Ideas for protecting system from...

irishaz · April 2011

teenagers? My teenage boys have decided that they should watch movies and listen to music on my rig when I'm not home. I tell them not to touch any of it when I'm not home, but they have decided that they should anyway (obviously, I have some deeper issues with my boys than audio, but that's another show). I work a lot of hours and my wife doesn't care about my home theater...so it got me to wondering. Other than hiding the remotes, is there any way to safeguard my system? I came home on Friday and they were watching Oceans 13 at a db level that was ridiculous. Summer is coming up and I'm worried about my SDA's, so I thought I would ask...

I'm currently running:

Pioneer elite 94txh
Pioneer BDP-51
PS3 - (I know I can password protect this)
Samsung PN58A650 Plasma

I've looked at the owner's manuals and on the web and can't find any answers. Any ideas?

B Run · April 2011

Do you have a dedicated room for HT/Music? If so i'd get a lock and keep the key on you. You could also set the max volume on the receiver to whatever you chose under the menu options.

TECHNOKID · April 2011

Have a hidden power bar for your system that is turned off when you are not using it and difficult for them to find. As an example, whe we set system in hotles they unattended at night and we notice banquet people would use our system to play music while working, we have a main power bar hidden under the technician table and this seems to stop them. I guess your HT doesn't have any doors that can be locked. Personnaly I would rig an alarm that would scare the wits out of the little buggers. Many technical options could be used to somehow disable the system to render useless unless one knows what to do. How painfull for example would it be for you to go into the receiver OSD and the input dbs so low that the system is un-audible? Any trigger that could be disabled? How painfull would it be to remove the main fuse from let say your amp when your rig is unattended?

irishaz · April 2011

Sorry - should have been more specific. I don't have a dedicated HT with a locking door - just a downstairs home theater area. No possibility for a lock, or a hidden power bar, but I like the idea of the limited DB's in the OSD menu. I will look into that....I can set it each night before I go to sleep.

Sherardp · April 2011

No offense & all, but it's called respect for Dad's gear. Don't touch, means respecting your wishes and leaving it alone. After that it becomes "Taking Names and Kicking A$$". If that doesn't work, Kick A$$ and worry about the "who did it later". Sorry bro I'm a former Marine, so pardon me.

If you choose to go a friendlier route. One of those electronic door locks will work

http://www.amazon.com/LockState-LS-RDJ-L-S-10-Code-Keyless-Left-Hand/dp/B002KMK05G

Is there a possibility of adding the door upstairs in the entrance way?

joeparaski · April 2011

Since you work a lot of hours, I assume that you're not listening to your system as much as you like to. I suggest removing the power cords when not in use.

Joe

mdaudioguy · April 2011

Limit the volume. That's all you need to do. They should be able to enjoy themselves, too.

packetjones · April 2011

Sherardp wrote: »

No offense & all, but it's called respect for Dad's gear. Don't touch, means respecting your wishes and leaving it alone. After that it becomes "Taking Names and Kicking A$$". If that doesn't work, Kick A$$ and worry about the "who did it later". Sorry bro I'm a former Marine, so pardon me.

I agree with this. If you tell them not to touch it then they shouldn't. This is the only way.

dorokusai · April 2011

I'd re-enact the classic scene from the Deer Hunter when all his friends come over to hang out and low key party one night.

If you really want to sell it, don't bathe for a week, cover your face in Crisco, chug a couple 40oz Steel Reserve and snort 10-20 No-Doz. That's what I would do at the least, YMMV.

phipiper10 · April 2011

What he said, follow orders or pay the consequences. Sounds like they need more consequences. It's that simple.

Upstatemax · April 2011

I can still clearly remember the a$$kicking I got when my father came home to me listening to his system when he told me not to....

Never did it again.

DaveHo · April 2011

Dedicated circuit? Flip the breaker & get a lock for the breaker box. They could circumvent this with a couple of extension cords, but if they are typical lazy teens that'll be too much trouble. Do you have another set-up in the house they are supposed to use? Maybe you could upgrade that with some cheap CL finds to make it more appealing to them.

Bottom line, they should respect your wishes or face the consequences. This starts with your wife, who seems to not give a darn.

-Dave

irishaz · April 2011

Thanks for the input and ideas. Trust me, I'd be all for the a$$kicking if it were possible, but it's a different time and situation then when I was growing up. This is a blended family and I get told on a fairly regular basis lately that I am not their real dad. Maybe it's not the same in Minnesota as it is everywhere else, but if I look at the kids funny sometimes I'm worried about CPS involvement. A$$kicking is out of the question.

If my Dad told me not to touch his stuff, I didn't - period. I knew what was waiting for me if I did. In my situation, I can ground them, take away priviledges, etc. (I've already done all that) - but they still have the system at their disposal when I'm not around. I have given them my old system - nice Onkyo receiver, some older polk monitors, and older Cerwin Vega sub, and my old 51" Toshiba. They have an Xbox and I gave them an old Toshiba HDDVD player. I don't know why that isn't good enough, but apparently it isn't. I like the dedicated cirucit idea - my system is on a dedicated and I just need to lock the breaker box.

bsoko2 · April 2011

Sounds like you and your wife had better have a talk about what is yours and what the boys can do and when. If she doesn't come around, then it is time for profesional help with family counseling, or get out now because it will never change.

TECHNOKID · April 2011

bsoko2 wrote: »

Sounds like you and your wife had better have a talk about what is yours and what the boys can do and when. If she doesn't come around, then it is time for profesional help with family counseling, or get out now because it will never change.

The men is seeking advices on how to protect is system

Ideas for protecting system from...

. He is not asking us advices on how to create hell in his family and break up is mariage. I've been through that situation with a spoiled brath and all this has done is make me loose a great women because she was caught between her son and her husband. Give the men ways to secure his system and let's stay away from his mariage and family.

mrbiron · April 2011

Both the locked breaker panel and taking the power cords seems like the easiest fix. It's a shame that disciplining a child has gotten so political that you can't even yell at them in fear of social services coming to your door.
All the parents in my neighborhood were given permission to discipline me if i got out of control so i got it wherever i was. :biggrin:

Beat them with an orange so it doesn't leave a bruise, then deny deny deny....

slk55amg · April 2011

Turn the heat off in there room........................................................

pitdogg2 · April 2011

mrbiron wrote: »

It's a shame that disciplining a child has gotten so political that you can't even yell at them in fear of social services coming to your door.
All the parents in my neighborhood were given permission to discipline me if i got out of control so i got it wherever i was. :biggrin:

....

YEP the same thing my parents did and if i came home crying that so and so beat my arse mom and dad both would just say well you must of deserved it..

DaveHo wrote: »

Dedicated circuit? Flip the breaker & get a lock for the breaker box. They could circumvent this with a couple of extension cords, but if they are typical lazy teens that'll be too much trouble. Do you have another set-up in the house they are supposed to use? Maybe you could upgrade that with some cheap CL finds to make it more appealing to them.

Bottom line, they should respect your wishes or face the consequences. This starts with your wife, who seems to not give a darn.

-Dave

well you could just take the breaker out or get a new breaker take it apart so it won't work and stick it in so it would say on but could never ever work.

cstmar01 · April 2011

shock system. Either put like one of those dog ones with the fence thing on them like an ankle band or something so that way if they get close to the TV it gives a nice like jolt to them.

jk

Upstatemax · April 2011

Let them call CPS... They can't touch your system if they have been removed from your house!

All jokes aside... A man should not have to lock his breaker box to get "respect" in his home. You don't have to physically kick an a$$...

My Dad was crazy good at coming up with horrible physical labor when I screwed up.

If you're not their "real" Dad, then I guess you have zero reason to give them all your sweet old stuff as well. Take that away while your at it, till they learn to respect how generous you really are.

You seem like a really nice guy just stuck in a crappy situation. They need far more respect for you and your wife should also have enough respect for you to back you up on this stuff. My wife could care less about our audio equipment, but she knows I care about it, for that reason alone she and anyone that she allows to touch it will respect my stuff.

TECHNOKID · April 2011

cstmar01 wrote: »

shock system. Either put like one of those dog ones with the fence thing on them like an ankle band or something so that way if they get close to the TV it gives a nice like jolt to them.

jk

Love this, gets the sarcastic in me come to the top. I'd love to see those braths shaking in pain while touching the un-touchable.

Upstatemax wrote: »

If you're not their "real" Dad, then I guess you have zero reason to give them all your sweet old stuff as well. Take that away while your at it, till they learn to respect how generous you really are.

This is definitely a great idea! Take eveything away you have generously given them. Make sure you protect your system also. Let them know they didn't respect your gear and this is the reason you are coming back on your word and are confiscating the gear you have given them.

Keep this going for maybe a couple months and in due time you may want to give it back to them with a signed agreement that they will limit them selve to the gear you so generously gave them and that if they ever touch your gear again, they loose the gear for godd since it will be sold. :eek:

tonyb · April 2011

It's called respect, sit their arses down, tell them how it's going to be, have the wife present too. If they fail to grasp the concept, point them towards the door.
Nothing wrong with being firm, the alternative is they will run all over you for the rest of your days.

jmwest1970 · April 2011

I took a different approach with my stepson and it's seemed to work well. I didn't forbid him to touch either our HT or my 2 channel system. I taught him how to use them. With that I also warned him that the consequences for abusing them would be losing the privilege to use them. The worst thing he's done since is to leave the HT receiver on overnight.

Just my .02, but you might try this method. If it doesn't work hard labor usually does. :biggrin:

aboroth00 · April 2011

I'm probably a little younger than most here in the crowd. But I remember growing up and sometimes as a young adolescent under 10 years old, I'd go poking and messing with his audio equipment but occasionally I would pop in a CD and sit down in front and listen. But that was to be expected of a young child and growing up in my teenage years, I didn't have the chance to play with so much audio equpiment such as the equipment you have.

Now, what my father did was to share his love for audio and purchased me my own little system, nothing more than a fair HK receiver and an older pair of Infinity speakers. If I broke it, then it'd be my fault and I wouldn't have my own system any longer. However, when I started appreciating it, I would fear breaking it and generally started appreciating the hobby more.

So in a sense, perhaps you could share your love for the hobby. I know why I got into this hobby as many others have.

If you're using a power conditioner or some sort of strip with an easily accessible fuse. You could probably just pop that out and everything won't power on ;D.

Glowrdr · April 2011

I'm about an hour North of you. I could always come over and kick some **** for ya. lol. I just make sure to buy stuff so complicated the Wife (or kids in your case) can't ever figure out how to use it. lol

PolkClyde · April 2011

irishaz wrote: »

teenagers? My teenage boys have decided that they should watch movies and listen to music on my rig when I'm not home. I tell them not to touch any of it when I'm not home, but they have decided that they should anyway (obviously, I have some deeper issues with my boys than audio, but that's another show). I work a lot of hours and my wife doesn't care about my home theater...so it got me to wondering. Other than hiding the remotes, is there any way to safeguard my system? I came home on Friday and they were watching Oceans 13 at a db level that was ridiculous. Summer is coming up and I'm worried about my SDA's, so I thought I would ask...

I'm currently running:

Pioneer elite 94txh
Pioneer BDP-51
PS3 - (I know I can password protect this)
Samsung PN58A650 Plasma

I've looked at the owner's manuals and on the web and can't find any answers. Any ideas?

I couldn't behave like that in Mr. Clyde's Sr. house,if my dad told me to leave something alone,I wouldn't even look at it..he didn't play,and still doesn't play today at 79 years of age.he's very militant and very heavy into the Masons, 33third and up.A very inteligent man.He worked at a paper mill for 45 years and his foreman,wouldn't bother him. There was no such thing as "quiet time" in my home. You deal with those teenages boys like the Man you are.

PolkClyde · April 2011

irishaz wrote: »

Thanks for the input and ideas. Trust me, This is a blended family and I get told on a fairly regular basis lately that I am not their real dad. <<

I have been in that situation before,and it's no fun... my step kids love me now... after I put both the boys in a headlock and threw them out of the house. They are grown young men today. you ought to ask them, where the hell is your Raggedy azz daddy at.sorry,don't do that.the spirit of Steve Harvey is upon me... Steve Harvey is a comedian and new host of Family feud,in case you didn't know.

PolkClyde · April 2011

The man most of all need the support of his wife.because, it really doesn't matter what he does,change the breaker,put locks or what ever.if his wife isn't behind him,that won't work. she will only say,my boys aren't good enough to play or listen to your stereo system.believe me,nothing will work if his wife don't support him.

PolkClyde · April 2011

aboroth00 wrote: »

I'm probably a little younger than most here in the crowd. But I remember growing up and sometimes as a young adolescent under 10 years old, I'd go poking and messing with his audio equipment but occasionally I would pop in a CD and sit down in front and listen. But that was to be expected of a young child and growing up in my teenage years, I didn't have the chance to play with so much audio equpiment such as the equipment you have.

Now, what my father did was to share his love for audio and purchased me my own little system, nothing more than a fair HK receiver and an older pair of Infinity speakers. If I broke it, then it'd be my fault and I wouldn't have my own system any longer. However, when I started appreciating it, I would fear breaking it and generally started appreciating the hobby more.

So in a sense, perhaps you could share your love for the hobby. I know why I got into this hobby as many others have.

If you're using a power conditioner or some sort of strip with an easily accessible fuse. You could probably just pop that out and everything won't power on ;D.

That's worth a try,good advice aboroth00;1561825

irishaz · April 2011

Thanks again for the ideas and support. I guess sometimes it just feels a little overwhelming - there are three of them (triplet 16 year olds) and it's hard to stay calm when you start to see what you have worked so hard to acquire get abused. I've gone the route of showing them how to use my stuff, but always had the caveat "at least ask first". I found out tonight that it has been happening far more frequently than I thought, so I went ahead and flipped the breaker. We'll see what happens tomorrow...I'm hoping for the best.

As recently as a year ago I was tight with two of them, but they've never been held accountable in their lives, so once I tried to implement that it all went to hell. I don't want to sound like the old guy on the side of the road saying dammit...kids have changed. But, I'm sorry to say - they have. There is such a feeling of entitlement it's scary. My folks didn't have much money (dad was career military) and I was thankful for everything I had. My kids have a $3,000 system that I gave them and it's not enough. I think I was 30 before I had something like that...

Not trying to be a whiner...sorry if I'm coming off that way. This forum has been a source of a lot of knowledge and good times for me - just wanted to know if there was a way to keep them from damaging what I've tried to put together here. I've gotten some great suggestions - thanks for that.

comfortablycurt · April 2011

I'd say your best bet would be to allow them to use it, and simply set the max volume to a reasonable level. Most AVR's have a setting that allow you to set a max volume.

They obviously have an interest in the hobby, and you telling them that they can't touch your system probably isn't helping to encourage them to try and bond with you. Perhaps if you shared the hobby with them, it could be used as a bonding point. You mentioned that you gave them their own system...where is it? In their bedroom I'm assuming? If so...they probably want to use yours because they don't want to be cooped up in their bedroom all the time.

Is there any real reason that they shouldn't be using it, other than "this is mine, don't touch"? It's really pretty hard to damage an audio system...especially with a max volume setting in place.

That's just my $.02

Ideas for protecting system from...

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