I recently built a smart mirror using a Raspberry Pi 4 and a two-way mirror. The project is uses MagicMirror² software, which provides a customizable interface for displaying information like time, weather, news.
Components
- MagicMirror² software
- Raspberry Pi 4 1GB
- Two-way Acrylic mirror
- 18.5” 1920x1080 Portable Monitor
- 11x17 Frame
- HDMI to Micro HDMI Cable
MagicMirror² Modules
Core Modules
Third-Party Modules
Steps to Build
- Install MagicMirror²: Follow the installation guide to set up the software on your Raspberry Pi.
- Configure Modules: Customize the modules you want to display, such as weather, calendar, and news. You can find a list of available modules here.
- Set Up the Hardware: Assemble the two-way mirror with the monitor and frame. Ensure the monitor is positioned behind the mirror for optimal visibility.
- Connect the Raspberry Pi: Connect the Raspberry Pi to the monitor and power it on. Make sure it boots into the MagicMirror² interface.
- Final Adjustments: Adjust the settings in the
config.jsfile to customize the appearance and functionality of your smart mirror.
Key Takeaways
- This was a fun project that uses a Raspberry PI to create a functional smart mirror that I use daily.
- Using a modern Portable Monitor, I think is the way to go, since it’s already low-voltage and excellent viewing angle compared to older screens.
- Using actual glass would have been better, since the acrylic has a slight clown mirror effect, but that would have been much more expensive.
