Large Capacity HiFi Music Storage

[Jamiel]

I had the same problem when my father was getting old. He loved his classical music, and so I bought him a MP3 player  (I forget which make, not an I-pod but my experience will be the same for those, this was 2008).

 

It had a large capacity, plenty for he music he could listen to and a good bit rate (320 Kbps I think).

The big problem was the interface, buttons that slide, do multiple functions, and tiny menus are not designed for those with limited dexterity in their fingers and limited eyesight to see small menus. After a few days he asked me to take it back, it simply frustrated him. He was 85 at the time, so his days of tackling new technology were in his past (and he had worked in RADAR in WW2, so was not afraid of new technology in his day).

In the end, he got a DAB radio an listened to Classic FM and Radio 3, which he liked less as ten years ago it was very much in a new new classical music phase, and he wanted to hear Vaughan Williams, Elgar, Sibelius, and other 19th and early 20th century composers, as well as Mozart and Beethoven.

My father was a similar age, although he was not well by that time, and had relinquished his independence and many of his interest by that time (sad to see).

 

I did think that there is a market for electronics (music-players, phones, etc) that have simple to use big buttons, and mostly a big 'next' button,perhaps with a voice saying what is selected, and then a big play/accept button. Also water prrof for obvious reasons, and reasonably touch as it would get knocked over a lot.

 

I put this to a friend bu he said he felt that it wasn't the kind of thing that could be easily made, the core technology would be full of copyright issues, and all you were doing was packing it in the least 'sexy' way to a limited age group (with the millenial market being the big one for technology).

Really sorry to give such a negative answer, I hope you get more positive outcomes from others, after all technology has moved on in the years since I tried this with my father.

Jamie

[nickynoonoo]

If your father will have broadband then please go and look at an amazon echo.

With a £10 a month Spotify subscription he can listen to anything by asking. It will do radio as well,ask it the time the weather and all sorts.

 

Alexa please play Beethoven 9th symphony on Spotify.

Alexa please play classic FM on tune in.

 

It is as simple as that, no ripping of discs etc.

If his current hifi has an aux socket then get the echo dot and plug it in

 

When I got mine one of my first thoughts was "this thing will be fantastic if you were blind"

John Lewis or currys should be able to demo one for you

[jonny777]

I had the same problem when my father was getting old. He loved his classical music, and so I bought him a MP3 player  (I forget which make, not an I-pod but my experience will be the same for those, this was 2008).

 

It had a large capacity, plenty for he music he could listen to and a good bit rate (320 Kbps I think).

 

The big problem was the interface, buttons that slide, do multiple functions, and tiny menus are not designed for those with limited dexterity in their fingers and limited eyesight to see small menus. After a few days he asked me to take it back, it simply frustrated him. He was 85 at the time, so his days of tackling new technology were in his past (and he had worked in RADAR in WW2, so was not afraid of new technology in his day).

 

In the end, he got a DAB radio an listened to Classic FM and Radio 3, which he liked less as ten years ago it was very much in a new new classical music phase, and he wanted to hear Vaughan Williams, Elgar, Sibelius, and other 19th and early 20th century composers, as well as Mozart and Beethoven.

 

My father was a similar age, although he was not well by that time, and had relinquished his independence and many of his interest by that time (sad to see).

 

I did think that there is a market for electronics (music-players, phones, etc) that have simple to use big buttons, and mostly a big 'next' button,perhaps with a voice saying what is selected, and then a big play/accept button. Also water prrof for obvious reasons, and reasonably touch as it would get knocked over a lot.

 

I put this to a friend bu he said he felt that it wasn't the kind of thing that could be easily made, the core technology would be full of copyright issues, and all you were doing was packing it in the least 'sexy' way to a limited age group (with the millenial market being the big one for technology).

 

Really sorry to give such a negative answer, I hope you get more positive outcomes from others, after all technology has moved on in the years since I tried this with my father.

 

Jamie

 

There are outlets for these devices - try browsing sites such as RNIB, or here  http://www.livingmadeeasy.org.uk/