Smart Mirror Hardware & Software Setup

These are the steps for setting up the hardware and software to run a successful DIY smart mirror.

You will need:

A Monitor

An HDMI Micro cord

A USB C cable

A Raspberry Pi & Case

A Micro SD card with an adaptor

A Mouse and a Keyboard

For beginners, it might be easier to buy a starter Raspberry Pi kit. These usually come with the Raspberry Pi, the cables you need, the case for the Raspberry pi, the SD card and components you need, and a few extra items that may be helpful in any future projects.

The first step is to remove the casing off of your monitor. This will allow you to rest it against a two-way mirror that you can then build framing for as desired to fit your specs.

You DO NOT need to complete this step if prefer to try out the software before you want it fully assembled, but if not, it helps to have it ready for installation.

The easiest way to do these changes from monitor to monitor.

Start by removing any screw attachments on the back.

Then, use a thin instrument to start prying the casing apart. A knife or a putty knife can be great here, but just be careful not to hurt yourself or damage the screen.

Once it is removed, it becomes very delicate. You might want to leave the port buttons on to make sure you don't have to change inputs for your HDMI port if your computer is older.

Now it is time to start the fun part!

If you didn't get a kit and are using raspberry pi for the first time, you will have to do a bit of setup.

Here is a good youtube video to help you install NOOBS onto the MicroSD card. You'll need a separate laptop or computer to do so!

If you have a kit, this often comes with a pre-install NOOBS MicroSD. The kit I have is the canakit. It also comes with heat sinks if you are running a lot on your pi.

Make sure to install your raspberry pi into a case as soon as you can. This helps prevent possible damage while running cables and using the MicroSD.

Once you have NOOBS on a MicroSD, you can insert that card into your Raspberry Pi. Then connect the mouse and the keyboard using the USB ports on your raspberry pi.

Then connect your Micro HDMI cord to the MAIN MICRO HDMI port on your Pi. This is the port closest to the USB-C power port. Then connect that to your monitor.

Once all these connections are made and your monitor has power as well, then connect the USB-C power to your raspberry pi. Your Pi should boot up and you should see a menu pop up to finish the installation. If you see a rainbow splash screen or a black screen, you might have to update to a newer version of NOOBS.

The next step is to get your magic mirror software running.

This website includes the steps and the code you will need for your Raspberry Pi to run.

https://magicmirror.builders/

If you are unfamiliar with coding, this document walks you through the install!

https://docs.magicmirror.builders/

Once you have your Raspberry Pi running and connected to your internet, use the browser to pull up that website and get to work. The steps take you through the code to run a simple mirror program.

Through Manual Installation, you will copy and paste through the steps to get your magic mirror running.

You may also have the option to easy install the program with a link on the magicmirror website. If you copy and paste this link in the terminal, it will auto-install everything for you.

Start the software, you can use Ctrl,Shift,+ to increase the size of your mirror layout, or Ctrl,- to decrease the size.

If you need to exit your fullscreen program, you can use Alt, F4 or CTRL, W.

Once you have those installed and working, you can easily exit and add other features such as Spotify selection or even amazon Alexa interaction. The options are wide and are mostly included on the website. It may involve extra hardware, but might be worth the features.

MAKE SURE YOU shut down your Raspberry Pi properly so the Micro SD card isn't corrupted. If you are in the desktop interface, simply click "Menu" and then "Shutdown". If you are in the command line interface, type "sudo shutdown -h now".