FrameAlbum is open for pre-registration!
Frankly, I’m not real keen on the name but speed was more important than polish for this round so there you have it.
After you register for the FrameAlbum beta you’ll be among the first to know when the site is open with it’s initial feature set.
As with most betas, you’ll need to have a modicum of technical prowess to utilize the service as well as a heaping portion of patience. The initial iteration will offer Flickr feeds to custom RSS capable frames (and news readers).
So, if you’re as sad to see FrameChannel shutdown as I was, and not willing to allow your gee-whiz digital picture frame to devolve into a rather expensive paper weight head on over to FrameAlbum.com and register for the beta!
So is FrameAlbum going to be an RSS feed aggregation service? I can’t figure out how you’d replace FrameChannel without getting hold of rss.FrameChannel.com. Still, an RSS aggregator would be terrific.
Are things like how long to display a picture part of Media RSS, or were they specific to FrameChannel’s service?
I checked out SignChannel. You have to register to find out anything. I’m still finding out if it has any way to talk to a FrameChannel device. I suppose it only can if the URL goes to the new owner.
However, taking a look at the SignChannel service, you’ll see a lot of similarities to FrameChannel. The UI is a little different, but a lot of what it does is the same. I suppose they’re reluctant to release the code because much of it is probably the same codebase between FrameChannel/SignChannel. I don’t think the new owner would like to part with the IP or make it open source. Although there are a lot of open source models out there sponsored by commercial entities who profit from them. Maybe they could figure a model that works.
Worst part about SignChannel if it does work with FrameChannel devices is it costs $20/frame/month. Ouch. I’d like to see a home user version with an annual price much lower than $240.
@Kodak User: Yes, FrameAlbum will be, among other things, an RSS feed aggregator.
Initially it will be a solution only for those frames that support custom RSS feeds, or, for technicaly savy folks who can do the necessary DNS magic to point
rss.framechannel.comto the FrameAlbum feed.The duration of a given image will be supported by FrameAlbum. I’m not sure if it’s a part of the Media RSS spec. or a FrameChannel extension — in either case it’s dead simple to implement in the feed.
SignChannel is clearly targeted at small businesses that want to manage the digital signage in their shops. It’s a burgeoning market and I wish them well with it. However, it does not fit the needs, nor budget, of the typical digital photo frame consumer — that’s where FrameAlbum fits in.
Today Framechannel stopped delivering frames on my W1020 🙁
But when using the URL http://rss.framechannel.com/user=USERNAME/pin=YOURPIN you can still access and display your Stream. 🙂
Although I think Framechannel will lock this door soon, it may be an interim solution until FrameAlbum starts its services.
@Ralf: I was wondering how long it was going to be before they sent a notice to the frames. This should significantly increase the number of people learning of the shutdown. I just wish I could have gotten FrameChannel to put up a slide directing them to FrameAlbum instead. 😉
My story is a D-Link DSM-210 internet frame. Wireless. Bought a few for relatives far away to view in their kitchen. Really only use framechannel to direct the frame to grab a picasa rss feed (i can specify a specific directory of images which I update each week)
Now, the frame is an expensive paperweight. Why D-Link can’t update the firmware to liberate the device I don’t know…. I’m not fully aware of the mechanism anyway–
I remember registering on framechannel by plugging in my frame type and serial number – and this allowed it to find it on the net no matter what country it was operating in. I think this is how it works. Anyway, it looks like the frame’s firmware (newest is dated 2008, ugh) is in direct communication with framechannel, and the frames meager hunt-and-peck style onscreen keyboard and weak remote don’t allow much custom programming (if at all) of custom RSS feed locations, other than grabbing all that through the framechannel portal, right.
I wonder how you will gain access to all the frames pointed by firmware to only framechannel?
In any event, God’s Speed, and may the force be with you. Thousands of frame users will be upset soon. Including Kodak ones too, right? They use framechannel as well I think…
Thank you Ralf for the info, I’ve now written my own custom photo rss, W1020 reads and display my photos from my website! Life is good without framechannel.
I have an Edge 8″ Wi-Fi frame(who’s specs can be seen here: http://www.edgetechcorp.com/lp/8-wifi-digital-frame/?utm_source=eblast&utm_medium=email&utm_term=10dpf-new-product&utm_campaign=20091123 I am really excited about FrameAlbum! I haven’t quite figured out how I can redirect the Framechannel URL, but suspect I might be able to do this in my router? I will be researching this in the hopes that I will not lose the only functionality that I use on my frame, the Framechannel feed. Good luck to you and thank you for attempting to help all of us who are bummin out about all of this. If you need guinnea pigs, let me know!