HTPC ideas for the incapable.. Seniors

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BurntToast

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Jun 14, 2003
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Looking at this as a possible Christmas gift.

Chromecast + Logitech Harmony remote.

This if for seniors who have a laptop, but have a hard enough time turning it on.

TV Input 1, Input 2, Input 3 is beyond their understanding.

Main TV = 36" Tube.

Bedroom TV = 27" LCD 720p.. because the tube died.

I think they are okay with using the bedroom TV as their media device. If not, Roku 2 is an idea as it supports analog. But a Roku takes a little while to boot and the nav menus kinda blow and are slowish.

They already have a HP Touchpad that I flashed to CyanogenMod 7 I think.

Was thinking of getting them a Chromecast and so that they can use their tablet to browse Netflix. But the Input 1, Input 2 issue.. why is it an issue? Give me a gun now.

A Harmony Touch remote might be nice. Would also make it easier to navigate their Fios TV since they forbid of setting up favorites. But I have a feeling that they are guide scrollers for life.

Does anyone else have any ideas?

Cliffs: Illiterate Seniors + Netflix + Old ass TV/27" 720p LCD. How?
 
Not too much to tell you except I got a Harmony 650 for some elderly relatives and they liked it a lot. Previously I'd programmed a ~$20 universal with macros where they could hold down the device key for what they wanted to watch (e.g. DVD) and it'd switch stuff for them. They had trouble making sure to aim the remote at the entertainment center for long enough so sometimes certain things wouldn't get switched and they'd just end up more confused than when they started. They still had that issue somewhat with the Harmony since it was still an IR, not RF, model.. but not as bad. And they liked that I programmed their favorite channels into the remote with the station logos.

As for the Harmony Touch? Ehhhh.... I don't think I'd do it. It is, IMO, a great example that not everything should be touch screen.
 
Harmony Touch is great because it uses RF, anything with macros for other people especially should use RF.

Roku's stay on all the time so they only boot once plugged in and then if you reset it.

I'd go Roku + Harmony Touch over Chromecast simply for remote support. Netflix for Roku (at least the Roku 3 right now, not sure if the update has made it to others - but it will) supports DIAL which allows you to search on a tablet and "cast" to the Roku just like a Chromecast. I only see more channels supporting it in the future (Youtube, now on Roku, supports it as well).
 
Also Chromecast has no UI. You need to control it from the device that's casting, i.e. tablet/pc. With Roku etc, you get an onscreen UI you can control with a remote and its very obvious.
 
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