At this time of year, sales of digital photo frames soar. They are popular Christmas gifts, to say the least, and that's not surprising, considering the memories that go into these devices and the displays they create. They are the centerpiece of your home décor and may even make your guests stop and take a look.

I have been skeptical of this technology, viewing it as somewhat outdated and irrelevant. However, the arrival of the best digital photo frames has changed things. If you've purchased one with a modern design, you may already have access to this feature, and if you're gifting it to a loved one, it's a nice feature to explore in the new year.

The feature in question is video playback. Many modern digital photo frames are capable of playing back video clips in addition to displaying generic still images. Some even have speakers that can add sound to the video. With the right frame, a "Harry Potter"-like effect can be created on a photo, making it appear as if it has been brought to life.

This feature breaks the traditional display of a digital photo frame and gives the user the opportunity to project more memories. It also allows the actual images to be shown together to enhance the photos being displayed. However, there are a few things to consider when shopping for the best video playback from a digital photo frame.

If you are choosing a new digital photo frame, you want to make sure that the video playback is up to standard. First, know that the length of video playback varies from model to model; some can only display up to 15 seconds, while others can display up to a minute, so keep this in mind when choosing a frame. However, if your existing frames have trouble loading and playing back longer videos, shorter clips may flow more smoothly.

You will also want to consider the ease of uploading your video. For example, the Aura Mason Luxe frame recommended below allows easy video uploading from a smartphone, but not from a computer. Find the right frame for your media, both still images and video, and make sure that uploading and deleting articles from your gallery is seamless. Finally, consider whether videos can be played in sync with the image gallery at the same time, or whether they need to be accessed separately. Otherwise, videos are less likely to appear in a regular slideshow.

But be careful, especially when shopping for this feature. Our award-winning Pix Star Wi-Fi Cloud digital photo frame includes video playback capability. Despite the high-resolution display (1024 x 768), testers noted that the video playback resolution was low. The last thing you want is for your gallery to have blurry or jumpy video. So, ultimately, we cannot trust the effectiveness of this feature based on resolution alone.

Instead, we recommend a model like the Aura Mason Luxe frame. Our testers found that this frame provides exquisite detail and deep, realistic colors to the video footage. It can also play videos up to 30 seconds in length.

Once you set up your new digital photo frame, peruse and try out all the features it offers. The latest frames can feature video playback, speakers, motion sensors, calendar utilities, and even the ability to stream broadcasts from radio stations. You may be able to do more than you know.