Design
The 8-inch NU Digital Photo frame delivers the aesthetic we've come to expect from digital photo frames; an LCD screen surrounded by an acrylic frame with connections and memory card slots hidden from view.
This particular offering is only available in one style; a gloss black finish that unfortunately doubles as a fingerprint-magnet. We like that NU has kept it simple with strong, sharp lines but the glossy plastic seems somewhat cheap and there are no interchangeable borders to offset the look like some of the other frames we've seen.
The frame also has an integrated stand which allows you to adjust the display horizontally or vertically, with a total of six height settings.
Features
In terms of features, this 8-inch frame easily competes with similar offerings but doesn't add anything new. Memory card support covers most types: Memory Stick PRO, Memory Stick Duo, Memory Stick PRO Duo, CompactFlash, Memory Stick, Secure Digital (SD), xD-Picture Card, and Multimedia Card (MMC). There is no mention of high capacity support and we were unable to test the unit using a high capacity card such as SDHC or MMC Plus. Further, if you want to transfer images stored on your computer, there is a single USB port although no included cable.
File format support isn't so generous with NU only offering a single format for each media type — JPEG for images, MP3 for audio and Motion JPEG (AVI) for video files. Photos shouldn't be a problem as most digital cameras use the popular JPEG format, though it would be convenient if the audio and video types were expanded to include more options.
On powering the unit, the frame will automatically start a slideshow of any images stored in the 256MB internal memory. Background music can be added thanks to the two built-in stereo speakers, although they're not going to fill the room with bass at a mere 1-watt per channel.
All the usual functions are supported so you can rotate, zoom, copy and delete images direct from the frame, as well as adjust the brightness, contrast and colour balance of the screen.
An infrared remote is also included which allows you to access the frame from a short distance, though our opinion remains the same: given the cheap build quality and often unresponsive buttons, we find digital photo frame remote controls of little use unless paired with larger 10- or 15-inch displays that can actually be viewed clearly from afar.
Performance
Transferring photos, music and video files is easy to do and the menu structure is simple enough that you should be able to navigate straight out of the box without consulting the manual.
Where the NU frame shines is the high-resolution LCD display boasting 800x600 pixels and capable of supporting up to 12-megapixel images. Photos look bright and clear with accurate colours, though we noticed some pixelation when the frame tried to resize particularly with large images of 10 megapixels or more.
Our biggest caveat is the frame's less-than-stellar viewing angles, which is disappointing considering its impressive resolution. Horizontal viewing is fairly average and as most frames are set-up in this orientation, it's not a big issue until you go vertical. In our tests, vertical viewing was considerably worse, and as such we wouldn't recommend this particular frame if you intend on displaying it this way.
Overall, the 8-inch NU Digital Photo frame is well-priced for its class, offering comparable features and even overshadowing bigger names in terms of resolution. However, it's hard to overlook the poor viewing angles and limited file format support.
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eoutsourcing
27/08/2008, 12:13 PM
rating
3/10
I won't buy it
My parents gifted me 2 DPFs from
http://au.eoutsourcing.net
I think it is ok,high-qualified and mulifunction design
Pros: DPF is good
Cons: Not a good DPF
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AJC
02/07/2008, 04:08 PM
rating
6/10
The two most important things with a digital photo frame is resolution and cosmetic appearance. This has a good resolution and the appearance is also quite good as long as it is wiped clean of fingerprints and dust every now and again. The next most important thing is viewing angle which is where this unit lets itself down. File format restrictions is hardly a drawback.. pretty much every camera takes photos in jpeg format, and if they dont a free converter from the internet will transfer to jpeg in a few seconds, I wouldn't spend more money on a unit just because it also supports PNG or BMP.
Ultimately, for that price it's not a bad buy.
Pros: Resolution
Frame design is ok
Cons: viewing angle
dust/fingerprint collector
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ronben technology
21/06/2008, 01:01 PM
rating
7/10
Hi, Zennith, what's the exact viewing angle? how about this one with Viewing Angle:L:65 degrees, R:65 degrees,T:65 degrees, B:65 degrees?
http://www.ronbenmultimedia.com/product/DPF-8002.htm
Pros: design of frame holder and cosmetics
Cons: price
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