# KidZone/Parental Controls



## jaywtivo (Aug 29, 2004)

So I never imagined when I bought my new Tivo that I wouldn't be able to use the Parental Controls in the HD menus. 

That's crazy! 

Does anyone have a time frame or any information as to when KidZone and/or parental controls will be enabled in the HD menus?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I am enjoying the new Premiere box! I've been complaining loudly for 3 years as I've waited for DirecTV/Tivo to come out with a new box... They won't.

The HRXX DVRs have come a long way, and have some better features, but in the end, they just aren't Tivo. 

The experience is great! I've really missed it!


----------



## sdzc (Sep 4, 2005)

I agree. I was surprised as well that the parental controls were only on the SD menus. Does not make sense to me at all. I hope that changes. 

The Premieres means the kids are now getting the HBO channels and I do not want to take the entire channel away, but want to limit the ratings.

I hope this rolls with the upcoming (?) update(s) from Tivo.


----------



## badguitar (Apr 15, 2010)

I sent a message to Margret (Margret Schmidt is Vice President of User Experience at TiVo) on this very issue. Her response:

We have not announced a timetable for Parental Controls in the HD Menus.

--Margret


----------



## jaywtivo (Aug 29, 2004)

badguitar said:


> I sent a message to Margret (Margret Schmidt is Vice President of User Experience at TiVo) on this very issue. Her response:
> 
> We have not announced a timetable for Parental Controls in the HD Menus.
> 
> --Margret


It sounds to me like their engineers cannot figure it out. Perhaps it is tied to this reported issue regarding the second core not being used.

Either way, it is sad that they cannot give out a bit more information other than, there are no parental controls on the new Tivo Interface!!!!


----------



## SugarBowl (Jan 5, 2007)

jaywtivo said:


> It sounds to me like their engineers cannot figure it out. Perhaps it is tied to this reported issue regarding the second core not being used.
> 
> Either way, it is sad that they cannot give out a bit more information other than, there are no parental controls on the new Tivo Interface!!!!


I think it shows that they have barely done any work in the actual implementation for the HD interface. They have defined the new architecture, but very little else.

But then, it's also missing from the comparison charts, http://www.tivo.com/products/tivo-premiere/premiere-compare.html#tab, so maybe they are dropping it.. ?


----------



## jaywtivo (Aug 29, 2004)

SugarBowl said:


> I think it shows that they have barely done any work in the actual implementation for the HD interface. They have defined the new architecture, but very little else.
> 
> But then, it's also missing from the comparison charts, http://www.tivo.com/products/tivo-premiere/premiere-compare.html#tab, so maybe they are dropping it.. ?


Well anything is possible, but I did speak with a Customer Service Rep who told me that it is planned to be implemented, they just don't have ANY information as to when.

In my mind, if they can't give out a ballpark on when, they either don't care, or can't figure it out. I mean is it 6 months to a year or 1 to 3 months?

Parental controls are extremely important to some folks. To me, it's TV 101. I understand that they would argue that you can still use them with the old interface, but then, that greatly diminishes the selling points on the new unit.

All those new features should have an asterisk next to them.

*If you don't want or need parental controls.


----------



## dianebrat (Jul 6, 2002)

jaywtivo said:


> Parental controls are extremely important to some folks. To me, it's TV 101. I understand that they would argue that you can still use them with the old interface, but then, that greatly diminishes the selling points on the new unit.
> 
> All those new features should have an asterisk next to them.
> 
> *If you don't want or need parental controls.


Except unless I'm missing something significant here, it's not that the parental controls are not available at all in the Premiere, but that they are limited to the SD interface.

If that is the case you have a choice, kids or eye candy, decide which is important to you.

Diane


----------



## ZeoTiVo (Jan 2, 2004)

jaywtivo said:


> It sounds to me like their engineers cannot figure it out. Perhaps it is tied to this reported issue regarding the second core not being used.
> 
> Either way, it is sad that they cannot give out a bit more information other than, there are no parental controls on the new Tivo Interface!!!!


it is not tied to second core at all - nor is it tied to engineers not being able to figure it out.
when Kid zone came out the bonus room had a Toshiva with a DVD player in it. Kid zone being on meant they could not access the DVD player. In my discussions with TiVo on that issue I was informed that kidzone was bolted onto the now playing menu by making a copy of the code that creates now playing menu and adding kidzone to that second copy. so one or the other of the code is run. In short it was a total bolt on versus integrated into the real code. To put Kid zone into the HD interface would mean basically starting from scratch, which given it is a bolt on now, would not be a bad place to start from to get it right this time.

Given the many issues TiVo faces with the HD menus and the fact they have other menus to take to HD still... _I would interpret _Margret's response as Kid Zone being way down the list of priorities and not even the how to approach it is being worked on at the moment.

as for parental controls - I am at a loss as to why that code would not have come along to the HD menus - that code should be more integrated already


----------



## daveak (Mar 23, 2009)

dianebrat said:


> If that is the case you have a choice, kids or eye candy, decide which is important to you.
> 
> Diane


Are you talking about TiVo or dating?


----------



## dianebrat (Jul 6, 2002)

daveak said:


> Are you talking about TiVo or dating?


Sometimes the same rules apply in multiple scenarios


----------



## jaywtivo (Aug 29, 2004)

dianebrat said:


> Except unless I'm missing something significant here, it's not that the parental controls are not available at all in the Premiere, but that they are limited to the SD interface.
> 
> If that is the case you have a choice, kids or eye candy, decide which is important to you.
> 
> Diane


I am not sure if you are trolling or what, but I think I stated in my op that is was in fact the HD interface that was a concern.

The 'significant' thing you are perhaps missing is that there was an expectation on my part that I was buying a complete product. Part of the major appeal of buying this tivo, was the 'eye candy' and new features.

It isn't minor that a something as universal to TV as parental controls is missing from the shiny new caddy. It's like buying a caddy then finding out later it doesn't have power windows. (unless you disable all the cool dash board displays, and conveniences)


----------



## jaywtivo (Aug 29, 2004)

ZeoTiVo said:


> it is not tied to second core at all - nor is it tied to engineers not being able to figure it out.
> when Kid zone came out the bonus room had a Toshiva with a DVD player in it. Kid zone being on meant they could not access the DVD player. In my discussions with TiVo on that issue I was informed that kidzone was bolted onto the now playing menu by making a copy of the code that creates now playing menu and adding kidzone to that second copy. so one or the other of the code is run. In short it was a total bolt on versus integrated into the real code. To put Kid zone into the HD interface would mean basically starting from scratch, which given it is a bolt on now, would not be a bad place to start from to get it right this time.
> 
> Given the many issues TiVo faces with the HD menus and the fact they have other menus to take to HD still... _I would interpret _Margret's response as Kid Zone being way down the list of priorities and not even the how to approach it is being worked on at the moment.
> ...


I really don't care if its kid zone or plain old parental controls. I'd like the freedom to use the product I paid for to its full potentional.

Thank you for your explanation and history on kidzone, that's good stuff.


----------



## dianebrat (Jul 6, 2002)

jaywtivo said:


> I am not sure if you are trolling or what, but I think I stated in my op that is was in fact the HD interface that was a concern.
> 
> The 'significant' thing you are perhaps missing is that there was an expectation on my part that I was buying a complete product. Part of the major appeal of buying this tivo, was the 'eye candy' and new features.
> 
> It isn't minor that a something as universal to TV as parental controls is missing from the shiny new caddy. It's like buying a caddy then finding out later it doesn't have power windows. (unless you disable all the cool dash board displays, and conveniences)


I do get it, and I'm not trolling,
yes, we're aware the Premiere isn't fully finished and like many products it's gone out the door with items only 1/2 done.

However there is a huge difference between "I have no kidzone or parental controls to help me manage my childs viewing" and "I don't have kidzone and parental controls in HD"

I wouldn't have commented on your initial posts where you were just complaining about it not being in HD, the part that pushed me to comment was where you started saying


> Parental controls are extremely important to some folks. To me, it's TV 101. I understand that they would argue that you can still use them with the old interface, but then, that greatly diminishes the selling points on the new unit.
> 
> All those new features should have an asterisk next to them.
> 
> *If you don't want or need parental controls.


At that point you've gone down the path of saying they effectively aren't on the box, the feature is there, and it can help you manage your kids viewing. It's not a completely missing feature, it's a feature with a limitation that you're not happy with.

Diane


----------



## magnus (Nov 12, 2004)

I think that at it's core.... that the Tivo HD menus should honor the TV/Movie ratings for parental controls. I believe the same to be true of Netflix with Tivo. However, Tivo does not honor the ratings even on the S3.


----------



## ZeoTiVo (Jan 2, 2004)

dianebrat said:


> I do get it, and I'm not trolling,


I know you are not trolling at all but he did pretty clearly speak to the distinction of SD has it and HD does not. the atserix comment was only missing which exact features would have it - I assume he means HD menus


----------



## badguitar (Apr 15, 2010)

To be honest, I am quite happy with the SD interface using Parental controls that simply asks for a password to access restricted channels or rated programs. I just don't want them to remove the SD menus and force me into the HD arena once they feel HD is done. I spent 1 day in HD menu land. SD menus have everything I need.


----------



## jaywtivo (Aug 29, 2004)

dianebrat said:


> At that point you've gone down the path of saying they effectively aren't on the box, the feature is there, and it can help you manage your kids viewing. It's not a completely missing feature, it's a feature with a limitation that you're not happy with.
> 
> Diane


Actually, I think I said... "I understand that they would argue..."

I did not say they were not on the box at all. I just can't use them if I want to take advantage of the Premeire's selling points. And the point that I can't was simply omitted in the selling lit.

So now I am doing my part, and notifying anyone who has the shopping savy to check this forum to beware, YOU CAN'T USE PARENTAL CONTROLS and THE HD MENUS TOGETHER. (AS OF 5/20/2010)


----------



## dianebrat (Jul 6, 2002)

jaywtivo said:


> Actually, I think I said... "I understand that they would argue..."
> 
> I did not say they were not on the box at all. I just can't use them if I want to take advantage of the Premeire's selling points. And the point that I can't was simply omitted in the selling lit.
> 
> So now I am doing my part, and notifying anyone who has the shopping savy to check this forum to beware, YOU CAN'T USE PARENTAL CONTROLS and THE HD MENUS TOGETHER. (AS OF 5/20/2010)


I'm down with that...


----------



## ldobson (Jan 18, 2004)

At this point parental controls should be towards the bottom of the todo list for Premiere, I just dont think enough people card about it given all the other enhancements that need to be made to Premiere at this point. I am willing to bet its not a widely used feature.


----------



## jaywtivo (Aug 29, 2004)

ldobson said:


> At this point parental controls should be towards the bottom of the todo list for Premiere, I just dont think enough people card about it given all the other enhancements that need to be made to Premiere at this point. I am willing to bet its not a widely used feature.


lol- right, kids last.


----------



## magnus (Nov 12, 2004)

I willing to bet... you don't have kids.



ldobson said:


> At this point parental controls should be towards the bottom of the todo list for Premiere, I just dont think enough people card about it given all the other enhancements that need to be made to Premiere at this point. I am willing to bet its not a widely used feature.


----------



## ghilton (Jun 1, 2010)

magnus said:


> I willing to bet... you don't have kids.





ldobson said:


> At this point parental controls should be towards the bottom of the todo list for Premiere, I just dont think enough people card about it given all the other enhancements that need to be made to Premiere at this point. I am willing to bet its not a widely used feature.


==================
Not a widely used feature? Not sure about that, but I, for one, regrettably just returned my TiVo Premiere and canceled service on that box for this one single reason only. I still have my other two TiVo Series One boxes that I have had for over 6 years now.

I am most disappointed that I had to go through the research, ordering, waiting for the delivery with high expectations, ordering Cox installation of CableCard, taking off work for Cox installer and now taking off more time to allow Cox service rep to retrieve equipment, packing and shipping TiVo back and finally waiting 2 weeks for credit. All of this could have been avoided if TiVo simply indicated that HD Interface and Parental Controls could not exist together!

I live in a house with HD TV, Cable, and Teens. This is a dangerous combination for any discretionary parent in my opinion. This goes along the same due diligence as not allowing internet access in a childs bedroom. Most certainly at the top of this Dad's to do list.


----------



## ZeoTiVo (Jan 2, 2004)

ghilton said:


> I live in a house with HD TV, Cable, and Teens. This is a dangerous combination for any discretionary parent in my opinion. This goes along the same due diligence as not allowing internet access in a childs bedroom. Most certainly at the top of this Dad's to do list.


Umm - I have 3 teens and 1 almost teen in my house. I certainly know what is being watched on any public TV in the house without much effort. The bonus room TV is in fact only fed via the TiVo DVR and I can drop that into kidzone as needed.

as to your specific situation - you could go to SD menus and enable Kidzone and let it do its thing. 
Then when you use the DVR you exit kidzone - go to HD menus and use the DVR. When done - go to SD menu and enter kid zone again. Certainly much easier than packing the DVR and sending it back.

Also I am curious as to what exactly you got to replace the TiVo DVR to block your kids from shows you do not want them to watch.


----------



## magnus (Nov 12, 2004)

Well, I don't think it's fair to say that they will never exist together. They just don't work together at this point in time.



ghilton said:


> All of this could have been avoided if TiVo simply indicated that HD Interface and Parental Controls could not exist together!


----------



## johns70 (Mar 31, 2010)

ZeoTiVo said:


> Umm - I have 3 teens and 1 almost teen in my house. I certainly know what is being watched on any public TV in the house without much effort. The bonus room TV is in fact only fed via the TiVo DVR and I can drop that into kidzone as needed.


Umm - Take it easy. No one was in fact accussing you of being a bad parent.


----------



## jaywtivo (Aug 29, 2004)

ZeoTiVo said:


> as to your specific situation - you could go to SD menus and enable Kidzone and let it do its thing.
> Then when you use the DVR you exit kidzone - go to HD menus and use the DVR. When done - go to SD menu and enter kid zone again. Certainly much easier than packing the DVR and sending it back.


Have you tried doing this on a regular basis? I have. PITA
Seriously, the HD menus just aren't worth it to put that kind of effort in every time you sit down to watch a show. If they speed up in future releases, I will re-evaluate that statement.


----------



## steve614 (May 1, 2006)

I'm curious if parental controls on the Premiere can be bypassed like they can on the Series 3.

http://tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=7528467#post7528467


----------



## jaywtivo (Aug 29, 2004)

steve614 said:


> I'm curious if parental controls on the Premiere can be bypassed like they can on the Series 3.
> 
> http://tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=7528467#post7528467


perhaps this is why they have not bothered putting them in the HD interface...


----------



## ZeoTiVo (Jan 2, 2004)

johns70 said:


> Umm - Take it easy. No one was in fact accusing you of being a bad parent.


never said anyone ever did - I was going umm on the idea of not really needing kid zone on TV in public area for teens. Kidzone was actually designed to keep kids from deleting shows or messing up season passes while at the same time presenting all the shows you want them to watch. Hand them the remote and let them have their own fun making it work.


----------



## ZeoTiVo (Jan 2, 2004)

jaywtivo said:


> Have you tried doing this on a regular basis? I have. PITA
> Seriously, the HD menus just aren't worth it to put that kind of effort in every time you sit down to watch a show. If they speed up in future releases, I will re-evaluate that statement.


then you could have kept the premiere and run it solely in SD menus for now. 
Still I am curious what you got in place of the TiVo?


----------



## jaywtivo (Aug 29, 2004)

ZeoTiVo said:


> then you could have kept the premiere and run it solely in SD menus for now.
> Still I am curious what you got in place of the TiVo?


I'm not the one who dumped the product. I am waiting on Ceton/HDHomerun to transition my viewing to MC7, and to use Tivo for the kiddies.


----------



## nwgolfer (Jun 2, 2010)

ldobson said:


> At this point parental controls should be towards the bottom of the todo list for Premiere, I just dont think enough people card about it given all the other enhancements that need to be made to Premiere at this point. I am willing to bet its not a widely used feature.


Just bought the Premier system this weekend. I am really frustrated with the poor parental control aspect of the Premier. I have been waiting many years to actually get a DVR and TIVO service. Yup...I've been in the Stone Age with just my Comcast Digital Receiver without DVR. I hate the fact that if you go and activate the Kids Zone feature, you lose all the parental controls you set before activating Kids Zone. Really frustrating having to go back and forth to reset your ratings and blocked channels. I also hate the fact that you can't block some of the Video on Demand features like You Tube. We have a "no you tube zone" in our house and at this point, that will probably be the deal breaker and will return the unit.

I'm glad to hear that I'm not in the minority on this one. I love the system and I have been having fun playing with it and all that goes with finally having a DVR. We'll see...I have a month to decide.


----------



## jaywtivo (Aug 29, 2004)

nwgolfer said:


> Just bought the Premier system this weekend. I am really frustrated with the poor parental control aspect of the Premier. I have been waiting many years to actually get a DVR and TIVO service. Yup...I've been in the Stone Age with just my Comcast Digital Receiver without DVR. I hate the fact that if you go and activate the Kids Zone feature, you lose all the parental controls you set before activating Kids Zone. Really frustrating having to go back and forth to reset your ratings and blocked channels. I also hate the fact that you can't block some of the Video on Demand features like You Tube. We have a "no you tube zone" in our house and at this point, that will probably be the deal breaker and will return the unit.
> 
> I'm glad to hear that I'm not in the minority on this one. I love the system and I have been having fun playing with it and all that goes with finally having a DVR. We'll see...I have a month to decide.


Before you dump the product, note, that if you go into kidzone, that youtube is disabled. I use kidzone pretty successfully in my home with young children. (Watch out for workarounds with teens) My frustration is that HD needs to be disabled in order to use it.


----------



## nwgolfer (Jun 2, 2010)

I have teens so the kids zone really is not something we're going to use. I am looking to see if I can block youtube using my router...that is step one.


----------



## jaywtivo (Aug 29, 2004)

nwgolfer said:


> I have teens so the kids zone really is not something we're going to use. I am looking to see if I can block youtube using my router...that is step one.


Can't you configure Kidzone to the Teens preferences?


----------



## ZeoTiVo (Jan 2, 2004)

jaywtivo said:


> I'm not the one who dumped the product.


Sorry - got you confused with Hilton. That is what I get for posting quick notes during a 5 minute break. My apologies.


----------

