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[Al ex]

My father is almost blind and also mentally not in a position anymore to handle his dvd-player, or a (typical) remote control for his TV. Still he loves to "see" (listen to) old movies he can remember. He is not able at all anymore to configure/select menus on TVs, complex remotes, computers...

I was thinking about setting up a solution, which is as simple as possible. This means:

1) Switch on the TV
Use a remote control with BIG buttons:
2) Select "audio" or "movie"
3) Click on "play" - the current movie or song starts / continues.
4) Click on "next" - the next A/V starts
5) Click on "pause" - the A/V stops

Other buttons on the remote should not exist or ideally be de-activated. A software solution (app) is not an option, as he needs the haptic feedback in order to use the remote control. He wouldnīt be able to see the buttons on a letīs say Android app.

I was thinking about solutions like a multi DVD-player (5 DVDs), where he simply pushes "play" on the dvd-player, and all 5 dvds are played one by one after each other. I could not find anything suitable, or easy to control.

I am now thinking about customizing a super simple HTPC for him. What I have thought about:

• An Intel NUC / Zotac Zbox or similar with 500GB HD
• A simple, programmable IR remote control with VERY big buttons
• MC with two zones: Zone AUDIO and Zone VIDEO.
• With the remote control, he can switch between both zones, if he wants to have either some music, or a movie.

What do you think? Is this doable?
Could the Media Center Remote-system (combined with a super simple, programmable universal remote) be used for that? The "MC remote control" device, what I have seen on the forum would be BY FAR too complex.
Any similar experiences already made? Any hardware recommendation?

If the switch between Audio/Video zones is too complex to implement, then watching movies only with this setup would be his preference...

Thanks for your input

[astromo]

What about employing text-to-speech to achieve control rather than use a remote with buttons?

I don't have experience to share but it certainly should be doable. The effort level required is the unknown.

[Al ex]

What about employing text-to-speech to achieve control rather than use a remote with buttons?

I don't have experience to share but it certainly should be doable. The effort level required is the unknown.

Thanks for the hint. Yes, I am looking now into the VOICE COMMAND plugin, which was featured on Interact end of last year, but mainly as a support add-on, not really as a controller (just to read out as a confirmation, what button was pushed).


I was thinking now about using a
FLIRC IR USB dongle
http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?__mk_de_DE=%C3%85M%C3%85%C5%BD%C3%95%C3%91&url=search-alias%3Dcomputers&field-keywords=flirc
together with a very simple RC:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B004G1C7WI/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_S_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=23DXE18DIWU2F&coliid=IDQHK0KFUUSFO
or
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Doro-HandleEasy-Universal-Infrared-Control/dp/B0014F2CJC/ref=pd_sim_sbs_ce_1?ie=UTF8&refRID=1G9CHFJXXYKNJM4AV723


The configuration of the RC should be based on the Keyboard Hotkeys of JRiver, and also on some basic functionalities of the TV - based on the first RC example:

1) ON/OFF-BUTTON: switch on/off the TV
2) A-BUTTON: switch to music (JR hotkey "Ctrl T")
3) B-BUTTON: switch to  movies (JR hotkey "Ctrl T")
4) AV-BUTTON: start/pause music or movies  (JR hotkey "Ctrl P")
5+6) VOLUME-BUTTONS: --> volume up or down (JR hotkey "Ctrl +" & "Ctrl =")
7+8) CHANNEL-BUTTONS: Play next or last music or movie (JR hotkey "Ctrl L" & "Ctrl N")

I donīt know if this is possible, but as far as I understand, this is exactly, for what FLIRC is made for - to give you total freedom in programming any universal RC.

My doubts are:

a) Can I program the RC this way that it will control the 1) ON/OFF of the TV and at the same time control 2-8) JRiver? The HTPC should always stay on, respectively go into SLEEP and wake up automatically, when using the RC.
b) donīt know yet, how to realize 2) and 3) I thought about either setting up two zones, where I put in all music in one and all video in the other one. Or maybe with two playlists? (Havenīt found something on http://wiki.jriver.com/index.php/Keyboard_Hot-keys for toggling playlists)...

 

[Al ex]

I have bought now this FLIRC RC dongle and managed successfully to program all buttons for MC. I had difficulties to learn it the MC hotkey for volume up/down for some unknown reasons, but could solve it by using another keyboard instead the "full keyboard" for training.

However, an open point - I would like to (mis)use the ON and OFF-buttons for controlling two zones:

The Audio Zone (the music list)
The Video Zone: (the movies list)

The "Ctrl + T" hotkey lets me only cylce through the zones. But I would like to program an individual hotkey for the Audio- and another individual for the Video-zone.

Any ideas?