2014-05-01, 18:43
I have search through previous post and seen a couple request for a more extensive parental control system. Many have stated what they don't like about what’s currently available, but never really given a true idea of what they want.
My Suggestion
Part of where this design idea comes from is Kids Shell on Android. In essence Kids Shell sits on top of or replaces the standard Android shell.
In its unlocked form (Parent Mode) you have full access to everything. You can set the allowed times and what apps you want your kids to have access to and so on.
In (Kid Mode) only allowed apps are displayed. If you try to access the parent mode you’re prompted for a password.
You can set this are the primary shell so when the child turns on the tablet that's what they see. Unaware that there is a password needed to access everything else and unaware that there are others items even available.
I would like to suggest a similar type system for XBMC to operate as an easier and more customizable Parental Control System.
The way it could work.
In Parent or Master User mode, all is displayed. You access the Parent Controls inside the system settings in order to configure or set it up.
First Setting would be Enable/Disabled
(When Enabled, once you exit settings, the Kids Friendly Version would be displayed)
To gain access back to Master Mode, you have an icon to select or a key combination to hit.
You have to enter the correct password. When correctly entered, it brings you directly to the parental settings page were you can turn parent mode off an on.
Second Setting
Menu Display
(Default TV Shows, Movies)
VIDEO, WEATHER SETTING and so on. Check adds an item, uncheck to filter out
Third Setting
Movie Filters
Film Ratings
R, PG-13, PG, and so
Check to show, uncheck to not show
Type Filter
Comedy, Romance, War, and so
Check to show, uncheck to not show
My wife an eye used Media Companion to set our own value of Kids, Family, Teens, Adults.
We just tell the kids there restricted to Kids and Family. But it be nice to just not give them the option.
TV Filter
Same basic setup, there ratings and types are slightly different.
Basically you’re not really adding anything. These are things that are already loaded into the existing library system. You just creating filters base on already existing formats to filter out what you don’t want your kids to see.
Advanced Filter
This will probably require a new category in the library, but say a film gets past the other 2 filters, but you still don’t want your kids to see it. Here you can select specific movies or TV shows you don’t want your children to see.
I don’t really know of a rating system with regards to music. My suggestion would be to filter by artist and then advance would be song.
The nice thing about a system like this is you could use it to be more than a parental tool, but you could make this into more of a guest mode. Hiding all the un-needed stuff you don’t need your guest to see.
When you launch XBMC, it just goes straight to Filter XBMC. Only when you need more advanced things would you unlock it and enter a password. This might be able to be achieved via an add on.
My Suggestion
Part of where this design idea comes from is Kids Shell on Android. In essence Kids Shell sits on top of or replaces the standard Android shell.
In its unlocked form (Parent Mode) you have full access to everything. You can set the allowed times and what apps you want your kids to have access to and so on.
In (Kid Mode) only allowed apps are displayed. If you try to access the parent mode you’re prompted for a password.
You can set this are the primary shell so when the child turns on the tablet that's what they see. Unaware that there is a password needed to access everything else and unaware that there are others items even available.
I would like to suggest a similar type system for XBMC to operate as an easier and more customizable Parental Control System.
The way it could work.
In Parent or Master User mode, all is displayed. You access the Parent Controls inside the system settings in order to configure or set it up.
First Setting would be Enable/Disabled
(When Enabled, once you exit settings, the Kids Friendly Version would be displayed)
To gain access back to Master Mode, you have an icon to select or a key combination to hit.
You have to enter the correct password. When correctly entered, it brings you directly to the parental settings page were you can turn parent mode off an on.
Second Setting
Menu Display
(Default TV Shows, Movies)
VIDEO, WEATHER SETTING and so on. Check adds an item, uncheck to filter out
Third Setting
Movie Filters
Film Ratings
R, PG-13, PG, and so
Check to show, uncheck to not show
Type Filter
Comedy, Romance, War, and so
Check to show, uncheck to not show
My wife an eye used Media Companion to set our own value of Kids, Family, Teens, Adults.
We just tell the kids there restricted to Kids and Family. But it be nice to just not give them the option.
TV Filter
Same basic setup, there ratings and types are slightly different.
Basically you’re not really adding anything. These are things that are already loaded into the existing library system. You just creating filters base on already existing formats to filter out what you don’t want your kids to see.
Advanced Filter
This will probably require a new category in the library, but say a film gets past the other 2 filters, but you still don’t want your kids to see it. Here you can select specific movies or TV shows you don’t want your children to see.
I don’t really know of a rating system with regards to music. My suggestion would be to filter by artist and then advance would be song.
The nice thing about a system like this is you could use it to be more than a parental tool, but you could make this into more of a guest mode. Hiding all the un-needed stuff you don’t need your guest to see.
When you launch XBMC, it just goes straight to Filter XBMC. Only when you need more advanced things would you unlock it and enter a password. This might be able to be achieved via an add on.
