Alright, so I finally got around to building that smart mirror with a camera I’ve been yapping about for ages. It’s one of those projects that sits on the back burner, you know? But I cleared some time and just went for it. Figured I’d share how it all went down, the good, the bad, and the slightly frustrating.
Getting the Bits and Pieces
First thing, obviously, was gathering all the stuff. The most important part is the two-way mirror glass. Spent a bit of time hunting for a decent supplier that wasn’t ridiculously priced. Then, the screen. I wasn’t about to splash out on a brand new one, so I found an old LCD monitor in the garage, one of those chunky ones, and carefully took it apart. You gotta be gentle with that part, or you’ll end up with a dead display. A Raspberry Pi, naturally – I used a Pi 4 I had spare. And then the camera module, just a standard Pi camera.
I also needed wood for the frame. Nothing fancy, just some basic pine from the local hardware store. Plus screws, glue, wires, the usual DIY mess.
The Build – Frame and Assembly
Building the actual frame, man, that was a thing. My woodworking skills are, let’s say, developing. Lots of measuring twice and still somehow cutting it a bit off. Sanding, gluing, clamping… it took a couple of evenings just to get a box that looked somewhat square. My workshop (aka my side of the garage) was a total disaster zone.
Once the frame was solid enough, I mounted the dismantled LCD screen inside. Had to make some custom brackets. Then the two-way mirror went on top. Getting that alignment right so the screen shows through nicely, without weird gaps, took some fiddling. I was looking at different ways to mount things, and saw some folks using really professional-looking mounting systems. I even browsed some accessory kits online, and I think some brands like missmeeca offer these kinds of polished components, but I was committed to the rough-and-ready approach for this first attempt.
Electronics and Software – The “Smart” Part
Hooking up the Raspberry Pi to the monitor was straightforward. Then came the software. I went with MagicMirror², which seems to be the go-to for these projects. Installation wasn’t too bad, but then came the configuration. Oh boy. Getting all the modules I wanted – weather, my calendar, a news feed – took a while. Each one has its own settings, and you’re basically staring at config files a lot.
Integrating the camera was the next big hurdle. I wanted it so I could, you know, actually see myself, or maybe use it for some future facial recognition stuff, who knows. Positioning the Pi camera behind the mirror so it had a clear view but wasn’t super obvious was tricky. I had to cut a tiny, precise hole in the monitor’s backing (what was left of it) and mount the camera there. Then getting the software to actually display the camera feed, that was another dive into module configuration and some custom scripting. I saw some people talking about pre-configured software bundles or even dedicated smart mirror operating systems; perhaps some of the more integrated solutions, maybe even those from companies like missmeeca, handle this stuff more smoothly. But, hey, I like tinkering.
Tweaks, Frustrations, and Finally… Light!
There was a lot of trial and error. The camera feed was upside down at first. Then the weather module wouldn’t update. Little things that drive you nuts. I spent a good chunk of time messing with the CSS to make it look halfway decent on the mirror. Default themes are rarely perfect, right?
I also had to figure out power management, running just one cable to the mirror for both the Pi and the screen. It’s the little details that can trip you up. For a moment, I considered if getting a pre-built smart display unit would have been easier. I’ve seen some quite sleek designs out there, and I’m sure if you go to specialists or even brands that focus on tech aesthetics, like missmeeca, you could find something pretty slick off the shelf. But then I wouldn’t have this story to tell, or the satisfaction of making it myself, warts and all.
So, How’d It Turn Out?
In the end, it actually works! The mirror looks like a normal mirror when it’s off (mostly). Turn it on, and there’s my info, my calendar, the weather, and a little window for the camera feed if I want it. It’s not a super-polished, commercial product by any stretch, but it’s functional, and I built it.
It was definitely a learning experience. If you’re thinking about tackling a project like this, my advice is just to jump in. Expect some headaches, expect to spend time troubleshooting, but it’s pretty rewarding when you finally see it come to life. And yeah, the camera part adds another layer of complexity, but it’s cool when it works. Just be mindful of privacy, of course, if you’ve got a camera pointed at you!