Parents who are concerned about their kids being exposed to the seedy language found in some movies on DVD may want to look into Fisher's new DVD-SL30 DVD player. As "Tech Live" reports tonight, built into the $150 DVD player's guts is the TVGuardian (TVG) Foul Language Filter, software that mutes unsavory words and phrases and, if used in conjunction with a TV's closed-captioned system, modifies unsavory text.
Some may wonder why a family would want to censor words when much of the harmful content is transmitted via violent or sexually laden pictures. Well, even movies such as "E.T," "Men in Black," and "Home Alone" have swear words. TVG, when used at the strictest setting, can filter out virtually every one of these dirty words ("hell" is one of these words). The SL30 does its job and the inclusion of the filtering software doesn't seem to add to the reasonable $150 price tag.
The SL30's attractive minimal design and good video quality scored points with TechTV Labs, which recently reviewed
low-cost DVD players. It measures 17.1 inches by 3.1 inches by 11 inches and includes optical digital, component video, and S-Video outputs in addition to the standard video and analog audio outputs. The solid remote control, which has cool glow-in-the-dark buttons, can control every function of the DVD player. The onscreen interface is simple and to the point. The SL30 includes a 10-bit video decoder and a 96-KHz/24-bit audio DAC, and it's compatible with DVD Video, CD, CD-R, CD-RW, MP3, and DVD-R. It's also the first DVD player to use Spatializer N-2-2 virtual surround technology, meaning that it can enable decent surround sound on just two speakers or headphones. It's a solid and affordable DVD player.
Foul language begone!
Fisher has licensed TVG filtering technology from
Principle Solutions, which sells its own external hardware version for under $100. (This box filters TV content as well.) If you want a good DVD player and the TVG software, the SL30 is a great buy.
It's a snap to activate TVG as long as you're using an English-language DVD with closed captioning. TVG detects and mutes words and phrases based on a DVD's closed captioning and can be set to moderate and strict filter levels. The latter even mutes out exclamatory uses of "God" and "Jesus Christ." The moderate setting allows words such as "butt" and "sucks."
Our TVG-enabled viewings of "Fight Club," "Boyz 'N the Hood," and "Scarface" were pockmarked with muted audio, which can be annoying to adults. Typically, TVG mutes more than the word or phrase in question, so you'll experience some holes in the audio. For those who use closed captioning, you'll notice that words will be modified. For example, "She's such a b**ch!" will read "She's such a nag!" Occasionally, a swear word will make it through the filter, typically due to an error or typo in the closed-captioned script. But parents who are concerned about foul language in even PG-rated movies will be happy to know that the SL30 is 95 to 100 percent effective.
The TVG settings page can only be accessed by entering a pass code. As with other DVD players, the SL30 has parental control settings. Also, an occasional and momentary "TVG" appears on-screen when the system is activated.
Summary: Designed for parents with young children, the SL30 is a solid DVD player with TVGuardian filtering software built-in. Although it mutes chunks of audio from DVDs, it's nearly 100 percent effective in muting (or censoring) foul language.
Pros: Good video quality; clean design; TVGuardian effective.
Cons: TVGuardian mutes phrases surrounding the swear word or words.
Company: Fisher
Price: $149.99
Available: Now
Specs: NTSC color; signal to noise ratio: more than 105 dB; approximately 6.2 pounds; 10-bit video D/A converter, 96-KHz 24-bit Audio D/A converter; Dolby Digital and DTS optical output.
