My elderly parents were constantly having trouble with the complicated remote control supplied by their cable company. If they accidentally pressed the wrong button, the TV would sometimes stop working properly, leaving them without television for days until I could visit and reset everything.

I searched for a simple remote designed specifically for seniors, but I couldn't find one that met my needs. Most "elderly remotes" are either too expensive, lack essential functions, don't support modern equipment, or are so small that they're difficult for seniors to see and operate.

Eventually, I purchased a Jumbo Remote. The large buttons are perfect for elderly users, but the electronics inside are outdated. In its original configuration, the remote lacks the codes required for many modern devices. Even when a compatible code can be found, the button assignments are often incorrect—for example, the Record button might perform the Play function. With today's electronics, the original firmware has simply become obsolete.

Rather than accept these limitations, I decided to redesign the remote completely by writing my own firmware. Because the original remote uses an epoxy-covered chip-on-board microcontroller that cannot be reprogrammed, I designed a replacement circuit board using the ATmega328PB microcontroller. I selected the ATmega328PB for its ultra-low-power (PicoPower) operation and its pin-change interrupts, which are available on nearly every I/O pin.

My primary goal was to have complete control over every button on the remote. I eliminated unnecessary functions, reassigned buttons to more intuitive locations, and disabled any keys that were not needed. The result is a remote that is simple, reliable, and virtually impossible to misuse. Even if my parents press every button they can find, they cannot accidentally put the TV into an unusable mode.

At their age, television is one of their primary sources of entertainment and companionship. Ensuring that they could always turn on the TV and watch their favorite programs without frustration was the motivation behind this project.

For more information:
https://www.tindie.com/products/remotemod/programmable-jumbo-remote-control-with-atmega328pb/