Best Box For Child Lockout

I've used or tested several CECB's and, unfortunately, I never tested the V-Chip capabilities.

I don't have the Ventura STB7766G, Digital Stream DTX-9950, or APEX DT250 anymore. I can check or supply you links to the manuals for the Insignia NS-DXA1-APT, APEX DT502 (available at Target for $40), Zinwell ZAT-970A (early run - available at amazon.com for $40), AccessHD DTA1080-D (not the best CECB), Sunkey SK-801ATSC (available at http://www.freetvsignal.com/ for $40), and RCA DTA800B1 (might find at Target for $40).

What are you looking for? You'll have to explain, because I don't use the function and don't have any need to ever use it.

As far as having to go into the menu, I think you'll pretty much have to do that on all of them to get to that feature.

Well, I have the CM7000 and the DTV Pal, and a Zinwell on the way. Maybe I can get to them later and check to see what the situation is like with those models at least.

According to the manual at http://www.dishnetwork.com/dtvpal/do..._withcover.pdf,

Locking Programs Based on Ratings
Your DTVPal supports a variety of ratings categories. These ratings depend on information about the program included by the broadcaster. Broadcasters may use the Age and Content Guidelines, or the MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America) Guidelines.

Entire AudienceIncludes rating categories None, TV-G, TV-PG, TV-14, and TV-MA.
ChildrenIncludes rating categories TV-Y and TV-Y7.
MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America)Includes rating categories N/A, G, PG, PG-13, R, and NC-17.
ExtendedIncludes rating categories Dialog, Language, Sex, Violence, and Fantasy Violence.

To block programs based on rating, use the following steps:
1 Select Ratings Settings from the Locks menu.
2 To easily lock (or unlock) all categories select Block All
or Unblock All.
3 To edit a specific category, highlight the category.
4 For that Category, press SELECT on the highest Rating you want to be viewed without a password. Anything with a rating higher than that will require entering your password before viewing. For example, if you select TV-G, programs with None or TV-G can be viewed without a password.
5 Select Done to save your changes.
6 Follow the steps in Locking the Receiver to apply the ratings locks.
Locking the Receiver
After you set the channel locks and the ratings locks, you must lock the receiver for the settings to take effect. To lock the receiver, select Lock System on the Locks menu.
If you already have a password, enter it using the remote's NUMBER PAD.
Enter a password using the NUMBER PAD on the remote control in the Password field.
Enter the new password again when prompted. Your DTVPal is now locked.

I just checked my CM-7000. when tuning to a blocked station, it asks you to enter your 4-digit passcode and then press ENTER, at which point it unblocks the station. this sounds like the functionality you're looking for.

Are you sure that the block is reinstated when the viewer changes stations or turns off the box, or at least that the viewer can reimpose the block without going through all the menus?

I checked my APEX DT502, Zinwell ZAT-970A, and Sunkey SK-801ATSC. They all appear to require going through the menu to disable the block.

'yes' to both.

Where are the parents in the evenings/nights when most of the inappropriate programming would be aired? There's not a whole lot on in the daytime for the kids to be corrupted by. If you aren't in the living room with the kids at night/evenings at least poke your head in the door every once in awhile.

I'm not sure I'd want my kids to watch soap operas - or even worse - Maury or Jerry Springer.

Not without me there to explain things to them, anyway.

You all are a bunch of prudes. There's nothing "corrupting" on broadcast TV; it's nothing compared to what's on some cable channels .

Thus, the reason there are so many households without cable.