Media Player For An 85 Year Old Arthritis Sufferer

Looking for a media player for my old Dad. 85 years old with severe arthritis, curved fingers etc etc so has difficulty with fiddly remotes. He does have a laptop tbh and gets on OK with that but likes watching things like The Big Bang Theory (for Penny I'm guessing) on the main TV.

I thought of the Sumvision Cyclone MKV player but the remote is one of those thin, not much more than a credit card job:

http://www.microdirect.co.uk/home/product/52372/SumVision-Cyclone-Micro-2--HD-Media-Player-USB2-0?source=googleps&gclid=CNbPi5DJrr0CFdShtAod-3oAPA

Again Sumvision and I was thinking the Primus which has a half decent remote:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CYCLONE-PRIMUS-v2-HD-1080P-HDMI-MKV-MULTI-MEDIA-PLAYER-FOR-ALL-YOUR-MOVIES-TV-/221387577305?_trksid=p2054897.l4276

I assuming I could get one sans HDD and it would work fine just with the stuff on a USB stick.

Oh, and I want it cheap too! A Pi running XBMC or Android box would I think be too complicated for him.

Cheers

so you want to stream onto the TV with very basic controls?

a long HDMI lead plugged into the laptop?

I can understand the Penny theory, I had a big bang watching her too,  :|

steptoe said:

so you want to stream onto the TV with very basic controls?

a long HDMI lead plugged into the laptop?

I can understand the Penny theory, I had a big bang watching her too,  :|

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He's pretty doddery is the problem so quite likely to trip over such a lead. He just wouldn't get on with it I don't think - all the pressing Fn / F4 etc to switch between laptop and TV. Plus the TV is connected to the induction loop system 'cos he's profoundly deaf too!

TBH it's a toss up for me between Sheldon's sister Missy, his assistant Alex, Priya possibly and after s07e18 Sheldon's MUM! :lol:

why dont you buy him a smart TV,? 

I have an old PC plugged into the TV as a media centre, with a bluetooth keyboard,

even though the TV is a smart one, it simply makes it easier [for me at least] to use the PC for downloaded films and stuff.

I've got the sumo vision cyclone 2? I think, anyway, the remote is absolute carp. Blister button and poor range.

pickleye said:

I've got the sumo vision cyclone 2? I think, anyway, the remote is absolute carp. Blister button and poor range.

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I've the Sumvision Cyclone MKV HD Media Station and it's excellent. Stand alone unit that doesn't take an HDD. I have though upgraded the firmware. Comes with a proper sized remote too. Can't fault it tbh. Full HD, HDMI out, x2 USB ports and network port. Came with a USB Wi-fi dongle too.

They do the Cyclone Micro 2+ Plus HD but I think the remote is one of those super thin jobbies.

Onoff said:

....He does have a laptop tbh and gets on OK with that but likes watching things like The Big Bang Theory (for Penny I'm guessing) on the main TV.

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If he's quite handy with the laptop can't you just use that as storage and player and set up the TV as a remote monitor only.