Got an old digital photo frame that you don’t use any more? I did too, so instead of throwing it away, I decided to turn it into a written word clock. The basic idea is to use a computer program to generate a picture for each minute in a 12 hour clock cycle (720 in total), and then set the photo frame to advance pictures every minute. My cheapo frame didn’t have an option to set the delay time between photos, so I added a little microcontroller circuit to press the ‘forward’ button every minute.

I chose to spell out the time in words, however this design would also be great for making a clock that integrates your favorite photos, shows really slow animations, or changes color during the day. It could also make a nice gift for that special someone! Schematic, source code, and directions are all available on the project page.