TV Allowance - TV & Video Game Time Manager

We've only had this a week, but so far, it works like a charm! My boys (5 & 9) don't fight as much about who gets to control the TV. Control belongs to whomever is using their code. And it's teaching my younger son more about planning ahead & conserving. He ran out of time this week, and we talked about how he could earn some extra, and how he might be more conservative with it next week. He voluntarily cleared the counter (not normally his chore) in order to get a little extra time for the weekend. We will be using a reward system to encourage some skills we have been working to learn, and this is a nice way to make TV time more concrete for them (and me- I'm terrible at keeping up with it).We have the system plugged into our newish (bought 2013-14, I think) flat-screen Panasonic TV. Set up was a breeze (just follow the booklet), and the cord was long enough to put the system below the TV, with the cord tucked into the shelf below. We had to figure out how to get the TV to come on, which involves leaving the TV turned on when the box gets turned off. If the TV is turned off before the box, then when the kids enter their password, the TV won't turn on (the box shuts itself off first). I'm not sure exactly why, but I guess it has something to do with the smart TV. Entering the parent password solves the problem, though, and no worries. We haven't had any other problems. It's easy to "force" it to change the time someone has available. Like when my son accidentally left the TV on when he came to breakfast on Saturday. I just gave him the 30 minutes back. It's easy.

I think this thing will probably get returned. Setup is fine, and it seems to have the harder parts handled, but it misses on a couple of prime features in my opinion:1) No Countdown? I assumed that whenever a child was using their "time", it would show up on the unit and countdown, or at least show how much time was left. Otherwise they're left to guess, or even watch all of their allotment in one sitting due to issue #2:2) It's a Weekly Allowance. I assumed, again, that you could set custom amounts for weekdays and weekends. but no, it's all one big pot, and that's a problem since the kid can't even see how much of the pot has been used or is left.

The product does not work with our TV due to the 30 second time out for child mode. Our TV takes longer than 30 seconds to turn on and the code was constantly timed out so the TV could not be accessed. The item worked fine in parent mode where there is a 1 min. time allowance for the TV to power on. I attempted to email the feedback email in the user manual to ask if there was an override for this problem, but it turns out that the email said it was not valid, so I have to return the item!!! It would work fine if your TV will turn on within the 30 second time allowance. Many modern TVs though have a slight warm up time, ours takes about 40 seconds...

I use this device to give a time reward for doing chores. He has to work for his video game time. At the end of the week he gets his reward as a lump sum that he can use however he wants, during the time I alloted for video games. He can also trade his unused time for cash money if he wants to buy something for himself.It took about 2 months to finally get him fully in the swing of things. Now my 11 year old is making a weekly budget...and most of his chores are complete by the time I get home.The setup was fairly easy to do with the manual. Once it is setup, it is very easy to add time. The only time I have had to use the manual since the initial setup was to change the TV blackout hours when school got out for the summer.I would love to see this product have smartphone integration, but other than that this product is top notch!

does as advertise i use it on the ps4 system i have to put a power strip to add a light because apparently if you turn the ps4 on the tv allowance shuts off after 30secs i don't think the the ps4 draws enough amperage during boot up to where it triggers the tv allowance, that is where the light comes i use a 10watt light after the ps4 is booted i can turn off the light my child who is 11 understands the routine he needs to do.

While the idea behind this device is awesome, the rest of it isn't. The set up is very antiquated, using codes that you need the directions to remember. It doesn't give the plasma tv enough time to turn on before it cuts power, leaving a very frustrated child and parent. The worst part about this device is that there is NO support at all. Throughout the directions there is a website that is printed. But when you attempt to go to the website, it is a dead end. I wish that I knew how others were so successful with the device as I'd love to make it work. But with no website, forum, or community help boards I am at a loss. I am returning this because the frustration of this device is greater than the frustration with the fight from my child to get off the screen in the first place.

The setup procedure is tedious, but once it's done, the device functioned well. HOWEVER, after nearly 5 years of use, the keypad has become almost unusable. Punch in the correct code multiple times and you're met with a long beep that indicates incorrect code. Keep on trying, altering the angle and pressure with which your fingers hit the keys, and it eventually registers and unlocks. Two stars because the device functioned adequately for about 3 years until the keys started malfunctioning.

I really wanted this to work out. It is a cheaper option than Bob. Unfortunately it does not work with the low energy draw of a flat screen TV. So we went back to Bob which works perfectly and has more versatility.