Using Floppy Disks as Simple TV Remotes for Young Children
By
mchro
Hand-rolled, kettle-boiled, baked to perfection. Worth every minute at the bakery.
Summary
A parent creates a simple TV remote system for their 3-year-old son using floppy disks as physical media controls. The system addresses the problem of modern TVs being too complex for children, with complicated remotes and apps that lead to disempowerment and passive viewing. The solution involves using floppy disks as tangible, understandable controls that allow the child to independently select and play specific content without navigating complex interfaces or falling into auto-play traps.
Key quotes
· 4 pulledModern TVs are very poorly suited for kids. They require using complicated remotes or mobile phones, and navigating apps that continually try to lure you into watching something else than you intended to.
The usual scenario ends up with the kid feeling disempowered and asking an adult to put something on.
That something ends up on auto-play because then the adult is free to do other things and the kid ends up stranded powerless and comatose in front of the TV.
Instead I wanted to build something for my 3-year old son that he could understand and use independently.
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