sky movie channels and a pin code?

[Ben B]

Originally Posted by Hom3r

The pin is also on any programme that is recorded after the watershed, It winds me up, even on terrestial TV.

The requirement for the PIN to be entered to watch programmes which have been recorded after 8pm can be disabled withing the Parental Control settings

You know this kind of thing makes me wonder about what actually constitutes 'inconvenience' - so someone has to press a few buttons on a remote in order to watch a film - oooh, nasty, feel the horror - it is obviously far worse than the trauma potentially caused by watching the film ...

Just think, if we had stuck with 3 channels, that could only be changed by getting up out of your seat & twiddling a dial on the telly, things would be so much easier ....

[v0id]

I wonder how many people who actually have the Sky Movie packs don't bother to change the default pin from '1234' or '0000' anyway

[Stuart]

Originally Posted by v0id

I wonder how many people who actually have the Sky Movie packs don't bother to change the default pin from '1234' or '0000' anyway

Probably most. However as long as virgin can demonstrate they have the pin protection in place, and that they have a system for changing pins, then they don't have to worry if you change the pin or not. If you don't change it, it's your problem as far as they are concerned.

[frogstamper]

Originally Posted by gazfan

You know this kind of thing makes me wonder about what actually constitutes 'inconvenience' - so someone has to press a few buttons on a remote in order to watch a film - oooh, nasty, feel the horror - it is obviously far worse than the trauma potentially caused by watching the film ...

Just think, if we had stuck with 3 channels, that could only be changed by getting up out of your seat & twiddling a dial on the telly, things would be so much easier ....

I couldn't agree more Gaz, why on earth are people getting out of their prams and moaning about a nanny state just because they have to press a button four times?
OK its not as convenient as surfing other channels, but would you rather go back to the old system whereby you couldn't watch a 15 or 18 pre watershed? Blimey guys not everything in life is a conspiracy...

[RamJet]

Originally Posted by spiderplant

That would contravene Ofcom requirements.

Ok I see that but the OFCOM position is untenable for this reason -

If they allow all channels except for 'Premium Subscription Channels' to show 15's during the day without PIN-burden this is unfair-play to (a) us - the people who pay the bills (b) the Premium Subscription Channels themselves ( from time to time I consider ditching Sky Movies because of this PIN-burden problem )

Perhaps this draconian system was designed to meet the situation where R18 films were to be shown in the day - that would be a case where it would be reasonable for a mandatory requirment for the input of a PIN number each and every time you change to a new R18 channel

[spiderplant]

Originally Posted by RamJet

Perhaps this draconian system was designed to meet the situation where R18 films were to be shown in the day - that would be a case where it would be reasonable for a mandatory requirment for the input of a PIN number each and every time you change to a new R18 channel

No, Ofcom are quite clear about that. They don't consider PINs adequate protection to allow 18-rated adult material during the day, or R18 at any time.

[oblong]

Didn't used to be able to watch 15 and 18 films in the day. OFCOM have come up with a compromise so's we can. Well done to them.

[RamJet]

I suppose the real problem is this "Do we need An Ofcom" at all

it's a bit of a dinosaur leftover from the old Nanny State that used to exit pre 11th May 2010

I doubt many people took much notice if it - in my own household when the kids were <18 I and the wife decided what was suitable for viewing

In the new 'Burn the Quangos' world I guess the government will shortly abolish it

other civilised Western Countries dont need An OFCOM - it's enough to put warning triangles up top-right-of-screen and have full proram information

bit like the BBFC - just give us the program info and the decision can be made in the home where it should be - locally

[spiderplant]

Originally Posted by RamJet

other civilised Western Countries dont need An OFCOM

Really?

Australia Australian Communications and Media Authority ACMA
Austria Rundfunk und Telekom Regulierungs-GmbH RTR
Belgium Institut Belge des services Postaux et de Télécommunications BIPT
Bulgaria Communications Regulation Commission CRC
Canada Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission CRTC
Croatia Hrvatska agencija za poštu i elektroničke komunikacije HAKOM
Cyprus Office of the Commissioner of Electronic Communications and Postal Regulation OCECPR
Czech Republic Český telekomunikačnÃ* úřad CTU
Denmark Telestyrelsen - National Telecom Agency NTA
Estonia KONKURENTSIAMET KONKURENTSIAMET
Finland Viestintävirasto Kommunikationsverket FICORA
France Autorité de Régulation des Communications Electroniques et des Postes ARCEP
Germany Bundesnetzagentur für Elektrizität, Gas, Telekommunikation, Post und Eisenbahnen BNETZA
Greece National Telecommunications and Post Commission EETT
Hungary Nemzeti HÃ*rközlési Hatóság NHH
Iceland Póst- og fjarskiptastofnun PTA
Ireland Commission for Communications Regulation ComReg
Italy AutoritÃ* per le Garanzie nelle Comunicazioni Agcom
Latvia Sabiedrisko pakalpojumu regulesanas komisija SPRK
Liechtenstein Amt für Kommunikation AK
Lithuania Ryšių reguliavimo tarnyba RRT
Luxembourg Institut Luxembourgeois de Régulation ILR
Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia Agency for electronic communications AEC
Malta Malta Communications Authority MCA
Netherlands Onafhankelijke Post en Telecommunicatie Autoriteit OPTA
Norway Post- og teletilsynet PT
Poland Urzędu Komunikacji Elektronicznej UKE
Portugal Autoridade Nacional de Comunicações ANACOM
Romania Autoritatea Naţională pentru Administrare şi Reglementare în Comunicaţii ANCOM
Slovak Republic Telekomunikacný úrad Slovenskej republiky TO SR
Slovenia Agencija za pošto in elektronske komunikacije RS APEK
Spain Comisión del Mercado de las Telecomunicaciones CMT
Sweden Post- och Telestyrelsen PTS
Switzerland Office fédéral de la Communication OFCOM
Turkey Bilgi Teknolojileri ve İletişim Kurumu BTK
United Kingdom Office of Communications Ofcom
United States Federal Communications Commission FCC

[Digital Fanatic]

Originally Posted by RamJet

I suppose the real problem is this "Do we need An Ofcom" at all

it's a bit of a dinosaur leftover from the old Nanny State that used to exit pre 11th May 2010

I doubt many people took much notice if it - in my own household when the kids were <18 I and the wife decided what was suitable for viewing

In the new 'Burn the Quangos' world I guess the government will shortly abolish it

other civilised Western Countries dont need An OFCOM - it's enough to put warning triangles up top-right-of-screen and have full proram information

bit like the BBFC - just give us the program info and the decision can be made in the home where it should be - locally

Without Ofcom the likes of Sky could do what they want... you'd have no Sky Movies/sports on cable, never mind HD!

Someone had to keep a watch on platforms and make sure the viewer is protected.

[frogstamper]

Originally Posted by spiderplant

Really?

Australia Australian Communications and Media Authority ACMA
Austria Rundfunk und Telekom Regulierungs-GmbH RTR
Belgium Institut Belge des services Postaux et de Télécommunications BIPT
Bulgaria Communications Regulation Commission CRC
Canada Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission CRTC
Croatia Hrvatska agencija za poÅ¡tu i elektroničke komunikacije HAKOM
Cyprus Office of the Commissioner of Electronic Communications and Postal Regulation OCECPR
Czech Republic Český telekomunikačnÃ* úřad CTU
Denmark Telestyrelsen - National Telecom Agency NTA
Estonia KONKURENTSIAMET KONKURENTSIAMET
Finland Viestintävirasto Kommunikationsverket FICORA
France Autorité de Régulation des Communications Electroniques et des Postes ARCEP
Germany Bundesnetzagentur für Elektrizität, Gas, Telekommunikation, Post und Eisenbahnen BNETZA
Greece National Telecommunications and Post Commission EETT
Hungary Nemzeti HÃ*rközlési Hatóság NHH
Iceland Póst- og fjarskiptastofnun PTA
Ireland Commission for Communications Regulation ComReg
Italy AutoritÃ* per le Garanzie nelle Comunicazioni Agcom
Latvia Sabiedrisko pakalpojumu regulesanas komisija SPRK
Liechtenstein Amt für Kommunikation AK
Lithuania RyÅ¡ių reguliavimo tarnyba RRT
Luxembourg Institut Luxembourgeois de Régulation ILR
Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia Agency for electronic communications AEC
Malta Malta Communications Authority MCA
Netherlands Onafhankelijke Post en Telecommunicatie Autoriteit OPTA
Norway Post- og teletilsynet PT
Poland Urzędu Komunikacji Elektronicznej UKE
Portugal Autoridade Nacional de Comunicações ANACOM
Romania Autoritatea Naţională pentru Administrare şi Reglementare în Comunicaţii ANCOM
Slovak Republic Telekomunikacný úrad Slovenskej republiky TO SR
Slovenia Agencija za pošto in elektronske komunikacije RS APEK
Spain Comisión del Mercado de las Telecomunicaciones CMT
Sweden Post- och Telestyrelsen PTS
Switzerland Office fédéral de la Communication OFCOM
Turkey Bilgi Teknolojileri ve İletişim Kurumu BTK
United Kingdom Office of Communications Ofcom
United States Federal Communications Commission FCC

Maybe he should have done a "little" more research before making that claim, unless of course these are all "uncivilized" countries.

---------- Post added at 00:26 ---------- Previous post was at 00:24 ----------

Originally Posted by Digital Fanatic

Without Ofcom the likes of Sky could do what they want... you'd have no Sky Movies/sports on cable, never mind HD!

Someone had to keep a watch on platforms and make sure the viewer is protected.

I think ramjet is looking at banning OFCOM from an ideological viewpoint, judging from his previous posts.

[Stuart]

Originally Posted by RamJet

other civilised Western Countries dont need An OFCOM - it's enough to put warning triangles up top-right-of-screen and have full proram information

bit like the BBFC - just give us the program info and the decision can be made in the home where it should be - locally

And why do you think Sky have been so vocal in trying to get Ofcom abolished or severely cut back? Because they want to provide their own programme information? Or because Ofcom has been known to actively intervene in Sky's attempts to use their effectively infinite resources to cripple their competition.

Remember, Sky is owned by (and has access to the resources of) the largest media corporation on the planet, and one of the largest corporations of any description. Remove OFCOM, and all you achieve is to pass control of the UK media to a private corporation that is only accountable to it's owner, and shareholders, the bulk of whome probably have little or no interest in this country or it's population.

[RamJet]

Ok I seem to be in a small minority here but as a compromise howabout :-

1. We keep OFCOM with all its teeth regulating the big broadcasting companies and making sure Sky don't take over the world and the BBC keeps on producing the best Website ever in human history

2. ban/stop/curtail/ OFCOM's intrusive intervention in the British public's home viewing - remove their mandatory and arbitary controls on home viewing set-top boxes so adults and parents can decide what is viewed in their own households

NB : I belive the VM set-top box has a function whereby the account-holder/adult can set the permissions for each channel.

All that need to be done is for it to be made compulsory for the permissions to be set when the box is set-up and it be compulsory for permissions to be set by the parent/adult/VM-customer for viewing programs/groups under various classifications eg 15s and 18s and yes even R18s