|
When television entered the house in the late 1940s, networks wouldn't consider running a show unless it was appropriate for the entire family. In today's world of cable and satellite programming, that's no longer true.
TiVo provides several ways to control your TV's content, from blocking out individual channels to filtering individual shows based on their content. TiVo can even require a password to watch any channel, keeping the kids at bay until they've finished their last math problem.
To turn on TiVo's Parental Controls, follow these steps:
1. From TiVo Central, choose TiVo Messages & Setup.
Call up TiVo Central any time by pressing the TiVo button.
2. Choose Settings.
3. Choose Preferences and then Parental Controls.
TiVo's Parental Controls menu appears.
4. Select Turn on Parental Controls.
TiVo asks you to punch in a four-digit password and then immediately asks you to punch it in again, just to make sure you've typed it in correctly. You'll now need to enter that password to watch blocked channels.
 | Write down your four-digit password and hide it under the mattress. If you forget the password and lose the mattress, call TiVo's Customer Support at (877) 367-8486. (And yes, they will ask for proof that you're the TiVo owner.) |
5. Adjust the Parental Control Ratings Settings, if desired.
To simply block individual channels, jump ahead to Step 6; you don't need this step.
This area lets you block shows based solely on their audience maturity level, regardless of their channel. Many shows include a voluntary ratings system in their show description. Table 1 explains the rating system and how it sorts shows based on appropriate audience, type of content, and (for movies) their theatrical rating.
TiVo reads each show's rating, and chooses whether to block it based on the settings you choose here.
TV Rating Limit: This lets you block TV programs based on their maturity level. Each press of the Up Arrow blocks more types of content, eventually blocking all shows. Each press of the Down Arrow reduces the number of blocked shows, eventually allowing all shows.
The maturity ratings for TV, as shown in Table 1, are voluntary, and they cover only content created expressly for television.
Movie Rating Limit: Designed for theatrical releases, this blocks movies by their theatrical ratings: G, PG, PG-13, R, NC-17, and AO (adults only).
Block by TV Content: TiVo can also filter shows by their type of content: Suggestive dialogue, Language, Sexual Content, Violence, and Fantasy Violence. TiVo lets you mix and match from any or all of these categories, using the same six ranges found in the TV Rating Limit.
6. Lock out specific channels, if desired.
Turn on any Channel Locks: This simple solution lets you block any or all channels, regardless of their content.
7. Turn off Auto Relock, if desired.
After entering your password and watching a blocked show, will you remember to turn it back on at the show's end? TiVo's Auto Relock helps forgetful parents by automatically reinstating Parental Controls after nobody's touched the remote for four hours.
| Don't turn off the Auto Relock setting unless you can always remember to turn the controls back on yourself. |
8. Change Password, if desired.
If the kids figure out the password, head here to change it.
A few more tips and tricks:
- To turn off Parental Controls and watch a blocked show, enter your password when TiVo asks. (TiVo's Auto Relock, if you haven't turned it off in Step 7, turns the lock back on for you four hours after you put down the remote.)
 | - If you stumble across a channel that you'd like to block, press Info to bring up the large Channel Banner. Press the Down Arrow to highlight the Parental Controls setting. Finally, press Select to jump quickly to the Parental Controls and add the channel to your "blocked" list.
|
- TiVo can't block out a specific show based solely on its title. Instead, block out the entire channel (Step 6), or block out all shows matching that show's maturity rating (Step 5).
- Curious about a show's maturity rating? Select the show from the Now Playing list, and press Enter when the show's description appears. The show's rating appears near the top of the list.
- Sometimes programs lack a rating in their show description. When TiVo encounters an unrated movie, TiVo gives the movie the highest rating (AO). When TiVo finds no ratings on shows that aren't movies, it gives them the lowest rating (TV-Y).
- A little "locked" icon next to menus and show descriptions means TiVo's Parental Controls are turned on. An "unlocked" icon means they're turned off.
Table 1: The FCC's TV rating system
Rating Meaning
TV-Y All Children — This program is designed to be appropriate for all children. Whether animated or live-action, the themes and elements in this program are specifically designed for a very young audience, including children from ages 2-6. This program is not expected to frighten younger children.
TV-Y7 Directed to Older Children — This program is designed for children age 7 and above. Themes and elements in this program may include mild fantasy or comedic violence or may frighten children under the age of 7. Programs where fantasy violence may be more intense or more combative than other programs in this category will be designated TV-Y7-FV.
TV-G General Audience — Most parents would find this program suitable for all ages. Although this rating does not signify a program designed specifically for children, most parents may let younger children watch this program unattended. It contains little or no violence, no strong language, and little or no sexual dialogue or situations.
TV-PG Parental Guidance Suggested — This program contains material that parents may find unsuitable for younger children. Many parents may want to watch it with their younger children. The theme itself may call for parental guidance and/or the program contains one or more of the following: moderate violence (V), some sexual situations (S), infrequent coarse language (L), or some suggestive dialogue (D).
TV-14 Parents Strongly Cautioned — This program contains some material that many parents would find unsuitable for children under 14 years of age. Parents are strongly urged to exercise care in monitoring this program and are cautioned against letting children under the age of 14 watch unattended. This program contains one or more of the following: violence (V), sexual situations (S), strong coarse language (L), or intensely suggestive dialogue (D).
TV-MA Mature Audience Only — This program is specifically designed to be viewed by adults, and therefore may be unsuitable for children under 17. This program contains one or more of the following: graphic violence (V), explicit sexual activity (S), or crude, indecent language (L).
| 
