Help with feeding a video source to an HDTV

[dud]

I am seeking information for a friend who is buying a large 50"+ HDTV (either 720P or 1080P) but wants access to the TV (and it's video source) highly (and I mean highly) restricted. You may be familiar with this type of scenario: Friend has a sluggard of a roomate who will watch TV all day if she cannot "lock it down" from them being able to watch.

As for video ... all she wants to be able to watch is documentaries and "educational" shows. She has internet access but will not be buying her provider's TV programming package. What type of "box" would you recommend that has parental-type controls to limit access to Netflix (something she wants) and all other varieties of TV/movies, etc?

Thanks ...

 

[sdifox]

The only thing I can think of is physical security. It is kind of silly to be in a co-dwelling situation but not wanting to share the TV yet want to keep the TV in a shared space.

 

[jtvang125]

I don't think there's anything on the tv side that can lock it down that tightly. You can hide the remote but many tvs still have basic buttons on the tv itself and can't be disabled (atleast on all the tvs I've owned). I think with netflix you can have it not remember your password so you'll have to enter everytime you want to watch anything.

Easiest solution is to keep the tv in her room. To have the tv in a shared area but refusing to share it is kinda a$$hole-ish in my opinion.

 

[smitbret]

I am seeking information for a friend who is buying a large 50"+ HDTV (either 720P or 1080P) but wants access to the TV (and it's video source) highly (and I mean highly) restricted. You may be familiar with this type of scenario: Friend has a sluggard of a roomate who will watch TV all day if she cannot "lock it down" from them being able to watch.

As for video ... all she wants to be able to watch is documentaries and "educational" shows. She has internet access but will not be buying her provider's TV programming package. What type of "box" would you recommend that has parental-type controls to limit access to Netflix (something she wants) and all other varieties of TV/movies, etc?

Thanks ...

Your friend sounds like a pompous bitch.

 

[kalrith]

I see only three (to four) options to keep your friend from being forced to allow the roommate to watch her TV:

Don't buy a TV
Put TV in her bedroom and install a deadbolt on the door
Kick out roommate and live by herself
Possibly taking the power cord with her when she leaves (although said roommate could get another powercord)

Apart from that, limiting the content available to the TV will likely encourage the roommate to not watch it. Just having OTA or possibly having a STB or laptop that she takes with her when she leave might do it. However, as already noted, if she has a roommate and puts her TV in the common area, then the roommate has every right to watch it. It would be akin to buying a microwave, putting it in the kitchen, and telling the roommate to not use it or to only microwave nutritious food in it. It's a ridiculous request, and the second she's gone, the roommate will do whatever he wants with the items in the common area.