Like many Americans, I am part of the “Sandwich Generation,” balancing the responsibilities of raising my child while looking after my aging parent. Driving over to simply press a button on a TV remote for my mother, while necessary, can be inconvenient.
It starts with an emergency email, beckoning me to drop everything and rush over. At least twice a month, my mother claims her TV shuts down, stops working, implodes or it inexplicably ceases to exist. These types of five-alarm fire calls for help are nothing new.
And spoiler alert: The television is always fine. Most of the time, she has either accidentally sat on the remote, her cat used it as a chew toy or it temporarily gets lost in the Bermuda Triangle that is her work desk (which is really a cluttered TV tray positioned in front of her recliner).
Needless to say, I have been looking for a fix for a while. When I learned about JubileeTV, I jumped at the chance to test the system to see if it truly was the solution my mother — and, while we’re at it, me — needed to make watching TV less frustrating and more enjoyable.
JubileeTV’s modus operandi is to simplify streaming TV access for aging Americans. With technology constantly advancing and an overwhelming amount of content available, older viewers can feel lost. JubileeTV provides a familiar viewing experience for seniors to enjoy their favorite programming while staying connected to family and loved ones.
The appeal of JubileeTV lies in its set-top box and accompanying mobile app. For years, my mother worked in customer service for multiple cable TV providers, so aesthetically, the equipment immediately provided her a sense of familiarity. For caregivers and family members, or caregiving family members who also offer tech support, like yours truly, this system makes troubleshooting easier. Instead of making trips to fix technical issues, JubileeTV allows users to control things remotely.
My mother and I took JubileeTV for a spin to see what all the fuss was about. What we found was a relatively easy-to-use system that puts the power of connection back in the senior’s hands. It relieved my mother’s solitude by keeping her connected to family while allowing me to monitor her health and viewing habits from afar. It may not have cured her total confusion with streaming technology, but home entertainment has been less of a headache for her than it was before.
JubileeTV is a nice addition to her home. It hasn’t been a life-changing piece of technology, though (like, say, the BetaMax VCR we hooked up in this same living room in 1985), but it has been fun to use. That said, considering the price for the system and required membership — which adds to the costs of the streaming services she already pays for — Jubilee TV has revealed itself as way more of a luxury than a necessity.
What is JubileeTV?
JubileeTV is the evolution of Caavo’s TV-based communication system, which previously consisted of two pieces: a remote control and an entertainment hub made to connect to devices like a cable box, video game system, Blu-ray player and streaming device like a Roku or Amazon Fire TV Stick, that would then connect to your TV. Caavo’s box automatically switched between HDMI inputs, thus streamlining the viewing experience.
Now rebranded as JubileeTV, the updated system retains its core components: a voice-enabled universal remote and HDMI switching hub, but now features a new name, mobile app and vision: to keep the elderly entertained and connected at home.
The hub and remote are clearly labeled and easily connected out of the box. The HDMI inputs on the back of the hub allow users to connect up to three devices, such as a cable box or satellite TV system, streaming device or Blu-ray player.
How much does it cost?
JubileeTV offers a 60-day free trial, which is helpful. Two months is plenty of time to test drive the equipment to decide if it’s a good fit. Upon sign-up, customers must purchase an additional JubileeTV membership, which was the first sticking point. My mother is on a budget and we’re always looking to subtract charges from her budget, and not add more.
The service offers three different subscription tiers: the Flexibility and Freedom plan for $29 a month, the Commit and Save plan for $269 a year and the Buy it Once plan for $699. The hardware costs $199. The system is only covered under the Buy it Once plan, so if you choose the monthly or yearly plans, you’ll need to pay for the hub and remote separately.
Simple installation, antiquated setup
The installation pamphlet claimed a simple setup process right out of the box. The system was packaged neatly and organized, with each component clearly labeled.
The booklet comes with a QR code to scan to access installation instructions, but my mom does not know what a QR code is or what it is supposed to do. Having me there may have given her peace of mind, but it wasn’t long before I was banging my head against the wall. The JubileeTV website gives a 20-minute estimate for installation. Setup took me about an hour.
Yes, there is an option to schedule a virtual call or in-person installation appointment for assistance. But these options were not worth the wait or cost for us. And after some frustrating hiccups, I got it all connected and working.
The system’s analog nature was one of the main issues in connecting everything. It had been quite some time since I connected a peripheral device to my mother’s smart TV because all her favorite streaming apps are offered directly on her TV. So, it took some time to figure out the correct inputs and adequately get the JubileeTV box in a stable position so it wouldn’t fall over.
JubileeTV comes with a hub and remote, as well as an HDMI cable, power cord, smart plug and power cord splitter.
The hub has a camera for video chats, and the instructions suggest placing the box on top of the TV. Simple enough? Not really. While this setup was similar to my mother’s different cable box connections over the years, the type of TV she currently has was the reason for my frustration.
As I mentioned earlier, she has a smart TV. So, as with most standard models on the market, the television is pretty thin — unlike the heavy boxy TV set she had back when she was a regular cable TV subscriber two decades ago. Because of the thinness of her current television, positioning the JubileeTV box was a bit precarious. Getting the box to sit still and not wobble or lose its grip on the set and fall over was a frustrating challenge.
JubileeTV’s primary goal is to make streaming TV easier, but the system does not come preloaded with streaming apps. Think of this system as a gateway to make content access easier for the viewer. For it to work, the hardware needs to connect to a source device — whether it’s a satellite TV box from DirecTV or a streaming device like Roku or Amazon Fire TV Stick.
So, instead of subtracting unnecessary variables from my mother’s entertainment system, connecting the JubileeTV to her TV added one more piece of clunky hardware to the mix.
The JubileeTV hub’s back panel features a coaxial connection, three HDMI inputs, one HDMI output, multiple USB connections, a LAN port and an optical sound connection.
The appearance of everything may not be ideal, but my mother didn’t expect some KonMari-style home entertainment redesign. Once it was connected to her Roku device, the JubileeTV service enabled her to connect through one of six main tiles appearing on its onscreen interface. That said, each app on her Roku, be it Netflix, Pluto, Peacock or Disney Plus, still needs to be logged in through the normal Roku protocols.
With the setup finally complete, she was able to access all the content she was used to watching, but faced a new potential hiccup: If she forgot her log-in credentials or ran into a technical issue on the Roku side, I’d still need to stop by for a tech visit as this issue would be out of JubileeTV’s jurisdiction.
Two steps forward, one step back.
It keeps seniors connected to content and family
As my mother has grown older, her mobility has become more limited. She stopped driving at the start of the pandemic, and due to schedule conflicts and life in general, she hasn’t been able to see her granddaughter as much as she’d like. She recently got her first smartphone, so we’d schedule FaceTime visits to keep her connected with us.
However, she has a neurological condition that causes hand tremors, making it tough for her to hold the phone still or for us to focus on chatting with her.
The JubileeTV system’s built-in video camera helps here, making video chatting easy. The mobile app that comes with the service offers an array of troubleshooting options and is an entry point for family members who want to have their own version of FaceTime with their elderly family members. All you need to do is click the “Video Call” button on the app’s home page, and the system does the rest. Now, we can chat on video without the concerns about her hand tremors.
Video calls and messages don’t interrupt the viewing experience, which is nice. Once we’re done with our call, the TV goes back to playing the show or movie my mom was watching. Family members can also share personal videos and photos through JubileeTV to designated albums in the system’s interface, allowing her to stay connected with important milestones and family memories.
One downside of the video call feature is the system’s wide-angle lens and inability to zoom in. My mother sits roughly 5 feet from her TV and appears far away on the video screen. Each time we chatted, I saw too much of her ceiling, floor and living room and not enough of her. She ended up appearing as a tiny spec on the screen.
After all the issues I faced in positioning the box on top of her TV, I had to move it lower onto her TV stand to get a better, but not great, angle. It would be nice to have a zoom-in feature to see her better and allow her to relax on her recliner without needing to get up and stand in front of the TV so we can see her well.
JubileeTV’s welcome page features six tiles: Roku (or whatever source streamer you’re using), Favorites, Contacts, Photos, Videos and Weather.
Remote caregiving
I live close to my mother but can’t always be there immediately. JubileeTV’s remote caregiving features have provided some peace of mind for us. I can set up medication reminders, doctor appointment alerts and other calendar events through the mobile app. Since her hands shake, it’s tough for her to type or use a pen, so these reminders have been super helpful.
She receives the alert on the TV with a prompt to dismiss from the remote control. Meanwhile, I get real-time updates that she has received the messages and interacted with them accordingly.
The hardware also has a built-in AI-powered activity sensor that detects activity within the given space throughout the day. Every morning, I receive a daily summary in my email that gives a rundown of how many people were present and for how long; whether my mother was sitting all day or if she moved around; and if there were any coughs or other concerning variables, among other things.
Are these features intrusive? I can understand it if people think so. But my mother is nearly 80 years old, and keeping track of her movements and behavior has been a big stress reliever. Receiving these summaries has helped me keep track of my mother’s health and see if any trends in her activity may need to be addressed.
Troubleshooting made easy
The JubileeTV mobile app gives you the ability to monitor your loved one’s TV use and well-being.
One of the main draws of JubileeTV is the ease with which family members and loved ones can help fix technical issues from afar. Thankfully, the number of TV emergency pleas I’ve received from my mother has lessened. Gone, mostly, are the instances of me barging into her home to press a button on her TV remote only to bail and rush back to work or dinner or storytime with my daughter.
The JubileeTV mobile app gives you control over the system interface, meaning I can always see what my mother is watching — which is usually reruns of Charmed or old clips of Match Game PM on YouTube. I’m not here to yuck her yum, but it is fun to get a peek at what she chooses to watch at any given time.
Of course, this feature has a purpose other than spying on your elderly family member. If there’s a technical issue with the service, the app gives a clear view of what she sees to help streamline assisting with most problems. Using the app takes some getting used to, though. It has a clunky interface and the button layout isn’t intuitive.
It also doesn’t help with everything. Case in point: JubileeTV must be connected through a source streaming hardware platform like Roku or an Amazon Fire Stick. So, if she’s trying to watch Netflix or Prime Video and is facing a connection issue through either of those services, the mobile app won’t be able to help.
Privacy protection
Upon discovering the video camera lens in the set-top box, I felt concerned about my mother’s privacy. Over the past few years, we have taken numerous trips to Geek Squad after she’s fallen victim to computer hackers. I am extra wary when it comes to stuff like this. There is a camera lens cover and a microphone switch to mute the audio, but that didn’t feel like enough. A company representative put me at ease and explained JubileeTV’s safety protocols to safeguard user data and identity.
JubileeTV encrypts all video calls to ensure the security and confidentiality of video data. No calls are recorded, and the system does not store the content, thereby protecting the privacy of conversations. Users have control over who can connect with them, as the system operates on an invite-only basis and customizable features allow for setting specific privacy controls for each contact.
JubileeTV is also HIPAA compliant and designed to restrict access to user data. Personally identifiable information is not shared with third parties, whether for advertising or otherwise.
The data that is collected may include information about the devices used, browser type, IP address and usage history, all aimed at enhancing the system and understanding customer trends. Payment information is processed by third-party providers such as Shopify or Stripe and is not accessible to JubileeTV. For customers who opt for a professional installation, their name and address are shared with a third-party install partner.
So, should you buy it?
I have found JubileeTV to be a helpful product for keeping track of my mother’s health and assisting with her technical issues from my home. However, I am unsure if the system is worth purchasing for our specific needs. While it has made her TV-viewing experience easier, it hasn’t been a game-changing addition to her home entertainment setup.
It’s worth noting that every elderly person’s situation is different, and aside from my mother’s physical ailments, she’s still self-sufficient with most things. It makes sense that JubileeTV was initially designed to help residents in assisted-living facilities stay connected. Its impressive range of connection features makes me hopeful that more accessibility options will be available for seniors soon. It can improve the lives of those who may not have the ability to be as social with family and friends, as well as viewers living with a variety of impairments.
If you’re looking to simplify your loved one’s streaming TV experience, JubileeTV does that. However, it’s important to consider that the cost of the system and membership is in addition to the monthly (or yearly) fees you may already be paying for streaming services. If you’re on a fixed budget, JubileeTV may not be worth the added expense, although the potential peace of mind might make it a cost worth covering or sharing with family members.
