gamepolitics: Another Chastity Belt for Gamers

Game Politics (

gamepolitics) wrote,
@ 2005-12-16 12:36:00

Entry tags:

chastity belt, devices, parenting, play limit

Another Chastity Belt for Gamers

What will they think of next?

Last month GamePolitics broke the news about a device which parents could use to limit their offspring's access to a PC.

Now - just in time for the holidays - we've learned about an even more medieval contraption that can be used for the parental torture of console gamers. Gizmodo reports on the PlayLimit, a token-operated device that places a time limit on the console's connection to a T.V. set. Each token is good for 15-minutes of play. Players are warned when the timer is running out, theoretically allowing them to save their progress. When time expires the game signal no longer is displayed on the television.

Retail cost of the PlayLimit? $99

Cost to repair the T.V. when a frustrated gamer hurls a controller through the screen? $250

Good parenting? Priceless.

A shout-out - and a pocketful of tokens - to GP reader Slicer for tipping us off to the PlayLimit.

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(91 comments) - (Post a new comment)

	kapslocked 2005-12-16 06:08 pm UTC (link)
	Wouldn't be hard to remove this also. Easier than the PC one even. (Reply to this) (Thread)

(Anonymous)
2005-12-17 03:48 am UTC (link)

I'll play devil's advocate here.

The trick is to set up the TV where it is extremely hard to reach the back, where all the cabling is played around with. While it could still be removed, it involves physically pulling the TV outside of it's enclosure (you did add one, correct?).

In any case, it did seem that there is a protection - the monitor connectors are locked in the unit. It instantly becomes moot when the son has enough money to buy a replacement connector.

(Reply to this) (Parent)

	They can't be this stupid... keddren 2005-12-16 06:09 pm UTC (link)
	Please tell me this is a parody. The first thing that springs to mind looking at the site and that picture is what on earth is to prevent little Junior from simply unplugging the device from the tv/console? Sure, there's a lock and key, but it's for the token compartment! (Reply to this) (Thread)

	Re: They can't be this stupid... keddren 2005-12-16 06:13 pm UTC (link)
	Ah, here it is: What stops kids from plugging the game system directly into the TV? Game systems have special cables with a unique connector on one end (which connects to the game console) and red, white, yellow composite connectors of the other end. The composite connector is locked inside the PlayLimit console. (Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

Re: They can't be this stupid... -

ragnarok_now, 2005-12-16 06:33 pm UTC

Re: They can't be this stupid... -

keddren, 2005-12-16 07:20 pm UTC

Re: They can't be this stupid... -

catch_33, 2005-12-16 09:32 pm UTC

Re: They can't be this stupid... - (Anonymous), 2005-12-18 09:32 am UTC

	The answer?!? grimm24 2005-12-16 06:13 pm UTC (link)
	Its just as Ahnold preddicted, the machines are taking over, at first they were simply our tools, then we started to rely on them for everyday things, now parents are allowing machines to do their parenting for them. The reckoning is coming!!! (Reply to this) (Thread)

	Re: The answer?!? oz_the_geek 2005-12-16 10:49 pm UTC (link)
	sings In the year 2525... (Reply to this) (Parent)

Sigh... - (Anonymous), 2005-12-18 05:40 am UTC

	... catch_33 2005-12-16 06:14 pm UTC (link)
	That's not going to work very well. But I like the thought of parents taking at least some responsibility, as opposed to blaming everyone else. (Reply to this) (Thread)

Re: ...

timbo1138
2005-12-17 04:01 am UTC (link)

I do agree with you, but it's pretty low down the scale of 'taking responsibility'. The parent, rather than engaging with the kid and the game, just foists the responsibility off on a poorly-designed machine. So yes, points to the parents who at least make the token effort (no pun intended) of doing something like this, but they could do MUCH better if they put in even a miniscule amount of effort.

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

Re: ... -

catch_33, 2005-12-17 04:15 am UTC

	geedeck 2005-12-16 06:14 pm UTC (link)
	Sooo... kid waits till parents leave disconnects the chastity belt and then plugs in the set of $10 multi-cables from Target? What. Ever. Just another scheme to make parents feel like they don't have to be responsible for their freaking children. (Reply to this)

	darkshiver 2005-12-16 06:14 pm UTC (link)
	15 minutes?!?!?!? Can you imagine plugging in a few tokens and getting cut off in the middle of a boss battle? (Reply to this) (Thread)

	catch_33 2005-12-16 07:02 pm UTC (link)
	I'm glad they didn't have this when I was a lad. I had hard enough time beating Bowser, Mother Brain, and Mike Tyson as it was. (Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

(no subject) -

octavia_hemahi, 2005-12-16 09:21 pm UTC

(no subject) -

catch_33, 2005-12-16 09:31 pm UTC

	Unbelievable (Anonymous) 2005-12-16 06:15 pm UTC (link)
	$99 when going into the livingroom and turning off the TV is free. What won't they think of next. (Reply to this) (Thread)

Re: Unbelievable
(Anonymous)
2005-12-16 06:23 pm UTC (link)

I'm with you. What ever happened to teaching your children sufficient respect that they do what you tell them to do? My sons follow my rules because they know that breaking them makes the punishment get worse. If I tell you the T.V. stays off for tonight and you turn it on anyway, well now you just lost T.V. for another day. Turn it on tomorrow and you lost two more days. Mess with me again and the T.V. gets shut off at the breaker box, which only I have a key to.

For that matter, what ever happened to actually taking away the system as punishment? Now we have robots parenting children? And does anyone else feel like the whole token thing is a little too close to a rat in a Skinner box pressing a lever for food?

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

Re: Unbelievable -

sstaten, 2005-12-16 06:28 pm UTC

Re: Unbelievable -

jabrwock, 2005-12-16 07:21 pm UTC

Re: Unbelievable -

kapslocked, 2005-12-16 07:56 pm UTC

	It takes 2 seconds to bypass this konstruct 2005-12-16 06:23 pm UTC (link)
	all you need to beat this is for a console system is a spare console AV connector and to watch tv all you need is a spare coaxial. 100 dollar system bypassed for 20-30 dollars. (Reply to this)

So this only works on ancient TV's that depend on RF connections?

jabrwock
2005-12-16 06:28 pm UTC (link)

Everyone I know already uses the RCA connections to connect directly to their TV's RCA inputs. Very few use the old coaxial connectors...

So this would work at Grandma's house, but anyone who's bought a TV in the last, what, 10 years, has RCA connectors you can hook the game console up to directly? Or even the VCR has them, usually easily accessible through the front!

Hurrah for catering to people who don't know any better...

(Reply to this)

(Anonymous)
2005-12-16 06:29 pm UTC (link)

Someone should be nitpicking on the site. Guess that would be me. :P

http://www.playlimit.com/images/kidplayingvg_03.jpg - He's playing Mario Kart with a PLAYSTATION CONTROLLER?! o_0

"Secure case with key access for parents. Parents have the key to the token box where they can retrieve tokens. The token box also is where the back panel of the PlayLimit console is secured, preventing cables from being removed." - But what if the kid decides to look for the almighty key? Clearly, parents tend to pick the worst hiding spots.

The entire How Playlimit Works page - They love those lame drawings. :P

I can't think of anything else, but the picture of kid playing Maro Kart with a Playstation controller is priceless. :P

DVG

(Reply to this) (Thread)

	poumnteal 2005-12-16 11:31 pm UTC (link)
	I also like how he's not pressing any buttons, at all. (Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

(no subject) - (Anonymous), 2005-12-17 01:22 am UTC

(no subject) -

odinmagick, 2005-12-17 12:13 am UTC

	Age recommendation jabrwock 2005-12-16 06:31 pm UTC (link)
	I suppose to be fair, this device is targetted at 4-12 year olds, who mostly probably couldn't figure out that they could just replug the cables (well, those under 10 anyway). It says you could use it for teens, but they're too smart to be stopped by something so silly... (Reply to this) (Thread)

	Re: Age recommendation catch_33 2005-12-16 07:06 pm UTC (link)
	Even if the target age is 4-12, some will still figure out a way to render this "toy" ineffective. (Reply to this) (Parent)

Re: Age recommendation -

cegamer, 2005-12-19 04:02 pm UTC

	(Anonymous) 2005-12-16 06:48 pm UTC (link)
	Lazy Parenting devices Rock. I mean what will they think up next, maybe someone who raises your kid for you, ooo I know you could have the kid and then place it in some facility where the state takes care of it until some idiot wants to waste their time taking care of your offspring. Its just crazy enough to work. (Reply to this)

ritbeast
2005-12-16 06:55 pm UTC (link)

I think that this isn't necessarily that bad an idea. It allows you to monitor more closely the time your kids are spending playing video games if nothing else. It's not like a parent is going to sit there with a stop-watch. I think it's a tool to help parents, but it shouldn't be a crutch either. The parents should take an active interest in what their kids are playing, not just how long they're playing it for.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

	jabrwock 2005-12-16 07:13 pm UTC (link)
	I think it's a tool to help parents, but it shouldn't be a crutch either. Unfortunately, as with every other electronic monitoring device, it DOES get used as a crutch. "I don't need to pay attention anymore, because device X does it FOR me, and they said it's foolproof, otherwise I wouldn't have bought it..." (Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

(no subject) -

kapslocked, 2005-12-16 07:53 pm UTC

	turbinerocks 2005-12-16 07:14 pm UTC (link)
	Jesus, people, just take the whole console off and put it in your bedroom if you don't want your kids messing with it. Save yourself $100. (Reply to this) (Thread)

jabrwock
2005-12-16 07:19 pm UTC (link)

Or put the console in the living room. Then they can't play games you don't approve of, or play when you don't want them to, or play too much, because they are in the central room of the house, and you don't even have to be hanging over their shoulder to know what's going on. Later when they're older and have shown they can be trusted, let them take it into the bedroom, or rec room, or some other semi-private area. But not when they're 10. Cripes.

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

(no subject) - (Anonymous), 2005-12-17 12:28 pm UTC

(Anonymous)
2005-12-16 07:15 pm UTC (link)

Damn, you can probably get past this thing like you get past vending machines. Just get any small object and cover it in bluetac, and as long as it's roughly the same weight you're golden. Then again, those tokens look like ordinary plastic money, which is even easier to acquire. Gah, I can think of so many ways to get past this thing, I'm getting a headache from the stupidity. I won't even begin to consider why parents would take the easy way out with this thing.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

	jabrwock 2005-12-16 07:17 pm UTC (link)
	Well, as soon as you discover there are fake tokens in the bin, severe reprimand occurs, like removal of the console altogether. The trick usually is to "sneak" gameplay when they aren't around to monitor you directly, which is what device is being designed to do. Monitor you when they aren't around, I mean. (Reply to this) (Parent)

*nostalgic sigh* - (Anonymous), 2005-12-18 05:51 am UTC

Re: *nostalgic sigh* - (Anonymous), 2005-12-18 07:18 am UTC

	AV & S cables, available from Toys "R" Us (Anonymous) 2005-12-16 07:22 pm UTC (link)
	$20, and they're probably better than the ones that come with the console. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00005MDZC/qid=1134760804/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_1/104-9624867-4864709?v=glance&s=videogames&n=507846 (Reply to this)

	A more simplistic suggestion toshirotzu 2005-12-16 07:23 pm UTC (link)
	Beat the fuggin' thing with a hammer until it breaks apart. When mommy comes running in crying that you just broke something that cost a hundred bucks say "Guess that'll keep you from buying another one then huh?" (Reply to this) (Thread)

	Re: A more simplistic suggestion jabrwock 2005-12-16 07:31 pm UTC (link)
	Man, you people and your confrontational styles. The way to get away with it at infinitium, is to be sneaky & stealthy. Works for longer, and the parents stay secure in the knowledge their device is "working" so they don't bother to investigate further... :P (Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

Re: A more simplistic suggestion - (Anonymous), 2005-12-16 07:47 pm UTC

Re: A more simplistic suggestion -

kapslocked, 2005-12-16 07:51 pm UTC

Re: A more simplistic suggestion -

toshirotzu, 2005-12-16 08:18 pm UTC

kapslocked
2005-12-16 07:50 pm UTC (link)

It's a good idea overall. I mean, what else would a parent do - and many of them don't really want to watch little Jimmy 24/7. Making sure your children are alright is fine, but parents need their own time too sometimes. It's just the same as limiting what channels a kid can watch on TV through the little Comcast box or something.

Soo.... can the signal pass through it still when it's unplugged? Probably not, but it'd be funny if it could.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

	jabrwock 2005-12-16 08:08 pm UTC (link)
	Unfortunately, it replaces teaching your child good habits, instead it just penalizes them for having bad ones. Good parents don't need it because they already taught their children responsible gaming/viewing habits, so the device is redundant. Bad parents won't care enough to check if the kid has found a way around the device. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	Ha! spock_walk 2005-12-16 07:58 pm UTC (link)
	That device looked so comical, I thought it was a joke! (Reply to this) (Thread)

	Re: Ha! jabrwock 2005-12-16 08:10 pm UTC (link)
	At first I looked at the one end and went "WTF? How does this stop them from connecting a cable instead?" Then I looked at the description, and realised it's directly aimed at ancient TVs that rely on RF connectors, and don't have the RCA hookups the consoles have... (Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

Re: Ha! -

godofyouall, 2005-12-16 10:32 pm UTC

	(Anonymous) 2005-12-16 08:29 pm UTC (link)
	This isn't that unusual. I allocate my kids tokens for food and sleep. (Reply to this)

	You know something? ferrarimanf355 2005-12-16 08:31 pm UTC (link)
	This would be kinda cool to use on the Xbox 360 Live Arcade... :-) (Reply to this)

	octavia_hemahi 2005-12-16 09:20 pm UTC (link)
	Wow and I thought good parenting didn't exist...Thanks Playlimit!! (Reply to this)

	cactusjack1999 2005-12-16 09:39 pm UTC (link)
	Didn't they have these in the 1980's for the NES many many years ago? (Reply to this) (Thread)

longtimelurker
2005-12-17 12:59 am UTC (link)

There was a thing called the NES Lockout that sold for 20 bucks in which a lock prevented access to the loading bay. You basically had to take the console apart to get it off since it was a like a vise grip.

The token system is a poor man's way of limiting access to a game console. Hotels and a number of other places let you play console games after putting in a fee and the console isn't even in the room. Just the controllers. You cannot get around that system easily.

As for vending machines if you want to see how to get the money out easily enough watch one of the vending machine service men. It's real easy to get that cash. On the bottom side is the penalty if you get caught. Know what you are doing and it only takes a minute. If you don't know what you are doing you wasted your effort on the door with the drinks behind it which is harder to break into then the area with the money.

(Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

(no subject) -

longtimelurker, 2005-12-17 01:08 am UTC

Let me make my opinions clear.

duumvirate
2005-12-16 09:50 pm UTC (link)

I'm Slicer, the guy who submitted this.

We can break this down by percentages.

33.333...% will buy this thing over the Internet in a fit of pique, everything will be calmed down when they finally get it, and they'll threaten their children with it every now and then. It'll never actually get connected.

16.666...% won't figure out how to get it hooked up.

25% will hook it up for less than a week before they realize that their children now hate them and/or have figured out a way around it and they'll disconnect it.

15% will keep it hooked up and never know why their children smile so much, or why the number of tokens seems not to matter very much. (Pwned.)

10% will have children who never get around it, and keep it hooked up, and use it like the Pavlovian device it's meant as.

100% of those 10% will die either at their children's hands or alone in nursing homes.

I want to find the producers of this abomination and butcher them all in a flurry of screaming blades (gibs stuck to the ceiling, etc), then get a copy of their customer list. Creating a spiral from the heartland of America, I want to go around and find out who actually uses it and dispense death accordingly.

'Course, that's just what I want to do. Murder's illegal, y'know.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

	Re: Let me make my opinions clear. (Anonymous) 2005-12-18 05:54 am UTC (link)
	too bad its illegal cuz i'd most certainly join you on your crusade. (Reply to this) (Parent)

Re: Let me make my opinions clear. - (Anonymous), 2005-12-18 06:07 am UTC

	markusdragon 2005-12-16 10:13 pm UTC (link)
	If it wasn't for the price, I'd buy one as a gimmick. (Reply to this)

(91 comments) - (Post a new comment)

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