Parental Control Spontaneously Locking Out Channel (No PIN Was Ever Set)
TPKeller
Enthusiast - Level 2

A couple days ago, MeTV (channel 523 for me) was suddenly locked out by Parental Control.  I have never set up a Parental Control PIN, and in fact when I try to "unlock" the channel, the error message tells me that I must first set up a Parental Control PIN.

I've cycled power on the STB, to no avail.  The Parental Control status message tells me that there are 2 channels blocked, I have no idea what the other one is.

My other STB works fine, and the channel is not blocked.

I do not want to set up a Parental Control PIN.

How do I get these channels UNLOCKED?

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Re: Parental Control Spontaneously Locking Out Channel (No PIN Was Ever Set)
TPKeller
Enthusiast - Level 2

Update, problem resolved, mostly:

So here's my best guess on what happened.

I had never set up a Parental Controls PIN.  But during a recent fat-finger remote encounter, I must have Locked the channel I was watching.  Next time I tried to watch that channel, it demanded the PIN, even though one did not exist.

I confirmed this by doing that exact same thing, "locking" another channel via the Options button.  It locked and behaved exactly like the channel I first noticed.

Per the suggestions here, I did set a PIN, and fortunately, that allowed me to unlock the channels as expected.

I was also able to turn Parental Controls OFF, but it does appear that the system remembers the PIN I set up, and THAT is why I didn't want to have a PIN at all, just one more number I have to keep track of, who knows how many years from now I may need it again...

The system has a design flaw.  If you have not set up a Parental Control PIN, it should NOT allow you to Lock a channel.  It should instead give you an Information pop-up saying "You cannot Lock a channel until you set a PIN!"

Thanks for all the suggestions.

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Re: Parental Control Spontaneously Locking Out Channel (No PIN Was Ever Set)
dexman
Community Leader
Community Leader

Try resetting the STB (from the internal menu). 🤔

Re: Parental Control Spontaneously Locking Out Channel (No PIN Was Ever Set)
TPKeller
Enthusiast - Level 2

Thanks for the suggestion, I was not aware that there was an internal reset.

I found it, and reset the box, but it appears to have had the same effect as cycling power.

Did not "unlock" the channel.  😞

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Re: Parental Control Spontaneously Locking Out Channel (No PIN Was Ever Set)
dexman
Community Leader
Community Leader

Is there any possibility that someone may have inadvertently, programmed a Parental Code in the particular STB?

In a pinch, would physically swapping the STBs be doable?

Another option I see in the Top Support Tools section is "Fix Fios TV Issues". That says it resets the STB.

Re: Parental Control Spontaneously Locking Out Channel (No PIN Was Ever Set)
TPKeller
Enthusiast - Level 2

"Is there any possibility that someone may have inadvertently, programmed a Parental Code in the particular STB?"

No, as I mentioned in the initial post, when I try to unlock the channel, it tells me that there is no PIN, and it wants me to set one... which I do not want to do.

Swapping STBs is not an option, I watch the channel on both of them.

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Re: Parental Control Spontaneously Locking Out Channel (No PIN Was Ever Set)
dexman
Community Leader
Community Leader

Try running the Fix Fios TV Issues utility. If that doesn't work, the "nuclear" option would be the last resort. If the STB in question is a 4100 mini, the STB can be "uncoupled" from the main box. Then it can be re-registered.

But before going down that road, anothet CL might have other suggestions. 🤔

Re: Parental Control Spontaneously Locking Out Channel (No PIN Was Ever Set)
clem21
Community Leader
Community Leader

@dexman wrote:

Try running the Fix Fios TV Issues utility. If that doesn't work, the "nuclear" option would be the last resort. If the STB in question is a 4100 mini, the STB can be "uncoupled" from the main box. Then it can be re-registered.

But before going down that road, anothet CL might have other suggestions. 🤔


If you DO set the PIN, you should be able to go back after and remove the parental controls using the pin you set.  And look here after you set the PIN: Main Menu > Settings > System>Parental/Purchase and reset the parental control option to no. Also did you try: Main Menu > Settings > System>Reset Settings?

Re: Parental Control Spontaneously Locking Out Channel (No PIN Was Ever Set)
TPKeller
Enthusiast - Level 2

Update, problem resolved, mostly:

So here's my best guess on what happened.

I had never set up a Parental Controls PIN.  But during a recent fat-finger remote encounter, I must have Locked the channel I was watching.  Next time I tried to watch that channel, it demanded the PIN, even though one did not exist.

I confirmed this by doing that exact same thing, "locking" another channel via the Options button.  It locked and behaved exactly like the channel I first noticed.

Per the suggestions here, I did set a PIN, and fortunately, that allowed me to unlock the channels as expected.

I was also able to turn Parental Controls OFF, but it does appear that the system remembers the PIN I set up, and THAT is why I didn't want to have a PIN at all, just one more number I have to keep track of, who knows how many years from now I may need it again...

The system has a design flaw.  If you have not set up a Parental Control PIN, it should NOT allow you to Lock a channel.  It should instead give you an Information pop-up saying "You cannot Lock a channel until you set a PIN!"

Thanks for all the suggestions.

Re: Parental Control Spontaneously Locking Out Channel (No PIN Was Ever Set)
clem21
Community Leader
Community Leader

@TPKeller wrote:

Update, problem resolved, mostly:

So here's my best guess on what happened.

I had never set up a Parental Controls PIN.  But during a recent fat-finger remote encounter, I must have Locked the channel I was watching.  Next time I tried to watch that channel, it demanded the PIN, even though one did not exist.

I confirmed this by doing that exact same thing, "locking" another channel via the Options button.  It locked and behaved exactly like the channel I first noticed.

Per the suggestions here, I did set a PIN, and fortunately, that allowed me to unlock the channels as expected.

I was also able to turn Parental Controls OFF, but it does appear that the system remembers the PIN I set up, and THAT is why I didn't want to have a PIN at all, just one more number I have to keep track of, who knows how many years from now I may need it again...

The system has a design flaw.  If you have not set up a Parental Control PIN, it should NOT allow you to Lock a channel.  It should instead give you an Information pop-up saying "You cannot Lock a channel until you set a PIN!"

Thanks for all the suggestions.


Did you try: Main Menu > Settings > System>Reset Settings? That should have cleared the PIN after you reset the parental/purchases. Just remember it resets the ENTIRE box to factory so you'll loose your DVR recordings.

Re: Parental Control Spontaneously Locking Out Channel (No PIN Was Ever Set)
TPKeller
Enthusiast - Level 2

"Did you try ... so you'll loose your DVR recordings"

Ha ha, no I did not.  I typically run my DVR at around 85% full... so that is the absolute LAST thing I would want to do!  🙂

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