I'm forever having to recover from Mum's mistakes with her TV remote control. In the past I ordered a minimal remote with just the basic functions, but these are not always available. It then occurred to me that I could buy a replacement, full featured remote ($20) and modify it to disable all but the most needed buttons.
The easiest, non destructive way to achieve this end would be to open the remote, remove the rubber keypad, and then use a scalpel or razor blade to trim the conductive coating from the bottoms of the unnecessary buttons. I would then label the remote as "modified" so as not to confuse other users. The best place for such a label would arguably be inside the battery compartment. Alternatively one could etch the plastic face of the remote with an advisory warning.
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"No friend ever served me, and no enemy ever wronged me, whom I have not repaid in full."
A few years ago I was visiting an elderly friend. She was an avid AFL follower and lifelong Carlton supporter. Somehow she had rejigged her TV and couldn't get her footy of TV and with the season approaching, just a little frustrated. I retuned everything and took photos of every step and videos of a few stages. Then I sent these to her daughter for reference. When I left I made sure she knew help from me or her daughter was a phone call away. A few weeks later her daughter tested her and at 83 she coped well. Never thought about dumbing down her remote and it sounds viable buy I'd hate to think of her distress if I stuffed it up.
My mother is getting a new TV. After it arrives I'll order a second remote and modify it. The original remote can be stored away in case the TV needs to be reconfigured.
Another solution might be to cover the relevant PCB contacts with a sticky label, exposing only the needed keys with a hole punch. Or one could use a clear plastic film cut to the size of the PCB.
I once had a device with a very complicated remote. It had a flap that covered the less frequently needed features. ISTM that manufacturers could dumb down their remotes by using a combination of two buttons to toggle between dumb and smart modes. These buttons would be at opposite ends of the keypad, and would need to be held down for 3 seconds. Another solution might be to enable/disable each button according to taste and then store this customised selection. Or the manufacturer could provide 9 preset dumb configurations, each selected by the corresponding number on the remote, with 0 being the full featured mode.
-- Edited by dorian on Thursday 15th of April 2021 04:56:37 AM
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"No friend ever served me, and no enemy ever wronged me, whom I have not repaid in full."
My MIL had the same issues with too many buttons. We used WHITE OUT to identify the ON/OFF button so that she didn't continue to accidentally turn it OFF. We covered some of the 'advanced' functions with nail polish and she avoided them. Seemed to work OK.
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Google found this .... I know nothing about it https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Easy-Seniors-Pensioners-Remote-Control-Extra-Large-Big-Buttons-Elderly-Silver-/262015391463?_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49286
