# Parental Control for Live TV



## granoff (Jul 9, 2001)

There are a number of suggestions already for additional Parental Controls. I'd like to add one more to the pile: A parental control switch to generally allow or dissallow Live TV viewing.

I know there are controls to block some or all channels, but there is a problem with this. If you block a channel, then any recorded content from that channel also requires the unlock code to view.

In our house, we have a TiVo in the playroom which, for the most part, records shows for my kids (ages 7 and 4). We would like them to be able to watch only recorded content, but more and more they are watching shows live that we would prefer they not watch.

A good example here is the Disney channel. There is content there for all ages through the day. Some of it is fine, and we record it for the kids. But some of the afternoon content we'd prefer they not watch. We don't record it, but they watch it live. So you can see where blocking the channel wouldn't work if in order to watch the content we do record from that channel requires the unlock code. (They are allowed to go to the playroom and watch TiVo on their own, btw, so me or my wife having to "just enter the code" isn't _really_ an option, although, sure, it could happen that way...)

Yes, you could say we should monitor more closely what they are watching, and discipline as necessary if they stray from approved content. Yes, sure. But no parent can do that 24/7. We do that when we can, of course. So, I'm looking for technology to augment (and not replace) my rules. (That's, afterall, why there are parental controls on TiVo in the first place, no?)

Thanks.
-Mark


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## Stormspace (Apr 13, 2004)

granoff said:


> There are a number of suggestions already for additional Parental Controls. I'd like to add one more to the pile: A parental control switch to generally allow or dissallow Live TV viewing.
> 
> I know there are controls to block some or all channels, but there is a problem with this. If you block a channel, then any recorded content from that channel also requires the unlock code to view.
> 
> ...


You could set up a manual recording on an approved channel for every hour of the day and give it a low priority so it doesn't bump anything else. That way when they go to live tv it's already on an approved channel and recording.


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## Stormspace (Apr 13, 2004)

Stormspace said:


> You could set up a manual recording on an approved channel for every hour of the day and give it a low priority so it doesn't bump anything else. That way when they go to live tv it's already on an approved channel and recording.


That would be a separate manual recording for each hour.


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## JDHutt25 (Dec 27, 2004)

Would using the TVs v-chip feature help in this? Doesn't that block shows based on rating?


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