A rant about DVD zoning and tech support for elderly family members

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sbiddle

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#1367263 16-Aug-2015 08:30

mattwnz:
sbiddle: Have you tried Google to see if the device has a multizone mod available?

Remember multizone players are illegal in many countries with NZ being an exception (they will however be illegal again assuming TPPA passes).

Here's hoping it doesn't pass, it just creates monopolies of markets.

But you have to remember that DVD zoning has existed since the creation of DVDs, and that NZ is one of the few places in the world were multizone devices are legal.

Yes it creates monopolies of markets, but it's no different to different voltages and TV standards doing exactly the same thing.

minimoke

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#1367383 16-Aug-2015 12:23

Geektastic:
mattwnz: Is 71 really elderly these days? Sure a lot of people that age wouldn't consider themselves or call themselves elderly.

Of course, they may well be confused and thus not to be relied upon in their assessment!

Heres how a remote conversation went with my 84 year old mum.

"My computer doesn't go - can you help"

"Have you turned it on?".

"How?"

"The wee button on the front or side of the computer"

"yes there is one of those but it doesn't push in. I Think Ill save you some hassle and just take it to the repair shop"

"OK - but before you do that, is it plugged in?"

"I cant get on my knees but the elderly neighbour has had a look and reckons it is and he cant figure out the problem" (good on her - nothing like getting two brains onto a problem)

"Ok Just check the plug is actually in the wall.

"Yes it Is"

"OK - now check it is plugged into the back of the computer - if it is there should be a wee light glowing on the computer screen.

"Yes it is and no there is no light."

"OK. Follow the power lead for the wall plug till you get to a wee black box. Check the power cables are plugged properly into this box"

"Tried that, computer goes now. Thanks. Must have hit it with the vacuum cleaner"

Fred99

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#1367394 16-Aug-2015 12:45

sbiddle:

Remember multizone players are illegal in many countries with NZ being an exception (they will however be illegal again assuming TPPA passes).

Does that mean that if/when TPPA passes, spooks will arrive at my door to take my DVD player away?

Warehouse Veon $60 or so bluray players are DVD region-free, Bluray region switchable.
Basic (no 3d bluray etc), and there was a slightly more expensive but otherwise similar model with 5.1 RCA out if that was needed (connect to an old 5.1 amp perhaps?)
Any DVD region will work once region-free is set up on the menu (saved/sticky) without the user needing to do anything. Switching bluray region requires some menu diving each time, and that might be difficult for a non technically minded person to master.
JB hifi were selling identical units with different brand name printed on them and different splash screen, but they were about double the price.

Fred99

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#1367397 16-Aug-2015 13:10

mattwnz: Is 71 really elderly these days? Sure a lot of people that age wouldn't consider themselves or call themselves elderly.

Yup. I know plenty of relatively young folks (that's under 40 to me) who have long closed their minds to new ideas, live conservative boring lives - much of it because of advertising industry fueled fear for their futures (IMO) and seemingly unaware of how few blinks there are before it's upon you, before which time (hopefully) you've realised what a crock of poo you've been sold - and have made your escape.

SJB

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#1367481 16-Aug-2015 15:05

With great age comes great cynicism (or should that be realism).

Geektastic

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#1367514 16-Aug-2015 16:56

minimoke:
Geektastic:
mattwnz: Is 71 really elderly these days? Sure a lot of people that age wouldn't consider themselves or call themselves elderly.

Of course, they may well be confused and thus not to be relied upon in their assessment!

Heres how a remote conversation went with my 84 year old mum.

"My computer doesn't go - can you help"

"Have you turned it on?".

"How?"

"The wee button on the front or side of the computer"

"yes there is one of those but it doesn't push in. I Think Ill save you some hassle and just take it to the repair shop"

"OK - but before you do that, is it plugged in?"

"I cant get on my knees but the elderly neighbour has had a look and reckons it is and he cant figure out the problem" (good on her - nothing like getting two brains onto a problem)

"Ok Just check the plug is actually in the wall.

"Yes it Is"

"OK - now check it is plugged into the back of the computer - if it is there should be a wee light glowing on the computer screen.

"Yes it is and no there is no light."

"OK. Follow the power lead for the wall plug till you get to a wee black box. Check the power cables are plugged properly into this box"

"Tried that, computer goes now. Thanks. Must have hit it with the vacuum cleaner"

Hilarious. With my mother it is usually some variation on the Chicken Little scenario of the sky falling.

A recent outstanding one was wanting to spend about $6000 equivalent removing a (mains) gas fire because there was a draught from the outside vent flue....when a $50 vent cover solved the problem. Fortunately one of my brothers was visiting at the time.

The older she gets, the worse it gets. She never emails now because "the cat doesn't like it when I go on the computer".

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minimoke

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#1367539 16-Aug-2015 17:52

On a more serious note. A lesson from when my dad went do-lally.

Before they go bonkers try to get a copy of all user names and passwords.

Try to get the more sane elder to keep a close eye on things - like signing up to obscure websites.

Most importantly - the moment an odd payment comes through on the credit card treat it like a huge red flag. there is likely more to come.

My dad got hooked in a number of ways. there was some popup that told him he had a virus and to scan it he just entered his credit card details for an annual subscription paid monthly. Then there was the ancestory website that would feed you information on your long dead mates again for a monthly fee.

And then there is all these web sites asking for a user name and password. Invariably each user name was different and the passwords were all over the place.

Don't rely on the mad elder to make the monthly payments using internet banking. Try to automate out of one account. Other wise you'll find bills stacking up in a hidden pile at the back to the computer - apparently easier to file there than try to remember the account log in details.

Trying to fix these kind of things in normal times is hard enough. Much harder when you are under stress. Only made a tad easier given I had an EPA on both financial and health. Without that the banks / power companies / insurance companies wern't so keen to hear from you as you "need to verify your account details". Duh - I cant verify the account because its not mine and the account holder is in the nut house - do you want your money or what!

gehenna

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#1367553 16-Aug-2015 18:18

I guess I should count myself lucky that my mum has been pretty good with tech, all things considered. She did struggle a bit with Windows but seems to thrive on the iPad, and regularly uses Plex from her home up north which is hooked into my server in Wellington. She seems to struggle with other things though - e.g. before my dad died he got a WDTV and hard drive and asked me to load it up with some old movies. I've since put a few things on there for mum but she can't be bothered with it, and insists on watching stuff on the iPad instead. Can't even talk her into an Apple TV to use AirPlay. Oh well, I won't push it. At least she can look after the iPad and iPhone by herself and only really needs my help if she royally screws something up. Hasn't happened for years. Not like dad who used to infest his Dell with malware on an almost weekly basis by visiting all those "free" movie sites.

On topic - I can't see how region locking DVD's is a problem these days. Aren't most if not all DVD players multizone? And for the ones that aren't there's usually an unlock code or firmware disk you can load to make them multizone. This has been an issue since I first started buying DVD's in the late 90's.

gzt

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#1367557 16-Aug-2015 18:25

Maybe the quick solution is buy identical model clamshell then apply and verify unlock.

roobarb

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#1367562 16-Aug-2015 18:34

gehenna: Aren't most if not all DVD players multizone? And for the ones that aren't there's usually an unlock code or firmware disk you can load to make them multizone. This has been an issue since I first started buying DVD's in the late 90's.

Only true if your use of all only means currently in New Zealand and not Xbox or PlayStations.

gehenna

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#1367585 16-Aug-2015 19:08

roobarb:
gehenna: Aren't most if not all DVD players multizone? And for the ones that aren't there's usually an unlock code or firmware disk you can load to make them multizone. This has been an issue since I first started buying DVD's in the late 90's.

Only true if your use of all only means currently in New Zealand and not Xbox or PlayStations.

Yep you're right. But given we're talking about the "elderly" here I'm making an assumption that we're also talking about standalone DVD players.

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shk292

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#1367598 16-Aug-2015 19:38

Fred99:
Does that mean that if/when TPPA passes, spooks will arrive at my door to take my DVD player away?

.

Yep, just like you're going to be sent to jail for jailbreaking your iPhone if you believe everything the anti-TPPA people say

gzt

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#1367785 17-Aug-2015 10:05

On the other hand this thread could easily be about tech support for a current member of parliament.

If you leave it to them you probably would be in jail for jail breaking your iPhone and watching region 1 DVD.

Fred99

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#1367838 17-Aug-2015 11:11

shk292:
Fred99:
Does that mean that if/when TPPA passes, spooks will arrive at my door to take my DVD player away?

.

Yep, just like you're going to be sent to jail for jailbreaking your iPhone if you believe everything the anti-TPPA people say

Exactly - nothing to worry about at all.
We'll be in a great position to renegotiate trivial inconvenient details - finally disclosed only when we're well into the first term of the Trump presidency.

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