Time Machine Television Controller Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)We've owned a couple of these units for the last 3 months and while we have not had experience with other devices that limit TV time, these units work pretty well. We are generally happy with them. They have limited the TV time to a reasonable level and left more time for other activities.
Pro's
1.The coins that come with the unit are solid feeling coins that have some weight to them. They're larger than normal coins, which is good since the kids first attempt to use normal money to turn on the timers and this hasn't worked.
2.The unit shuts off the TV signal instead of messing with the power. This is great for most TV's that have a constant "on" even when they're off. We don't have a HDTV so I can't tell you whether those will work well with the unit or not, but there are RCA jacks for the unit both in and out as well as coax in and out. This allows the hookup of a DVD player or game system and TV together.
3.The unit has a pause function so that kids can save their time (at which point the signal gets cut and the TV shows static). I've watched now, as my kids want to preserve all their minutes so that they will actually cut out the commercials to save their time for the shows! On the other hand, if someone leaves minutes on the unit and then you come in and want to watch TV, I haven't found a way to cancel those minutes or even override those minutes (without pulling the power and resetting everything).There are several things that could improve this unit:
1.The PIN code entry for adult use is very tedious to use. You have to use the large arrow pad and scroll through each number of your 4 digit PIN. This takes many button clicks to switch the unit on without using the coins. A small remote or keypad on the unit would help the speed of entry. (Imagine walking in the door in the 4th quarter of a game and you are fis-fuddling with the keypad as the final seconds tick down)
2.If the power goes off or someone pulls the plug on the unit, the PIN is reset to the default. The default PIN is very simple sequence that anyone could guess. Resetting the PIN is a pain because of all the scrolling that is needed as described above.
3.The security on the back of the unit was easily tampered with. There is a door on the back of the unit that holds the discarded coins and protects the TV inputs and outputs. While the key hole on the door uses one of those circular type security keys, my 8-year old was easily able to defeat the flimsy plastic door using a simple screwdriver and popping it out of position.


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It looks like a bank, but don\'t be fooled. The Time Machine is designed to help parents take control of kids\' behavior. Use it to block the signal from the television, game console or DVD player. Kids can earn 30-minute tokens that unlock the Time Machine when they complete chores, homework or simply behave well. Use a PIN number to lock the machine or alter the time tokens may be used. It comes with 30 reusable tokens and an AC adapter.

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