPBERRY PI MAGIC MIRROR DIY FREE#

I also frequently lose my background image for a refresh cycle.ĭAKBoard has been less than helpful.

#RASPBERRY PI MAGIC MIRROR DIY UPDATE#

I either have to wait for the next refresh in 15 minutes or go to the DAKBoard site, preview my setup in the browser and then force an update from the web. My problem is that when an update occurs, about half the time I lose all the events from my Microsoft 365 calendar.

#RASPBERRY PI MAGIC MIRROR DIY PLUS#

I’m on their Plus plan, so my calendars and pretty much everything else updates every 15 minutes. I am also using background images from Google Photos. I display time, weather and items from 4 calendars (3 Google, 1 Microsoft 365).

So far, when the DAKBoard service works, this is great. I did this a few days ago – weird timing! Source: The samples for this review were purchased with my own funds.

#RASPBERRY PI MAGIC MIRROR DIY FREE#

Service is free for one screen, but the price goes up if you want more screens and advanced customization options. Price: A pre-built Dakboard desk or wall display is $399.95 or a pre-built Dakboard CPU is $129.95 If you already have the components, you can do the project for free, but if you need to buy the Raspberry Pi and want a more elaborate Dakboard or Dakboards, it can get a little pricey. If you have a Raspberry Pi and an extra monitor laying around and also like DIY projects, building a Dakboard is a lot of fun and you actually end up with a useful gadget out of the project.

Better step by step instructions for non-techies.

A fun use for a Raspberry Pi and an extra monitor.

Pricing depends on how many screens you want to use, but for 2 screens and the ability to customize, it’s $5/month and it’s a little cheaper when you pay by the year instead of the month. If you want to a create custom screen like I did, you will have to subscribe to their service. I love that the Raspberry Pi runs silently even though the little case I bought for it has a built-in fan.ĭakboard is free for one screen with predefined layouts. I have mine set up to turn on at 5:30 am (that’s when I get up -YAWN-) and then turn off at 9:30 pm each night as there’s no reason to have it on if I’m not going to be looking at it. I like using this smaller 16-inch monitor because I don’t need to put it on my desk or mount it on the wall due to the size. The display updates every few minutes so it’s always up to date no matter if I make a change to my calendar on my laptop or my phone.įor the monitor, I used the Viotek LinQ USB-C monitor that I’d reviewed last year and I propped it up on my Brother laser printer in the corner of my office. Here was my first attempt at building my own screen.Īnd then I updated it again to get rid of the clock and weather and to just show only the info that is important to me. Here is one example of a screen that has a clock, weather, and calendar along with a photo on the left side that updates every minute from a library of online photos. I use my Dakboard to display multiple Google calendars, but you can display all kinds of other info from stock market tickers, headline news titles, videos, photo slideshows, and more.Įach block can be customized with different colors, fonts, etc. The block editor is easy to use and is pretty much drag and drop. FYI: if you’re using the free Dakboard account, you can only choose from these premade templates – you won’t be able to create one of your own with a free account.īut I think creating your own is more fun.

#RASPBERRY PI MAGIC MIRROR DIY HOW TO#

If you don’t want to figure out how to create a screen from scratch, you can use one of their premade templates. You can customize what you see on the display by going to on another computer to use the screen editor.įrom there you can see and create more screens (depending on your pricing level). Turn it on and you’ll be greeted with your Dakboard. Don’t worry though, it sounds harder than it is and all the info is on the Raspberry Pi site and Dakboard’s site.Īfter you have the Raspberry Pi OS image on the micro SD card, insert it in the micro SD card slot on the Raspberry Pi and connect the Raspberry Pi 4 to a monitor with an HDMI cable, a keyboard to the USB port, and a mouse to another USB port. You’ll need to create the image of the OS on the micro SD card using an imaging program. You’ll need a micro SD card for this step and you can follow the instructions that are on the Raspberry Pi website.

#RASPBERRY PI MAGIC MIRROR DIY INSTALL#

The next step is to install the Rasberry Pi OS onto the Raspberry Pi computer. The first step you need to do is to create a Dakboard account so that you can get your private URL for your smart display. But for my purposes, I will only need the power connector and the mini HDMI port after everything is installed and set up. It has easy access to the ports on the side… Here’s the finished Raspberry Pi 4 in the clear case.

Raspberry pi magic mirror diy