Linux for digital frame??

[a_kayaker]

I have a HP laptop 4100 that I have converted into a LCD picture frame. Currently it is running win200 adv server, but I want to go to something thinner and more automated. The windows is just too fat and unnecessary. I think I can do better. The only task this unit serves is to display pictures from a networked server. It sits nice a quiet on an end table and just looks good. I have seen the Linux versions that will run from a floppy or cd, but I don't really know the difference in all the flavors. What would you suggest I use for the OS and for the Slideshow app. I would like to have something that boots quick and requires no user intervention(the total opposite of windows). In the end I would like to be able to turn the unit on and leave it. I would also like to be able to pull pics from a cd or network source. I have been using windows since 3.1 and I think it's time for a reckoning. you can mail me @ lstdogs@hotmail.com

[demian]

Geez, I wish I had enough notebooks so that the only use I had for a HP Omnibook 4100 is to make it a digital picture frame...

Anyway, that's your choice. But once you've got linux running on that thing you might find it actually turns into something useful :p

As far as distros are concerned it's really your choice. As your not incredably low on resources you might just as well go for something that's easy to set up. Like SuSE, Mandrake or Red Hat. I take it that you have a pcmcia ethernet card that connects to your network? That should be no problem. As for the app you use to do the slide show you can use pretty much everything. gqview comes to my mind first but you don't even need to run an X server for just that.

Get linux going first and then you can think about the little slideshow thinggy. Making it start automatically shouldn't be a problem either.

Here's a link where someone describes his experiences when installing SuSE 7.0 on a HP 4100: http://www.urbaczewski.com/omnibooklinux.htm

[Xsecrets]

That could be a really interesting little project. I bet with a little work you could get a single floppy linux distro that would boot and use some sort of svga image app to do the slideshow with no intervention.

[a_kayaker]

That's kinda what I thought too. I do have a couple of extra laptops sitting around, I will install on one of those. I just don't know the difference between the flavors. Anything free is good!

[a_kayaker]

Great XSecrets!

Ok that sounds like exacly what I want! Now what the hell is a linux distro? :confused:

[mdwatts]

Please do not crosspost. We can see ALL the posts in ALL the forums. Thank-you