Parental Control

Mezzmo lets you manage what videos, music and photos are streamed to your devices and web browsers in your home and outside your home. This lets you control what your children can watch or listen to and at what times of day.

Go to the Options dialog (Content Rating page) to set the content rating restrictions.

First step is to select the country that you wish to see content ratings. This makes it easy for you to understand the content rating for your collection of files. Mezzmo will automatically convert content ratings from other countries to your preferred country's content ratings. This is done when you add files into Mezzmo or when you maintain your Mezzmo library. If you have changed the country but already have files in your Mezzmo library, then you should run Maintain Library if you wish to see the content ratings change to the selected country for your existing files in your Mezzmo library.

Next step is to set the Content rating restriction you wish to have in your home. Click the Browse button next to the Content rating value. For example, you may want to stop R-rated files being listed or streamed on devices in your home.

If you only want the content restriction to apply during certain times of the day, then you can set the time period. This is useful if you want unrestricted access to your files when you children have gone to bed.

If you also use the Mezzmo Android app to browse your Mezzmo library and select files to play in your home, then you can gain full access to your Mezzmo library at any time by entering a PIN code in both the Options dialog (Content Ratings page) and in the Settings window on the Mezzmo Android app. This PIN code tells Mezzmo to bypass the content restrictions for the Mezzmo Android app and list all folders, playlists and files on your Mezzmo Android app.

If you want different content restrictions for different devices in your home, then go to the Media Devices dialog and edit your device.

On the Device Settings dialog, go to the Content Ratings tab.

Set the Content rating restriction you wish to have for this device. Click the Browse button next to the Content rating value. For example, you may want to stop PG-13 rated files (or higher) being listed or streamed on this device.

If you only want the content restriction to apply during certain times of the day, then you can set the time period. This is useful if you want unrestricted access to your files when you children have gone to bed.

If you want different content restrictions for different users that access your Mezzmo library via a web browser (either inside your home or outside your home), then go to the Web Access dialog and edit the user account.

On the User Settings dialog, go to the Content Ratings tab.

Set the Content rating restriction you wish to have for this user account. Click the Browse button next to the Content rating value. For example, you may want to stop PG-13 rated files (or higher) being listed or streamed on this user account.

If you only want the content restriction to apply during certain times of the day, then you can set the time period. This is useful if you want unrestricted access to your files when you children have gone to bed.

To manually set or change the content rating for a file, right-click on the file and click Properties.

On the Properties dialog, click the Browse button next to the Content rating value.

The content rating of the file will determine if it is listed and streamed on your devices or web browsers.

Tip: To set the content rating for a group of files, select all the files using the CTRL or SHIFT keys on your keyboard and right-click one of the selected files and click Properties. On the Properties dialog, change the content rating and click OK. This changed content rating value will be saved for all selected files.

To manually set or change the content rating for a folder or playlist, right-click on the folder or playlist and click Properties.

On the Folder / Playlist Properties dialog, click the Browse button next to the Content rating value.

The content rating of the folder or playlist will determine if it is listed on your devices or web browsers.

If you do not want to share media files from your Mezzmo library with any DLNA device or web browser in your home or outside your home, then simply stop running your Mezzmo media server. This will turn off the Mezzmo media server and no DLNA devices or web browsers will be able to see Mezzmo or access your files via Mezzmo on your home network.

To stop running your Mezzmo media server, click the Stop Media Server toolbar button in Mezzmo.

By default, your Mezzmo server is configured to run at Windows startup. You can change this using the Media Server Settings dialog.

When a device connects to your Mezzmo server for the first time, the Mezzmo Notify window will pop up on your computer and inform you that the device is attempting to connect to your Mezzmo server. The IP address and MAC address of the device will be added to the Media Devices dialog.

You can allow or deny access for a device using the Media Devices dialog. If you deny access, then this device will no longer be able to access any playlists or media files in your Mezzmo library.

To change the security for the DLNA device, select the DLNA device in the Media Devices dialog, and click the Allow/Deny button.

Tip: If you just want your favorite devices listed in the Media Devices dialog and no other unwanted devices, then try the following:

1. Stop your Mezzmo server.
2. In the Media Devices dialog, delete any unwanted devices.
3. Uncheck the [B]Allow all new devices to connect to Mezzmo[/B] checkbox.
4. Start your Mezzmo server. Now, any new device will denied access to your Mezzmo server and no new devices will be listed in the Media Devices dialog.

You can allow or deny access for a user using the Web Access dialog. If you deny access, then the user will no longer be able to access any playlists or media files in your Mezzmo library.

To change the security for the user, select the user in the Media Devices dialog, and click the Allow/Deny button.

Folder / Playlist security lets you configure your folders and playlists in your Mezzmo library so that specific DLNA devices or users will only be able to view only those folders and playlists that you permit them to.

Example: You may want to configure your Mezzmo library so that only those suitable (non-adult) folders and playlists are available to your children's Xbox One or PS4 in their bedroom. This will mean that your children will never be able to browse and play media files from your Mezzmo library that you deem unsuitable to them.

To set folder or playlist sharing permissions, right-click on a folder or playlist in Mezzmo and click Playlist Sharing Permissions to display the Playlist Sharing Permissions dialog. This dialog will let you choose the devices or users that you wish to allow or deny access.