New TV for nearly blind person

Dribbles · 6 Feb 2020 at 13:43

Hi all, my gran is 92 and is nearly completely blind. She is finding it increasingly difficult to use the remote control. I was looking for some advice on some technical solutions to help her. She records terrestrial TV on a Freeview recorder.

I was wondering if a firestick with Alexa support or a TV with this built in would allow her to verbally change channels, volume and record programmes/access catch-up? It would need to be fairly simple to do.

She already has an Alexa that she can make it it do simple tasks.

Thanks for your help

Drumroll · 6 Feb 2020 at 14:32

I believe it's possible. My TV accepts voice control, but never used, to be fair. Will try later today, when home, and update here.

bazzabear · 6 Feb 2020 at 14:37

I wonder if instead you could get a remote with much bigger buttons and a simpler layout?

There seems to be a brand called Geemark which does a range depending on how simple you want to go.

Psycho Sonny · 6 Feb 2020 at 14:41

Rather than recording terrestrial tv can she not use catchup services and get a fire tv with voice enabled remote?

Albeit any solution will require a tech minded person and she is 92 and blind.

Unfortunately I don't see a solution where it's guaranteed to work if she can't figure out the remote in case voice fails. Voice activated products are still in their infancy and even my google minis don't understand instructions half the time.

Dribbles · 6 Feb 2020 at 20:56

Thanks for all your advice. Yes I had thought about just catch-up, but you are right - i'm not sure she would be able to navigate to her programmes. Yes I think a simpler remote would help, but she wouldn't be able to record tv I suppose. I will let you know if I find anything that works!