Comments on: Review: HP df820 Digital Picture Frame

By: Can't drag & drop photos into the internal memory

Can't drag & drop photos into the internal memory — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 18:35:42 +0000

I just opened the picture frame today after buying it for my wife on Christmas 2008. I have a problem similar to Kathy/Sharon above and tried to rectify as suggested by Van Casey in response. I find the frame name on “my computer” listed as kdrive and per the manual this is the internal memory for the frame. I open the file to see contents of the 16 HP advertisments. No matter how I try, I cannot get my pictures from C drive to copy to the internal memory. I get the error code indicating “cannot copy (photo#), cannot find the specified file. Any suggestions?

By: Gina

Gina — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 00:33:54 +0000

Kevin did you get an answer to this?

I am having the same issue.

Gina

By: Nancy

Nancy — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 12:40:13 +0000

I also have the problem with the clock and calendar not updating and thus the auto on/off does not work. Got it going for awhile, then it won’t work again.

By: Liz

Liz — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 15:08:31 +0000

Re: Shuffle function

I also struggled with the shuffle function and eventually turned it off. I set up my own “random” order and set it to play without shuffling.

I renamed mine using “001″ “002″ etc, with great success. All of your numbers need to have the same number of digits; otherwise, Windows will sort them differently than you are intending. (i.e. 1, 10, 11, … 100, 101… 1000, 1001, and so on) With 122 pictures, I got it to work great as long as every picture had a 3-digit name (using 0’s as placeholders).

By: Winnie

Winnie — Sun, 24 May 2009 17:59:51 +0000

I see a lot of posting on the ’shuffle’ function. I’ve relabelled all my pictures on the SD card to have sequential order i.e. 1,2,3, .. hoping that they are shown in such sequence. However, even without the ’shuffle’ function turned on, my pictures are displayed in some random order. Does anyone know how to fix this?

By: Marilyn

Marilyn — Sat, 09 May 2009 15:43:28 +0000

I have purchased 3 of these frames as gifts for relatives, and all 3 do not work in the slideshow SHUFFLE mode. The manual says it will randomly rotate all photos and not repeat any until all have been displayed. None of the 3 frames I purchased worked correctly. It repeats several of the photos before working through the entire set. Anybody heard of fix from HP?

By: RobertJ

RobertJ — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 00:12:45 +0000

I read the comment about a firmware upgrade. Checked the HP site and found nothing for this frame. Anyone know anything about this?

By: RobertJ

RobertJ — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 23:58:07 +0000

Same problem and I think it has to do with the clock randomly resetting. Has anyone else noticed the clock issue. Am thinking of exchanging it.

By: Van Casey

Van Casey — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 03:49:25 +0000

Hi, it’s me again!

I would like to be proven WRONG about my assumption that the HP df820 can NOT play standard-resolution video (”standard” meaning the same as “standard definition TV” or “DVD”.) I don’t care what format the file has to be converted into, as long as the converted file is comparable in size. My understanding of MPEG1 (one they support) is that it is LOW-definition–half the pixel count, in both dimensions, of that for standard def. Similarly for MP4 (another one they support, which I believe is generally used for low-res hand-held devices). If I am underestimating the HP df820’s capabilities in this area, someone please attach a file to an email so I can try it, and tell everyone how you made the file! I am DPFfan in the forums.

By: Van Casey

Van Casey — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 03:21:08 +0000

I am replying to my own previous message!

I have just discovered that the LG screen I use with my desktop computer ALSO has the off-center viewing angle I referred to the df820’s screen as having in that message. In fact, it is EXACTLY THE SAME. I can look down from above from just about any angle, but not up from below. So my negative comments about the df820’s screen were totally bogus. They are using a STANDARD SCREEN, and this will probably be the case with ANY digital picture frame given the current state of the art in solid-state screen technology. The screen is otherwise excellent. Also, regarding my negative comments to-do with the df820’s video capabilities– I’m afraid I’m probably too new at video to make the blanket-statement about the device’s video capabilities that I made in my previous message– BUT– it seems like a $150 device with a half-gig of RAM, card slots and an 800×600 screen ought to be able to play standard-definition MPEG2 video files. If 2 hours take up 4GB, then one could store 15 minutes’ worth in the device’s RAM, and any amount one wanted on cards. I think that would be very cool, since the screen has the resolution and nobody wants to look at 320×240 video because it shows too much pixellation. I could be wrong (I don’t know anything about the ‘Motion JPEG’ option) but I don’t think the device can currently do this. Or if it can, then HP needs to EXPLAIN HOW in their manual!

By: Van Casey

Van Casey — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 00:56:32 +0000

Megan: You mean slideshow SHUFFLE mode, right? Turn it off, and it cycles through all of your pics like one would expect it to, and then repeats.

By: Van Casey

Van Casey — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 00:54:21 +0000

Kathy and Sharon: it works just like a flash drive. Go to My Computer, identify the DRIVE LETTER of the device (the capital letter with “:\” after it–compare the My Computer screen with and without the device plugged into the computer), double click on that drive letter, and you will see the familiar directory contents box (”File Explorer”, not to be confused with “Internet Explorer”.) THAT is the place where you drop your files, not onto the drive icon.

By: Van Casey

Van Casey — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 00:48:54 +0000

Spaceman: I researched that problem with HP and they said no. My experience was with the internal memory, but the verdict for cards is probably the same. If you want to put all of your vacation folders into internal memory, using a PC, then you can (while connected to the PC) HIDE all of the folders except the one you want the device to play. But you have to go back to the PC to switch to a different folder!

By: Van Casey

Van Casey — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 00:42:55 +0000

Beth: did you select slideshow SHUFFLE mode? The problem is that a random shuffle seems extremely biased toward the first few pics, crawling through the whole set very slowly and repeating the first few pics many times along the way. A random shuffle is supposed to work better than this!

By: Van Casey

Van Casey — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 00:39:42 +0000

I have the same problem, and I don’t think that’s trivial. I also found that the best viewing angle for the screen is not head-on, but down from above when oriented in landscape mode, and if you have to look up from below the colors invert very rapidly with angle. And finally, I have not gotten video to work at all, at least not in the sense of anything worth looking at. The only mode that worked (using Nero Vision Express 3) was custom MPEG1 with the PAL setting (but NOT with the NTSC setting), and even that came out extremely erratic with regard to playback speed on the unit. I am not particularly happy with this device.

By: Allen

Allen — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 14:35:46 +0000

I have the same problem with time setting as Julie said, just bought one of these frames a few weeks ago and I used the time setting at first it was good but now every time I switch it to show the date and time it says that its 2:14 and the date is 14/14/1914 Ive tried changing the time and date but ti doesn’t work does anyone know how to fix this?

By: Julie

Julie — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 07:20:12 +0000

I just bought one of these frames a few weeks ago and I used the time setting at first it was good but now every time I switch it to show the date and time it says that its 2:14 and the date is 14/14/1914 Ive tried changing the time and date but ti doesn’t work does anyone know how to fix this?

By: Jim

Jim — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 13:38:14 +0000

If you are a MAC user then don’t buy this frame.
I have a G4 Powerbook and had nothing but freeze ups when I tried to open the drive on the desktop.
Can’t eject it either without getting the wheel of death.

Too bad.

By: Gary Beaver

Gary Beaver — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 01:45:43 +0000

The clock on my 8′HP frame stopped working. I spoke to a service rep who advised me to revert to factory setting and unplug unit for 24 hrs in order to reset unit. DIDN’T WORK! The rep mentioned something about a firmware update. Will I be advised when this is available? I hesitate to just exchange the unit as I have read that others have the same problem.

By: Katie

Katie — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 00:29:58 +0000

hi,
i got this for my husband for v-day but cannot seem to get the audio files to work. they don’t seem to be popping up in the music folder. any help would be much appreciated! asap.

thanks

By: Brian

Brian — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 17:23:40 +0000

FYI – we’re launching forums for the site as soon as we get the design worked out. They are up and running though if you want to continue this conversation there –

http://forum.digitalpictureframereview.com

By: Jim

Jim — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 16:58:24 +0000

We too, are having issues with the programmable on/off. We had the 7″ and the time would correct for a couple days, then it would lose minutes, then hours, and so auto/on off would not work. We exchanged for an 8″, thinking we just got a defective unit, and this one is doing the exact same thing. Disappointing.

By: Megan

Megan — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 16:23:57 +0000

Oh – and we’re also getting a LOT of repeat pictures in slideshow mode.

By: Megan

Megan — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 16:22:50 +0000

Bought this frame at the end of November as a gift for a 91-year old aunt who loves pictures and needs to know the day of the week/date every morning. She loved it! By end of January the clock function was not working – it would be a few days behind; I’d reset it and check back the next weekend and it was behind again. Sounds like I’m not the only one with this problem. Exchanged for a new one at Staples but wondering if I should just try another brand. Suggestions for one that has a nice clock/date/picture view? I’d love an auto on/off feature for her as well, but this one and all others I’ve tried reverts to slide show mode whenever it turns back on, so she’s had to leave her frame on 24/7 to use the calendar feature.

By: HPHater

HPHater — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 04:50:32 +0000

The clock on my frame stopped working in less than a month, which means the AUTO ON/OFF won’t either. Sucks.

By: Cathy

Cathy — Sun, 25 Jan 2009 01:13:14 +0000

Sharon: I purchased the HPdf820 today and am having the same problem you are. I’m dragging and dropping a photo file from my computer to the drive for the internal memory of the picture frame. I’m getting an error message ‘cannot copy. cannot find the specified file.’ I wondered if you every figured your problem out.

By: bill

bill — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 04:21:05 +0000

Typical HP crap. Time stopped working after a month HPIs garbage

By: Sharon

Sharon — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 02:43:22 +0000

Hello All..

I sure hope someone can help me..
I recieved the HPdf820 photo frame for Christmas and was absolutely delighted with it!! However I can’t get my pics loaded into the frame.. .. I am following all the directions and I am computer savy but no luck here transfering my pics from my PC to the frame. I’m not useing a memory card but trying to load my picture files into the frame..I know it has to be something simple I am over looking..Is there anyone else who had this problem or can someone make a suggestion as to what I can do to make this work?

Thanks in advance
Sharon

By: Spaceman

Spaceman — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 05:49:06 +0000

I would like to buy one of these but 1st can someone answer this question??? I have several separate folders/files of pictures on a USB flash memory stick. Is it possible to select a particular picture folder to do a slide show rather than having to play all pictures on the memory stick???? Each picture folder is a different vacation so I would like to choose which one will play.
Thanks

By: Mike

Mike — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 11:29:05 +0000

I have two of these. The programmable on/off is temperamental. It mostly doesn’t work. Anyone else experience this too?