Page 90 - Raspberry Pi as a Foundation for Boosting Computer and Technology Literacy

7 Basic projects for getting to know Raspberry Pi

7.4 Magic Mirror 7.4
MagicMirror (GitHub Repository for MagicMirror2 is available here:
 Github; MagicMirror) is an open-source project that allows you to
turn your Raspberry Pi (3 or 4) into a smart mirror. When the display
is on, it shows information such as time, date, weather forecast, calen-
dar events, news, and other customizable widgets; when the display
is off, the mirror looks like a regular mirror. It was created by Michael
Teeuw ( MichaelTeeuw.nl; MgicMirror), a developer from the Nether-
lands in 2014: the project gained popularity and evolved into an open-
source project with contributions from the community.
The project was showcased for the first time in issue 40 of The MagPi
in 2015, The MagPi 54 in 2017, and then again in the same magazine in
issue 90 in 2020.
Our build of MagicMirror was made around a Raspberry Pi 3 and
an old monitor disassembled and put into a wooden frame. Building
a frame took a bit more time than everything else due to our poor
carpentry skills.
1 The ultimate MagicMirror2 requires skills in many areas: carpentry,
electronics, programming, and graphic design. Here are the steps you
need to follow:

1. Remove the outer casing of a monitor or a TV
2. Use a Raspberry Pi 3 or 4 (we used 3) to power the TV or monitor
3. A power supply for both items above is also a must, as is a HDMI
cable to connect the TV or monitor with the Raspberry Pi
4. You’ll need some woodworking tools and paint
5. Measure the monitor and cut the wood, then assemble the frame
6. Add the front of the frame, which will cover the bezel of the mon-
itor and keep it (and the mirror) in place. Then, attach the front
7. Drill a couple of holes at the top and the bottom for good ventilation
8. Make a hole at the bottom for cables to be able to run out of the
housing
9. Make four small brackets that will keep the monitor from falling
out of the back
10. Paint the frame after sanding and smoothing it
11. Put in the mirror and the monitor, connect the Raspberry Pi to the
monitor via an HDMI cable, and run the cables through the hole
you made

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