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Blocking based on US TV ratings
Most broadcast US TV shows—other than movies—contain rating data that enables parental controls to block shows that
parents don’t want others to view. The ratings are divided into two groups that function independently:
• Youth group – TV-Y, TV-Y7
• Main group – TV-G, TV-PG, TV-14, TV-MA
Within each of these groups, the ratings interact such that if you block a particular level of content, the TV also blocks all
content with a higher rating. Conversely, if you unblock a particular level of content, the TV also unblocks all content with a
lower rating. For example, if you block TV-PG programs, the TV also blocks TV-14 and TV-MA programs. If you subsequently
unblock TV-14 programs, TV-PG programs are also unblocked, but TV-MA programs remain blocked.
Similarly, within the main group, content types can be individually blocked. For example, you can block just coarse language in
shows with a TV-PG rating. If you do, then the TV also blocks shows with coarse language in the higher ratings (TV-14 and TV-
MA). Subsequently unblocking coarse language in TV-14 ratings does not unblock coarse language in TV-MA programs, but it
does unblock coarse language in TV-PG programs.
To block TV shows based on US television ratings:
1. From the
Home
screen menu, navigate to
Settings
>
Parental controls
, and then enter your PIN.
2. In the
Parental controls
screen, navigate to
TV tuner
>
TV ratings
. Choose among the following settings:
Entire ratings
– Highlight the rating you want to block, and then navigate to the
[RIGHT]
and select the first option that
blocks the entire rating level (and all higher rating levels).
Individual content types
– Highlight the rating that contains the content type you want to block, and then select the
content types you want to block from among those listed. Remember that blocking a content type in one rating blocks the
equivalent content type in all higher rating levels.
Blocking based on US movie ratings
Most movies in the US are rated by the Motion Picture Association of America, or MPAA, so the ratings are known as MPAA
ratings. TV broadcast signals carry movie rating data that enables parental controls to block shows that parents don’t want
others to see. The ratings are:
• G – General audiences
• PG – Parental guidance suggested
• PG-13 – Parents strongly cautioned for children age 13 or younger
• R – Restricted
• NC-17 – Not for age 17 or younger
Unlike US TV ratings, there are no individual content types within the ratings. But like TV ratings, blocking movies with a
particular rating also blocks movies with a higher rating, and unblocking movies with a particular rating also unblocks movies
with a lower rating.
Tip:
Blocking movies with an NC-17 rating also blocks programs with the now-obsolete X rating, which can still occur in the
program data of older movies.
To block movies based on MPAA ratings:
1. From the
Home
screen menu, navigate to
Settings
>
Parental controls
, and then enter your PIN.
2. In the
Parental controls
screen, navigate to
TV tuner
>
Movie ratings
. Choose among the following settings:
3. Select the rating level you want to block. You need only select one rating level, and all higher levels are automatically
blocked.
Customizing your TV
