Customer Reviews

Time's UP Automatic TV & Videogame Timer

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I bought this unit and 2 other Game Timers. This was 2nd overall, as far as features and quality, but the unit has several fatal flaws for our uses. These were definite deal breakers for our family! (1) If you own a Sony Playstation 3, most game timers shut off the power completely when the child's time is used up. The Playstation 3 requires the electrical outlet to always be on, if not the memory and time settings are lost and have to be reentered each time you use the device (a Pain in the neck)! (2) the unit is not to be used with a Plasma TVs of which we have (2) another deal breaker! By the way the unit the whole family liked the most and even Mom can program easily was the BOB - Screen Time Manager - Manage Your TV Time. This was the most expensive unit but also the most sophisticated by a mile! It is built well and is easy to use and works well with th Playstation3 and all TVs and computers. It shuts down the kids use, but still allows a small amount of power to pass through the device and to keep your PS3 memory alive. If you have an older game console like the Sony Playstation 2 or the Gamecube this unit would be fine!

I researched this product after being recommended to purchase the Time Scout. For a simple timer for an electronic item such as an X-Box, it works fine, at about 1/3 of the price of it's competitors. The concept is similar for all devices: the power cord for the offending electronic device (TV, video game, etc., computer) is plugged into the box and locked, and a separate power cord is plugged into the power supply. This device allows you to set time in 30 minute increments, and to set the box to re-set either daily or weekly. It has worked effectively with our son and has ended numerous battles with the X-Box, but the main drawback is that the timer starts warning at 5 minutes and then 1 minute. The warning alarms are very loud and obnoxious, particularly to other persons in the area who are not playing the game. The sound is loud enough to interfere with enjoyment of the game, but it also serves the purpose of getting the child off the electronic device quicker. It is a quick behavior modifier, because allowing the device to run down to zero and perform a hard shut off of a TV or video game can be fatal to the device. Plasma TV's and computers are especially vulnerable to sudden power losses. Bottom line, these types of timers are simple devices that take the argument and battle out of game usage. It is amazing that a child who will argue that there is no logical place to stop a game for 45 minutes can somehow manage to stop the same game in less than 5 minutes when faced with the dire consequence of permanently destroying a game cartridge or console! None of the devices I researched was perfect, but I'd rather pay $35 (inclusive of tax and shipping) than $100, just to control the amount of time my child spends with an X-box.

While the concept of this product is good, there is an INCREDIBLY annoying beep on this that warns you at 5 minutes -- and there is no way to turn it off. Every time, it scares the whole family and is louder than a fire alarm and it beeps once every 2 or 3 seconds for 7 beeps. It's awful and terribly disruptive. My husband or I would come running into the room whenever we heard it because we kept thinking there was a fire. I'd recommend you buy another product without the beeper.

The Time's Up Timer has been wonderful with 2 teenagers. NO more arguments about how long they can watch TV, bedtimes are consistent and they have to mutually agree on what shows they watch. Wish I had found this product year ago.

I think every parent should have one that needs help in monitoring their childrens use of electronics.We use it on his x-box and the tv.

The concept is good, it's inexpensive and easy to use and it works, sort of. My 15 year old quickly figured out how easy it is to remove the "locked" cover without the key and keep on playing without even breaking it. It is now useless to me since it was meant to limit his use when I'm not home. This is best suited for younger children.

The Time's Up tv timer is working out nicely in our home. We have a 3 year old who sometimes wants to watch Max & Ruby a little bit more than is good for him. We knew he was likely getting more than 2 hours a day but weren't sure exactly how much. We weren't prepared to sit there with a stop watch everyday so we got the very-affordable Time's Up instead. We set it at 2.5 hours and most days don't max out. Our 3 year old understands the timer and knows that it signals the end of tv for the day. It has not only served as a means for us to keep track of our son's screen time, but has also introduced our son to the idea that tv time is limited, which is a great concept to introduce early on. Also, we didn't find the alarm to be overly loud.