mike_m
Active Member
I'm posting this in the newcomers' section because I can't find an area for this sort of question. Please let me know if I should re-post this elsewhere on the forum!
I have an old 9300T and also an HDR Fox T2 running custom firmware. I'm extremely happy with both machines, and even more happy with the custom firmware (where would I be without flatten and channeldel?) However, the Foxsat that I bought for my 92-year-old mum has been a failure - she simply can't get her head round the (to her) over-complicated menus and the 'hundreds' of buttons on the remote.
I've talked to friends with similarly aged parents, and it seems that this is a widespread problem with no solution in sight - manufactures of TVs and PVRs are making equipment more complicated every year, while the elderly simply want to use a simplified EPG, record the odd programme. They don't want internet connectivity, picture-in-picture, favourites lists, parental controls or anything like that. To be honest, they don't even want HD!
So here's my question: since a Humax is just a Linux box at heart, is it plausible that custom firmware could be devised to simplify the on-screen menus and operation for the elderly? If so, it would be a much more achievable project than designing and building hardware from scratch - it would probably be possible to crowd-fund it, and it might even attract some government funding. I would personally be happy to contribute time and money to such a project, because I think it's desperately needed.
Any thoughts?
I have an old 9300T and also an HDR Fox T2 running custom firmware. I'm extremely happy with both machines, and even more happy with the custom firmware (where would I be without flatten and channeldel?) However, the Foxsat that I bought for my 92-year-old mum has been a failure - she simply can't get her head round the (to her) over-complicated menus and the 'hundreds' of buttons on the remote.
I've talked to friends with similarly aged parents, and it seems that this is a widespread problem with no solution in sight - manufactures of TVs and PVRs are making equipment more complicated every year, while the elderly simply want to use a simplified EPG, record the odd programme. They don't want internet connectivity, picture-in-picture, favourites lists, parental controls or anything like that. To be honest, they don't even want HD!
So here's my question: since a Humax is just a Linux box at heart, is it plausible that custom firmware could be devised to simplify the on-screen menus and operation for the elderly? If so, it would be a much more achievable project than designing and building hardware from scratch - it would probably be possible to crowd-fund it, and it might even attract some government funding. I would personally be happy to contribute time and money to such a project, because I think it's desperately needed.
Any thoughts?