This $0 Hack Gives You the Look of the Frame TV for Way Less
If there’s one product that’s been at the top of my home wish list for years, it’s Samsung’s The Frame. Not only does the ultra-thin flat screen look impossibly sleek, but it also doubles as a “framed” piece of “art.” Each unit has an Art Mode setting with a built-in catalog of paintings or photos you can display on-screen when the TV’s not in use — and I’ve especially loved seeing people integrate theirs into gallery walls or even propping them up on easels.
Unfortunately, The Frame’s still a little out of my price range — but I just discovered a hack that instantly turns my existing TV into a living room focal point, without having to splurge on anything new. I bought a Roku 40” TV in 2020 for about $200, and I have zero complaints — especially after it’s seen me through two moves and lots of streaming. And now, my five-year-old TV just got a stylish (and completely free!) upgrade that makes me love it even more: Roku recently launched a new app called Backdrops, designed to personalize the screen display when it’s idle.
Available in the Roku app store, Backdrops is a giant gallery with thousands of paintings and photos to use like a screensaver, from nature landscapes to modern art. Everything’s conveniently categorized into folders, so it’s easy to browse by motif, color, art style, or even specific museum collections.
You can also upload your own personal photos through the app, whether it’s a gallery of travel pictures or sentimental memories for a special occasion. The best part? Anyone with a Roku TV, no matter how old it is, can take advantage of the Backdrops art display.
I put this to the test on my own Roku TV at home and was pleasantly overwhelmed by the amount of digital art options to choose from. I ended up going for a moody floral still life, and from there, I got to choose the duration of the display, plus whether I wanted the image to swap out after a certain time (you can add your favorites to a folder and rotate through them in various intervals). To access the backdrop itself, I just pressed the power button twice on my remote, and voilà! It’s incredibly easy to change or get rid of these images altogether, too.
Even if you don’t already own a Roku device, most of the brand’s TV models cost significantly less than The Frame counterparts (if you’re a fan of the Samsung look, but can’t justify the splurge). Sure, you might not be getting the same seamless mount that’s completely flush against the wall, but the free Roku Backdrops app still offers a similar display-worthy art treatment that makes your TV look like a painting — so you don’t have to stare at a blank black box anymore when you’re done watching your favorite shows.
Further Reading
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