Customer Reviews

Pandigital Pan Touch PAN8002W02T 8-Inch Digital Picture Frame (Black)

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

Note: this review is for the newer, 8" Pandigital frame, with Pantouch techology.

Pandigital has left a bad taste in my mouth over the past few years. I bought a first generation frame from them about 2 years ago, just as these "photo" frames were starting to become mainstream. I particularly like the pandigital models because the frames have glass covers, making them look a lot more like a "real" picture frame, as opposed to some of the uglier models out there.

Anyway, 2 years ago, I had nothing but problems with the pandigital frames. My computer would not recognize the frame when I synced it via usb. This was quite a common problem for many users if you check past reviews. Pandigital did nothing to resolve the issue other than tell people to exchange the frame. Well, unfortunately the frame was never actually defective - it just had poorly coded software that was inherently incompatible with specific builds of Windows XP. On top of that, no matter how much memory you loaded up in the frame, it would only recognize 2000 pictures; however, it took me a few hours of experimentation before I figured out that was the problem, given NOWHERE in the documentation was there a point about a limitation on the "number" of photos you could use. Anyway.. I digress..

So just the other day, I saw that Pandigital has a new model frame, the Pantouch. It looked almost identical to their last generation of models, which was fine with me. Also, I saw on the box that it could hold up to 6,400 photos. I saw that clearly they had fixed that previous 2000-photo limit, so I decided with much hesitation to purchase this new model.

On the plus side, the frame synched up with my PC just fine, and sure enough I was able to load up my 3,000 pictures onto the frame just fine. But then that's when the problems begun. The frame would start to lock up in mid slide-show. I started taking off photos and found that to keep the frame from locking up, I could only have around 1,000 pictures. I even tried to downsize the file size of the pictures, so that my 3,000 pictures only took up 400MB of space, and put them directly ON the memory of the device (which has 512MB). Still, the stupid thing wouldn't run the slideshow without locking up.

After about 5 hours of trying different types of memory cards, quantities of pictures, and changing file types, I found out the problem: You cannot run a slideshow on more than 1,000 photos in RANDOM-MODE. Yes, if you are having problems with the slideshow locking up, it's because you need to switch OFF the random mode. Apparently the frame has a very slow processor and when it tries to search all of the internal memory for a "random" photo, the process takes too long and the frame just locks up. For some reason I haven't been able to figure out this issue has never been explored... I guess maybe no one has more than 3,000 photos?

Anyway, after fixing that issue, my frame is fully operational. The actual user interface is pretty good compared to other frames. The "pantouch" technology is a complete gimmick. It works, but I found myself just using the remote and on-device buttons to navigate. Also, I really want to know what type of genius product manager decided it would be "appleish" and "trendy" to use a touch-interface on a glass picture frame! It's one thing to have a touch-screen phone, because finger prints aren't much of an issue, but common, who wants finger prints on their glass picture frame?

So in conclusion, I give this frame 3 stars. It loses 1 star because of the shoddy memory and hardware, and the fact that the frame gets cranky once you have over 1,000 photos on it. It loses another star for Pandigital's abysmal customer service, because if this thing dies on you, you won't get getting much help from them!

I was impressed with the picture quality, and price. It is easy to load, just the standard copy/paste operation works well. But in my application, I wanted the pictures to play in order. I did have trouble getting this done. I called the company, and they told me that I would have to put the pictures in one at a time, rather than in a batch senerio. So I did, and it works ok, but did take a while. The only problem with this is that if I wanted to go in and insert a picture in a specific order, I could not. I would have to completely reload all the pictures again, one at a time. But if you are looking for a random playing picture, I would suggest this one. But if you want to play your pictures in sequencal order, then I would look for another brand, and ask the about inserting pictures, and would that mess up the order. Hope this helps...

Pandigital 8.0-Inch LCD Digital Photo Frame with PanTouch

On the cutting edge of in-home "entertainment" technology, these digital frames are really taking off ... it seems you can't turn around without seeing them! They promise to remove or reduce all sorts of knick-knack frames currently around the house, and with the prices dropping and features increasing, is definitely something to consider!

As soon as we opened it up, I turned it on and was floored by the quality of the picture - It's very bright, sharp, and big enough to be seen from a good distance away (I was looking at an 8" model).

I loaded a bunch of my own pictures in using the USB port on the side (it has 512MB of memory built-in, or you can run right off the flash), and it picks up the drive and any subfolders instantly.

The menus and screens were really intuitive, particularly with the 'touch screen' capabilities. I put that in quotes intentionally; thought it's touted as touch-screen, in reality there are some touch-sensitive areas in one corner and the sides that are used for navigating the menus. Still, this made an already pretty easy process even more intuitive. Just don't expect to be able to drag and drop or finger-flick groups of pics.

The units can also be used with bluetooth or wifi dongles, though I didn't get the chance to try that out.

Once we got our own pictures in place, it was time to unveil it on the world! Having just moved into a new office at work, this was a good time to show it off. Pretty much everyone that saw it (including the wife) was very impressed with the display, the transitions, and the brightness of it.

The only things that gave us any problems were 1) your typical LCD screen issue; if you're at too much of an angle, you can't really see the pictures. The angle you lose quality at was pretty obtuse however, so this is not really a big deal depending on where you place it. 2) Direct light on the frame reflects back making it tough to see the pictures - can't knock it too much for that, as you have the same problem with a standard picture in a glass frame. And 3) the main gripe we had with it was that you have to plug it in. It would be very nice to load it up with some batteries so that you could hang it on a wall or something, but that is not an option in this model.

Overall just a great product, and one we're more than happy to recommend! Picture quality and ease-of-use are exceptional for this product level, and if you're thinking of getting one I haven't seen better.

Note that you can't buy this direct - but if you click on the picture above you will go right to the Amazon site for purchase. It can also be found at Walmart, Target, and some other big box stores: just make sure and look for brand names; not all picture frames are created equal!

THIS REVIEW COMES FROM HTTP://TECHTALK.WRLR.FM - TECHTALK on WRLR 98.3 FM ... tune us in anytime!

Picture quality is great, images are clear (assuming the photo you are viewing isn't blurry to start!) and colors are rich and accurate. I found this frame easy to use right out of the box, and I like the pan touch feature. I don't need photos to play in order and don't use wi-fi, so those were not issues for me. Price through Amazon is probably the best I found after searching all over the internet. If you are thinking about getting this frame but are still shopping around for price, make sure you check out the specifications. For example, at Costco they sell the frame for a similar price but when you check the specs you will see the frame only has 128 or 256 MB (as opposed to 512 MB) of memory and doesn't have the pan touch feature

*** UPDATE ***
11/25/08

I looked up the 8" PanTouch on Amazon today because I am thinking about getting another one as a gift for my husband for Christmas, and after seeing the revised item description and reviews, I felt compelled to update my review. When I first reviewed the PanTouch in 9/08 it was fairly new and there were only a few reviews. Now, it looks like Amazon has combined all the different types and sizes of Pandigital frames into one item with a pull down menu and also consolidated the reviews for these different frames. Please read carefully when you are reading the review to make sure it applies to the frame you are considering!

I cannot speak to the other frames, but as far as the 8" PanTouch, I stand by my original review. The frame performs well, is easy to use, pictures look great and the frame looks great on my desk. I will say that I agree with some of the other reviewers that the frame stand is a little loose, if I hit the frame it will fall back, but for the most part this has not been a problem. Hope this helps!

Here's what I wanted: a digital frame that displayed really nice, high resolution pictures with a frame (border) that would work with my home decor. And that's what this delivers. I can't speak for the sound or video.

Pros:
+ Picture quality is GREAT!
+ Frame is nice
+ Easy to get pictures onto the internal memory
+ Remote
+ Auto shut off is handy

Cons:
- Clock is stuck on all of the pictures and won't shut off - but it's small and relatively unobtrusive
- The touch screen/menus don't work too well, but works perfectly with the remote ... just don't lose the remote!

I bought one for myself and will be buying them as gifts.

Essentially I agree with the earlier reviews. However, I was looking for a wi-fi enabled frame and thought I had found it with this one since the box states, "Wireless Compatibility." Well, yes, it's capable of wireless connectivity in much the same way it could be advertised as waterproof if you sealed it in an airtight plastic bag before immersing it. There are LOTS of words on the box, but none of them bother mentioning that you need to invest in a $30 USB wireless adapter (which they'll happily sell to you) for the "Wireless Compatibility" to work. Why they couldn't build in this seemingly simple little item I don't know -- I wouldn't have thought twice of paying thirty bucks more for this feature. But now I feel misled, and having read an earlier user review about the hassle of displaying photos in a particular order, this one's going back and I'm giving up on Pandigital. There are other frames available with built-in wi-fi for about the same price.

This was a mother's day gift that I couldn't wait to give. It has a great picture and is extremely easy to use. Give it power and connect the USB to load your pictures, videos or music.

The 800x600 resolution works great for your photos and eliminates having to resize or crop them. This keeps the photo from having the black bars on the sides for your horizontally oriented photos.

It includes two frames, black and dark brown, as well as a small remote to control the unit. I would recommend this unit to any!

Loading and viewing pictures from sd card was straight forward. The remote control is barely useable... buttons must be pushed multiple times to function. The touch frame function does not work... after reaching support I sense this is not an unusual problem. They suggest it may work after a month or so.

Out of several that we researched, and after trying several different brands, this one is one of the easiest to use and has great picture quality. Even though it is a little more pricey, the quality is worth it. So many of the others had poor color quality, or they were extremely cumbersome and difficult to transfer images to. I would recommend this to anyone who wants a good, quality product for viewing your pictures.

Several reviewers have mentioned that the clock cannot be shut off in slide show mode. I too was very frustrated by this flaw until I discovered the buttons on the back of the frame. At first I though they just mirrored the touch controls on the front. If you press the "Setup" button a green menu appears that I couldn't find through the front controls. Scroll down to "Enable Clock Display" and switch it to off.

I wanted a frame that played videos so I could stop using my digital camera as a movie player for my 22 month old son. The picture quality is good, although it is sensitive to viewing angle. Movie playback is just OK, it could be smoother. The frame is a bit clunky looking. I would prefer something more modern looking but that is a matter of personal taste.