DESPERATE for way to child proof tv cable box!

tmrtink

Anyone have any solutions?? Our cable box has to be out in order for our remote to work, and it's right at DS's height of course. Whatever we cover it with would have to be transparent and not too thick so the remote would still work. I'm at my witts end!!! What have you done? BTW-there is no way to move the box, move the tv, or anything like that, so something has to be done with it where it is. Thanks!

Stacyc625

i hear ya- is there a switch for the box?

not the best solution but that is what we have to do for our PS3. (which we use as a blue ray/dvd players as well) i have to flip it off so she doesn't eject disks and push buttons. when i want to use it i just flip the switch in the back. Its not ideal- but it works.

tmrtink

Stacyc625:

i hear ya- is there a switch for the box?

not the best solution but that is what we have to do for our PS3. (which we use as a blue ray/dvd players as well) i have to flip it off so she doesn't eject disks and push buttons. when i want to use it i just flip the switch in the back. Its not ideal- but it works.

 

No, no switch. We finally moved the DVD player in the cabinet under the unit since we barely use it, but the cable box has to stay out for the remote to work. We tried using those plastic picture frame things-those cheap clear acrylic ones-they work wonders on the actual TV because it's heavy enough that he can't pull it out or move it. But the cable box he just takes them out, or pushes the whole box back and then pushes the buttons. I've looked on babies r us and there isn't anything there that would work for us. UGH! 

t-lou rosales

We were also soooo frustrated..so we ended up getting this It's from Ikea...it was $150. It locks..comes with a cute key. Glass doors so the cable..dvd, etc works just fine. It's been a life saver.

MainelyFoolish

They sell clear acrylic covers at Babies R Us for about $10.  It's a panel of plastic with a lip on the bottom so you can slide it under the box to hold it in place and the panel covers the front.  We had to get one to keep DD from pushing all the buttons on the satellite box. 

ETA: it's this.  DD can move it if she wants to but after the first curious day, she mostly leaves it alone.

It bet you could also use double-stick foam tape to attach it to the bottom of the cable box so your DC would have difficulty removing it.

rasuhu

We have our TV & DVD player hooked up to a power strip, so we just reach behind & turn the strip off when we're not using them.  When they are on, I guess, is another thing....we do have an ottoman that sits in front of the TV to provide a buffer, but the girls just figured out this morning how to climb on it!

NYDay

I pushed the coffee table in front of it and anytime I needed to change the channel I got up and moved the table. Not an ideal situation, but it's the only one I had.

tunanuna

Check out BRU in there child safety section.  If I remember correctly they have plastic covers just for this particular problem. Good luck.

tmrtink

Thanks ladies-tried the BRU plastic cover/guard thing and he just moves it-the box is too lightweight for it to stay in place. I don't know what the heck i'm going to do but it's driving me nuts!

Barneso

Yeah - Try BRU.  DH's brother had to get this because his toddler kept sticking sandwiches in the VCR player.

easterbaby

I agree with pp, buy the clear panel thing at BRU.

Or you could do what we did. I flipped the TV off of cable and jack the volume up so it makes a really LOUD noise and that scared the sh*t out of our DDs when they would touch the buttons. They haven't played with the TV buttons, DVD player or Dish box since. It's not the most gentle way to teach them, but it worked the first day! They were 2 and 15 months when that happened. You just have to be ready before he does it, and then you act scared/surprised and comfort him so he doesn't know that you are doing it.

Bride2b2004

Our friends had to set up a playyard (those colorful plastic fences that you click together) in a semi circle around their TV and equipment to keep their LOs out.

jen5-03

Ok, so you already have the clear shield thing that someone posted a pic of?

Take it and set it in front of the cable box again. Take either rubberbands or clear packing tape and on either end, fasten the shield to the cable box. I think the rubberbands would look nicer if they will stretch that far. You could also try yarn or string to hold it on there.

I haven't done this but it seems like it'll work (I have a glass front tv cabinet from ikea so ours is in there and we just used the shield to keep her from touching the buttons on the tv.)