Ageing Parents Facing up to the Digital Switchover

shebanjoed

Believe it or not my parents do not have freeview and are still watching Ch1-5. My mother is obsessed with her video recording and is totally confused by what to buy to be ready for the switchover.

I'm not helping as I'm getting exasperated as she does not think she needs to change her old tv (with the dodgy hazy lines through it) and is not interested in sky/virgin so it will be freeview only.

Can anyone advise me how to advise her? Her most important requirement is to be able to record as she does now and watch another channel at the same time. What is the cheapest way do this?

Apologies for what is probably a really basic question however my advice was a new tv with freeview and a wee portable with usb record upstairs which would come to less than £400. She's not for the portable tv either. There's got to be an easier answer? Surely??

Thanks.

ukcarper

Got my mum a Humax pvr she loves it and finds it fairly easy to use.

Kurtis_Blue

Financial help and free advice for OAPs come switchover.

http://www.helpscheme.co.uk/en/home

Cheapest way is simply a STB and keep the TV as your parents want.

http://www.topuptv.com/freeview+boxes/

some good deals there from £40.

st999

If she is insistant that she uses her existing TV and video, get her a digi box for each.

You don't need to buy a new TV or video.

That's what my technophobic brother did, though make sure they are different makes of digi box so that the remotes don't interfere with each other.

stef73

when our area changed over my Grandad contacted the help scheme they came out and set it up for him, think it was £40 but he got a new aerial and set top box and showed him how to use it .

macman

You could just buy a Humax PVR 9300T and feed that to the old TV by SCART, but a new TV at the same time would be preferable if the budget permits.
She'll find using the Hummy infinitely easier than messing around with timers and Video+ codes on a VCR. One click to record, one further click to do series record.
Or just start by getting her a cheapo Freeview box (a tenner upwards)to wean her off the limitations of 5 analogue channels.

shebanjoed

Thanks everyone for advice, clearer in my mind too.

daveyjp

With our older relatives we've found the introduction of another remote control is where the problems start. My mum in law tried old TV and STB, but she kept pressing the channels on the TV which switched the input and she couldn't remember how to get the STB back.

Changing to a freeview TV solved the problem instantly.

If the old TV has no scart this may also cause problems.

PVRs are great, but the remote has lots of buttons and you need to navigate menus to find the programmes - not easy for older people.

ukcarper

daveyjp wrote: »

With our older relatives we've found the introduction of another remote control is where the problems start. My mum in law tried old TV and STB, but she kept pressing the channels on the TV which switched the input and she couldn't remember how to get the STB back.

Changing to a freeview TV solved the problem instantly.

If the old TV has no scart this may also cause problems.

PVRs are great, but the remote has lots of buttons and you need to navigate menus to find the programmes - not easy for older people.

I agree a Freeview TV would probably be the easy to use but the OP said his mum liked to record things so she will need a set top box to connect to VCR or a PVR.

At first my mum had a list of Freeview channel numbers and input them directly and avoided using guide. She had to learn how to use guide to record and playback, which she did fairly quickly.

Techhead_2

I'm sorry, but PVRs are much easier to use than video recorders. A very elderly friend of mine is delighted with hers. To watch a programme you just press Library and choose the programme name. To record you just highlight the programme and press record, it deals with late running programmes etc. No messing around with tapes, codes or start times.

baloo

I have a similar problem to OP (thanks for the thread!!). I've just rung the number on the Help Scheme website as given by Kurtis_Blue. The lady there was really helpful and informative. My mother has severe short term memory problems so a new television remote is a HUGE problem!! She talked through all the options etc - they're not there to sell you a product so no pressure. If you haven't already done so Shebanjoed - give them a ring.