Any of my fellow pirates have any tips for making a "Dummy-Proof" TV setup for elderly parents?
Might be more appropriate to post this thread in r/cordcutters or something, but the only thing cooler than smoking cigarettes is crime.
Jokes aside they were paying nearly $400/m for 200mbs internet and cable. Cut that shit by half real quick by switching ISPs and getting them a DirecTV package, then tossed the cable boxes and got them new TVs and FireSticks.
My mother has mostly gotten the hang of it, but the switch from a classic TV remote with numbers to using a d-pad and selecting apps broke my father's brain or something idk. I've tried to teach him numerous times but he's getting up there so there's only so much I can do.
What I'd really like to do is make ...a cable box with IR remote with a numpad lmao. AFAIK, custom OS's on FireSticks and Smart TV's in general is a no go. So I'm thinking an old pc or pi2 or something with an 8tb HDD connected. Are there any Linux distro's out there perhaps that are designed with this kinda of setup in mind? Hell, can I even navigate a PC with an IR remote lol?
I'm aware of Plex and Jellyfin, but I think even that might be too much for him. Plus I don't really see the need to stream when I can fit every episode of The Andy Griffith Show and Leave it to Beaver on a thumb drive. Is there something like VLC for Smart TV's maybe?
Sorry if this post just sounds like I'm yapping. Any fellow pirates in the same boat, have any suggestions?