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Relaxing Background Videos Instead of Daytime TV

By:  Frank Engelman   |  Posted: August 21, 2020   |  Updated: April 19, 2023

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The Problem to be Solved

TV Always On in Background: Mind Numbing

TV Always On in Background: Mind Numbing

If you have visited residents’ rooms in a nursing home, you will notice that the resident’s TV is always on, although the resident is not paying attention. It’s mind numbing.

View the problem

Solution Details

 

Set up a commercial-free (paid) YouTube account and create some playlists. Some of these videos are 8-12 hours long!

 

Here is a YouTube of it in action

 

Solution 1 using Fire TV Cube:

Add a Fire TV Cube to your loved one’s TV, as described in the article below. This will give them a big screen relaxing video.

 

 

Solution 2: Configure your loved one’s Amazon Echo Show to play YouTube videos.

  • Swipe down from the top of the screen
  • Tap the Setting (gear) icon
  • Scroll down and select Device Options
  • Scroll down and select Web Options
  • Tap on Browser
  • Select Firefox
  • Swipe down from the top and select home

You can now test this and show your loved one how to use it.

 

  • Swipe in from the right side and Tap Videos

 

 

  • Tap YouTube

 

 

  • Watch a few videos so that they show up on your loved one’s history for easy viewing

 

 

  • Note this tiny icon for going full screen

 

 

 

Solution 3: Configure your loved one’s Google Nest Hub to play several YouTube videos

The Nest Hub doesn’t currently have any on-screen way to invoke YouTube, but you can say “OK Google, open YouTube” as it’s built-in.

 

  • Just select a few videos to build up a watch history for your loved one

 

  • Click this icon to cast to a Chromecast enabled display.

 

 

  • Some TVs have it built-in, or you can add an external HDMI adapter

 

  • Very nice on a large screen

 

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Author

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Frank Engelman

Retired Intel Engineer wanting to share DIY technology tips for the children of parents wanting to remain living independently. I like posting ideas and answering technical questions. If a product or software has an issue making it hard for seniors to use, I try to offer workarounds and also try to contact the manufacturer for solutions. I write a column for this website in the Innovation- Homebrew Solutions & Ideas section

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