Smartparts SPX8 8-Inch Syncpix Digital Picture Frame

Smartparts SPX8 8-Inch Syncpix Digital Picture FrameThis is a fine frame with outstanding picture quality and provision for automatically resizing photos to the 800x600 display quality. This permits close to 3000 pictures to be stored in the 256mb internal memory. The 4x3 window size is much better than 16x9 when portrait photos are intermixed with landscape oriented photos. The firmware, however has a serious flaw in how the motion detection feature operates. The frame turns itself off after a period of time which is selectable by the user. The problem is that when it turns back on in response to motion, it returns to the beginning of the picture sequence instead of resuming at the point where it turned off. Consider 3000 photos at 3 seconds each is 2.5 hours viewing time. You will never see the end of the picture sequence unless you set the motion detection delay longer than the single session viewing time.

The Smartparts SPX8 8-Inch Digital Picture Frame is a very good digital picture frame.

Pros:
- built in motion sensor turns off frame to save power when no one is around
- automatically copies and resizes photos into its own 256MB of memory (can hold about 3000 photos)
- crisp, reasonably large display size
- 800x600 pixels (4x3 ratio matches that of most digital cameras)
- mounts on wall or sits on desk in either portrait or landscape
- reasonable UI
- felt reasonably well constructed
- about $125 is a good price for it as of 8/7/2008 from Amazon.

Cons:
- can take a while to move and resize/optimize photos (other picture frames use photos directly from memory card so may require zero time to start display, but then need to leave card in the frame, yet cards are inexpensive these days).

Price on Amazon seems to go up and down somewhat. I can recommend this product because it works well. (Better than the other 2 digital picture frames I have -- see below).

The main remaining features I'm thinking about are an even larger display and possibly a WiFi connection that works easily to get more pictures to the frame automatically -- but I have not found a WiFi frame that works well for this yet. The number of different frames with skimpy specifications makes things confusing. And I'm leery of frames with TOO many features as well as ones with external dependencies that may require additional labor and expense.


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The Philips 6.5-Inch Digital Photo Frame is a good picture frame.

Pros
- plug in a card with pictures and go!
- crisp, clear display (720x480 resolution is good match for frame size)
- reasonable UI
- felt reasonably well constructed
- $100 is a good price for it as of 8/14/2008 from Amazon.

Cons
- really requires you to leave a separate memory card in the unit (but at least gigabyte cards are large and cheap).
- to maximize image quality and space use, resize pictures to 720 x 480 ahead of time.
- no auto motion sensor to turn off frame when no one is around

I can recommend the Philips 6.5-Inch Digital Photo Frame because it works well and meets expectations. The cons are really missing features that other higher priced models such as the SPX8 may have.

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Axion AXN-9701 7-Inch Widescreen LCD Digital Picture Frame is a poor picture frame.

Pros
- cheap
- pictures do cycle continuously

Cons
- disappointing resolution at only 480x234, not well matched to screen size
- really needs separate memory card
- must make a manual selection to start picture show

I do not recommend the Axion AXN-9701 at all.
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We purchased the Smartparts digital frame based upon the Consumer Reports recommendation and could not be more pleased. It is very easy to setup and use. Being a digital frame novice, it was simple to load the memory stick and upload the pics into a folder. The screen is bright and the functions allow for multiple ways to view pics.

I had similar problems as others, IE. not recognizing one of my camera's USB card, recognizing the other camera's card, but refusing to download even one picture. I went to Smartparts website and downloaded their software to my computer as recommended, and when I plugged in the USB cord from the frame, the frame recognized that the cord was plugged in, but the software kept saying that I had to plug in the cord to download pictures. I tried to close the software and my computer froze, so I finally had to reboot, at which time the program finally said it was ok to disconnect the cord. After that, the frame would only play a few of the pictures from one camera card, then freeze and screech. I made several attempts to contact their tech support via email and got no response for over a week. Tried their phone support, and was put on hold for about 6 minutes, and finally left a voice message. I did not recieve a response until I complained to the New Jersey Better Business Bureau where their sales headquarters is located. In the email I recieved I was told that they basically didn't give a rat's patootie that I had received the frame as a gift, and that I would have to send them a copy of the sales receipt if I wanted to return the frame to them for repair/replacement. Thank God Amazon has a little more ethics than this Shenzhen China owned company, and agreed to let me return the frame to them for credit.

The Energy Efficient Light Sensor on the top is faulty on the model #SPX 12E (12" Digital Frame). If you get your finger near it and block the light..or if you move the frame and it senses a light change it will completely shut off the screen. Tech support says go into settings and turn off the sensor.