MagicMirror2 with a Raspberry Pi 3

The new Raspberry Pi 3 gives users so many opportunities in regards to projects that can be achieved.  After receiving my new Raspberry Pi 3, I wanted to make quick use of it. A project which has been on my docket for a while. To to make a Magic Mirror. Others may know a Magic Mirror as a Smart Mirror. Smart Mirrors are usually an old display made smart by making it into an IoT device. In my research I determined that the simplest way to achieve this goal was to use some open source software called MagicMirror2.

Steps to Get MagicMirror2 Installed

1. Download & Install Raspbian
   1. Raspian Download
   2. Etch Raspian to microSD card Using Etcher.io
      1. SD card must be at least 4GB, I used a 16GB.
2. Get Raspberry Pi 3 Up & Running
   1. sudo apt-get update && apt-get upgrade
   2. sudo raspi-config
      1. Configure Any Raspberry Pi Settings Which you prefer (In my case I enabled SSH).
3. Install MagicMirror2
   1. The Installation Guide is very useful.

Once you get MagicMirror2 installed there are several configurations you can set for your Smart Mirror. Among them is auto starting MagicMirror2 on Raspberry Pi boot. How to do that can be found here.

Another aspect which makes MagicMirror2 a good choice for the software to run your smart mirror with is that it has modules. These modules are individual pieces of the software which allow you to completely customize your smart mirror. The community has built a library of modules for you to use. There is even a template module that you can use if you would like to build your own module.

Examples of some MagicMirror2 modules found in the library of modules built by the community include. A bitcoin price ticker, carousel for rotating between modules, displaying of Instagram pictures, displaying of train times, weather, and so many more.

 

Leave This Blank:Leave This Blank Too:Do Not Change This:

Your email:

 

 

This post is just a glimpse of what you can do with a Smart Mirror using MagicMirror2 on a Raspberry Pi 3. Subscribe below for future updates I might do to my smart mirror. I am interested in exploring the template module, and creating my own modules for my smart mirror. A smart mirror is a great way to bring an old display from the grave, keep up to date with useful information, or integrate with your smart home system.