Indesit wd12x no programmes work at all?

Have an 8 year old indesit wd12x and in the main has been absolutely fine.
Whenever we switch on the machine (or reset it) the dial does nothing and the machine won't work at all, none of the programmes work, wash rinse spin etc, nothing happens. we have checked the filter and all is clear.
Wondering whether to put the cost of repair to a brand new one (this makes sense to me as there are probably 8 years worth more of problems that could go wrong with it), but if we can do it ourselves or cheap enough, we may stick with it a while.
Seen elsewhere online that it may be a motherboard problem.

thanks in advance

Dave
January 2014