Live data from Hacker News

How to build a super-slim smart mirror

raspberrypi.com

1–10 of 53 posts

Re: How to build a super-slim smart mirror

#2
This is all great but don't underestimate these mirror displays: A friend built a similar one and disabled it when he saw the energy consumption. And this was a few years back. Still waiting to pull the trigger on an appropriate e-paper display.

At least I'd suggest to measure the setup before you commit to the whole crafts project.

Re: How to build a super-slim smart mirror

#4
The guide is a bit lacking - I made such a foil based smart mirror and the mirror you get from just a foil is not good. I would more call it a reflective grey surface than a true mirror.

So I would suggest getting a proper partially silvered glass sheet and getting the money for that by not using a currently overpriced and hard to get raspberry pi.

Re: How to build a super-slim smart mirror

#6
post #2

This is all great but don't underestimate these mirror displays: A friend built a similar one and disabled it when he saw the energy consumption. And this was a few years back. Still waiting to pull the trigger on an appropriate e-paper display. At least I'd suggest to measure the setup before you commit to the whole crafts project.

Use a PIR motion sensor to only turn on the screen when someone is around. Mine has been running for years with a 27" LCD inside, the average power use is negligible when it's in <1W standby most of the time.

Re: How to build a super-slim smart mirror

#7
post #3

I went to do this sort of thing the other day. First thing I did was try and find a Pi Zero 2 W. Discovered most models of Raspberry Pi are completely unavailable. And so, another side project was canned.

Wow, you're not kidding! I checked ebay and saw one bid to $50 and another buy-it-now for $93. For a Pi Zero!

Re: How to build a super-slim smart mirror

#8
post #2

This is all great but don't underestimate these mirror displays: A friend built a similar one and disabled it when he saw the energy consumption. And this was a few years back. Still waiting to pull the trigger on an appropriate e-paper display. At least I'd suggest to measure the setup before you commit to the whole crafts project.

I was thinking about a similar project once and the electricity cost was about $1 / month. Am I way off on my calculations?

Re: How to build a super-slim smart mirror

#10
post #8
post #2

This is all great but don't underestimate these mirror displays: A friend built a similar one and disabled it when he saw the energy consumption. And this was a few years back. Still waiting to pull the trigger on an appropriate e-paper display. At least I'd suggest to measure the setup before you commit to the whole crafts project.

I was thinking about a similar project once and the electricity cost was about $1 / month. Am I way off on my calculations?

At the current electricity prices we're paying here (~$0.35/kWh), this would be around 4 W of continuous consumption. That's not a lot, you can basically power you Pi with it, but not the screen... count at least 10x more costs to operate the screen 24h a day. But as mentioned by someone, if you use a sensor to only turn on the screen when there's someone in front of it (and if you actually turn OFF your screen when there's nobody, and not just display a black screen), then you can almost remove the display power from the equation, unless you spend your day in front of the mirror.
Post reply on HN