INTERACT FORUM

More => Old Versions => Media Center 12 (Development Ended) => Topic started by: Araj on April 07, 2008, 06:12:26 am

Title: Child-Proof Theater View
Post by: Araj on April 07, 2008, 06:12:26 am
I'm in the final throes of my first HTPC and intend to use the MC Theater View as mission control. However, if the box boots into XP then it's child's play (literally) to jump out of MC and do any of those other things that kids ought or ought not to do with a PC. As I'm not intending to fix something once a week, can anyone tell me if it's possible to boot straight into MC (that's the easy bit) and then refuse to go anywhere else, shutting down Windows on exiting MC ? Erm yes, I would still need access myself ;-) but that would be easy to fix with two user accounts at login.

My guess is there's probably some sort of freeware utility out there for just this purpose but I didn't find one yet.
Title: Re: Child-Proof Theater View
Post by: ThoBar on April 07, 2008, 08:41:49 am
I think this would be an excellent idea - for parties, kiosks and other situations where you dont want the desktop or standard view exposed.

I think that it'd be an easy option to implement too  ;)
Title: Re: Child-Proof Theater View
Post by: gappie on April 07, 2008, 09:02:47 am
i love the idea.
could be like access. when you said to use theaterview as startup (via options or mc12.exe /theaterview), it only starts thv up. exit is quit. use the startup with shift pressed and standard view comes up, or an other startup link.

something like that... :)

 :)
gab
Title: Re: Child-Proof Theater View
Post by: bil1010105 on April 07, 2008, 10:03:24 am
Completely agree - this would be a very worthwhile feature.
Title: Re: Child-Proof Theater View
Post by: fitbrit on April 07, 2008, 10:17:52 am
Party mode on steroids!
Title: Re: Child-Proof Theater View
Post by: Doof on April 07, 2008, 02:49:23 pm
I wonder if you could just set the Windows Shell to MC? I wonder if that work.
Title: Re: Child-Proof Theater View
Post by: ThoBar on April 08, 2008, 03:32:09 am
Possibly, but you'd still want a 'password' to drop back to standard view I think...
Title: Re: Child-Proof Theater View
Post by: Araj on April 08, 2008, 05:59:40 am
If it could be implemented into MC then that would naturally be ideal.

An additonal password-protected exit to Windows option would definitely be practical too, but this could also perhaps just be managed by Windows user accounts if it's difficult to implement.

Seems strange that no-one else has found the need. My kids aren't the world's worst but left to their own devices they'd be installing games, updates, downloading and whatever the first chance they got - and always able to come up with a brilliant reason why it was exceptionally completely necessary and unavoidable ;-)

Title: Re: Child-Proof Theater View
Post by: ThoBar on April 08, 2008, 07:57:37 am
If it could be implemented into MC then that would naturally be ideal.

An additonal password-protected exit to Windows option would definitely be practical too, but this could also perhaps just be managed by Windows user accounts if it's difficult to implement.

Seems strange that no-one else has found the need. My kids aren't the world's worst but left to their own devices they'd be installing games, updates, downloading and whatever the first chance they got - and always able to come up with a brilliant reason why it was exceptionally completely necessary and unavoidable ;-)


Hmmm... sounds too much like how I justify things to myself too ... maybe the next step is if MC could lock me out too then  ;)
Title: Re: Child-Proof Theater View
Post by: evilhobo on April 12, 2008, 08:57:03 pm
hmm..... doesn't seem like any jriver ppl picked this up. so i'm bumping it a bit.

I also think this is a great idea. especially if windows could startup straight into theatre view and close with theatre view. and possibly some key combo or password to return to the desktop/standard view.
Title: Re: Child-Proof Theater View
Post by: steveklein on April 14, 2008, 03:51:33 pm
add me to the group of people who think this is a very good idea.
Title: Re: Child-Proof Theater View
Post by: Araj on May 14, 2008, 04:28:09 am
bumpy bumpy bump  ;)
Title: Re: Child-Proof Theater View
Post by: Araj on May 27, 2008, 01:28:08 am
bumpy bumpy bump

Hello JR? Is this a possibility?