TVs & players

[Melm]

• Can I remotely connect to my mother's Roku TV signed in to my account but on another internet network? She lives in an assisted living facility and can't work the remote easily herself. I'm going insane trying to tell her what buttons to push or how to use the microphone to search.
• She had a 65" TCL Roku TV recently purchased. 
• Thanks

[Anonymous]

@Melm 

You would have to somehow get into the network your mother's TV is on. Unless it's next door to you WIFI is out. Even then you have to be able to log into it. Any other way, I doubt it. You would have to check with the IT department there.

[atc98092]

Being able to VPN into her network would be the only possible way to do this. And odds are you still wouldn't be able to see her Roku to connect. Most public/semi-public WiFi networks have security enabled to block connected devices from seeing other connected devices. It's a good thing but would make connecting to her Roku impossible. 

I have a feeling you wouldn't be able to do what you want anyway. The Roku app does permit controlling a Roku it can see on the local network, but if you can't see the screen you'd have no idea what you were doing on her Roku. I can come up with a very complicated way to make it happen, but odds are the facility she lives in wouldn't approve it so it's a moot point. 

[Melm]

Thanks.... total bummer. I have a private wifi in her apt. Only she's on it. Maybe the complicated way might help? I'm literally losing my mind. She has acrylic nails and they prevent her from pressing the buttons only one time and I'm thinking having her stop getting her nails done so her finger pad selects "ok" only once. She logs in to the app she wants but when she selects her profile, she ends up pressing "ok" twice,  which then starts playing whatever the first "new on Hulu" for example,  instead of her setting the main home page of the app. Super, crazy frustrating. Have to choose the app and go to roku home and select the app again,  etc..... she ALWAYS presses her profile with "ok" but ends up starting whatever the first show that's on home page. And over and over we go. Now I'm driving over there and doing it for her every night. It's a crazy hassle.  Would appreciate any tips or ideas. Wish Roku had an old person remote with larger buttons....Listen up Roku peeps!

[Melm]

I was searching the internet and found something called "Jubilee TV" which is $99 & then $29/month subscription fee. It claims to give you access to your elderly persons TV. 

I can't seem to be sure it works with a new TCL Roku TV without a cable box. I asked the question on Amazon but it was an AI response of "yes". Join reading further,  it seems like the elderly person needs to either have a cable box or a separate Roku connected to a regular TV.

It includes a web cam that she can make video calls on thru her TV and reminders and all kinds of stuff you'd want for your elderly parent, so that's cool. 

It's super expensive,  even if you pay a year upfront rather than monthly. 

Would this work on a Smart TCL Roku TV? Did anyone know?

I also found backlit Roku remotes, but none come with a microphone,  which she would like & uses a lot. Any chance there's a backlit remote with microphone anywhere?

Argh!

[atc98092 · Accepted solution]

I looked up Jubilee TV, and it appears to work by inserting their hub in the HDMI stream between the player and the TV. This means it won't control the TV itself, just the streaming player that's connected to it. So I don't see any way of controlling a Roku TV. You would need to add a Roku player, which can be done but is kind of a waste of the smart TV. 

I wasn't aware of any backlit remote for a Roku. But if it's not an official Roku remote it will never have a microphone. The mic will only work with a WiFi Direct remote, and I'm not aware of any third party remote that is anything but basic IR control. An IR remote will not support the functionality of a microphone.