Skip to main content

Setting up a multi-site display system with Google Photos

Updated

This article will show you how setting up a Muti-site system with PhotoSpring digital photo frames and Google Photos. In the first part of this article we will explain how everything works so you get a general idea of things. In the 2nd part of the article we will go through a checklist for setting up each frame.

To explain how this works we will be using this example. Here we have 4 different sites each with its own PhotoSpring digital frame:

General Setup

Our goal is to have all 4 of these locations each displaying a different set of images. And manage the whole thing from Location 1 - which is our headquarters. 

The general strategy will be

 

 

Each frame will display its own album specific to its location - allowing each location to have a different set of photos to display. You can see below that Location 1 frame is displaying the album: MainSt.  Location 2 frame is displaying the album: OakSt. These albums are named after the actual location so that its clear where it is.

 

Sending Initial Photos

As an example, we want the frame at Location 4 to display a set of 10 photos. 

All photos need to be sent to the frame in Location 1 with the correct album before making its way to the destination frame..

Step 1: From a PhotoSpring account, you will send 10 photos to the frame at Location 1 inside an album called 5thAve

 

Step 2: The Location 1 frame will receive the photos in the album, and automatically backup those photos to Google Photos.

 

Step 3: the Location 4 frame will automatically receive the 5thAve album with the 10 photos inside. This will then be displayed on the frame.

 

Removing Photos

To prevent photo(s) from being displayed on the Location 4 frame you can follow these steps.

Step 1: Go into the Google Photos account, and remove the photo(s) from the 5thAve album. 

Step 2: The Location 4 frame will see that the photo has been removed from the 5thAve album - and automatically remove it from its own 5thAve album.

Step 3: Go to the Location 1 frame and go to its 5thAve album.

Step 4: Find the photo(s) you removed in Step 1 - and delete these photos. 

Why do we need to do steps 3 and 4 above: the reason is to keep what is on the Location 1 frame in sync with Google.

 

Changing Photos Displayed

To change the photos displayed on each frame you need to

  1. Remove the photos you don't want displayed - see above
  2. Add the photos you want to be displayed - also see above

 

HQ Frame Setup Checklist

  1. Create a table like the one below 

    Location Name Album Used HQ?
    ex: Main St HQ ex: MainSt Yes - this is the frame backing up photos to Google
    ex: Maple St location MapleSt No - this is a frame syncing photos from Google
  2. Setup the HQ frame - this is the frame we will be sending photos to - which will then back those photos up to Google
  3. As part of the process above you will be asked to create a PhotoSpring account and connect the frame.
  4. Send photos to the HQ frame. You should send at least one photo into the album you specified in the table you created in part 1.
  5. Setup the HQ frame to backup albums to a Google account.
  6. Select the album you want the HQ frame to be displaying
  7. Go through the OTHER ITEMS checklist section below and configure the frame based on your needs.

 

Syncing Frames Setup Checklist

  1. Setup the frames that will be syncing photos from Google.
  2. When asked to connect to a PhotoSpring account - skip it. You will be using Google.
  3. Connect the frame to sync with the same Google account you are using for the HQ frame.
  4. Select the album you want the this frame to be displaying. You may have to wait a few minutes after step 3 in order for all the albums and photos to download.
  5. Go through the OTHER ITEMS checklist below and configure the frame based on your needs.

 

Other Items Checklist

  1. If the frame will be exposed to customer handling, then you might want to lock the frame down so users cannot make changes to it. 

  2. The following settings are in the Slideshow settings screen

    1. Set Photo Formatting to Fit. Please send photos only as either 1280x800 or 800x1200 images. This will look best on the screen.
    2. Set Progress Indicator to OFF.
    3. Set Download Indicator to OFF. This is optional since anything shown here is temporary.
    4. Set Message Indictor to OFF
    5. Turn off all aspects of Show Photo Info
    6. Set New Photos Handling  to Do Nothing.

     

 

Related articles

Powered by Zendesk