[Zerogoki]

very likely it won't stop the auto update. but the movies on a locked source will be hidden in your library until you either unlock it or enter master mode.

Hey Spiff, is there a way to lock a source but have it NOT hidden in the library and instead have the popup password box appear when only a file in the locked source is selected?

I have been playing around with the profiles feature but one flaw I see is if I turn off the lock (go into master mode) I have to remember to re-enable the lock (leave master mode) when I am done viewing the lock content. Being forgetful people (my wife mostly) we will always forget to do this.

So I was wondering if there is a way to not need to switch modes but instead have it so when a file is played in the locked source have it prompt for the password. If that file is stopped or another file is selected in the locked source have it prompt for the password again. Only when a file not in a locked source is selected will a password not be needed.

[dooferorg]

I agree with the sentiment that parental controls should be added. Given that it's been a requested but unimplemented feature for 6 years indicates that the developers don't have children or don't want to listen to a request to add a relatively simple feature. Are there any add-ons that implement this if the xbmc team is against the implementation of parental control mechanisms for philosophical reasons?

Noone is suggesting that parental controls take over from good parenting. However, use of a parental control to hide things innappropriate for young users is just simply a good idea in my opinion. My son, 8, is pretty responsible I think but there are some things I'd rather he didn't see. Heck, even some DVD covers can be a bit scary. I like XBMC for all its features but this seems to be a point where it's lacking.

I read over the things about adding different profiles and what-have-you. Talk about using a hammer to crack a nut. It seems so awkward. With that it still doesn't allow me to selectively enable/disable content. The xbox 360 parental control system is pretty slick, I think the xbmc devs would do well to play with it. You set a level you're happy with allowing access to without a password, accessing content 'above' that level means you get prompted. If you enter the password you can select to enable permanently for that particular item. Works well and is a valuable tool I think. When the kids get older, you bump the level up.

[jmarshall]

What "level" is that? Ratings are not international is the main sticking point there. Some content (music for instance) has no rating metadata associated with it. Other content (porn) may have no need for rating metadata as it's ALL of a particular rating (it may have no real metadata full stop).

Rating doesn't stop you accessing videos from other places (browse the disk) and so on.

This is why we use the hammer to crack the nut.

[Steve Evans]

I too had this concern, so I've submitted a couple of patches:

The first is addressed at http://trac.xbmc.org/ticket/10923 and fixes the following:

If a locally attached USB drive is used for media storage it is included in the media file lists. It is not possible to lock (password/pin protect) such entries, and consequently unrestricted access to the media on the drive is possible. In a family environment this is not acceptable.

This ticket provides a fix to this issue by adding a "Show removable media in file lists" option to the Appearance->File lists settings. If this option is enabled (the default) current behaviour is unaffected. If the option is disabled then removable media is not displayed in the file lists except when in master mode.

The second is addressed at http://trac.xbmc.org/ticket/10978 and fixes the following:

When having a number of profiles as per the attached profiles.xml in which both <hasdatabases>false</hasdatabases> and <hassources>true</hassources> are defined for one or more users, such users are able to view TV Shows from sources which have been explicitly removed from their profiles. Under the TV Show listing they are able to see the names of such shows, and under the rececently added episodes they are even able to view the episodes.

Note that this bug does not affect Movies.

The attached patch fixes this by applying the same permissions checks as are applied for Movies.

With the above in place you can setup profiles which have access to specific sources, sharing a common library, but unless configured to permit it your children will not be able to browse local drives.

To simplify use of profiles I have added the following to my remote.xml:

<global>
<remote>
...
<red>System.LogOff</red>
...
</remote>
</global>

Logging out then simply involves pressing the red key on the remote. Easy to do, but should you forget, there is always the option of an autologout as shown at http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php?tid=21541.

Spiff, any chance we could actually get these patches included?

Cheers,

Steve

[Steve Evans]

The script I referenced at the end of my email to autologoff doesn't work; or rather it logs you off if video is playing!!!! So, taking that script as inspiration:

Create a directory ~/.xbmc/addons/script.autologout.

Within this directory create a file called addon.xml

Code:

[font=Courier New]<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?>
<addon id="script.autologout"
       name="autologout"
       version="0.1"
       provider-name="Steve Evans">
  <requires>
    <import addon="xbmc.python" version="1.0"/>
  </requires>
  <extension point="xbmc.service"
             library="default.py" start="startup">
  </extension>
  <extension point="xbmc.addon.metadata">
    <platform>all</platform>
    <summary lang="en">Auto-logout if left idle</summary>
  </extension>
</addon>[/font]

Then create a default.py containing:

Code:

[font=Courier New]import xbmc,time

# idle time in minutes
IDLE_TIME_MIN = 5

while 1:
  s = 1
  while s > 0:
    # get idle time
    it = xbmc.getGlobalIdleTime()
    #calculate sleep time in msec
    s = ((IDLE_TIME_MIN * 60) - it ) * 1000
    # sleep for 1s if playing
    if (xbmc.Player().isPlaying()): s = 1000
    if (s > 0): xbmc.sleep(s)
  # log off
  xbmc.executebuiltin('System.LogOff')[/font]

This creates a service which monitors activity, and if XBMC is idle (and not playing media) for more than the specified timeout, the current user is logged out.

Steve

[aNiceGuy]

Although I agree to adding parental controls to XBMC as a safe guard, I think that is a secondary, best effort approach. Items like add-ons potentially providing rated content should/can be blocked in XBMC using profiles currently. As for stored movies and TV episodes, they should be blocked at the source. In my household this means the file server. The current method is manual and could be improved upon with some level of automation.

Using XBMC profiles, the default profile uses a standard user account on the file server. This user account has white list file system access, that is access to files and folders I explicitly allow.

When adults wish to access blocked content they must login to a different XBMC profile. This profile uses a user account with higher file system permissions and thus can access everything.

Benefits to this approach mean that regardless of the access method used by the children they do not have permissions to the files and folders.

If a file server is not used just use local user permissions.

[Steve Evans]

Indeed, profiles are the key to controlling content. It's then easy to organise content on the server as that suitable for adults vs that suitable for all using distinct sources.

This does require however that the concept of a profile is secure, hence my patches and auto-logout script.

Steve

[pauldsmyth]

Well I've been using Mythtv for sometime and have been considering migrating to XBMC for the frontend. This thread has shown me what a bad idea that is. Clearly the developers do not live in a home with teenagers or pre-teens. Separate profiles? Log out and back in again? Really? You honestly think this stops kids?

This is a perfect example of the "Don't press the big red button" syndrome. While many aspects of the mythtv frontend are appalling and the music playing interface is as bad an interface I've ever seen on anything the ability to have a single library aggregating all sources into on combined interface hiding inappropriate content is far superior. When I update my library, metadata is automically pulled in and the MPAA rating imported, I can set 3 different pins to allow my 12 year old daughter access to content inappropriate to my 10 year old son so that they can in separate rooms watch content from the same library that is age appropriate while allowing me to store films that are inappropriate to them out of sight. The main thing you have to remember is to set the pin change page to be pin protected or it all falls down. Keeping the pin secret is the trick and not letting them see me enter it of course.

Such a shame really.

[pecinko]

@pauldsmith

Could not agree more. Profiles are thought well but very very unconvinient to use in practice. Myth like solution would probably mean new library approach in order to get implemented.

[pauldsmyth]

@pauldsmith

Could not agree more. Profiles are thought well but very very unconvinient to use in practice. Myth like solution would probably mean new library approach in order to get implemented.

I just wish I had time at the moment to contribute, I rarely criticise because I detest people who complain about things they get for free and are too lazy to help with but I just felt that a comment was necessary.

[Steve Evans]

With profiles you get to enter your pin once, rather than for each film as would be the case with per film filtering. This only really works with auto-logout though, so perhaps such functionality should be part of profile setup rather than requiring a separate script?

Steve

[isamu.dragon]

With profiles you get to enter your pin once, rather than for each film as would be the case with per film filtering. This only really works with auto-logout though, so perhaps such functionality should be part of profile setup rather than requiring a separate script?

Steve

agreed.

Plus what is stopping a smart kid from either Playing through the files mode (even the new Library version) or shutting down XBMC (Alt-Tabbing out included) and playing that way?

Remembering to when I was a kid in the 90s, It was easy to beat parental controls on cable boxes (still is). With a cable box you locked channels which could be on that channel ALL DAY if the adult unlocked it. But for every movie and/or tv show it is ridicules.

The profile method is more practical. If the kid doesn't know you have that 'R' rated movie, he won't try to watch it.

I consider the Profile method more like the "Lock the Channel" for cable. when your done watching the "R" rated movie you just change back to the normal profile.

Heck an easy way to fool the kid IMHO is to have the bulk (ALL Kid Friendly programing) on the "Kid" profile and all of the stuff you'd have restricted on the other.

[Steve Evans]

I found that the latest git pull caused some issues with my autologout script which had previously been launching at startup.

It now runs at login which is much more appropriate.

addon.xml:

Code:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes"?>
<addon id="script.autologout"
       name="autologout"
       version="0.2"
       provider-name="Steve Evans">
  <requires>
    <import addon="xbmc.python" version="1.0"/>
  </requires>
  <extension point="xbmc.service"
             library="default.py" start="login">
  </extension>
  <extension point="xbmc.addon.metadata">
    <platform>all</platform>
    <summary lang="en">Auto-logout if left idle</summary>
  </extension>
</addon>

default.py:

Code:

import xbmc,time

# idle time in minutes
IDLE_TIME_MIN = 5

s = 1
while s > 0:
    # get idle time
    it = xbmc.getGlobalIdleTime()
    #calculate sleep time in msec
    s = ((IDLE_TIME_MIN * 60) - it ) * 1000
    # sleep for IDLE_TIME_MIN if playing
    if (xbmc.Player().isPlaying()): s = IDLE_TIME_MIN * 60 * 1000
#    print("autologout: Sleeping for %d ms" % s)
    if (s > 0): xbmc.sleep(s)

# log off
#print('autologout: Logging off')
xbmc.executebuiltin('System.LogOff')
#print('autologout: Logged off')

Steve

[ghostelement]

@pauldsmith you have the right idea here. It needs to be something that can easily be setup. Blocking based on MPAA rating is the way to go. Then you could also have some settings or rules that could be enabled for movies/shows that don't have any rating. Those could be auto blocked. Would be nice to be able to go into the "more-info" view for items manually too and tell it to block.

[hendoben]

@pauldsmith you have the right idea here. It needs to be something that can easily be setup. Blocking based on MPAA rating is the way to go. Then you could also have some settings or rules that could be enabled for movies/shows that don't have any rating. Those could be auto blocked. Would be nice to be able to go into the "more-info" view for items manually too and tell it to block.

Is there nothing like this then? I'm surprised at that, it's only recently that i myself would have had any use for this feature, but with the thousands and thousands of people using XBMC, many with kids, i'm shocked something like this hasn't been implemented already.