Serviio

I have been using Serviio for my home network for a couple of years now and really find it to be the best option available. However, I would like to see a ratings or child restriction system implemented. I have some objectionable material in the folders that I allow serviio to access, and for most of it I simply make them hidden files. I would like to be able to restrict certain clients from access pg-13 or pg-17 movies and music that I designate. This would allow for easy access to certain material by authorized clients and restrict others. If this feature is currently available any help applying it in my system would be welcome. Otherwise could the developers please help.

This was added in 1.0

http://www.serviio.org/buy-pro/10-uncat ... tion-rules

I think that we want to use metadata tag for restriction. The solution proposed by serviio now is by folder path restriction.

Even better, can we have a folder to show Certification category
ive checked TMDb API and they support <certification>R</certification>

This way, i can just use this folder to pick out children movies for my 2 demanding kids!

Ah, it was under MPAA rating.

Since we have folder share restrictions in v1.0. What would be cool if this could be further expanded by having another section that displays each rating with option to have full or restricted access. So "little Harry" can't watch R rated movies on his PS3/Xbox in his bedroom.

I'm not sure how reliable that would be - depends on the metadata

Definitely think it will be a nice feature to have, even though some movies may not be accurate and it will bring more value to Pro users using content protection
It would be a very rare case where themoviedb made a mistake and put an R rated movie with a G rating instead

Do you think its worth creating additional bitbucket for this?

you can comment on the ticket above and I'll see when I'm working on that

Hi Zip,
Please add a checkbox (unchecked by default) in order to make serviio treat all new devices as "not allowed" (by default serviio accepts connections from any device which is a security problem in some setups). Thanks (regardless of your decision)!!

Hi zip and crew,

Aside current parental control which is essentially per device based (that device is kids device, hence won't show some restricted folders), it does not cover typical usage of family shared renderers.
How about having solution that can lock/unlock on the fly, from the renderer, a set of predefined folders (media or online)?
Like on/off Parental control toggle, along with some sort of password, which can be input from the renderers....

I know, one key issue is about UI on the renderer for on/off toggle and password input.
How about envisaging Serviio would generate a special folder (call it "Setup" as a placeholder for now).
This Setup folder would be populated with a fake content called ON or OFF: when OFF is selected, this could trigger some action on Serviio side (like display restricted content when parental controll is off).
For instance, once this fake (and extremely short) OFF content is "played", then renderer returns in another "Input_PIN" folder which has other fake contents labelled "1", "2", "3",...or whatever.
This would allow to enter a sequence as a PIN code, one by one: such sequence can be monitored by Serviio of course.
Then Serviio would be enabling restricted content folders for a while (idle time period, or ON is selected).

ON scenario would be very easy, as no pincode necessary.
A preset "idle time" if no Setup interaction for a while, would fallback to ON.
(it's even OK if this flips while you are watching your restricted content, as it wont disrupt current stream, and will naturally fallback afterwards).

Idletime, pincode, list of restriced folders would all be defined through the console.

This might look a bit complex as I explain it, but I think we can probably derive some usefull basic UI scenarii with such fake folders/contents: Parental Control being one in particular.

Any thought?

I won't be adding any virtual folders, I don't like that concept.

What you want to do would be available to setup like this:

- select your device with Restricted access by default
- to turn adult content on, change the group to Unlimited and vice versa
- if you have a mobile app, you can do that from the phone, without going to the PC/console
- the app devs could implement some shortcuts to this more easily (one-click) in their apps

Dear zip, thanks a lot for your reply.

Not trying to advocate on this, but the basic idea was: just use plain TV remote in content viewing scenario would feel more much natural & straightforward than requiring yet another device in the party (particularly for non-geek, but yet adults, family members).
(plus I'm unaware of any specific iPhone app that'd speak with Serviio - my ignorance).

More broadly on your sentiment on "virtual folders": could you educate me on the conceptual (or technical) barriers that you find unacceptable?
Thanks!

I don't like the clutter it adds to the UI. I want Serviio to only offer content in a streamlined fashion, not a configuration tool.

I'm definitely with you on the KISS principle, on won't argue setup bits should be on Renderer UI.
Of course actual details of parental control setup are to be set through the console.

But I kind of thought you'd have a better value-proposition for Pro version (hence better incentive for users to buy that license), if (ON/OFF) parental control feature was accessible within the actual viewing scenario (which is what that feature is meant for) using plain TV remote interaction.

Anyway, I won't advocate more on this, and remain hopeful you may have thought at other tricks to make parental control activation more user friendly.
And thanks again for all the work & support on this SW.

Hmm...my 9 years old kid changed his ip address (the one I've set as "restricted") on his tablet and voila....he had access to all my library. Luckily I had no porn in there so no harm done (this time). But still, as a developer you should see how important this is.
Thanks!

Hello, I've been testing some DLNA servers for OSX and this one seems to have just about everything required. I'm close to a buying decision. Would it be possible to make 'by default' all new devices as 'not allowed' (as the previous member suggested/requested). It would really help some of us with kids.
Amazing application, keep up the great work and Thanks !

J.

It seems this didn't make the cut in 1.2
Maybe 1.3?
10x

As a potential buyer of Serviio (pro), I was looking to Parental Control feature. There is only one thing keeping me from taking a decision: "All devices are allowed by default". What I would have liked instead was "All devices are blocked by default". Suppose, I filter the content for my existing devices and then one day my kid's friend access all my media since that is a new device (allowed by default). I understand that having all devices allowed by default is a good way to make Serviio work right of the box, so customers won't jump to the wrong conclusion "This product doesn't work"; however, it will be great if we had an option such as, "Block all new devices" (that might be added latter). If this can be addressed in future releases then I would be more than happy to buy this wonderful product.

Thank you

It's coming in 1.3 in a few weeks