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Radio/stereo/CD for older people

Hello,

This is for folks in Europe but I hadn't found anything suitable there after a post in a European NG. What's needed is very simple but it looks like the industry doesn't serve the (large) market of older people:

A radio (stereo would be nice but not essential) with CD player in there. Mains powered but ok if it has a handle. Should ideally have an AUX input for a Mini-Disk player. HUGE buttons, no frills, just the essentials and it should be big knobs with big and highly visible letters:

On - Off Radio - CD - AUX Volume Station (knob, no up-down buttons) Start Stop Skip song

Well, that's it. Not too many more confusing buttons. The station knob doesn't have to turn a good old tuning dial but can steer an LCD display as long as that is bright and most of all large. Doesn't have to be low cost but good quality.

Any ideas which brand/model could work?

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

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Joerg
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The CD player seems to be the tricky part -- if you search for "table radio" on Amazon they have a wide variety of solid, simple, good-looking units to choose from... but few with CD players.

How about this? -->

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(It's $300 at Amazon, but Crutchfield has a much better picture/description.)

---Joel

Reply to
Joel Koltner

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Thanks, that comes pretty darn close. Beats me why under "more pictures" nothing materializes. Here they have the perfect marketing opportunity on a silver platter and they blew it. I'll see if I can find a photo from the top where the CD must be, hoping the buttons are bit enough and that there aren't too many. And that it can be bought in Europe because it's a digital tuner and they FM station spacing is different, AFAIR

150kHz instead of 200kHz. 
--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

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Joerg

HI Joerg,

Actually I believe it's a "slot feed" CD player (like car CD players) -- you just insert the CD into the slot beneath the three big knobs in the center.

I'm not sure if this would be better or worse for older folks -- possibly takes a bit more manual dexterity to insert?

Is Europe also the land of 9kHz AM spacing (rather than 10kHz)?

---Joel

Reply to
Joel Koltner

Thanks, now I see it. It's ok I think, but the buttons are small and the lettering is tiny. Would have to glue some bigger lettering on there. Why on earth don't companies understand? Even I have to get my glasses when I want to set the thermostats at church, no way to decipher anything without. I think the marketing guys screwed up on that nearly everywhere.

Yes, but hardly anyone listens to AM over there so that wouldn't matter. But I found this radio in a German consumer magazine, so ...

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

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Joerg

Just found that they want over 500 Euros (!) for it in Europe. Yikes ...

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--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

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Joerg

Ouch!

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Hey, no fair that Europe gets their choice of colors and the U.S. doesn't! :-)

Reply to
Joel Koltner

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Yeah, but for that privilege they pay 100% markup. They always seem to have to pay a lot more than we do, even for cars _made_ in Europe.

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

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Joerg

I'm looking for a universal remote for the old folks. Something that will map the .1 channels, big buttons. Press a button and it does what its supposed to, nothing complex to use. Sorta like the Jitter bug of remotes.

Cheers

Reply to
Martin Riddle

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