Parental Lock for Imported Videos

[ShadoWolf]

First, I'd like to say THANK YOU to all the wonderful people that put tons of time and effort into Sage and the many available customizations, YOU ALL ROCK!

I've been working far too much over the past few months and haven't been able to watch hardly any TV/Movies... but my schedule has calmed back down so I do have some free time here and there, so of course, I WANT TO CUSTOMIZE! :D

I have the latest version of Sage loaded with the latest SageMC STV (w/ flachbar's 6.12a add-ons), the only thing that appears to me "missing" that I would like is the ability to hide/lock a folder (or folders) in my Imported Videos section.

My wife and I have some adult-oriented movies that we like to indulge in from time to time, but of course the kids should not only be barred from PLAYING these movies, but they should be completely hidden from their view so they don't even know they exist. Right now to accomplish this I have it set to where you actually have to log completely out of the PC and login with a special account, browse to the movies in questions and open them via Windows Explorer... needless to say this is rather cumbersome and it completely cuts Sage and it's awesome capabilities out of the process.

Ideally, I'd like to be able to put a folder in my Video Import directories called "Censored" (or whatever, the title is not important), but have it so that if you try to open this folder in Sage from the "My Video" section you are prompted to enter the Parental Unlock code, and if you get it wrong you can't even open the folder - let alone view the contents. This would not only keep them from accessing the videos located in this folder, but would also keep them from even seeing the titles (of which many are not appropriate...)

I've searched the forums high and low and haven't seen anything that will do this. The cloest thread I've seen has to do with EPG ratings and a customization by Malore, but it doesn't appear to work in "My Videos".

Any ideas on how I can accomplish what I'm looking for? TIA!

[evilpenguin]

A really easy way to accomplish this is just to...

1) Put all of the videos into a single folder
2) Add that folder to Sage's video imports, but only enable searching for music and not video
3) When you want to watch them enable searching for video and rescan your video import directories and they'll show up
4) When your done, disable searching for video and rescan again and they'll just disappear

Its terribly secure and you have to remember to lock it down when your done, but it will get the job done until someone cranks out a nice password plugin.

[ShadoWolf]

Aside from the fact that it's not that secure and it's somewhat cumbersome... the biggest problem is that I have TONS of video in my import directories, running a scan takes 15+ minutes. That would mean I'd be spending over half an hour just to unhide/rehide everything! :eek2: In the end it would be faster and less of a pain to just do what I'm doing now (close sage, log out of Windows, log back in to windows and find what I want via Explorer, then just reboot - I have auto-logon setup to a service account I created for Sage, so the machine just boots straight into Sage anytime it's restarted...)

I guess I'm going to just have to wait for someone to design this into Sage somehow, I can't program my way out of a wet paper bag... :(

[dvd_maniac]

I'm really surprised this hasn't been incorporated into the core since the basic functionality is already there. Just give us an option to enable the lock when adding the import directory. I actually went through the hassle of setting up Win23K in a domain network for Sage server and used an external player so that my kid's client machines couldn't access South Park episodes, which caused other issues as well including remote setup, Application focus, aspect ratio and playback quality issues. But the external player was neccessary since Sage doesn't obey NTFS permissions.
Everytime I figured how to accomplish something another problem popped up.

[alleghator]

We have a bunch of movies ripped from DVD, etc. I'd love to be able to password these based on which folder they're in or their movie rating, etc. So far my kids (7 and 5 yrs old) aren't interested in looking for things they shouldn't be watching. But I'm sure the time will come.

And, in the meantime ... I don't want them to even be able to see something inappropriate even accidentally.

--Heidi

[dagar]

Nielm's Dynamic Menus support a PIN for some 'security'. If I had it reinstalled (lazy right now) :D I'd check. I've had it setup on the 'setup' menu item. You may be able to make a custom menu and put a 'tame' name on it then place a PIN on that new menu item.

[alleghator]

I'm running Sage MC ... any easy parental lock in there?

[flachbar]

I'm running Sage MC ... any easy parental lock in there?
Yep, nielm's dynamic menus with PIN code support is built-in :) Activate the dynamic main menu instead of the standard SageMC main menu, then you can assign a PIN code to any menu item.


Dirk

[alleghator]

OK, step-by-step, please. It's been months since I've fiddled with any menus, so I don't remember where to find anything.

Where do I go to activate the other menu system? Do I have to keep that system activated to keep the PIN? Can I password only certain imported videos, rather than the entire video folder? Or perhaps PIN certain genres and not all?

--Heidi

[flachbar]

OK, step-by-step, please. It's been months since I've fiddled with any menus, so I don't remember where to find anything.

Hi Heidi,

sure no problem (the following assumes you are running at least SageMC 6.3.0) :

1) bring up the options menu from the main menu
2) if you get the options for the dynamic main menu - fine, close options menu and go to step 4)
3) set "Dynamic Main Menu" option to "Enabled"
4) highlight the "My Videos" main menu item
5) bring up the options menu again
6) select "Edit Menu Item" / "Set PIN Code"
7) you are done, access to the "My Videos" menu is now restricted

Do I have to keep that system activated to keep the PIN?

Yes, you have to stick to the dynamic main menu. But since it gives you everything the standard main menu has, and much more, there's really no reason not to...


Can I password only certain imported videos, rather than the entire video folder? Or perhaps PIN certain genres and not all?
Nope, the PIN protection is the same as in the nielm's original dynamic menu import and is solely based on menu items


Dirk

[alleghator]

I'm not on that version yet (haven't updated to Sage 6, yet).

I may try to do this, even though I really want the kids to be able to watch their own movies in the Videos folder. Hmmm.....I'll probably start with this even though I'm really hoping for something movie-rating based eventually.

--Heidi

[alleghator]

Within Sage MC, can I set up two different My Videos menu items (I can give them separate names, like "My Videos" and "Kids' Videos.")?

Then ... I could password one and not the other, still giving my kids access to their own stuff.

--Heidi

[Diginerd]

Pretty sure that wouldn't work as behind each they would path back to the same internal screen, which has the same sage properties media paths enabled..

This is one to file with Frey as a request to add..

[flachbar]

Within Sage MC, can I set up two different My Videos menu items (I can give them separate names, like "My Videos" and "Kids' Videos.")?

Then ... I could password one and not the other, still giving my kids access to their own stuff.

--Heidi

The next version might have something for you :)


Dirk

[alleghator]

Sure .... you're finally going to make me have to shell out the cash to upgrade to Sage 6 ... just to get this new feature in Sage MC. ;)

I made the separate menu items ... but as there's only one Video Library, they both end up pointing to the same inside screen, so even if one were passworded, the other accessible one would still point right into the entire video library (since I couldn't separate the video libraries to point at the separate folders I'd set up "Movies" and "Kid Movies" for that purpose). So, I guess what I'd really like to be able to do is password certain genres. That way anything I want them to have access to I can put in the Family genre, and I can password everything else. Right now, they know all their shows/movies are in either Animation or Family (frequently both), and they haven't the interest in looking for anything else. But ... I know those days are numbered.

--Heidi

[flachbar]

(since I couldn't separate the video libraries to point at the separate folders I'd set up "Movies" and "Kid Movies" for that purpose).

But all Kids movies are stored under a separate path, different to the ones you want to protect, right ?


So, I guess what I'd really like to be able to do is password certain genres.
Well, the changes in the next version will not be genre-based


Dirk

[alleghator]

But all Kids movies are stored under a separate path, different to the ones you want to protect, right ?

Yes, I have separate folders on a networked drive ... Movies and Kid Movies. But, when I made the separate menu items in SageMC, I didn't know how to make tham point to separate things ... they both went to the same Video Library, which then contained all the movies.

--Heidi

ps. Not genre-based is OK, too. :) I'm not picky.

[flachbar]

But, when I made the separate menu items in SageMC, I didn't know how to make tham point to separate things ... they both went to the same Video Library, which then contained all the movies.


Yep, that's exactly what will be addressed in the next version :)


Dirk

[alleghator]

As always, you guys rock.

[bcjenkins]

Yep, that's exactly what will be addressed in the next version :)


Dirk
awesome!

B

[wirecreative]

Hey, so is this a part of Version 6?

I only had 6 installed for a few hours last weekend, but had some problems so I had to roll-back, but I'm going to try it again this weekend.

How does this parental control work? I'd love for it to be folder-based.

Would a protected folder also then not show thumbnails?

[dvd_maniac]

As a temporary fix I put all the videos that i do not want the kids to watch onto an external Hard Drive and keep it off until Me or my wife want to watch something on it. The videos still show up on the menu but gives an error when trying to play them.

Would definitely be nice to see something added to address this internally though.

[bcjenkins]

You can do this in SageMC, which is largely why I use it. I would prefer an add-on for the default stv though.

B

[nielm]

V6.1 allows 'real' parental controls on imported videos if you use the poperties file metadata feature added in 6.1.4 to specify the rating. (see the v6.1.4 release thread for a list of valid property names)

This is independant of the STV used (provided your STV supports parental controls)

For each video you want protected, you create a <videofilename>.properties file containing the line:

Rated=<rating>

where rating is one of the parental protected ratings (eg TV14, R, PG, etc)
Then reimport the file (remove/re-add library, or change file name or parent folder name and rescan).

eg:

my_naughty_vid.avi
my_naughty_vid.avi.properties (containing 'Rated=R')


When the file is reimported you can see using detailed info in my webserver that it has a parental rating, and when played, you will prompted for the parental code.

Caveats:

Advisories don't seem to be supported in the properties file....
The video file names will still be seen and be found in search results but not playable (just like late-night movies on TV).


Plus points:

The parental controls will still work if the user browses media files to the file in question and attempts to play it :)
so long as the properties file stays with the media file, the parental controls will be updated when/if you move the file.

[dvd_maniac]

Thanx Nielm,
This works flawlessly...

[ChePazzo]

Is there a way to put all of the info into a single file? or a way to batch create the files? I'm just thinking for 100's of movies, creating 100's of files would be cumbersome. I also guess there's no way to use the Sage GUI to create any of the .properties files?

Even so, it's still a useful feature and I can't wait to play with it.

V6.1 allows 'real' parental controls on imported videos if you use the poperties file metadata feature added in 6.1.4 to specify the rating. (see the v6.1.4 release thread for a list of valid property names)

This is independant of the STV used (provided your STV supports parental controls)

For each video you want protected, you create a <videofilename>.properties file containing the line:

Rated=<rating>

where rating is one of the parental protected ratings (eg TV14, R, PG, etc)
Then reimport the file (remove/re-add library, or change file name or parent folder name and rescan).

eg:

my_naughty_vid.avi
my_naughty_vid.avi.properties (containing 'Rated=R')


When the file is reimported you can see using detailed info in my webserver that it has a parental rating, and when played, you will prompted for the parental code.

Caveats:

Advisories don't seem to be supported in the properties file....
The video file names will still be seen and be found in search results but not playable (just like late-night movies on TV).


Plus points:

The parental controls will still work if the user browses media files to the file in question and attempts to play it :)
so long as the properties file stays with the media file, the parental controls will be updated when/if you move the file.

[nielm]

Is there a way to put all of the info into a single file?no - it has to be per-file
or a way to batch create the files?no, but it would be trivial for someone to create a Dos batch or WScript file to iterate thro a directory structure and create a simple .properties file containing just the rating.

[bcjenkins]

This does not seem to be working for ripped DVDs. Bummer

FTR

videoframe/pc_restrict=Rape,Graphic Language,TVM,Graphic Violence,NC-17,R,PG-13,Nudity,Strong Sexual Content,NR,Brief Nudity,AO,

[JREkiwi]

I also guess there's no way to use the Sage GUI to create any of the .properties files?
<shameless plug>;) There is an import for the creation of .my and .properties files. Thread over here (http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21629).

The test version 2.1.0 provides creation of properties files, import of info (including MPAA rating) from IMDB and editing of existing wiz.bin info.</shameless plug>

John

[nielm]

This does not seem to be working for ripped DVDs. BummerNarflex mentioned to me that this will be fixed in a future release...

[bcjenkins]

Narflex mentioned to me that this will be fixed in a future release...

Yeah, I got that back from George at support. I did find a work around though. If I use your IMDB plugin along with John's .my file creator, I can import the info into the wiz.bin and the controls take affect.

B

[eobiont]

uoy could have jere's dirmon monitor the video linrary abd call a batch file to create the properties files, still it would be best if you coukd protect whole folder in the same way/

Let's say you have a folder called "fluffy bunnies" and then you drop a bunch of risque files in there. You sould be able to make a properties file at the same level and name as the folder and that would prevent access to the entire folder. The sage user would only see the folder name, and would be required to enter the password to browse the folder and sub folders. Seems like a pretty simple implementation, that lots of people would take advantage of.

I don't like at all how any placeshifter user can browse my whole hard drive.

[bcjenkins]

For me it is not "Fluffy Bunnies" more "Blood and Guts" Presumably you can prevent a PS user from browsing the directory by removing the SageTV user's rights to list directory contents with NTFS permissions.

B

[jchong]

...You sould be able to make a properties file at the same level and name as the folder and that would prevent access to the entire folder. The sage user would only see the folder name, and would be required to enter the password to browse the folder and sub folders. Seems like a pretty simple implementation, that lots of people would take advantage of...

Does this actually work? I wasn't able to get it to work :confused:

[edbmdave]

Yep, that's exactly what will be addressed in the next version :)


Dirk

Did this ever get implemented? If so how does it work.

[Stuntman]

I'm looking for this too.. need to be able to password protect just 'some' of the DVD's I've ripped..