Want to turn off parental controls for 4 hours

[javaking01]

I would like to disable parental controls for 4 hours.  This is a feature that my WOW (Scientific Atlanta) DVR readily provided.  

On page 19 of the U-verse_Feature_Guide (https://uma.att.com/assets/files/U-verse_Feature_Guide.pdf) there is a reference that reads as follows:

Turning Off Settings For Just 4 Hours

To temporarily turn off parental locking,
access the settings screen, select turn off
locking, and press OK. Select unlock all
TV for 4 hours and press OK. The parental
locking menu item in the general settings
screen will show an open lock.

Yet when I look for the "setting screen", I find my brand new U-verse DVR has "Options" with "System Settings", "Channel Options", "Parental locking" and "Restart"? 

So what happened to the "Settings Screen" that provides the user the ability to turn off parental controls for 4 hours?

A new U-verse user

Javaking01 

[RCSMG ACE - Master]

On the non-dvr stbs I didn't see the 4 hour setting either.

[spd2demun ACE - Master]

I've only seen that it is unlocked for 1 hour.  And STB we just re-connected is doing the blocking CONSTANTLY and it's very annoying!  I've do hard reboot and soft reboot; doesn't make it go away like it used to.  Nothing is set for parental controls.  Once it even shut down the evening news!

[randyl]

---

spd2demun wrote:
I've only seen that it is unlocked for 1 hour.  And STB we just re-connected is doing the blocking CONSTANTLY and it's very annoying!  I've do hard reboot and soft reboot; doesn't make it go away like it used to.  Nothing is set for parental controls.  Once it even shut down the evening news!

---

        neat    its depressing ne way

[spd2demun ACE - Master]

No kidding!  And a lot of the content should be R, LOL!

I made a boo-boo...

Message Edited by spd2demun on 07-23-2008 11:04 AM

[Uturnaroun]

Try this:

Press Menu, scroll to Options, choose Parental locking. Enter your pin and then choose turn off locking at the left. Then pick unlock for 4 hours.

Alternatively you can just go a blocked show, enter the pin, and choose unlock for 4 hours.

[javaking01]

 Great idea, but my DVR does not have the the "turn off locking" as an option on the left.  I just have "Save" and "Change PIN" on the left.

As far as your alternate method, also missing the unlock for 4 hours as an option. 

______________________________________________________ 

Try this:

Press Menu, scroll to Options, choose Parental locking. Enter your pin and then choose turn off locking at the left. Then pick unlock for 4 hours.

Alternatively you can just go a blocked show, enter the pin, and choose unlock for 4 hours.

[spd2demun ACE - Master]

I found it and we'll see what happens, and I know that option wasn't there before (as I've been here before).  I want to know why it keeps coming up (and on programs that aren't R, like the news).  No parental controls are set and never have been.

[Uturnaroun]

---

javaking01 wrote:

 Great idea, but my DVR does not have the the "turn off locking" as an option on the left.  I just have "Save" and "Change PIN" on the left.

As far as your alternate method, also missing the unlock for 4 hours as an option. 

---

Does this happen on all of the TVs, or just one?

[spd2demun ACE - Master]

I just checked and the STBs don't have that feature; seems it is only for the DVR.  After I changed it using UT's suggestion, now I can go back in and there's an option to change it for ALL TVs.

Maybe try doing a soft reboot on your DVR?  Just hold the Power button down (on front) for 5 seconds, release (or you can use the RESET option from your remote control).  Sounds like something they've added recently?

[javaking01]

Fails (menu item not present) on both (two) TVs and DVR.

javaking01   

[Uturnaroun]

Try doing a DR on one of your normal boxes (not the DVR). Hold down the OK, Down, and Power buttons for 5 seconds until the box restarts. However, continue to hold them down until you see the three lights at the front flash. If after a few seconds they still don't flash, release the Power button for a second and then press it again. Release all three buttons when the lights flash.

A picture of a gear should appear with a progress bar at the bottom, after that fill su, 2 gears will appear and it will fill up again. Then it should take you back to the TV. Check to see if it returns.

Remember, don't do it on the DVR. You will lose your recordings if you do.

[spd2demun ACE - Master]

I tried that as well...doesn't fix it.  Last call to TS claimed they are working on a fix and I would see it the next morning...NOT!

Early this morning, TV went to the Lock screen; pressing OK/enter PIN would NOT free it up this time.  Tried 5 times, kept bringing it back to the Lock screen, press OK, etc.  And what it blocked was The Simpson's Movie.

I tried switching to another channel, then coming back; suddenly the Lock screen was gone.

It's a bug and they don't seem to have a fix.

Haven't seen it on the DVR in a while, but all the STBs do it.

[Uturnaroun]

I wonder if this is another localized bug (like the hide channel option)?

[spd2demun ACE - Master]

I have no idea, but it's getting really tiring!

Been trying to find out if OTHERS are reporting this, and TS says they are, but when they said a fix was just done (few days ago), it didn't apply here (if that was a true statement).

I did find the last time it happened, I could just go up or down a channel, and come back and it was gone (no inputting of PIN, which does no good anyway to get rid of it).  Again, it had blocked something that wasn't anywhere near R-rating.  2 boxes that are doing it constantly are the coax ones... 

Message Edited by spd2demun on 07-30-2008 09:32 AM

[javaking01]

Imagine watching a show on your brand new U-Verse cable, after taking the time to unlock the show (see the following unlock procedure).  Your show is half over and the lock comes up (who knows why).  You hit enter, wait, wait, wait, hit enter again, wait wait wait, ... perhaps you didn't have the remote pointed at the box ... hit enter again: get the message that says hit enter to unlock, hit enter again, wait, wait, enter password hit enter again, get screen with white and blue background (which is the selected item?), hit down arrow (don't miss this or you get to start over from the beginning!) then enter and then you get to see the show you were watching and you have missed 5 mins of your show. 

Hmmm..........

Don't laugh..... honestly, this is my U-Verse cable watching experience.  DVR or cable box ... both work the same.

Just the way I want to watch tv :-(

Would you like to pay $100+ per month to watch tv like this, just to have parental controls in place?

Had a U-Verse tech on site to try and figure it out.  No progress, the tuner menus do not work the way the book (he left for us) shows.   

[Uturnaroun]

Have they tried actaully replacing the box incase it is faulty?

[spd2demun ACE - Master]

And we wouldn't even have this feature if people would take responsibility in monitoring their kids' TV watching habits.

I still think it was an update because that's when several folks starting having a problem with it.  TS doesn't seem to have a clue...I've given up on trying to make them understand.

I noticed it around the time they forced the boxes to turn off (EnergyStar) after 8 (?) hours.  And it has nothing to do with R or Adult content...lock just pops up at random.

[javaking01]

Two set top boxes plus on DVR all have the same behavior (problem).  Does not appear to be a defective box.  Would appear to be working as designed / ill-designed.

[javaking01]

Kids sometimes wake up before their parents (i.e. at 5:00 am) and turn on the TV before their parents wake up.  My 10 impressionable year old son happened upon a "Girls Gone Wild" 1/2 hour infomercial on cable.  Should I cut the cable? 

Parental controls were applied to all TVs that morning.

[callmeox ACE - Wizard]

Or it's a local function bug since many of the features are controlled at your VHO.

[ddbklb]

I know this is old thread, but I had the same issue.  When I went to:

Menu / option / Parental locking

I did not see the option to turn off locking... After a call to TS level 2 they found the solution:....

I had the Adult content blocked also when in the parental locking settings.

menu / option /Parental locking / enter pin / on right down to adult programs (item 6 of 6)

if this setting is set to block adult content you don't get the option to turn off locking.  Once you turn off Adult content blocking then you get the option to turn off locking.

They told me (I HAVE NOT TESTED IT YET) that if you turn off locking for adult programs and have rental set for pin required and have move rating set to R or NC 17 and above blocked with TV MA blocked then it will also block Adult progams...    I will test to see...

I