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ProtecTV Frequently Asked Questions
 

1. What is ProtecTV?
2. How is ProtecTV connected to my TV?
3. What do I do if I have a DVD player and a Satellite Receiver (or Cable Box) hooked up to my TV and no VCR?
4. How does ProtecTV work?
5. What are captions?
6. Can you turn off the filtering if you choose?
7. Will ProtecTV remove every swearword?
8. What are the laws regarding swearwords and censorship in captions?
9. Why is a "swearword" bleeped from the audio but appears in the captions?
10. Will ProtecTV work with TV/VCR Combo units?
11. Will ProtecTV support Hi-Fi Stereo/Dolby Digital 5.1?
12. Can I return the system if I am not satisfied?

Q. What is ProtecTV?
A. ProtecTV is an innovative patented technology that gives the individual the choice to protect what they hear in the audio or see in the captioning of a television show or movie.

Q. How is ProtecTV connected to my TV?
A. ProtecTV is simple to connect. PROTECTTV connects through your cable box, satellite, VCR or DVD player (cannot connect straight to the Television set). Specific instructions are provided in the instruction manual inside the box. More on Installation.

Q. What do I do if I have a DVD player and a Satellite Receiver (or Cable Box) hooked up to my TV and no VCR?
A. Because the DVD player, a Satellite Receiver and a Cable Box only has "A/V Input" and no "A/V Output" you have three options: 1) Add a switch box where all the units would connect through, 2) purchase a VCR and follow the installation instructions, 3) add a second ProtecTV unit, one for each device.

Q. How does ProtecTV work?
A. ProtecTV works through the captioning that runs through television programming, videos, and DVD's. ProtecTV works with both the audio as well as the written captions that are available. Every time an offensive word is spoken it is compared to a dictionary of over 400 words and phrases and if the word or phrase matches, it is deleted from the soundtrack and captioning. The viewer will experience a momentary gap in the audio and for viewers reading the captions, the undesirable written word is replaced by XXXX's.

Q. What are captions?
A. Just as a caption in a book is the text under a picture, captions on video are text located somewhere on the picture. Since there is no way for a television to put text outside the area of the picture tube, captions do end up covering a portion of the picture.

Q. Can you turn off the filtering if you choose?
A. No. However, the unit is easy to disconnect.

Q. Will ProtecTV remove every swearword?
A. ProtecTV filters out nearly every offensive word or phrase that comes through your TV. Every program, however, is not captioned and therefore cannot be filtered through ProtecTV's database of over 400 words and phrases. In addition, there are a very small number of closed-captioning errors which occur and are therefore not captured and deleted. The good news is that nearly every offensive word or phrase spoken will be muted in the audio and replaced in the captioning with X's.

Q. What are the laws regarding swearwords and censorship in captions?
A. There's an easy answer to that: there are no laws. Each broadcaster sets their own standards for programming. If you turn on your TV, you may just hear all of George Carlin's infamous "seven words you can't say on TV." There are even cartoons on today that are considered objectionable to most anyone. The rule most broadcasters follow is that if the word is audible, it gets captioned. One captioning company contacted the FCC to see what their rules were. The FCC responded that captioners who write exactly what the audio says will not bear any legal liability for doing so. Even if there was an issue, the FCC has no regulatory control over captioners.

Q. How is a "swearword" bleeped from the audio but still apparent in the captions?
A. Usually, this is the result of a pre-taped show being edited right before it is broadcast. The captioner will get a script or an early edit, and prepare from that. The producer makes a last-minute decision to tone something down, re-dubs the scene, and fails to inform the captioner. The captioner includes the original nasty word, the captions are added to the final cut, and nobody notices the discrepancy until the show airs.

Q. Will ProtecTV work with TV/VCR Combo units?
A. No, it will not. ProtecTV must be able to edit out the pre-selected swearword before it reaches the TV. This is not possible with the TV/VCR Combo units.

Q. Will ProtecTV support Hi-Fi Stereo/Dolby Digital 5.1?
A. The The ProtecTV does not support optical or digital audio. It will support DVD players and Home Theater systems with the standard A/V cables.

Q. Can I return the system if I am not satisfied?
A. Yes, if you are not completely satisfied, simply return the ProtecTV unit in its entirety and in its original packaging within 30 days of purchase for a refund. GCI also warrants that the product will function according to written specifics for a period of one full year from the date of purchase.