Programming Uverse to play cable TV channels at certain times to play automatically

[rhong1]

My aging Dad is 89. Dad is too old to learn to use a remote for a TV, he is having a hard time just unlocking his apt door.

Anyway I looked at the Uverse manual and on page 6 of the manual it says,

Video-On-Demand (VOD) – Gives you access to an enormous library of movies and programs that you can watch – when you want to watch them.

Does that mean all I have to do is to program the channels to play at a certain time and all Dad has to do is to watch the TV?

Before Dad had Comcast and left it on Turner Classsics all the time because he could not learn how to change channels with the remote control.

Thanks,

Ron H

[aviewer ACE - Wizard]

You need to go through menus to get to the on-demand & you can not schedule them.

Here is a very simplified remote to step through a number of channels.

The flipperremote site is not responding. Maybe they are going out. Maybe you can still get one from Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=flipper+remote+control&tag=googhydr-20&index=aps&hvadid=98...

[RCSMG ACE - Master]

The Uverse stb is not able to change channels at a specific time, unfortunately.  My parents had DTV, and I had my father's stb set to change channels at specific times.  Maybe ATT will come up with that feature someday.  But I am not holding my breath waiting for it.

[jimgfitzgerald]

Someone once suggested we get my Dad a computer.  My brother said, "Computer?  He can't even work a telephone."

[rhong1]

Thanks for all the responses. I am still teaching my Dad how to open the door with a key.

I found out that if you use Netfiix you can ques up movies and have it play one at a time, so I am researching that avenue.

Thanks,

Ron

[JefferMC ACE - Wizard]

The thing that comes to my mind is that you can set up a recording schedule for shows he may like, then he can press the "Recorded TV" button and watch shows off that list by pressing OK.

[captrc]

You got a U-Verse guide? I never got one. Does it tell how to get the TV to play the movies that are listed on the computer screen under Watch Now in the U-Verse Online section? I see lots of movies there that will only play on my commputer, not on the TV.

[oufanindallas]

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captrc wrote:

You got a U-Verse guide? I never got one. Does it tell how to get the TV to play the movies that are listed on the computer screen under Watch Now in the U-Verse Online section? I see lots of movies there that will only play on my commputer, not on the TV.

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movies that are on uverse online will only play on the computer, unless you have your computer hooked up to a tv they will not play on your tv.

[captrc]

If I got Apple TV or a Roku box would they go from my IMac to the TV? In other words, will U-Verse online movies play from computer to TV like Netflix and others will with a box added to the TV - no wires from computer to TV? Thanks!

[oufanindallas]

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captrc wrote:
If I got Apple TV or a Roku box would they go from my IMac to the TV? In other words, will U-Verse online movies play from computer to TV like Netflix and others will with a box added to the TV - no wires from computer to TV? Thanks!

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No, you will have to hook up your computer, IMac or iPad to your TV.  We have our iPad hooked up to the tv to watch netflix through an HDMI adapter cable.

[aviewer ACE - Wizard]

captrc - If the computer is connected to the TV anything you can access via the computer can play on the TV.

There are many stand alone boxes such as Roku that can access a subset of web sites to play on the TV.

There are now smart TVs that integrate the stand alone box and the TV.

I think apple TV can work stand alone or in concert with a computer. But, I have not studied it because I believe if your computer is connected to the TV it is orders of magnitude more powerful than the stand alone boxes.

A stand alone box is less expensive than a computer & is easier to use than computer. However, if you have a computer and know how to use it, adding a stand alone box is more expense for a function that the computer already can do.

My Maxmini is connected HDMI to a 50" Panasonic plasma. A wireless keyboard and magic mouse provide long distance control better than a remote to a box.

Check out this web site for ways to connect yours - http://sewelldirect.com/articles/PCtoTV.aspx