Help - need to buy a tv for a sick relative?

Weyhey

Not sure if this is the right forum ….
I haven’t owned a TV in over 10 years so I haven’t a clue about them anymore.

I need to buy a small cheap TV today for an ill person to use as a source of company / distraction. Where they currently live is a special facility which I think has wifi (there seems to be a wifi password in their room) and also a co-axial socket on the wall. I myself watch the odd show on youtube or rteplayer etc on my laptop or tablet but it is not the same as just turning on a TV and flicking through the channels and I am afraid if I get a purchase a complicated TV it will never get turned on.

I wasn’t sure if a cheap small smart TV was the way to go or if it would be too complicated for them to use? I googled smart TVs and there seems to be a lot of negatives against them relating to privacy and software issues.

If I got a soarview TV – would it be easier to use? Would they have much selection of channels? Could they record on a soarview TV without a separate box (assume a soarview TV doesn’t need separate box to watch)?

Their younger relatives could possibly record certain films or shows for them to watch but would they need a smart TV to watch them?

If I do get a TV are there any accessories I should buy at the same time?

Any help is really appreciated.




If it helps these were the four cheapest small TVs I could find:

http://www.did.ie/cello-22-full-hd-led-TV-c22230dvb-prd

http://www.powercity.ie/?par=10-11-WP2416S

http://www.powercity.ie/?par=10-11-NM22227

http://www.argos.ie/static/Product/partNumber/2496351/c_1/1%7Ccategory_root%7CHome%2Bentertainment%2Band%2Bsat%2Bnav%7C14419512/c_2/3%7C19780832%7CTelevisions%7C14419667/c_3/4%7Ccat_14419667%7CSmart%2BTV%2527s%7C27827574.htm

squonk

Probably the wrong forum overall but I would say go with Saorview. Smart TVs are great but they're more complicated. Given that this is a sick person they probably aren't feeling all up for navigating through menus and installing apps or dealing with WiFi issues. In general it's better to buy a separate box that can be upgraded for smart TV functionality. Saorview is going to operate just like regular old fashioned TV which, if the person you're buying it for isn't very technically inclined, is a good thing.

There's quite a difference between being well and being sick. I'm a techie myself and generally have no issue navigating problems or menus or anything of that sort. I've been quite sick in the past either with various conditions or post operations and I just want things to work in those cases. I'd go for the simplest possible solution. You can always buy a smart TV box later if the need becomes apparent.

stesaurus

Check at the facility they're staying at. They might have the option of renting a TV for the duration.

Atlantic Dawn

First thing you need to do is verify that the co-axial socket supplies the room with a signal, if it doesn't it's unlikely an indoor aeriel will get a signal in the room.

coylemj

Weyhey wrote: »

I wasn’t sure if a cheap small smart TV was the way to go or if it would be too complicated for them to use? I googled smart TVs and there seems to be a lot of negatives against them relating to privacy and software issues.

I would strongly advise you against going near a 'smart' TV connected to the internet unless there is someone on the spot to provide technical support and the user is capable of actually using it i.e. navigating through sometimes complex menus. But even then, the chances are that the smart functionality will diminish over time. For example, I have a Philips TV and a Sony Blu-Ray player, both are 'smart' device, both are wired direct to my broadband router but neither of them will run YouTube any more because the s/w has fallen behind and there are no new updates.

I wouldn't touch most of those brands you're looking at - I'd buy a 22 or 24" Samsung and wouldn't look at any other brand for a TV in that size range. The problem with the major electrical stores these days is that they have almost given up on the smaller TVs so all they're pushing are those crap brands like Walker and Nordmende.

I bought this 22" Samsung in Argos a few months ago for the bedroom, I have it connected to an indoor aerial for Saorview and a multiroom UPC box for cable TV, picture quality is superb (full HD) and I'd highly recommend it, currently at €179. Every discussion in the consumer forums on boards.ie says that Argos are excellent when it comes to warranty repairs, bring back a faulty item and they will typically replace or refund no problem.

http://www.argos.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Search?storeId=10152&catalogId=14551&langId=111&searchTerms=UE22H5000&authToken=

As someone else has advised, you first need to find out what signal (if any) is available from that co-ax point in the room.

Weyhey

Thanks you all so much, I really appreciate it. Excellent advice.

I had written a thank you earlier but must have forgotten to press send or something…

coylemj

coylemj wrote: »

I bought this 22" Samsung in Argos a few months ago for the bedroom .....

Now replaced by this 2016 model at €189....

http://www.argos.ie/static/Product/partNumber/5416084/Trail/searchtext%3ESAMSUNG+LED.htm